From language to food, traditions to taxes, there are more differences between the UK and the US than you might expect!
The US and UK are often thought to be culturally similar and despite speaking the same language (for the most part!) there are more differences between the two than you might expect. Tourists might spot some of these, but others you might not realize unless you move between the two.
8 Driving Vs Walking
One of the biggest differences between living in the US and the UK is the ability to walk places. There is so much more open space so much of the US was designed to be spread out and to be accessed by car. In the UK, everything is much more packed together so it is never far from a supermarket or store. The British roads are often smaller and busier too, meaning that often it can be quicker to walk a couple of miles than to drive.
7 Driving In The UK And US
It's not just the side of the road which makes driving different between the UK and US either, British roads are much more narrow than American roads. Some of the smaller country roads in the UK are technically two-way but don't have room for two cars to pass side by side, so one person has to stop in a pull-out or reverse back down the road to let the other pass!
Because much of the UK is connected by smaller roads, it can take a long time to get from A to B, whereas in the US, the interstates and highways connect almost everywhere, making it much quicker to drive a lot of miles.
The amount of roundabouts (turning circles) is also very different between the two countries, with the UK relying heavily on them. In the US, turning circles are rare, and where they do exist, they are usually one lane and are simple to navigate. In the UK, roundabouts are multi-lane and busy, and can often be intimidating for those not used to them!