r/AskReddit • u/danielsoft1 • 4h ago

"those little differences" Americans who visited Europe, what was surprisingly different for you?

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4

u/danielsoft1 4h ago

asking as a European...

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u/SwashAndBuckle 3h ago

Most stuff I was familiar with in advance. The difficulty finding free restrooms or water I wasn’t.

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u/iamthe0ther0ne 4h ago

Smaller supermarkets

A lot of places aren't disability-accessible

Fewer homeless people 

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u/Helmutlot2 3h ago

Yeah the disability accessibility is a challenge in many older towns. However suburbs are usually much better, so if you do have issues there are places that makes life easier than ancient city centers

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u/candianconsolemaster 3h ago

On disability accessibility how do Americans reconcile that with the fact you can't walk anywhere easily and have really bad public transport. 

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u/iamthe0ther0ne 3h ago

People with disabilities are able to get into and out of cars, and there are dedicated handicap parking spots in every parking lot.

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u/candianconsolemaster 2h ago

Doesn't really answer the question, not everyone disabled can drive or have a person that is able to drive them. 

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u/iamthe0ther0ne 1h ago

Cars can be modified for access and use. Often if you're too disabled to drive at all, it's because you're so disabled you can't do activities of daily living independently, and therefore don't live alone. Mostly the only people for whom this isn't true is the very elderly who have decided to stop driving for safety, and at that point people often move to a retirement community that provides transportation. However, most areas also offer free or subsidized local transportation for the elderly/disabled--a car or handicap van you can schedule as needed. 

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u/YakElectronic6713 1h ago

Here in the Netherlands as well, muppet.

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u/iamthe0ther0ne 1h ago

My experience in the EU is that many public buildings aren't handicap-accessible, and the sidewalks may not be the best for wheelchairs. I've been in Sweden for more than a year and I don't think I've seen anyo e in a wheelchair out shopping, while it was fairly common in the US