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People Break Down Which Things Tourists Should Never Do When Visiting The United States

Roughly 80 million tourists visit the United States annually.

Not a surprise, considering all there is to see.

And, generally speaking, America is a safe and welcoming place to live, where tourists will hopefully be welcomed with open arms, be it in San Francisco or New York City.

But, as is the case with anywhere, there are a few things which visitors to the United States might want to avoid doing.

Be it for their own personal safety, or just so they don't stand out too much as a tourist.

Redditor, sarra-sagesse was curious to hear everyone's the tips and pointers on what to avoid while visiting the United States, leading them to ask:

"If visiting America what is something that person should NEVER do?"


What are you looking at?

"If you’re in a New York City subway, try not to make too much eye contact or look too long at people around you."

"Just ignore the smell."

"Woman near you screaming at the top of her lungs at her silent child?"

"Keep listening to your music."

"Someone digging through their bag, muttering to themselves, and throwing rose petals on the floor like they’re preparing for a seance?"

"Just keep staring blankly at your phone."

"Trust me."- Jroks2

They're not as cute and cuddly as they seem

"Raccoons are cute… but from a distance."- Legoboy514

racoon GIFGiphy

That's not how we do things here.

"Don't think the laws are the same everywhere."

"You can walk with an open alcohol container in Vegas but not many other places."

"Alcohol laws, pot laws, firearms laws, smoking - lots of very different laws depending on the state and city where you are."- Babstana

Be very careful around the police.

"If pulled over by the cops, do not exit the vehicle unless they ask you to."

"The cops might sit in their vehicle for a while, & then they will approach the window & expect you to talk to them while sitting in the car."- yahdinguus

Don't go in the water.

"If you find yourself in Florida, absolutely do not swim in the lakes, ditches, or channels."

"Any standing body of water can and does have alligators in it."

"Also possibly water moccasins."

"And maybe even diseases."- Dobbys_Other_Sock

Laugh Alligator GIF by VISIT FLORIDAGiphy

"I live in an area around 4 major rivers and my town has a booming river industry."

"It never fails someone drowns at least once a month."

"The current is so strong as soon as your feet hit the water you’re most likely gone."

"Look at the river, take pictures, stop and look at our murals along our flood walls, but do not go near the river!"- Cuesey123

Don't believe everything you see

"Don’t assume that the price shown on an item for sale is your price for said item."

"There are almost always taxes that are added to the price when you go to pay."- Red_Queen592

Take one more look at a map before you take off

"Underestimate distances."

"When I was a tour guide, far too many customers asked how many HOURS the train to New York was [in seattle] and I had to put their jaw back in when I said 5 days."- a9249

Tonight Show Travel GIF by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonGiphy

"Just walk on by..."

"Don't take pictures with the people dressed up in costumes in LA/ NYC."- 541mya

Take pictures, leave everything else.

"To not take anything from national parks."- Objective-Dingo6603

Maybe just avoid discussing politics altogether?

"Don’t think that politics from wherever you’re from, specifically Europe and Australia/New Zealand."

"Also don’t try and talk about American politics when you don’t know anything about it."- Saschajoon

"Better not to talk about guns, and abortion especially in the south."- chaseanimates

They earn every penny!

"No matter how your country feels about tipping, ya gotta tip your waiters here."

"It's how they earn their living."

"But don't let people take advantage of you."

"18-20% is standard, feel free to tip more if you had extra good service."

'And look at your check."

"Some restaurants add the tip for you, not cool, but they do, mostly if you are part of a big party, but I've had it happen when I was eating alone."


'My two favorite places in the US are NYC and Texas, and yes, we are extremely nice in Texas."

' However, I lived in New York for 17 years and they are very nice there, as well, it's just different."

"New Yorkers are no nonsense, and as much as everyone enjoys bashing the Texas, we are really, really nice, and Houston has some of the greatest food o the country."

"Just be aware of your surroundings and don't look like a tourist wherever you visit."- Winter_Opening_7715·

"Not tip your waitress or server at restaurants."

