The Americans are trying to start some transatlantic beef again, and for some baffling reason they’re peculiarly proud at having to sit in a car for hours at a time.
Although generally a pleasant and friendly bunch, for some reason Americans have been making repeated attempts to start something with Brits.
Remember the guy who said ‘all of England is near London’?
Yep, it’s more of that pungent brand of bovine faeces being shovelled across the Atlantic Ocean via the medium of social media.
Jacobs Stock Photography Ltd
The latest salvo came from Twitter, where somebody called Matthew Zeitlin who is apparently allergic to capital letters wrote: “the european mind cowers at the driving endurance of the typical american, this is a normal drive for a three day weekend, it’s like san francisco to la and much shorter than one i’ve done a few times, new york city to columbus”
He shared a picture of a Google Maps planned route of a drive from Penrith to Polperro which would take you 394 miles and leave you stuck behind the wheel for six hours and 48 minutes.
X/@MattZeitlin
The replies quickly descended into Americans patting themselves on the back for being ‘built different’ and sharing the interminably long drives they did with regularity.
There were folks saying they’d driven for five hours to see their girlfriend and ‘200 miles for a job interview’.
Another American said they would soon be embarking on ‘a 29 hour drive’ in just a few weeks, which sounds like a thoroughly unpleasant ordeal.
Someone else said they ‘just enter a hypnotic state’ where ‘the time doesn’t even register for me’ which sounds a tad concerning when you’re behind the wheel of a metal brick capable of going great speeds.
Another said ‘the Brits will never understand distance’, as though it isn’t a bit fundamentally weird to be making a point of pride out of having to drive a long way to get anywhere.
Getty Images
Fortunately, the good people of these islands replied with a bit of sense and perspective, as one articulate hero from Scotland who goes by the name of Spaghetti (possibly not their real name) retorted eloquently.
They wrote: “Nobody cares that it’s normal to you.
“We are also able to drive this distance if we had to. The thing we’re aghast at is spending 14 hours of a three day weekend in a f**king car.”
Just so.
Another shared a Reddit post from an American who was baffled by a half-hour walk being described as ‘short’ as they ‘can’t fathom walking that far’.
Someone else argued that many Americans may not appreciate ‘how much more energy intensive driving in Europe is’ as ‘roads are much denser and narrower so they also require more focus and energy’.
Featured Image Credit: Google Maps / Getty Stock Photo
Topics: UK News, US News, Cars, Viral, Social Media
Sarah Carter is a health and wellness expert residing in the UK. With a background in healthcare, she offers evidence-based advice on fitness, nutrition, and mental well-being, promoting healthier living for readers.
