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
Make us preferred on Google

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

Michael Douglas; Cher
BBC; Bob Riha, Jr./Getty Images

Michael Douglas Just Threw Some Massive Shade At Cher's Oscar Win—And Fans Are Losing It

Hollywood legend Michael Douglas has stirred up some discourse after shading another Hollywood legend, Cher.

The moment came during an appearance on The Graham Norton Show alongside his Fatal Attraction costar Glenn Close, in which they discussed Close's upcoming honorary Oscar.

Keep ReadingShow less
Bowen Wan; OpenAI and ChatGPT logos
The Schenk Law Firm, LLP; Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Woman Dies After ChatGPT Tells Her To Stop Taking Epilepsy Medication—And Now Her Family Is Suing

Artificial intelligence is being increasingly forced on the general public via tech devices and social media, but it's reliability as a source of accurate information has never been established, and people are suffering the consequences of trusting AI to provide factual information.

Bowen Wan, a 31-year-old Chinese immigrant living in Seattle, Washington, has died after taking medical advice from OpenAI's ChatGPT. Wan was suffering seizures due to epilepsy, but started reducing her medication upon the suggestion of the AI app, according to a lawsuit filed by her family.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Bill Murray speaking to Kevin Hassett
CNBC

Bill Murray Epically Trolls Trump Official For Grinning During Segment On Struggling Economy

Actor Bill Murray criticized National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett for smiling through a CNBC segment on President Donald Trump's failing economy, openly trolling Hassett on the air.

Murray was at CNBC’s studios on Monday after appearing earlier on Squawk Box alongside author Tom Coyne to discuss A Course Called Ireland, a six-part golf and travel series on Paramount+ in which Murray stars.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Ron DeSantis
Straight Shooter with Stephen A. Podcast

Ron DeSantis Just Ripped Republicans Who Claim That High Gas Prices Are 'No Big Deal'

On the eve of the midterm elections, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis surprised observers by criticizing Republicans who've downplayed the impact high gas prices have had on the electorate.

Americans continue to struggle with a nationwide affordability crisis hurting their wallets as well as at the pump. Because of the war President Donald Trump began with Iran earlier this year—and the continued blockade in the Strait of Hormuz—the global oil supply has been limited, causing a surge in prices.

Keep ReadingShow less
Abdul El-Sayed; JD Vance
Salwan Georges/Getty Images; Saul Loeb-Pool/Getty Images)

Victorious Abdul El-Sayed Points Out The 'Delicious Irony' Of What JD Vance Will Have To Do—And It's Too Good

After his historic defeat of Michigan Republican Mike Rogers in the state's U.S. Senate race, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed had observers cackling after he reminded his crowd of supporters that Vice President JD Vance will now have to swear him in.

It was a triumphant moment for El-Sayed, particularly after Vance had mispronounced his name at a rally on Friday at an Ohio steel plant before accusing him of arguing that "criticisms of Sharia law were rooted in white supremacy."

Keep ReadingShow less