- [Narrator] While the
culture of the United States is exported all over the
world in films and on TV, it also abides by some laws and practices that many consider unusual. Europeans in particular
seem to have a hard time wrapping their heads around some of them. From child beauty pageants to gun laws, let's take a look at some American things that Europeans can't understand. (upbeat music) Sick of Commercials. If you're a European enjoying
a cozy night in on the couch in America, some of the
stuff on TV may shock and surprise you. And no, I'm not talking about 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians'. I'm talking about commercials,
which arrive so frequently it makes watching TV
feel almost unbearable to anyone unaccustomed to it. - Seals leaks instantly. - [Narrator] Especially
pharmaceutical commercials, which usually show grumpy men
and women turned into smiling, happy people by the product being sold. These are usually followed by
an almost comically-long list of potential side effects,
spoken at double speed. Like Ambien ad: - [Announcer] As well
as abnormal behavior, such as being more outgoing
or aggressive than normal, confusion, agitation and
hallucinations may occur. Don't take it with alcohol as it may increase these behaviors. Allergic reactions such
as shortness of breath, swelling of your tongue
or throat may occur and in rare cases may be fatal. Side effects may include
next day drowsiness, dizziness and headache,
impatience with depression, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide may occur. - [Narrator] These types of
direct-to-consumer commercials peddle prescription drugs,
which is an advertising standard that was rejected by the
European Commission back in 2002. The commission stated that
pharmaceutical companies were unable to provide
impartial information on their medicines. If that's the case, why is
it practiced in America? To put it simply, there's
simply never been a federal law passed to outlaw the practice. This is in no small
part thanks to the fact that direct-to-consumer drugs
and their accompanying ads are a huge business. And in America, whether
it's right or wrong, the rules tend to follow the money. Europeans might actually
need a pill for the headache all those ads give them. 'May cause drowsiness, loss
of limbs, telepathic powers and a violent hatred of cheese.' No Place Like Home. Let's say you're a European who's just moved over to America. You've found a house in a
nice residential neighborhood, and you're going through your bills. Rent, water, gas, electric
all seems in order, but wait a second, what's a
Homeowners Association Fee? To a native, that's a
pretty obvious question. But for Europeans, it's
an unwelcome surprise. These fees contributes to the
local Homeowners Association, which is somewhat like
a neighborhood watch but managing funds to be
reinvested into the community. It goes towards things like
residential maintenance and common spaces, which
keeps residents happy and property values up. With around 24% of all Americans living under a Homeowner's Association, they pay 200 to $300 dollars
on average per month in fees to these entities. Now whilst some Europeans might
struggle with this concept, it was a form of governance
that was actually invented by France back in 1804. The Condominium Law
was exported to the US, where it became incredibly popular. So, for any European
that wants to complain about homeowner regulations and fees, feel free to blame the French. Vacant Vacation Days. The USA has one of the largest
economies in the world, a 'tremendous' economy,
in the president's words. But Europeans looking to get
into the American world of work are often shocked when it
comes to vacation time. US workers are not entitled to mandatory paid vacation at all. Usually, the issue of paid leave is left at the discretion of employers, and yes that does include
national holidays. According to research from the US bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2017 only 77% of
American workers had access to paid vacation. Now the reason that might
leave Europeans slack-jawed is because mandatory paid
vacation time in Europe starts at four weeks. In fact, America is one of
the only western countries where law doesn't enforce
companies to give its employees mandatory paid vacation time. Don't believe me? Take a look at this map breaking down mandatory paid vacation time by country, only the gray countries are
known not to give paid time off. It's a working culture that undoubtedly favors
employers over employees. Americans might wanna think about learning Chinese instead, as employers in China must legally offer five days of holiday. Although, that is after one
continuous year of work. Win some, lose some, I guess. Florida Man. If the American States could be looked at as a dysfunctional family, then Florida would be the
weird uncle who once ran away with the circus and wrestled a tiger. The Sunshine state is the
third most populous state in the USA, and receives
over 100 million visitors year on year. With so many people living
between Miami Beach, Disneyland and Pensacola, a little crazy is bound to be found on the fringes of society. But what Europeans aren't prepared for are the crazy antics of Floridians that make daily headlines. From 'Florida man believed
that he was Half Man, Half Dog' in March 2019, to 'Florida
man robs bank, strips naked, then runs down the street
throwing stolen money everywhere' in July 2017. You can search the internet
for almost any day of the year and find a headline
announcing 'Florida Man' has committed an utterly baffling crime. There doesn't seem to be an equivalent for any European countries,
although the UK comes close with some of its questionable
journalism topics, like 'Britain's Fattest
Woman Ate Fridge and Died'. Let me know the funniest local
headlines you've ever seen at stories@beamazed.com. VAT Trouble. In Europe, like most of the world, tax is built into the price
of items in store and online; so, what you see on the
tag is what you pay. But Europeans visiting an American store might be left doing a
double take at their bill when they reach the register. There is no national sales tax or value added tax in America. Instead, American taxes
differ by jurisdiction, of which there are around 7,000. Differences in these
local rates, state taxes, or combined state and local taxes means that final prices for the same item can differ from one street to the next. For first-time shoppers in the US, this unpleasant surprise
is a rite of passage that no one asked for. Tipping Point. A meal at a restaurant
can be a real treat, but Europeans visiting
