According To Americans, These Are 30 Unwritten Rules That Everyone Should Know About
If you're planning to visit America, it's important to do your homework on some of the things you should never do.
The United States of America has been a go-to destination for millions of people over the years. International travelers visited the country in record numbers in 2019, bringing it to third place behind only France and Spain as a tourist destination of choice.
There's never a dull moment in the USA, with a unique mix of small-town charm and big-city nightlife, as well as skyscrapers and forested mountains. It's one of the world's most diverse countries.
However, whether we're discussing national parks or bustling cities, there are some "unwritten rules" that everyone should be aware of to better enjoy their stay in the U.S.
You don't want to find yourself on the wrong side of these unwritten rules and fall afoul of any American customs. This applies to visitors, not just residents — as a result, doing your homework is essential.
Today, we'll be looking at a post on the AskAnAmerican subreddit that encouraged people to share their favorite American customs. It was exciting to see so many people chime in on the topic, and we hope you enjoy our selected responses.
Sit back and relax while we comb through the comments to see if we can find any interesting examples.
1. Don't get sick in America.
HighDruid, Marcelo Leal2. Never cut in line!
iamnoking, Melanie Pongratz3. Wearing a "Make America Great Again" red hat is a bad idea.
bighead1008, Natilyn Hicks (Aubrey Hicks Photography)
4. This particular swear word isn't taken lightly in America. Try not to use it.
Aceofkings9, Chandra Oh
5. Never trespass on someone's property. You could be shot on sight.
Tatnatnat, Bjorn Pierre
6. The price you see on the shelf is not what you'll pay; taxes will be included at the counter.
Traegs_, Phil Aicken
7. "21 is the legal drinking age. Don't try to convince the bartender that it's 18 back home."
huazzy, Michael Discenza
8. Whenever you dine at a sit-down/table service restaurant, don't leave without tipping your waiter/waitress. They survive on those tips.
changeant, Priscilla Du Preez
9. Never call a Black man 'boy.'
LordMackie, Nico Marks
10. "Don't take selfies at memorials honoring the dead."
Osgreat, Axel Houmadi
11. "NEVER pass an unloading school bus."
tyfroidfever, Joshua Hoehne
12. "If you're driving and get pulled over, DO NOT get out of the car."
g00ber88, Erik Mclean
13. "Don't complain that taxes aren't included in the price."
kinkachou
14. "It’s completely unacceptable to voice your racist opinions in public."
erbarme, Priscilla Du Preez
15. There are 330 million Americans; don't generalize ideas.
grizzfan, Jan Folwarczny
16. "Treat wildlife with respect."
Badlands32, Zdeněk Macháček
17. "Don't talk down to people in service industries."
purecainsugar, Louis Hansel
18. "Don't go to dangerous neighborhoods just because you saw them on TV."
WellLatteDa, Carlos
19. "Americans are really unaccepting of any type of body odor."
Wand_Cloak_Stone, Aqua Mechanical
20. "Pointing is VERY rude!"
Lordofravioli, Nicholas Jeffries
21. "The American South is VERY, VERY big on politeness and manners."
Lordofravioli, Nicholas Jeffries
22. "Don't sit around for hours in a restaurant after eating."
reddit, kayleigh harrington
23. Littering is a big no!
purecainsugar, Jon Tyson
24. "If you're a stranger, keep an arm's distance when conversing with an American."
Kcb1986
25. "Don’t try to make it cross-country in a day."
reddit, Clay Banks
26. "Avoid opening alcohol in public."
reddit, Miguel Ausejo
27. Cash is always better when paying at restaurants or stores.
avocadosoneverything, Clay Banks
28. "If you are driving, don't forget that you can make a right turn on a red light."
reddit, Mehmet Ali Turan
29. "We Americans love foreign visitors, and we will pepper you with questions."
Kcb1986, Mimi Thian
30. "NEVER stop in the middle of the road."
amh93
31. Trying to bribe or catcall in public will get you in serious trouble.
huazzy
Do you know all 30 of these? How many do you break daily in America?
There’s no need to feel bad if you don’t know them all – we all learn as we go. But it never hurts to brush up on your social etiquette skills!
Who knows, maybe knowing these rules will help you avoid embarrassing faux pas in the future. Are there any other unspoken social rules that you think should be added to this list? Let us know in the comments below!
