What are some everyday things in the UK that seem normal but confuse people who are new here?
Posted by Automatic_Sorbet_849@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 60 comments
I’ve noticed that there are quite a few things in the UK that locals seem completely used to, but they can be a bit confusing if you’re new or visiting.
It could be habits, phrases, systems, or everyday things that people don’t really question anymore.
What are some examples of things like that in the UK?
Superb_Copy1644@reddit
Pubs and restaurants close earlier than most places, we discourage driving cars but make public transport very expensive outside of London, we don’t really do Religion, and supermarkets are open on Sundays?
EyeAware3519@reddit
And pubs that don't serve food on Sunday evenings. I remember going to a small country pub in the Cotswolds with an American friend. After a few pints he started to get a bit peckish so asked at the bar for a sandwich. Couldn't believe it when he was told no. It sounds obsurd when you think about it, the pub was quiet, the staff were mostly just stood, there was food in the kitchen, he being American would have tipped them well, but no, they refused to give him some food which they happily would have sold him 3 hours earlier.
terryjuicelawson@reddit
Many do (especially chains), I think the issue with a lot of smaller pubs is they are devoted to roasts at lunchtime and once they are out they are done. Kitchen cleaned up, staff gone. The attitude of "make me a sandwich, you aren't doing anything else, I will tip" absolutely reeks btw.
EyeAware3519@reddit
Yeah I agree. Different cultures though which is why it makes a good answer to the question.
feetflatontheground@reddit
The food wasn't going to prepare itself, and the person qualified to prepare it was probably gone.
Deep_Pepper_5405@reddit
For me, I always forget that in the UK the supermarkets close early on sundays. And yes, I've been caught out in Germany that they were not open at all.
Ambitious_Grape9908@reddit
"You alright?" really got me confused when I first moved to Nottingham. I kept thinking that maybe I had something wrong that everyone was asking me that!
I don't get the sink bucket thing after nearly two decades of being here.
And in business, language should never be taken literally:
"I hear what you are saying, but..." - I completely disagree with what you are said and I won't take it onboard at all
"I'll bear that in mind" - I will ignore that and definitely not keep it in mind
"I'm not entirely sure" - I haven't got a clue
"Just a couple of comments" - it needs to be redone completely
"That's not bad" - Excellent!
"That's quite good" - mediocre work, you could do better
"That's very interesting" - whatever you did, I think it's completely insane and I wouldn't do it that way at all
Potential-Bird-5826@reddit
Don't forget "I'm looking into that" for something I've already forgotten about again and have zero intention of actually looking into
feetflatontheground@reddit
Don't take anything literally anywhere unless you know the person well.
cuppoteaplease@reddit
The ‘sink bucket’ thing is a washing up bowl that people used before lots of us had dishwashers and we all had ceramic sinks. It was to stop dropped plates or cutlery chipping the sink
Candid-Engineer-6926@reddit
Do you walk on the left here or on the right? Because I was scolded by an old lady in London to keep left but a lot of y’all walk on the right in museums, at parks etc
What are you supposed to do because I can’t tell
solid-north@reddit
Left seems slightly more common overall but definitely not universal.
terryjuicelawson@reddit
People don't really walk on any side unless told to, like on the tube. We aren't cars.
Temo2212@reddit
Disgustingly dirty public transport.
Lower_Inspector_9213@reddit
That depends where you are
Giorggio361@reddit
Depends where you come from too. Some of ours isn’t great but I’ve never seen graffiti like on an Italian train. The general disdain America has for public transport in almost all of its pop culture would make me expect a bus there isn’t going to be particularly nice either.
Dull-Classroom-3479@reddit
I got a greyhound bus across Colorado once
My yank pals were mortified as it was "scummy"
Frankly - the seats were huge and comfy, AC, USB chargers, 15 min gas stations stops every couple of hours (Time for a pee and to buy snacks), incredible views of the Rockies and I paid about $40 for 8 hours/400 miles
Much better than Megabus!
Temo2212@reddit
I’ve never been out of london.
Long-Woodpecker-1980@reddit
Sometimes I don't feel comfortable cutting my toenails on the tube. I do wish they'd sort it out
Responsible-Link5739@reddit
Cut? Not bite?
Candid-Engineer-6926@reddit
It’s far cleaner and safer than many cities in the US.
Temo2212@reddit
You could have compared it to Somalia or smth, would look even cleaner. I have better standards though
EyeAware3519@reddit
London has the best public transport in the country.
Temo2212@reddit
If this is considered as the best I don’t even want to imagine what’s happening out of london :|
EyeAware3519@reddit
There's a reason everyone outside of London owns a car.
ShitBritGit@reddit
Try it. There's a whole country out there and almost none of it is like London (not shitting on London, it's just different).