America sometimes stress about the tip. Although tipping anywhere
up to 20% seems normal to most Americans, there's
no such obligation in Europe. Indeed, it's mostly seen as a
bonus reward for good service, and in some European countries
it's even considered rude and excessive to leave a tip. The American federal government, however, states that tips can be used
to satisfy the difference between the employee's hourly wage and the standard minimum wage. This means food servers,
valets and in-house staff in certain states can be
working for a federal wage of just $2.13 per hour,
which is about €1.96. So, if you're a European
visitor to the States, get ready to factor in your tip to the overall price of your meal. You might well be contributing to a struggling waiter's rent. Child Beauty Pageants. If you've ever been unfortunate enough to have watched an episode of
'Toddlers and Tiaras' on TLC, I think you might side with
the Europeans on next matter. Child Beauty Pageants are
common across America, and usually consist of
dolled-up little girls being thrust onto a stage
to entertain a crowd of screaming moms. It's truly bizarre. But what's equally strange
is how the craze got started. Child pageants originated from American 'Better Baby Contests' in
the early 20th century. Babies would be scored on
characteristics like weight, quality of skin, and face shape, supposedly in the name of
helping to educate mothers on best practices for healthy babies. But of course, it wasn't
just for education purposes, there were also cash rewards and trophies for top ranking toddlers. This has slowly devolved
into the bedazzled tradition of pushing a child on stage in
full make-up and styled hair to do a dance routine for prize money. Although some European
countries host similar but smaller events, others like France have gone as far as to
ban all such pageants, claiming they're an unhealthy
way to treat young girls. If you ask me, their
general creepiness alone should be enough to slam the brakes on child beauty pageants. Honey Boo Boo? No thanks. Size Is Everything. According to an old saying,
'Everything's Bigger in Texas'. But if you're a European
you'll probably think that about all of America,
right down to its people. It's no secret that America has a little bit of a weight problem. Two thirds of American
adults classify as overweight and it's estimated that
almost 40% of adults in the US aged 20 and over are obese. Contrasted to Europe,
where a survey carried out in 2014 labeled just 15% of adults obese. That's a king-sized difference,
with a side of fries. The American tendency to overeat might have something to do with
portion sizes in the States. A study comparing portions
in Paris and Philadelphia revealed food outlet portions
were 25% larger in Philly. And a review of 17 different
single-serve foods, like yogurt and candy bars, found that 14 of them were
bigger in Philadelphia. While a one-state-to-one-country
comparison doesn't necessarily represent the whole, Europeans on social media often comment on how much bigger
everything seems state-side. Have you noticed this
difference in portion sizes? Let me know in the comments below, bonus points for food puns. Oh, Sugar. Living in America can
really give you a taste for the sweet life, but your
teeth won't thank you for it. Why? Well, some American foods and drinks have been found to contain
huge amounts of sugar compared to their European equivalents. Some common bread brands
contain up to six grams of sugar per serving; six times the amount found in European counterparts. But it doesn't end there. Taking a look at Pizza Hut's sugar content reveals most of their Stateside pizzas have close to double the
amount of sugar per slice as European versions. And in Starbucks, a UK
'Venti' White Chocolate Mocha will contain 62.4 grams of sugar, but in America that shoots up to 72 grams. I've heard of sweetening the deal, but any Europeans making
the trip across the Atlantic might leave suffering from toothache. Gaps In the Market. European standards of
building a public restroom involve plenty of privacy, mainly in the form of cubicles with doors that are more door than gap. Seems obvious, but it's
a standard that Americans just can't seem to adopt. With ridiculously large gaps at the top, bottom and sides, it makes
for a truly uncomfortable first visit to an American
toilet for unwitting visitors. On their first time, Europeans are left feeling
especially susceptible to unwelcome visitors and peeping toms. Some people even resort
to tapping up the gap to prevent prying eyes looking in. But as strange as the design seems, there are some theories
as to why Americans build their stalls this way. For a start, high floor-gaps
allow for easier cleaning, and they do make it simpler
to pass toilet paper from one cubicle to another. On top of that, the vertical
gaps act as a deterrent for anyone thinking of
doing anything naughty behind closed doors. But there's always the
chance you might accidentally get a real eyeful. Maybe just close your eyes before entering any American restrooms. Triggered. It strikes many Europeans as a bit odd that in America you can
pick up your groceries from one aisle of a store,
and a gun from another. Indeed, you can buy guns over the counter in places like Walmart, and ammo can be found in pharmacies. But seeing as guns are still
legal in many parts of Europe, what is it that Europeans find weird about the gun-loving, rifle-wielding, second-amendment-touting American citizen? It might have something to
do with America's gun-related death-rates, seeing as, per capita, there were 12 gun-related deaths for every 100,000 people
in America in 2017. Very few European countries
exceed three gun-related deaths per 100,000 people, and none even come close to
America's 12 per 100,000. The causes of the problem
are fiercely debated, but it might have something
to do with how easy it is to buy a gun. Background checks are usually carried out, but a research survey from Harvard in 2015 estimated that a third
of Americans gun owners have purchased a firearm
without a background check. In Europe, many countries
like Austria and Germany require would-be gun owners
to go through a rigorous seven-step procedure before owning a gun. High-caliber handguns are
outright banned in the UK, and many categories of
semi-automatic weapons are illegal to own across Europe. It's simply much harder to
legally purchase a gun in Europe than it is in the US, which I'm sure is a
trigger point for some. Have you noticed any
All-American quirks of your own? Let me know in the comments section below. Thanks for watching. (upbeat music)
