Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Things You Should Never Do In The United States

United States flag waving
Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash

Anyone who has ever been interested in traveling or in studying history understands that each country is unique with its own rules.

For anyone who wants to visit the United States, Reddit has collected some of its favorite tips for what to do, and what not to do, while visiting.


Redditor Aarunascut decided to address this question for the land of the free when they asked:

"What should you never do in the United States?

Don't Borrow Money

"Don’t ever get a payday loan."

"People end up rolling them over every week for like a $25-$50 fee while the juice keeps running. By the time you pay down a simple $500 loan, it comes out to something insane like a 750% interest rate over the course of a year."

- sardoodledom_autism

Times Square Isn't Such a Great Time

"Go to Times Square on New Year's Eve. The experience is so not worth it. Its romanticized for some reason."

- SATATSDOG

Don't Get Out of the Car During Traffic

"Don't get out of the vehicle during a traffic stop. I did not know this. Here in Australia, we are perfectly OK to get out of the vehicle unless the cop says otherwise."

- CptUnderpants-

Don't Get Out of the Car for the Police, Either

"Don't get out of the car after the police ask you to stop."

"My old chemistry professor made that mistake on holiday, and they pulled a gun on him."

- HorizontalAndy

No Sleeping in the Car

"Never leave your sleeping infant or child in a vehicle. This is fairly common in some places across the pond, but it is definitely NOT legal in the US."

- Nyxmyst_

Be Careful Where You're Sightseeing

"Walk onto someone's property without permission, or knowing the owner. It's cool in many places around the world to be able to go wandering through the countryside. It is not cool in the U.S."

"You might end up getting arrested, held at gunpoint, or shot at if you're really unlucky."

- Ai_of_Vanity

Ask Before Taking the Picture

"Don’t take pictures or record videos of strangers’ children. I’ve had to warn many people coming over from Asia about this. Some have ignored me and it has led to screaming and threats."

- newuser60

It's Bigger Than You Think

"Don't underestimate the size of the US. Apparently, some people think it can take only a couple hours to go to locations that are states away."

- LucarnAnderson

Do You Know... the Florida Man?

"Don't go to Florida for the beaches and forget about the wildlife. Black Bears, gators, panthers, hogs, etc."

"You can just ask any random Florida Man to see his pet alligator, we typically keep them handy for such an occasion."

- _Ross-

All Hail Dolly Parton

"At least in Tennessee, you should never say anything unkind about Dolly Parton."

- Abe_Fromans_Day_Off

Learn From History

"Don't be a king and use the Tea Act of 1773 to give special consideration to the British East India Company in the colonies."

- imaque

Don't Cut in Line

"Don't cut in line. I've been in countries (for example: Spain) where lines/queues are more of a vague suggestion of who goes first, this is not true if you cut in line in the US. Cutting in line in the US can literally lead to violence."

- hiro111

More Trouble Than They're Worth

"Do not trespass onto other people’s land and don’t engage in road rage. Both are higher stakes than you probably think…"

- hiddengill

Each Region Is Unique

"Don’t base your entire opinion and generalization of the country just on one part or a particular region. Cultures, values, and people are so different all over the US."

- PoppyPalace

Respect First

"If you're in the South and someone calls you, 'sweetie/sugar/honey/baby,' they likely aren't flirting with you. We call everyone that. Also, 'ma'am' and 'sir' are not meant sarcastically. A lot of us are raised to always say that to people out of respect."

- almc0418

Every country has its own unique set of rules, and the best thing we can do when we visit is to try to follow their general protocols.

These tips may not cover everything in the United States, but it's a start.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

North Carolina Mom Slams MAGA Congresswoman For Attacking Her 10-Year-Old Son And His Teacher In 'Horrific' Letter
FOX8 WGHP/YouTube; Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

North Carolina Mom Slams MAGA Congresswoman For Attacking Her 10-Year-Old Son And His Teacher In 'Horrific' Letter

Greensboro, North Carolina, mother Emily Mango is upset with MAGA Republican Representative Virginia Foxx over a letter the North Carolina legislator sent to her 10-year-old son in response to a school assignment.

Mango shared that her son Christian, who is in the 4th grade, was tasked with a writing exercise. Students were to compose a persuasive essay on a topic of their choosing and send it to a changemaker.

Keep ReadingShow less
Ryan Lochte competes in the Men's 200m individual medley final at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Team Swimming Trials.
Tom Pennington/Getty Images

People Are Doing a Double-Take After Olympic Swimmer Ryan Lochte Debuted His Virtually Unrecognizable New Look

Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte is making waves both in and out of the pool after unveiling a dramatically different appearance and announcing his new role at Missouri State University. The 12-time Olympic medalist’s latest chapter comes more than a year after Kayla Reid filed for divorce, with Lochte now stepping into life as an assistant swim coach.

Lochte explained why coaching has become his new passion in a May 10th Instagram post:

Keep ReadingShow less
Hayden Panettiere
On Purpose with Jay Shetty; Neutrogena

Hayden Panettiere Claims Neutrogena Fired Her After 10 Years For Speaking About Postpartum Depression—And Fans Are Appalled

Despite being in an industry that many people only dream of, Heroes and Bring It On star Hayden Panettiere hasn't had the best of luck.

With her memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning coming out soon, Panettiere has been opening up about her experiences with discrimination and abuse, this time on the On Purpose with Jay Shetty podcast, shedding light on one very popular skincare line.

Keep ReadingShow less
Woman signing a contract
Lourdes Balduque/Getty Images

Mom And Stepdad Go Viral After Forcing Adult Daughter To Sign Contract To Live At Home—And People Are Divided

In today's economy, it's becoming more common than ever before for adult children to continue to live with their parents after they graduate from high school, while they work their first job, or even while they go to college. Others, just as commonly, will return to their parents' home after going away for college or an internship.

Understanding the financial benefits, and sometimes necessity, of this, some parents use this arrangement to support their children while still trying to teach them something about life, like asking them to pay a little bit of rent, to cover a bill, or to help with groceries, and typically take on a few more responsibilities around the house.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @djyoyo's Instagram video
@djyoyo/Instagram

Mom Sparks Debate After Kicking Son's Girlfriend Out Of Riding In The Front Seat Of His Car In Viral Video

Most of us were taught when we were young that we need to respect our parents and elders in general.

The consensus is that, since they've lived much longer than us, they've learned more and contributed more to the community, so they deserve respect.

Keep ReadingShow less