Britain vs. America: Who Does it Better?

[@joerudnik9290]

The change in road signs always reminds me how as a young girl people would give directions as such, in rural areas: Go 3 miles past Johnson’s farm and turn left where there used to be the grove of oak trees and cross the bridge, but if you come to the pig farm, you’ve gone too far.

[@bigedslobotomy]

Yeah, we used to do that in Iowa. “Go to the second gravel road (not the second dirt road) and go past the old barn that burned down five years ago and turn right at the old Johnson place (that is now a derelict house) and go to old highway 1 (which is now renamed something else, that I can’t remember). You’ll eventually get to an old white house with a John Deere 3020 in the front yard (that the farmer is working on), and that’s the place!”

[@evelynwinchester4726]

It's STILL that way in rural America. Exactly as described.

[@donttalktomebye]

The used to be an oak tree part is so funny and true

[@DrJekyll77]

I used to love absolutely fabulous and keeping up appearances and though I'm an American it's still a sacrilege not to mention Monty Python to which I think you could star in a reboot of and that's a compliment

[@Hnry-Tudor]

After getting misdirected more than once by mislabeled exit signs on traffic circles in rural England, I questioned my English cousins. They admitted that yes, the signs had been misdirected to confuse German paratroopers and had never been changed back. 😆

[@grahampaulkendrick7845]

They were pulling your leg, mate! 🙂

[@jonadabtheunsightly]

Haha. What they didn't tell you, is that they'd changed them a few hours before you arrived, just to mess with you.

[@pamelas1002]

​@@jonadabtheunsightly 😂

[@apriljodoin9643]

About time the signs were updated don’t you?

[@tahliasgoddaddy]

Traffic circles? If that's what I think it is, in America we call those round-a-bouts.

[@michellemcdowell8570]

I moved to Phoenix from Pittsburgh about 15 years ago. Mom visited that 1st year & we took a road trip to the Grand Canyon. Along the way we saw signs for Montezuma Castle & decided to check it out. We thought we went to the wrong place because we were expecting an “English” castle, not a Native American one. It is definitely one of the coolest mistakes I have made, that place is AWESOME!

[@sandyaw3057]

Welcome to my neighborhood! 😊

[@carlfromtheoc1788]

Try Hearst Castle in San Simeon USA.

[@Vaeldarg]

While temporarily moved out west due to an unusually dangerous hurricane had the chance to visit the Grand Canyon, but seemed like the absolute worst time of year for it. The entrance was absolutely swarmed with some species of fly, killing any chance of getting out of the car being appealing at that time....

[@elultimo102]

@@sandyaw3057 I stupidly missed out buying 500' on the Verde River, close to Montezuma's Castle.

[@caroljo420]

​@@carlfromtheoc1788I've been there, and it's incredible!!!

[@phirah79]

That thing you said about walking through Chicago and thinking "wow I live in America" and feeling like you're in a movie reminded me of how I felt my first time walking around London. And like you grew up in England with an obsession with America, I grew up in American with an obsession with England.

[@katehaynes5735]

Me too! I've been there about 8 times (I've lost count, will have to check old passports) including a semester in college... sorry, uni. 😊

[@dragonvliss2426]

Ah, me too. Comes of having a Canadian father and reading mostly British kids' books as a child, like the Narnia series.

[@windwatcher11]

Same!! I ❤ London. I blame Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

[@DeltaDrifter2201]

I have never had an obsession with England. Don't know many people who do lol.

[@lynemac2539]

I rode the train from London to Edinburgh and back. The countryside looked just like Virginia, which must have made my early American ancestors feel right at home.

[@Og-Judy]

Well, all of Britain would fit squarely in the US State of Oregon. Hard to compare travel to smaller countries with something that is as immense in land mass as the United States

[@joshp8535]

Yes. Montana is FIFTY PERCENT LARGER than THE WHOLE OF BRITAIN. And we want a "comprehensive rail system" and "long range busses" those mean VASTLY different things to two places as physically different as the US and UK.

[@hickory45acp31]

Constant rain and drearyness, Yea, sounds like Britain

[@billieshearstone2963]

it's still embarrassing how behind we are in high-speed rail in the US

[@patrickperry6945]

@@billieshearstone2963no it isn’t embarrassing. High speed trains are for small nations (England, Japan, etc. High speed trains here would just be an inefficient political mess. They wouldn’t run on time and they would probably break down a lot because of government inefficiency.

[@harvbegal6868]

Which is why when he talked about the countryside, i was like, Oregon countryside looks exactly like that.

[@TruthWillFreeYou]

We don't have a Windsor Castle but we do have castles in the USA lol. A lot of people don't know about this. There are seven Castles in St. Augustine, Florida alone. No stay in the USA would be complete without first visiting "St. Augustine, founded in September 1565 by Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles of Spain, is the longest continually inhabited European-founded city in the United States - more commonly called the Nation's Oldest City." -visitflorida

[@margefoyle6796]

I love that your "American" accent is so cartoonishly Midwestern.

[@route2070]

Indiana and Chicago has fixed his American accent.

[@PxssyGalore]

Not true!! He said he refuses to lose his English accent..I think that's cool!!@@route2070

[@tardisrider25]

I know right? I'm sitting here feeling mildly attacked😂

[@SuperDrLisa]

I pronounce it more like Lawrence...that pronunciation hurt my ears

[@SuperDrLisa]

Public transportation is almost absent here in Ri

[@danieloneal7137]

5:00 I’m from West Virginia and the Appalachian Mountains can be absolutely stunning, but I agree - there is just something about the storybook quality of the British countryside that takes my breath away.