"Most are severely underpaid and get most of their income from tips."

Tip Tipping GIF by DeRay DavisGiphy

They are convenient though

"Skip going to Wawa".- nilla_wafer__

A controversial opinion?

"If it's your first time, DO NOT GO TO LA or California in general."

"Not as nice as you think."- mincraft890

There are certainly areas for improvement.

"Do anything that requires medical attention."

"Insurance is a complete scam."- ChucksNorris243

season 8 episode 23 GIFGiphy

Best in small incriments.

"Please do not plan to have a road trip from California to Texas to Florida to New York or anything along those lines."

"You will spend the majority of your vacation in a f*cking car paying a ridiculous amount of money for gas."

"People do not realize just how big the US is."- Vo_Lair

Is this so out of the ordinary?

"If you are visiting someone in America, take off your shoes when you enter their house."- certifiedzay

Needless to say, there is no handbook of rules of do's and don'ts when visiting the USA.

And more often than not, your own good judgment will often serve you well.

Though, when in doubt, follow any advice you're given.

People Who Cheated On Someone Break Down Why They Really Did It

Reddit user miaah214 asked: 'People who have cheated before, why did you do it?'

Paper heart ripped in half
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

When it comes to the dating scene, most of us have a pretty low opinion of people who choose to cheat on their partners, not to mention serial cheaters.

But that doesn't seem to stop some people from doing the deed.

Curious, Redditor miaah214 asked:

"People who have cheated before, why did you do it?"

Revenge Cheat

"He cheated first, and I was young, petty, and thought revenge would make me feel better."

- Witch_on_a_moped

Immature and Selfish

"Unbridled ego, unsatisfying regular sex life, and a girl who threw herself at me."

"I was an idi*t, I acted like an a**hole, and I will regret it for the rest of my life."

"It was a hard truth to face. It was a dark time in my life where my ego and my immaturity caused me to hurt several people I loved."

"Fortunately, I learned from it, and while I can't take back the pain I caused, at least now I know that I am 100% capable of being an a**hole and so can choose not to be one."

- Seba_King

Insecurity

"Insecurity. I was always on the lookout for someone who would make me feel more desirable than the last. It was a serious youthful lack of judgment."

"Once I grew up emotionally, I realized what a piece of s**t I was and the hurt I caused. Hard to live with, to be honest."

- Penfold_for_PM

Just Desire

"100% pure lust. That’s it. I’m not proud of it."

- mydepressingpoems

Lots of Options

"Willing partners. It was amazing how many times when I did have a steady girlfriend that I would suddenly get propositioned by random women or worse yet, my girlfriend's friends or sisters."

"Too many times to be a fluke."

"It was like they figured if you are in a relationship, you're worth pursuing."

"But when I was single, most times I couldn't get a woman's attention."

"So it was an ego boost, but ultimately, I decided to be a better person, and I met a person who I truly thought was 'the one.'"

"And to a certain extent I did, it just didn't last through no fault of my own."

- Patient-Quarter-1684

In Need of Validation

"When you grow up being in turn neglected and told you're not good enough, validation is like a drug, and intimacy is the ultimate validation."

"Sooooo much therapy to undo this."

- RowhammerBitflip

"This. I’m just recently realizing how I didn’t receive enough attention and validation from my parents and how much it’s influenced my choices. Meeting someone and having them be into me physically is the easiest validation boost I can find."

"People who grew up with parents actually interested in them and with an instilled sense of self-confidence don’t know how good they have it."

"I don’t inherently feel important or relevant so I’m always looking for someone to tell me otherwise."

- tellitothemoon

The Thrill of It

"Because I was a f**king a**hole 20-year-old who only thought of himself and getting some action. The high of it."

"I'm 37 now. No cheating since then."

- Temporary_Fault6402

The Real Joy

"My ex was done in the bedroom and even said they were no longer interested in me physically or sexually."

"I should have left at that point, but with kids and the financial hit of divorce, I just looked to fulfill that need."

