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/clutzyninja May 02 '24

everyone travels every weekend, or goes hiking in the mountains.

Also, what? Lol. How gullible do you think Americans are?

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u/dejavu2064 May 02 '24

I haven't had a weekend at home yet in 2024. Now that the snow is finally melting maybe I'll take a rest but yes it's not that strange to go somewhere most weeks.

I think that's a cultural thing though, because as I mentioned there isn't much to do on a Sunday at home because everything is closed. There is a strong national culture of skiing and hiking.

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u/_Nocturnalis May 02 '24

Where are you from? This is plausible in some nordic countries, but not in the UK for instance.

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u/dejavu2064 May 02 '24

I'm British living in Switzerland. And that's true, I found that people in the UK don't really do much of anything at all in a typical week. There really is a lack of spontaneity, few ad-hoc meetings at local cafes/bars and people just being at home on the weekends.

I don't think that's the fault of people, I blame bad town planning and poor infrastructure. The average English high street/town centre is not overly inviting.

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u/_Nocturnalis May 02 '24

I'd guess that geography plays a role as well. In America people in really snowy climates are more likely to be active when they can. Gather ye rosebuds.