Deep_Pepper_5405@reddit
Saying time as half something. As in half four mean 4:30/16:30 instead of 3:30/15:30
It is very unclear if you're suppose to walk on the left or right. Imperial and metric system is all over the place. 12h and 24h clock being used inconsistently.
Apologising all the time for no reason. But also being weirdly rude about apologising or lack of apology.
Double glazing being a selling point. separate taps. Carpets. Bathtubs without showers. Washingmachines in kitchen. coming from frontdoor straight to stairs/living area. 6ft fences in the backyars but no way to get out except through your house. (yes, we have been to open houses lately).
Knowing all about a person based on their accent. I find this really interesting.
Crisps being a normal snack at lunch.
Window washers
Erivandi@reddit
Good news! You can walk on whichever side you feel like! Having to always walk on a particular side sounds quite awkward to me.
coffeeebucks@reddit
Well, if it’s narrow the you should pass someone in the opposite direction left to left, like traffic.
LilacScentedStoat@reddit
It's a silly example but a few years ago, at work, we had to rush off to a meeting.
One of the lads I worked with was Polish and he was like,
"Come one, the meeting is starting"
So I said,
"Do I look like Linford bastard Christie?"
And then had to spend a little time explaining who Linford Christie is and that his middle name isn't really bastard.
NastyMothman@reddit
Tbh that could be an age / generational thing. I'm in my late 20's, UK born and bred, and had to Google Linford Christie.
LilacScentedStoat@reddit
Bleedin.eck. now I feel older than Compo.
NastyMothman@reddit
I don't think you're going to like my next question.
Who's Compo?
LilacScentedStoat@reddit
A character from an old show called Last Of The Summer Wine.
Which was about retired men in Yorkshire getting up to shenanigans...
Existing-Ad-549@reddit
Cleggy was about 11 years older when he died than Compo was!
Responsible-Link5739@reddit
Because you are.
Love, Cleggy.
DeplorableOik@reddit
😂😂😂
znv142@reddit
The sink bucket confused me greatly.
Full-Suggestion-1320@reddit
Now I, as a Brit, am confused. What on earth is a sink bucket?
Nonetsnaresme@reddit
I suspect they mean a washing up bowl?
Full-Suggestion-1320@reddit
Gosh, I assumed they vanished in the 1980s unless you are camping. I haven't seen anyone with one in such a long time. Even my 90 year old mum doesn't have one.
Lower_Inspector_9213@reddit
I use one - less water needed.
I don’t have a dishwasher- have had in the past but there is no need
znv142@reddit
I love my dishwasher - it is also multiple times more efficient than washing by hand and it generally washes way better than me (that's what my partner says anyways). I used to think I'd never use it but it's increased my quality of life big time.
znv142@reddit
it was definitely not the shape of a bowl, but yes.
Funmachine@reddit
It's not the shape of a bucket either, then.
znv142@reddit
Tray?
znv142@reddit
whoops washing up bowl!
EyeAware3519@reddit
I think they mean a washing up bowl
DefinitelyNotEmu@reddit
Bilingual signage
Apsalar28@reddit
The public bus payment and stopping procedures.
This also confuses people from London who try to use a bus in rural Wales and discover things like arrival times, including those reported by the relevant app, are now give or take 45 minutes if it's not been cancelled rather than tracked by GPS and accurate to within a minute.
changhyun@reddit
A friend of mine who moved here from China found it very funny that we don't just shout "Waiter!" or "Bill!" in restaurants when we want the bill, and instead try to make eye contact first, and then either quietly ask or make the little writing motion with our hands. To be fair, this was after I'd spent about five fruitless minutes trying to get a waiter's attention.
cuppoteaplease@reddit
When we were in our local Indian restaurant a relative of my husband’s, who’s lived for a long time in South Africa, clapped his hands above his head to call the waiter. The rest of us Brits near slid under the table in embarrassment while the rest of the diners all went quiet.
maceion@reddit
Look right when crossing a road, as vehicles come from right hand side . not left as most other countries.
GeggingIn@reddit
Us cockwombles queueing for biccies and our Yorkshire tea.
Hope they understand our etiquette and have a nice hollibobs.
GuybrushFunkwood@reddit
Our National Teatime Alarm I’d probably say. When the sirens go off you can always spot the tourists as they look a little confused and scared but after a few days they’re happily chatting with you on their way to a government brew bunker for a cuppa.
Popular_Sell_8980@reddit
NOT QUEUEING AT THE PUB BAR. The bar is really wide for a reason. Just walk up and make eye contact with any staff - they'll clock you and (normally) remember the order people appeared at the bar.
fyrflyeffect@reddit
Apparently mash and gravy, I've seen a few Americans trying it and losing their minds
Old-Awareness4657@reddit
Posting threads on UK subreddits about cultural differences despite thousands of similar threads already having been posted in the last week or so. Always baffles people !
Alive_Forever_9541@reddit
Separate taps for hot+cold water. This greatly confused my German, Austrian and US colleagues.
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