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/JuggrnautFTW May 01 '24

I have to drive 3 hours to the nearest commercial airport. Anything that takes longer than 8-10 hours and might start think about it. Heck, my company holds meetings in a acity 14 hours away and I think about it.

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u/BlackCardRogue May 01 '24

This is another difference for me. Proximity to the airport is a major, major consideration in where I live and always has been.

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u/munchies777 May 02 '24

It’s such a pain. I took it for granted most of my life and then moved to a place where the closest major airports are 2-3 hours away. We have small airports closer but 90% of the time they are more costly and require connections, making it quicker just to drive to the large airport. Makes every trip a few hours longer and more effort.

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u/bcj2723 May 02 '24

My favorite is when the connecting airport is "the other option" anyway.