American questions for the Brits - Guitars101

**Riff Addict** · 10-12-2005, 07:39 AM

I've unfortunately never been to England which is high on my list of vacation destinations so I know very little about the country and have a few questions I'd like to ask the U.K. members. Please answer one or all:

I hear your country referred to as United Kingdom, Great Britain, England. Why so many names?

Do you celebrate Halloween in England?

Are American TV sitcoms popular there? Which are the top shows?

In America we have many TV broadcasting networks but all we hear about in America is the BBC? Is there just the one?

Every town here has its own police force but all I've ever heard about is the "Scotland Yard" in England. Is that like America's "FBI" or is it just the police headquarters for all of England?

Are there many 50's and 60's Classic American cars there? '59 Cadillacs, etc. or Related Car shows? I know Gas is expensive there.

We have "Hollywood" which is the center of the movie industry and is crawling with movie actors and filthy rich movie industry types..does England have a similar city where all the actors live?

What ever happened to Benny Hill? Is he alive?

Our Health Insurance is incredibly, rediculously, expensive and so many Americans can't afford it which is very sad. Is it true that Helath Insurance is free for all in England?

How do those Double Decker buses keep from turning over when making a sharp turn? Do they drive incredibly slow?

wahwah · 10-12-2005, 08:11 AM

I hear your country referred to as United Kingdom, Great Britain, England. Why so many names?
United Kingdom refers to England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. England is the old name and Great Britain is prolly just our over-inflated ego's!!
Do you celebrate Halloween in England?
Yeah, and I don't know about the rest of the country but down in the South East, it's getting a bigger festival every year with more money spent whereas Guy Fawkes, or Bonfire Night as it's known (on 5th November) seems to be getting smaller due to the fact that fireworks are let off from about the beginning of October to December!
Are American TV sitcoms popular there? Which are the top shows?
Yep, Friends was always a big pull. I can't really tell you about new shows but Seinfeld and past ones such as Cheers, Frasier, etc are always popular.
In America we have many TV broadcasting networks but all we hear about in America is the BBC? Is there just the one?
No, there are a lot more these days but on 'terrestrial' tv we have BBC1, BBC2, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5. On cable there are now a bunch of extra channels from all of these major companies but SKY are prolly getting to be as big as the BBC. The BBC has the honour of being commercial free but we have to pay currently £120 a year for a license whether we watch the Beeb or not. We get the same other cable channels as yourself but as in the Pink Floyd song, '50 channels of shit on the TV' seems to be about right.
Every town here has its own police force but all I've ever heard about is the "Scotland Yard" in England. Is that like America's "FBI" or is it just the police headquarters for all of England?
Scotland Yard is the head of the London area police force. I think we have a bunch of tactical police and security forces but the most famous (ala James Bond) would be MI5 or MI6. We also of course have the SAS, the most organised special tactics team on the planet.
Are there many 50's and 60's Classic American cars there? '59 Cadillacs, etc. or Related Car shows? I know Gas is expensive there.
Not really...popular cars are Ford, Vauxhall, Citreon, Peugoet (both French), BMW, Mercedes. Chevrolet are making a big impact as are Cadillac but not sure how the market will pan out. Fuel is hyper-expensive...currently £0.98 per litre or about £5.00 per gallon ($9!)
We have "Hollywood" which is the center of the movie industry and is crawling with movie actors and filthy rich movie industry types..does England have a similar city where all the actors live?
Areas of London are crawling with actors; Notting Hill, Ladbroke Grove, Chiswick. The two main studios in the past were Pinewood and Shepperton.
What ever happened to Benny Hill? Is he alive?
No he popped it about 10 years ago.
Our Health Insurance is incredibly, rediculously, expensive and so many Americans can't afford it which is very sad. Is it true that Helath Insurance is free for all in England?
Yes BUT it's creaking and badly in need of reform. The Government throw money at it and the hospitals spend it on Managers and expensive art instead of Nurses and drugs.
How do those Double Decker buses keep from turning over when making a sharp turn? Do they drive incredibly slow?
Well most are in the London area (well, the Routemaster ones that are famous) and the traffic is DOG slow! We still get about one accident a month where a driver forgets he's in one and wedges it under a low bridge!

