Kathrine Frich
Britain’s hybrid use of both metric and imperial measurements threw Nick off.
Britain’s hybrid use of both metric and imperial measurements threw Nick off.
A Culture Shock
Nick Watts, an American visiting London for the first time, recently shared the culture shocks that caught him off guard during his trip.
From public bathroom surprises to curious elevator layouts, here are the seven things that left him scratching his head in the British capital.
Those Red Emergency Cords in Bathrooms
Nick’s first surprise? The red emergency pull cords often found in accessible toilets.
Mistaking them for light switches, he admits to yanking them “like six times” before realising they were meant for emergencies.
“Apparently it’s British life alert,” he joked, urging future visitors to be warned.
Paying to Use Public Toilets
While it’s often free to use public bathrooms in the US, Nick encountered a small fee, usually around 50p, in some British facilities.
Surprisingly, he didn’t mind: “Hot take, but I’m a fan of paying for the bathroom. Super clean and safe. US should have them,” he said.
British Food: Better Than Expected
Despite the bad reputation British cuisine sometimes gets abroad, Nick was pleasantly surprised.
He raved about his full English breakfast but was a bit less enthusiastic about beans on toast.
“Beans on toast is fine. I prefer American baked beans though,” he confessed.
The Imperial System Paradox
Britain’s hybrid use of both metric and imperial measurements threw Nick off.
“They give us so much grief about the imperial system but use it all the time,” he said, noting he’d seen sausage rolls measured in inches and road signs in miles, just like back home.
Confusing Lift Buttons
While navigating Paddington Station, Nick stumbled upon a lift where the floor buttons didn’t follow the usual order.
“Reverse order elevator? Absolutely not,” he said, puzzled that the sequence began at 2, then dropped to 2B and 3.
The likely cause? The lift was heading underground.
Prices – Up and Down
London’s prices left Nick with mixed feelings. While he didn’t dive into specifics, he made two pointed suggestions:
“Raise the price on plastic surgery, please,” followed by “Lower the price on everything else.” A fair ask, perhaps, if only it were that simple.
The Birds Are Worse Than New York’s
Lastly, Nick was startled by the sheer boldness of London’s birds.
From pigeons to seagulls, they seemed more aggressive than the ones he knew from NYC.
“Not sure how you’ve done it, but the birds here are worse than NYC. Absurdly annoying,” he commented.