"I later divorced, and it was a big financial hit, but oh my god, what a relief it was getting out. Getting out of an abusive relationship is where the true pleasure comes from."

- loomdog1

In Need of Attention

"My partner cheated on me shortly after I had his baby. I wanted to leave, but I convinced myself to stay. The logistics of having a baby and 24-hour care are challenging on your own. He refused to have sex with me."

"At some point, someone got me in a weak spot. Somewhere between exhaustion, low self-esteem, and the sheer opportunity of having an orgasm were too strong for me. I’m deeply ashamed."

"Shortly after I picked myself up, the relationship ended. I should have left sooner."

"Someone telling you that you are beautiful, talented, and special after being invisible can feel like a drug. I don’t expect sympathy from anyone for my actions. But I do have a lot of sympathy for others now."

- throwawaythrowyellow

The Easier Option

"Because I chose a cowardly and easy path. Instead of going to therapy and ending my toxic relationship, I cheated on them with someone who I had convinced myself I was in love with and loved me."

"As it turns out, breaking up with someone is a lot less harmful to everyone involved than cheating."

- dodongosbongos

Devastating Choices

"Not me, but a guy friend cheated and the reason he gave was that he loved his fiancée but they had very different sex drives."

"He also said that when he brought it up to her (the difference in their sex drives and the problems it would cause) she begged him not to leave and insisted it wouldn’t be an issue."

"He told her it already WAS an issue and, as a last resort, she said she would understand if SOME DAY he felt the need to look elsewhere…just as long as she never found out."

"The girl admitted to saying all this but explained that she would have said anything for them to stay together in that moment, she didn’t think he’d actually be 'f**ked up enough to cheat' and she never imagined he would do it so soon."

- Dramiotic

The Perfect Combination

"A perfect storm of poor impulse control, untreated mental illness, and boredom."

"People on the moral high ground will tell you not to cheat for reasons like morality and integrity; from the moral low ground, I can tell you that the lifelong guilt, shame, and remorse are not worth it."

- LowCarbBeesechussy

Emotionally Done

"Because the relationship was done and I was already moving on emotionally. I just didn't care about her enough to care whether she was hurt or not. Honestly, in hindsight, I have zero idea why we were still together. It DID make the eventual breakup a lot messier."

"I was young and it taught me an important lesson. If you're done, just be done and leave. There's no point in dragging it out. If you're ready to start looking for another relationship, start by ending the relationship you're already in."

- codefyre

Ready to Make Up for It

"I had a perceived lack of affection. I felt ugly and disgusting and like I was just an emotional tampon."

"I would never do it again. In therapy, I learned a lot about the reasons I did what I did and in all honesty, if she would even entertain the idea of trying again, I’d spend every day making up for it and making sure she felt more love then can be imagined."

"I’m currently fulfilling into the man I know I can be. I just wish it took a more positive trigger in order to start that for me."

- Anthonys455

Let's end it -- the article, that is -- on a lighter note.

The Worst Kind of Cheating

"My wife wasn’t around. The house was empty."

"I couldn’t wait for her to get home, so I watched the next episode without her knowing."

"Honey, if you’re reading this… I’m so sorry."

- six6sickx

"You're a monster."

- Efficient_Ad_8367

It's so hard to imagine what's going on inside someone else's head or why they might choose to do the things that they do, especially if it's something we don't agree with.

It's at least heartening to see that many of these Redditors used these experiences as learning opportunities and have since gone on to treat the most treasured people in their lives a little differently.

Smartphone showing a lighting switch app
Moritz Kindler/Unsplash

Making yourself feel at home takes work but not as much as you think.

Homeowners, for example, are apprehensive about renovations because of how much costs.

Even tenants renting a home can feel like they're stuck in a situation where they don't feel comfortable because of minor inconveniences they think requires major solutions to fix.

Cut to this Reddit thread, where the ideas for affordable home improvement options were shared that may make you wonder, "Why didn't I think of that?"

Curious to hear some tips from strangers online, Redditor Super_dupa2 asked:

"What small upgrade made a huge difference at your house?"

