Watching a few videos posted by North Americans who have moved to the U.K.
-
Some of them are from an extended holiday, some are here for university, some have migrated here.
I'd say 70% of the time the same issues come up.
How to cross the street when cars are on a different side than they are used to.
Why sinks have two taps.
That the U.K. uses both metric and imperial.
That the U.K. uses the 12 hour clock and the 24 hour clock.
Power sockets having switches.
Windows don't have screens.
U.K. houses don't have air conditioning.
Not to mention the driving on the left hand side.It's both funny and 'oh god, not again'.
Lol.
Only kidding, it's fun, but I wish there were videos at North American travel agents, 'oh, you want to go to Italy, before we continue, we need you to sit down and watch this video!'.As three of you have asked already, here's why British houses often have two taps.
British plugs and sockets.
-
@svend said in Watching a few videos posted by North Americans who have moved to the U.K.:
Why sinks have two taps.
The sink thing doesn't make any damn sense, and I'm mad that you reminded me of it. About as logical as German toilets...
-
@svend Everything but the Taps and switches on power outlets makes sense (I guess)
Why don't your windows have screens - do you not have bugs?
-
@qaaaaa
The cold water tap is potable, drinking water, traditionally the hot water had/has been kept in a tank, then heated, etc... and so can't be guaranteed to be drinkable.
The common question is, 'how do I wash my hands without scalding them in the hot water or freezing them in the cold water?', answer, put the plug, in the hole, that is to say, put the sink plug in the sink plug hole. Lol. -
@svend What screens not on windows? Like for not keeping our he bugs that maybe don't exist there? That'd be a problem over here.
Amd what's this about sinks with two taps?
-
@jminer
The taps are as I said to Qaaaaa, the power sockets are so you can isolate the appliance, without removing the plug from the socket, less wear on the plugs, less wear on the sockets, etc...
We don't have screens on our windows because we don't have that many airborne bugs, yes we gets a few bees and wasps, midges in the summer, but we tend not to open the windows much, when we do because the room is too hot, etc... if a bug gets in, we chase it out or kill it, if it becomes more than that, we shut the window. Many places they aren't allowed anyway because they are either a fire risk or a hazard in the event you need to use the window to escape, say from a fire, etc... -
@whoistheleader
Because we don't need them. We have bugs, but not many or often enough to need them.
RE: the taps, I've added a video to the main posted because out of three comments, each have asked about the taps. Lol. -
@svend This may seem inconsequential to you, but does that mean you don't have ANY screened in porches?
And that tap thing would seriously annoy me. Fortunately, it seems there are solutions to FIX your madness.
And this solution is just amazing.
-
@whoistheleader
No we don't have screened porches, one we don't have porches in the vast majority of parts, the climate isn't conducive to open porches, etc...
We have what's called conservatories. Basically greenhouses for humans attached to the rear of the house, Lol.
The answer is in the bottom picture of the sink, it's that plug that in the middle of the hole there, you pull or push that bit in the middle of the two taps and it raises or lowers the plug.
-
It's been quite some time since I came across somewhere with separate taps, with so many houses now having combi boilers the need for a separate hot tap has gone away
-
@svend Many sinks have that here too. It's just way quicker, easier, and takes less time to put your hands under a running tap than filling up the basin.
Screened in porches really are great for the climate I'm in. I have so many fond memories taking place in one. The bugs around here are just killer.
Where I live, it gets pretty hot and VERY humid with tons of insects so the idea of sitting in a greenhouse sounds a little odd. The mesh screens allow wind through but not bugs, plus providing some shade. Ceiling fans are essential.
-
@svend meanwhile, in Australia...
-
@whoistheleader
The conservatories often have blinds on the them to screen out the harshest of the sun's rays, but generally it's nice and warm in there as they are well insulated, you can put ceiling fans, etc... in them.
The average temperature here in the U.K. is 12-15C (54-59F), so open air porches would be a waste of land, time, etc...
The sink thing is something we've always grown up with, also learn to judge how far to turn on a hot water tap, if you put it on mid way you'll get a good stream that gradually gets hotter where as if you put the hot tap on full, it gets very hot very fast and will scald you.
I'm thinking that North Americans either need to watch an introduction video before departing for their chosen country to visit, or be shadowed by a native national or arrival in their chosen country for a few days or week, or two, to answer any questions or queries. Lol. -
@silentbutnotreallydeadly
Ye', very similar to ours.
If it works, it works. -
@samv8
I'm say the vast majority of homes and business I've come across in the Northumberland, Cumbria, North and West Yorkshire and Lancashire have had two taps.
Most often if ever, a mixer tap can be found in the kitchen, but almost never for a non kitchen space. -
@svend I guess keeping the warmth in is more important than circulating it out.
The sink thing I'd figure out how to use very quickly but I think I'd always be annoyed by it. Perhaps requiring a native guide is a little harsh here, Svend.
-
@svend said in Watching a few videos posted by North Americans who have moved to the U.K.:
The cold water tap is potable, drinking water, traditionally the hot water had/has been kept in a tank, then heated, etc... and so can't be guaranteed to be drinkable.
Completely aside from your discussion, but do you guys uniformly fluoridate your public drinking water supply?
-
@svend Right, I get why it's done, but in the US, we do the same thing with hot water tanks, and we just have the one tap... just because it's sat in a tank, I don't see why it wouldn't be potable
-
It's not even how it a mixing tap works : If you request cold water from it you will have running water and nothing coming from your tank so it makes no sense not to use a mixing tap when renovating or constructing.
And we also mostly don't have screens in metropolitan France as most places are not humid enough to have plenty of bug.
-
@svend
So far three things have surprised or been confirmed by me from international travel- Plugs on switches. Surprise!
- Germans really are super serious about their rules. Confirmed!
- Most American travelers are easy to pick out, easy targets, and completely utter assholes. Confirmed!
Bonus round, something learned. Belgium being completely ill prepared for the 2018 heat wave. My wife saved someone's baby from heat stroke on a train from Ghent -> Brussels with broken A/C. Easily 115+F in every car. Uncomfortable but being from south and west Texas is livable since we just hydrate 24/7 like it's a normal thing to do...(Hint: it isn't)
-
@svend said in Watching a few videos posted by North Americans who have moved to the U.K.:
Only kidding, it's fun, but I wish there were videos at North American travel agents, 'oh, you want to go to Italy, before we continue, we need you to sit down and watch this video!'.
Well, its from a comedy show, but this is surprisingly good "real talk" for a lot of people.
-
@chariotoflove as far as I'm aware, no. It depends on the area.
-
@qaaaaa
Because as said in the video, it may of sat a while, bacteria growth, vermin fell in, etc... it can no longer be guaranteed to be drinkable. -
@jb-boin
It was simply deemed safer for the two different taps, like in the video, you could risk possible non drinkable water mixing with the drinkable water, it was just deemed safer this way. -
@qaaaaa Your hotwater tank has a valve to prevent flow back to the line. In the video, in the Uk the line would feed a cistern that would then refill the boiler/radiator, then to the hot water. You would have old and new water mixing. Vs the US where the hot water would be flushed out with every use.
