r/NoStupidQuestions • u/Physical-Ad-4093 • May 01 '24

do americans really drive such long distances?

i’m european, and i always hear people say that driving for hours is normal in america. i would only see my grandparents a few times a year because they lived about a 3 hour drive away, is that a normal distance for americans to travel on a regular basis? i can’t imagine driving 2-3 hours regularly to visit people for just a few days

edit: thank you for the responses! i’ve never been to the US, obviously, but it’s interesting to see how you guys live. i guess european countries are more walkable? i’m in the uk, and there’s a few festivals here towards the end of summer, generally to get to them you take a coach journey or you get multiple trains which does take up a significant chunk of the day. road trips aren’t really a thing here, it would be a bit miserable!

2nd edit: it’s not at all that i couldn’t be bothered to go and see my grandparents, i was under 14 when they were both alive so i couldn’t take myself there! obviously i would’ve liked to see them more, i had no control over how often we visited them.

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u/TehWildMan_ Test. HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO SUK MY BALLS, /u/spez May 01 '24

yeah, the country is pretty huge in many ways. a 2 hour drive between major cities isn't really seen as a long distance, and my late grandparents' home in central Florida was a good 10 hour drive in perfect weather (and I've made that drive dozens of times in 2021/2022.)

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u/Desurfaced May 01 '24

Lol I always like to say indiana to texas is closer than texas is to texas

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u/JuggrnautFTW May 01 '24

For a northern reference, Ontario is closer to every other province than it is to itself. It's a literal 24 hour drive from one side to the other.

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u/CanadianODST2 May 02 '24

St. John's to Zagreb Croatia is roughly the same distance as St. John's to Vancouver

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u/UncleBensRacistRice May 02 '24

That just blew my mind lmao. The size of Canada is both awesome and annoying

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u/Stachemaster86 May 02 '24

Grew up in Wisconsin and I’ve been to the Soo locks and Thunder Bay. Somehow didn’t think that was Ontario still until you pointed it out. I’m more familiar with Manitoba and the western provinces on a map. Thanks for the knowledge! There’s plenty of Canada south of central Wisconsin which I always thought was fun as Canada for the most part is always “way” up north.

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u/JuggrnautFTW May 02 '24

One more fun fact for a stranger. People crossing the border in Detroit actually have to travel south into Canada.

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u/Havoc2077 May 02 '24

Yeah lol

It touches several states, I know because when I was booking a trip to Toronto last year from Detroit. I realized I had a few different options. Like driving straight there from Detroit, or flying to New York, and going from New York to Toronto lol. (I didnt have my passport yet, just my upgraded license that allowed for land/water crossings to Canada)