**Riff Addict** · 10-12-2005, 08:18 AM

Wow, thanks Chris...I'm glad to finally know all that.

I might think of a few more to ask later...anyone else have related questions?

Skydirt · 10-12-2005, 08:34 AM

Ive wondered on some of those things too. I hope I have the opportunity to go there. Heres a question.

I know you guys like different sports than the US, but do you even get the NFL or MLB over there. Is it popular if you do.

**Mondy** · 10-12-2005, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skydirt

Ive wondered on some of those things too. I hope I have the opportunity to go there. Heres a question.

I know you guys like different sports than the US, but do you even get the NFL or MLB over there. Is it popular if you do.

You can get NFL over here. However, the popular sport is definitely football. You call it soccer, but we still call it football, cuz you use your foot to control the ball.

Cricket's gone up in popularity mainly because the national football side are playing crap quality and The Premiership isn't as entertaining on the whole this season as everyone plays defensive football.

The national team (England) play tonight, having already qualified for the 2006 World Cup. The only one of the Home Nations to do so. If they win against Poland tonight, they will top their qualifying group and hence be seeded, so will not be drawn against all the other teams who finish top, hence missing these "big guns" until a later stage.

It's unknown how well we will do as we have been playing like pants at the moment.

Then it's back to domestic football on Saturday when The Premiership football returns...

Premiership has gone to Sky, so you can only get the games live by paying an extra premium. However, it's only one or two out of the fixture list that are shown each day.

Match Of The Day summarises it all late at night on Saturday's though, and that's on BBC1.

**serpant** · 10-12-2005, 09:20 AM

Americans like big scores 73 to 89 in all there sports, our scores are low 1 to 0, if 'soccer' got 3 points for a home run goal and 2 points for a penalty touch down then soccer would be big in america

**Riff Addict** · 10-12-2005, 08:34 AM

Chris I'm thinking you've been to American a time or two right? If so, what was your experience, was it a good visit, or bad?

I think driving on a different side of the road would be very hard to get used to?

**mewisemagic** · 10-12-2005, 08:54 AM

Cool thread Riff

**KC_ArtRocker** · 10-12-2005, 08:55 AM

Tell me about your weekly work schedule. I am about to pack up and head over to Europe because I hear that some countries have 2 hour lunch breaks and workers get 4 or more weeks of vacation per year. How many hours per week is considered a regular work week?

Most people here in US get only an average of 2 weeks vacation per year and the regular work week is 40 hours (but many end up working more than that).

I am sick of working most of my life away and want to move somewhere that would allow more time off. I don't mind working, and I believe it important for society that all people work a set amount, but I would almost rather live somewhere that I didn't have to work my life away.

**Mondy** · 10-12-2005, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kc_artist_rocker

Tell me about your weekly work schedule. I am about to pack up and head over to Europe because I hear that some countries have 2 hour lunch breaks and workers get 4 or more weeks of vacation per year. How many hours per week is considered a regular work week?

Most people here in US get only an average of 2 weeks vacation per year and the regular work week is 40 hours (but many end up working more than that).

I am sick of working most of my life away and want to move somewhere that would allow more time off. I don't mind working, and I believe it important for society that all people work a set amount, but I would almost rather live somewhere that I didn't have to work my life away.

I work in IT.

My standard hours are 37.5. However, I regularly go over that and am expected to without any bonus. If it gets REALLY tight, then they do offer overtime, but it comes down from high up usually, and is preapproved befiorehand with you agreeing what you are going to get done.

I get 28 days holiday with option to buy or sell days at approx £100 a day.

Sounds good, but I hate my job and the IT industry, well mainly the type of people you find in there with their heads up their own arses.

However, the money is very good, and allows for my wife not having to work and look after the baby...

I wish I was skilled in plumbing, plastering, decorating, electrics, etc. as that is where the money seems to be these days...

