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

Donald Trump; The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
Ken Cedeno / AFP via Getty Images; Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Trump Dragged After Video Of Renovated Reflecting Pool Already Shows Parts Of It Coated In Algae

President Donald Trump is facing criticism now that officials are scrambling to explain why the newly renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is coated with what they've referred to as "residual algae," creating an eyesore at one of Washington, D.C.'s most cherished attractions.

Although the Trump administration praised the project and said the nation's capital looked "better than ever" after the reservoir reopened, signs of algae growth were visible along the water's edge just one day after it was refilled.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @Suzierizzo1's X video
@Suzierizzo1/X

Racist Connecticut Woman Caught On Video Telling Indian Woman To 'Eat Your Bacon' And Go Back To Her Country

A video, shared on X by @Suzierizzo1, of an incredibly racist woman at a ShopRite market in Stamford, Connecticut, recently went viral after the inflammatory things she said to a fellow customer.

In the shared video, the woman was standing at a customer service station, demanding to pay for a handful of items while other customers were there to return products.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @LeahRain77's video
@LeahRain77/X

Woman Shares How Man Stalked Her From Her Morning Run All The Way To A Restaurant In Alarming Video

A woman shared an important reminder to stay alert, trust your gut, and stay safe out there after she was stalked by an unidentified man on her morning run.

The video was cross-posted to X by @LeahRain77, in which the woman explained that her alertness and the slight change to her routine that morning may have saved her life.

Keep ReadingShow less
Taylor Swift; 'Toy Story 5' cast: Conan O'Brien, Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Greta Lee
Kevin Mazur/TAS Rights Management/Getty Images; Rodin Eckenroth/Disney/Getty Images

Taylor Swift Brought Her VHS Copy Of 'Toy Story' To The 'Toy Story 5' Premiere To Have The Cast Sign It—And We're Obsessed

Fans have said since the beginning of her career that Taylor Swift is one of us, with the same big heart and interests she would have if she hadn't found stardom.

For those who remain unconvinced, the Toy Story 5 premiere might just do the trick.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @jessicajeankava's TikTok video
@jessicajeankava/TikTok

Woman Dragged After Breaking Down In Tears In Viral TikTok Because Hotel Pool Was Overrun With Kids

There's nothing quite like going to a location, knowing exactly what to expect, and then being upset that you got exactly what you expected.

But going to a family-friendly hotel and seeing kids at the pool was just what TikToker @jessicajeankava needed to set her off. She was already crying when she hit "record."

Keep ReadingShow less