Oh, I absolutely believe that people in America can accept it’s “not as big a deal as you might think”.

This is a thread about things about America that make no sense. So: I don’t understand why America, seemingly uniquely, accepts this as “not a big deal”.

It’s weird. Land of the free, home of the public toilets strangers can see inside. So odd.

Thank you for your comment. I can’t speak for the entire world, but in the UK a 1 cm" gap in the door of a public toilet would be massive and unacceptable. It’s not enough that someone can only see into a stall through a gap in the door if they are “right up to it”; they should not be able to see in at all. Public toilets in other countries have doors with gaps you can’t leer through at all.

Re. the “gaps meaning ventilation”, surely the “big gap at the bottom” and the fact that the whole top is open will be contributing more to ventilation?

You say you think this might be a regional thing in the US. Okay, could be. I have personally encountered this issue in Washington, California, North Carolina, DC, Massachusetts, Georgia, Texas, Oregon, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Maryland.

From a euphemism for being suspended on full pay pending an investigation. You aren’t working, and you can’t work for a competitor, so there’s not much to do but potter about in the garden.

(The term originated when the paid white-collar workforce was still overwhelmingly comprised of men who weren’t responsible for housework or child rearing.)

I don’t get it either. Ignoring the inherent power imbalance between a single worker and an employer, good luck getting Gardening Leave in an at-will workplace.

https://www.gov.uk/handing-in-your-notice/gardening-leave

Yes, maternity leave! The US approach is bonkers.

Oh that’s true. American pints are a disappointment.

This is a thoughtful reply. I will just say that the UK also has public toilets all over the place, and a desire for people to not screw & get high in the cubicles. Ditto many other countries. But I’ve never been anywhere else with this door gap problem, where no-one gets privacy.

I did once use a UK bathroom in a supermarket where the lighting was all blue, which makes it hard to find a vein to inject. But the doors still closed properly.

“Panties”

Ick.

Yes. The correct answer is “Not too bad, you?” and after they’ve also not answered truthfully the conversation may begin.

Sir, pride in the sanctity of the Queue is reason enough alone.

Seriously though, being in places where people don’t queue properly is miserable. That’s something America should be applauded for.

You don’t have separate recycling? With recycling bins & separate food waste collection, our general waste wheelie bin takes ages to fill up…

Come visit the UK. We have fluid ounces too, but only for baking. Your drink will be served by the millilitre, unless it’s beer in a pub, or milk in a home, in which case it will be served by the pint.

Sticker price isn’t the price you pay at the till. Why? Why do you do that.

Massive gaps between the walls and doors of public lavatory cubicles. This is not some mystical, advanced technology. Get it together.

Return of the Obra Dinn.

Correct. Well, not all the work week. One person will sleep in it Monday-Thursday. Maybe Friday if it’s a heavy one.

ETA: Rest of the family will be living in a separate house outside the Home Counties where the schools are better.

They increase the overall cost of both buying and renting a property within that market, and are a nuisance for existing residents.

Historically – in the UK, at least – the market equilibrium has been that the rich own all the property and the poor pay rent until they die, aware that they can be served an eviction notice at any time.

This has not proven to be a popular policy. In 1918 all British men, regardless of whether they owned property or not, got the vote, and since then politicians have found it useful to not have the majority of voters perpetually furious about it.

Some people own more than one house, and perpetually rent those properties out via sites like Airbnb.

So we have:

• Buying a property that you don’t intend to live in, so that you can rent it out to other people as a short term let.

• Buying a property that you live in, and occasionally renting out a spare room as a short-term let while you continue to occupy the property.

These are not the same.

It goes for £2000 a month ($2500) and is in Zone 1, a 25 minute stroll from the London Stock Exchange. You aren’t going homeless if you have £2000 a month to spend on rent, and Zone 2 is one stop away on the Jubilee line. You’re moving to Zone 2/3, or moving into a flatshare. Or out of London.

Given the location, pricing and finish I suspect it’s more likely to be used as a pied a terre – a second (weekday) home – for someone in the City.

Interesting. Here, when conversions happen to make cellars into self-contained units, I’d argue they are frequently only suitable for short term lets, on the basis that no-one should have to live like that. In converting properties whose lower ground floors were never meant to be used for residential purposes into housing, we get stuff like this.

Rental Opportunity of the Week: A Remodelled Crypt, for Goths Your own windowless basement in London Bridge, for just £2,000 a month.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/akz9ze/rental-opportunity-london-bridge-basement

Well on that we are definitely in agreement.