My UK/US comparison

My british husband was astounded that I used to have to pay for incoming calls!  But, most companies now are doing free incoming calls and some do free calls to anyone on the same network. It's only been in the last year and a half that I've had free incoming calls on my cell phone.

what I also find confusing is the different rates of tax on so many things......     Guess I'll get to know about all the different rates....?

I guess it does seem confusing until you get used to all the variations.   You have to keep in mind that American tax is set at state, county, and city levels, so even the basic sales tax can vary from place to place.    For example, a particular state might charge 6% on all sales, then a certain county within the state might charge 2%, and the city might add another 1%, giving 9% total.  If you go outside the city limits though, you would then pay only the state and county portions, totaling 8%.  Go into the next county and the rate can be different again.   That's before you start adding hotel or other specific taxes.

In that respect, British VAT where the same rates apply right across the country does seem simpler, especially from a shopper's point of view where prices generally show the tax-inclusive price.   If you've ever been VAT-registered here for business though, you'll find that the system is just as complex, if not more so.

Anyway - I'm not gonna get into one of those heated roundabout/no roundabout heated debates 

I think it's like the Marmite debate elsewhere -- Love 'em or hate 'em!     

I particularly hate the "mini" roundabouts, especially where two or three are built right next to each other.  Aaaarrrrgggghhhhh!     

I was often stopped at lights waiting to turn right and then thought "Why am I waiting? I can turn on right"

Don't tell anyone, but when I first came back to England I found myself making left turns on red a couple of times.   Ooops!   

That happened to me too, though here it was turning right on a red. My Swedish friend screams, "what are you doing?" and it was then that I remembered that one cannot do that here, ever. Unfortunately a police car was behind me and saw this. He of course flags me to pull over. I was nervous and started to tell him that I had recently moved to Sweden from the US and that I was just so used to being able to turn on a red unless a posted sign said otherwise. He told me that he had a brother that lived in the US so he knew that this was true. He asked for my American drivers license and I even showed him my passport showing that I had just come to Sweden (not that it was a great excuse for my not remembering that I wasn't allowed to turn on red.) He lectured me a bit about that it is illegal here and that I am never allowed to do that here, but in the end he let me off with a warning.  Since then I have never turned on a red light here.

Haha, when I go back to visit the US I sometimes forget that you can turn right on red. Then I have cars honking at me from all directions and it takes me a minute or two to realise why.  

I guess it does seem confusing until you get used to all the variations.   You have to keep in mind that American tax is set at state, county, and city levels, so even the basic sales tax can vary from place to place.    For example, a particular state might charge 6% on all sales, then a certain county within the state might charge 2%, and the city might add another 1%, giving 9% total.  If you go outside the city limits though, you would then pay only the state and county portions, totaling 8%.  Go into the next county and the rate can be different again.   That's before you start adding hotel or other specific taxes.

So I'm finding out!    I've booked a hotel in Chicago for next month and there's 10.25% for one tax and 15.40% for another - each added for each night's stay.... That's a lot of tax!    I'm glad we (in UK) have just the basic fee throughout every town and county...

I particularly hate the "mini" roundabouts, especially where two or three are built right next to each other.  Aaaarrrrgggghhhhh!     

I agree with you there! But I think where there's one mini-roundabout it helps traffic flow quicker (in most situations) - even though you often can't go round them so they seem useless, it's the "give way to traffic from the right" rule which makes it better than lights.

I think it's like the Marmite debate elsewhere -- Love 'em or hate 'em!

Right! As for Marmite - just very thinly spread please! 

Don't tell anyone, but when I first came back to England I found myself making left turns on red a couple of times.   Ooops!   

Your details and confession have been passed on to the relevant authorities!  If Sabeine got told off for doing it then I don't see why you should get away with it    You will be contacted! 

Haha, when I go back to visit the US I sometimes forget that you can turn right on red. Then I have cars honking at me from all directions and it takes me a minute or two to realise why.

Thankfully I didn't have anyone honking me... What I did do was make sure I wasn't in the right hand lane when I was just going straight. I know some people do because the lane is often for either straight ahead or right, but surely people wanting to turn right won't be happy waiting for the lights to change? Is it normal road courtesy not to stop in the right hand lane when you're going straight ahead? I don't mean with a specifically marked "Right hand turn" lane. Thanx 

Is it normal road courtesy not to stop in the right hand lane when you're going straight ahead? I don't mean with a specifically marked "Right hand turn" lane. Thanx 

No, not that I've noticed. Unless it's a specifically-marked "right hand turn" lane, you're perfectly okay to go in the right lane. 

To think my annual multi-trip insurance to include USA is only £93 (about $160) - for the year! - which covers me up to $10m including winter sports, flight delays, computer equipment loss, repatriation etc etc... Seems a very good deal to me! Don't know why it is so expensive for US citizens

There are limits on how long you will be in the US, ie only as long as your vacation perhaps.  In many cases, this will only be a week or two for visitors.  Potentially it could be a bit longer than that whereas a US citizen is living and work in the US 365 days of the year.  The risk of something happening is much higher than a visitor for a short period.

Matt

There are limits on how long you will be in the US, ie only as long as your vacation perhaps.  In many cases, this will only be a week or two for visitors.  Potentially it could be a bit longer than that whereas a US citizen is living and work in the US 365 days of the year.  The risk of something happening is much higher than a visitor for a short period.

Matt

That's true... my insurance is like the visa-waiver - only valid for trips up to 90 days.... but it's valid for multiple trips of 90 days throughout  the year. So the risk for a citizen to need medical care has got to be very very much higher than a visitor to warrant the massive difference in insurance costs! ... And my insurance covers all the other things I mentioned before - not just medical, but travel too.

Re turns on red, I've not been able to find an exact date but as I understand it the rule was introduced only in the early 1970s.     That certainly seems to tally with the fact that "No turn on red" signs don't appear in old sign collections  (O.K., so I'm a geek....  ).

Paul, your Geekness, right turn on red began appear stateside in the early 70s but took many years for it to become widespread. It wasn't instituted on Louisiana until much later as well as many other states. New Orleans, unlike most other cities, also has a left turn on red ordinance. It applies mostly to the central business district which is almost entirely one way streets. Ordinance says you may turn left on red AFTER stopping if you are on a one-way street and turning onto a one-way street. That was instituted sometime in the early-to-mid 80s...can't remember exactly when.

(Not a geek, just old and remember this c**p!)

Haha, when I go back to visit the US I sometimes forget that you can turn right on red. Then I have cars honking at me from all directions and it takes me a minute or two to realise why.  

LMAO - I had the same thing happen to me the first time I drove in the US, I got really upset and couldn't understand why he was honking at me.  I was only when a American told me that I realised - I felt a bit stupid,  but loved the idea.