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Post by Jaga on Jan 18, 2006 22:21:42 GMT -7
Guys, I will start the same thread about Poland, maybe some other countries.
For me - nothing political really. Probably the most annoying thing in America is the fact that there is no real public transportation system. Today I overheard one girl from Idaho talking about her trip to Switzerland and how it was wonderful because they could take trains and buses everywhere!
When I came to America I was dependent on other people since I did not have a car. When on vacations - people cannot really relax if they have to do driving in new areas. Children and teenagers are very dependent on their parents, mainly mothers to drive them everywhere. We had actually more freedom in Poland. I walked to elementary school, I walked to my highschool, I walked to the cinema, here - no way. Everything is far, no sidewalks, no buses....
anybody else has a different "the most annoying thing in America"?
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Post by gardenmoma on Jan 19, 2006 13:07:06 GMT -7
Jaga, I do agree with you about public transportation in the U.S.  I grew up in Cleveland, OH and never even had to learn to drive a car until I was in college and my 20s. I could walk or take some form of public transport wherever I wanted to go. The only reason I learned to drive was that I wanted to take a job that was beyond the end of the bus line. I learned early to get where I needed to go and take care of myself. I always felt as if I had a good deal of freedom  My children were much more constructed than I ever was; and now my grandchildren. Part of this is that perhaps our society also has changed...I don't believe I could have permitted my children to roam the city as I did, but here in the country they got around pretty well on bicycles...but I did have to drive them otherwise. I still love to use public transportation and have ridden buses, ferries and trains in most countries in which we've traveled...does my family think I'm a bit  yes they do! |
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Pawian
European
Have you seen my frog?
Posts: 3,266
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Post by Pawian on Jan 19, 2006 15:16:56 GMT -7
Guys, I will start the same thread about Poland, maybe some other countries. For me - nothing political really. Probably the most annoying thing in America is the fact that there is no real public transportation system. Today I overheard one girl from Idaho talking about her trip to Switzerland and how it was wonderful because they could take trains and buses everywhere! If there was a real demand for a better public transport system in America, it would have been developed long ago. That is a simple market rule. It isn`t so because the demand is relatively low in a country where most people drive cars, and there are mostly 2 or even 3 cars in a family. PS. Switzwerland is a small country. The roads are well-kept but narrow. If all Swiss drivers went out in their cars into streets and roads, there would be a total disaster. That is why they have to leave their cars at garages and use public transport hahahahahah. |
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Post by Jaga on Jan 19, 2006 20:06:36 GMT -7
Pawian,
the public transportation was developed a long time ago but slowly it was eaten by car industry. Did you hear that in Detroit a car company purchased the tram system... in order to destroy it?
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Post by joshsmom127 on Jan 19, 2006 21:27:13 GMT -7
As "small town America" disappears so has our public transportation system. The "mom and pop"stores that once supplied all our everyday needs has been replaced by bigger and more grander Malls which are located further away from the little towns.
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forza
Cosmopolitan
Posts: 514
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Post by forza on Jan 20, 2006 6:21:38 GMT -7
- people begging, trying to sell you something or annoying you in any other way unprovoked
- boring parties in scheduled hours
- political correctness in conversations
- short vacation, work ethic, Saturday or Sunday at the mall, diet coke and low fat latte
- it's a long, long way to get out of town
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Post by suzanne on Jan 20, 2006 8:10:40 GMT -7
What annoys me:
- We're a very fragmented nation. We don't have much of a sense of community anymore, in our neighborhoods, towns, or country as a whole. Sometimes I think there's little in common, other than stupid pop culture, that holds us together.
- So many people here do not know or care what goes on in other countries. It's like we're on our own planet.
- We consume way too much.
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Pawian
European
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Posts: 3,266
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Post by Pawian on Jan 20, 2006 14:19:29 GMT -7
Pawian, the public transportation was developed a long time ago but slowly it was eaten by car industry. Did you hear that in Detroit a car company purchased the tram system... in order to destroy it? Hmm, did they succeed in destroying it? |
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nancy
European
Posts: 2,144
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Post by nancy on Jan 20, 2006 14:40:46 GMT -7
So far my list includes - landfills full of disposable baby diapers and cardboard packaging
- evangelists
- hypocrites (they are everywhere, not just in politics)
I have other pet peeves, but I am not sure they are found only in the US.  |
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Pawian
European
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Posts: 3,266
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Post by Pawian on Jan 20, 2006 14:44:51 GMT -7
What annoys me: - We're a very fragmented nation. Isn`t it natural in such a melting pot? Besides, in my opinion, "negative" fragmentation implies certain dose of "positive" individualism. We don`t want America to be as uniform as the good old Soviet Union, do we? It is a privilege of people who live in the most important country in the world not to know much about the rest of this world. That`s another American perk. Every year millions of people from all around the world flock to the USA to get the chance of stimulating their consumption. Then American consumption boosts the world`s consumption. God bless America! hahahahahahahah |
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yes they do!
