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.
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