**serpant** · 10-12-2005, 08:55 AM

I hear your country referred to as United Kingdom, Great Britain, England. Why so many names?
United kingdom goes back to when we had the colonys, other countrys made up the UNITED KINGDOM, like India, Australia, Hong Kong.
Great Britain is the Island in the north atlantic.
England is a part of the Island (like an American state)

Do you celebrate Halloween in England?
Its not as popular as in the states (we have a damp squip of a celebration)

Are American TV sitcoms popular there? Which are the top shows?
Will and Grace, Friends, loads of American shows

In America we have many TV broadcasting networks but all we hear about in America is the BBC? Is there just the one?
We also have 'cable'

Every town here has its own police force but all I've ever heard about is the "Scotland Yard" in England. Is that like America's "FBI" or is it just the police headquarters for all of England?
Wah wah said all I can say on this

Are there many 50's and 60's Classic American cars there? '59 Cadillacs, etc. or Related Car shows? I know Gas is expensive there.
America can make cars that go in straight lines, thats about it, your cars are not suited to our roads, they require an amount of decent handling ( american cars cant cut the grade) LOL. and 'Gas' is as expensive as Gold

We have "Hollywood" which is the center of the movie industry and is crawling with movie actors and filthy rich movie industry types..does England have a similar city where all the actors live?
Yes we also call that area Hollywood and it's in the state of California LOL

What ever happened to Benny Hill? Is he alive?
He DEAD! and our humour has moved on in leaps and bownds!

Our Health Insurance is incredibly, ridiculously, expensive and so many Americans can't afford it which is very sad. Is it true that Health Insurance is free for all in England?
Nothing is free we pay tax

How do those Double Decker buses keep from turning over when making a sharp turn? Do they drive incredibly slow?
I often wonder????

i personally work 36 hrs a week, i get 1 hr for lunch and a half hour for a break.
The hotter countrys have 'siesta' in the afternoon that lasts about 4 hrs but they work later into the night

**Riff Addict** · 10-12-2005, 09:05 AM

For a long time I thought most British men looked like this:

**Mondy** · 10-12-2005, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riff Addict

Chris I'm thinking you've been to American a time or two right? If so, what was your experience, was it a good visit, or bad?

I think driving on a different side of the road would be very hard to get used to?

I know this was aimed at wahwah, but I weill answer it myself...

I have only been over to The States once. Me and the wife went over to San Francisco and got engaged when we were out there.

Fell in love with the place instantly, but have heard it said that it is the most European of cities.

Stayed near Fisherman's Wharf, and just loved that view of the Golden Gate to the left, Alcatraz right in front of you, and the Bay Bridge to the right.

Then there's the Napa Valley just over the Golden Gate.

The people were more friendlier, and everything is done so much bigger over there. Plus the food comes in monster size portions and is dirt cheap. Me and the wife just used to have breakfast and then didn't need to eat again until about 7pm !!!

We intend to go to New York at some point, but it wiol be when the sprog grows up a bit ! Plus we have to take her to Australia to meet her Auntie at some point, so it's whichever gets the preference.

I never drove over there, so can't comment...

wahwah · 10-12-2005, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riff Addict

Chris I'm thinking you've been to American a time or two right? If so, what was your experience, was it a good visit, or bad?

I think driving on a different side of the road would be very hard to get used to?

Loved it but then it was vacation time and I've only really done The Keys and Florida...wanted to driver round the panhandle and get to New Orleans a few years ago but then Sam came along and we ain't been back since.

Wolfman · 10-12-2005, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wahwah

What ever happened to Benny Hill? Is he alive?
No he popped it about 10 years ago.

Well, I "popped it" to those lovely "Hill's Angels" for many years growing up as a horny young dude.

OK, here's a question for you lads, and I don't mean to be offensive or rude:

Does everybody there really eat all the parts of an animal we consider "throw away parts" here in the states? If so, HOW???

I can't imagine eating tongues and brains, etc. Perhaps it is simply a matter of being resourceful and eliminating waste, but I don't think I could handle that.