We tend to overcomplicate things when solutions can be simplified.

Taking Charge

"Methodically buying phone chargers with long enough cables to not have to ever move one again."

– ihadtowalkhere

"I am a pretty mellow dad (benign neglect parenting style for 5 kids) but I have two rules. Nobody messes with my bedside charger and nobody steals my two pillows."

"So, as such, I make many, long chargers available for everybody. It costs me a fortune:)"

– nicktam2010

Hello Darkness, My Old Friend

"Blackout curtains for sleeping. Such a game changer."

– blehbleh1122

"And they keeps my bedroom cooler."

– BunjaminFrnklin

"Insulated blackout curtains make a 10f difference in my living room on hot days."

– TryUsingScience

A Cool Idea

"Attic heat exhaust fan. Our attic used to get up to 140F on the hottest days, and on those days our ceilings were hot to the touch. The whole house was consequently uncomfortable. Now the attic fan is thermostatically controlled to 90 degrees, and the whole house is cooler."

– jermleeds

"I added a passive whirly bird that does the same thing. Heat rises and escapes before it can accumulate to those extreme levels. It also happens to be clear acrylic so now there's always light up there too which helps keep away any vermin.

– cantwejustplaynice

No major bathroom renovations are required to make tenants happy.

No More Slamming

"Soft close cabinets and toilet seats."

– AreWeCowabunga

"We have a soft close toilet seat at our home and every time I'm at a hotel, I completely forget that they aren't usually soft close and the slam startles me 😂"

– PinkHamster08

Nozzle Upgrades Can Do The Trick

"A better shower. If you can't redo the whole bathroom, just replace the head. This also works if you rent, just keep the old one in a box, so you can bring the nice one to your next house."

– maartenvanheek

"I'm a renter and I finally installed a better shower head this year, after just using the default head in all my apartments for almost 20 years. 10/10, highly recommend."

– Am_I_a_Guinea_Pig

Perfect Welcoming Gesture

"My wife and I own a smallish apartment complex . One of the things we do every time a new tenant arrives is replace the toilet seat. I learned that trick from my parents who had about a dozen single-family rentals. It's amazing the goodwill you receive from a tenant simplify giving them a new toilet seat. We actually put the box behind the toilet so they know it's new."

– YouInternational2152

It's electrifying!

Think Smart

"Smart outlets for Christmas lights, both inside and outside. I have them scheduled to turn on at sunset and turn off at midnight."

– Revolutionary-Try746

"Smart outlets are one of my favorite purchases. During Halloween and Christmas, we’re using multiple outlets for inflatables, house lights, and tree lights. The smart outlets allow you to have everything synced so they all turn in at the same time."

– cppadam

Things Are Looking Bright

"Replaced dated lighting fixtures - fixtures are now properly grounded, the interior looks more updated, and there is more/better light."

– SnooCauliflowers9981

Energy Conservation Option

"Motion activated light switch for the laundry room. Never have to worry about turning off the light when leaving with an arm full of clothing."

– AmazingAsian

Creating an environment can make a huge difference.

Source Lighting For The Win

"Lighting can absolutely make a huge difference in the way you feel in your room. Get some shoulder height (when you are sitting) lamps for your living room. You will notice a shift in how much more relaxed you feel when you use those instead of the overheads."

– ShoesAreTheWorst

Home Art Gallery

"Spending a day mounting my artwork. It felt so much more like my home after that."

– GinGimlet

"Every time I've moved, I put that off for way too long, then finally break down and do it and the house feels so much better to be in."

– Triolion

One major upgrade was our VE hybrid tech water boiler and warmer we got from Japan.

The Zojirushi kitchen appliance uses VE, or vacuum electric, technology for very minimal electricity to maintain the water temperature at a constant 195° so we always have hot water at the touch of a button.

There's no more time wasted boiling hot water over the stove every time we want tea or the occasional instant cup noodles.

Game changer.

man with girl on his shoulders

Brittani Burns on Unsplash

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woman making the shushing gesture

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