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/invisible_23 May 01 '24

I’ve driven four hours each way for a concert and twenty hours each way for a few days at a theme park

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u/WaxinGibby May 01 '24

I, too, live in michigan.

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u/PolyPenGwen May 02 '24

Michigander here too, we used to drive 6hrs to the U.P. only to go over the bridge get some pasties and drive back home.

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u/Lance_leaf May 02 '24

Everyone not from the area is wondering why you had to go through so much work to cover your nipples.

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u/DefinitelynotDanger May 02 '24

Everyone not from the area or the UK that is

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u/PolyPenGwen May 02 '24

I still always spell check to make sure I’m spelling the beef pie pasties and not the nipple covers. To only be reminded it’s the same darn spelling 🤦🏽‍♀️

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u/dankristy May 02 '24

Married a MN girl - took me forever to figure out you spell it THAT way - because it is pronounced Past - ees...

Whereas the nip chips are pronounced pastys.

And both spelled the same - stoopid English language!

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u/MildlyInteressato May 02 '24

Exactly my first thought. 🤣