[@emilywagner6354]

I'm happy with a tie. A lot of it comes down to taste and nostalgia, and there's nothing wrong with liking the stuff you're familiar with.

[@Phiyedough]

Yes, I much prefer British films because they always contain plenty of familiar faces. Top Hollywood actors are so highly paid that it would cost a fortune to make a film with as many household names as in something like a Carry On film.

[@waltciii3]

Mmmm the Taste of Nostalgia.

[@ElectronFieldPulse]

I’m not sure the NHS is the same NHS he is thinking of. I have talked to a lot of British people and after 2011 the NHS started collapsing. You can wait hours and hours for an ambulance or not even have an ambulance come at all. I didn’t even know it was possible for an ambulance not to come when you call it. Record long waiting lists, months and months waiting to see someone and sometimes years. I have heard many people say it is straight up collapsing. A lot of people blame the Tories but honestly it is always going to be hard to have a single government run system with an aging population and a lot of immigrants every year. It is really difficult to sustain such a model, even with a lot of increasing in funding. How good is a free healthcare system when it is almost inaccessible except for the most dire situations? The NHS used to be the envy of many in America, now it is used as a cautionary tale.

[@chanceDdog2009]

@@ElectronFieldPulsemy wife just had a surgery We have insurance. And are still accountable for about 50, 000 dollars. We were placed in a hallway for 2 days before she had a room . And it took 24hrs before that to go from the ER . To an actual doctor.

[@ElectronFieldPulse]

@@chanceDdog2009 - That is not typical at all. Were you at a publicly funded hospital? I have never had that bad of service in my entire 30 plus years of existence. My mom had a brain aneurysm and she was taken to Mayo Clinic where the number 2 brain surgeon in the world worked on her. This is all with normal insurance with a normal middle class family. In England even ambulances are hours and hours late. Sometimes they don’t even come at all. That is a common occurrence there. No matter your anecdotes, the wait times in the US are far far better than the NHS. If you think the NHS system is better, you cannot be familiar with their system at all. I read stories daily from English people about the state of the NHS, and it is like a completely different level of care compared to the US. It shocked me to be honest. The US system is more expensive, but the majority of people are capped with their out of pocket spending. Our system sucks for those people who fall through the cracks and don’t end up insured, or people with really bad insurance (probably what your issue was). Their system sucks for just about everyone. It is the difference between having a functioning system for the majority of people or having a non functioning system for basically everyone. Unless you are about to die that second, the NHS is just so far behind. They don’t get the new medicines we get until years and years later either. If there are shortages like right now with certain meds, England is always at the back of the line because they pay so little for them, so what might be a couple month shortage in the US can be a year in England. Some Americans have an idealized view of the NHS because they think the system would only get better if it was government controlled. To them, not paying upfront is the only thing that matters. That is extremely shallow thinking which doesn’t include the myriad ways a health system is affected by being government run; it just takes more than 2 seconds of thought which is what most Americans give the NHS before they cry for it here. I would never trade with their system, it sounds like a horror show

[@jag92949]

The tie-breaker should have been weather. Britain is rainy with mild temps like the British northwest. While, America has more variety. It can be far colder, hotter, drier, and even wetter.

[@laronmaron98]

The US is where KZbin sensation Laurence Brown now resides. That’s for the win.

[@peggykrech69]

British chocolate is better. Cadbury is richer in the English version than what Hershey label Cadbury in the US.

[@fionagregory9147]

​@@peggykrech69Swiss chocolate is best I think.

[@jovetj]

::the crowd goes wild::

[@jovetj]

@@peggykrech69 A lot of US chocolate is very cheap and not that good. But there is good chocolate here. But I generally find myself preferring imported stuff. I'm pretty partial to Belgian chocolate.

[@MayYourGodGoWithYou]

@@peggykrech69 Cadbury has gone to the dogs since it was bought out by the US firm - can't remember the name. It's largely rubbish now.

[@joshuagerber4487]

In all fairness to the “walkability” aspect; it’s easy to make things more crammed together when your conglomeration of countries is roughly the same size as Kansas.

[@uthermaceanruig5098]

There’s no need to look to Alaska to find a park that’s larger than Wales. New York State is home to the largest state park in the United States. The Adirondack Park is a modest 9,375 sq miles. While Wales occupies 8,024 sq miles.

[@timward3116]

We've got great beaches in the Phoenix area. The only thing missing is water.

[@andreanicodemus898]

lololololo

[@DENVEROUTDOORMAN]

But we have the highest sand Dunes in Colorado

[@timward3116]

@@DENVEROUTDOORMAN You might call them sand dunes, but in Phoenix, we call our's mountains LOL.

[@carrie5490]

Neither, Australia does it better. Best of both worlds all mixed together.

[@meglh23]

Definitely love that people look like real people on British TV!!

[@abby-ze6mz]

And they have lots of good actors.

[@BlankCanvas88]

When you boil it down though, there are a lot of American shows with average looking people. Community, The Office, Breaking Bad, etc. We don’t count Hallmark.

[@NicBran07]

Admittedly, it took me a minute to get used to seeing real people, but I absolutely prefer English, Canadian, Australian, and New Zealand (Brokenwood is my favorite) series over American.

[@lindacuster1328]

I@@NicBran07 I do too!! Some of the shows we see on our TV's here look so phony and look to made up.

[@nancyhankey7413]

Me too. They aren't afraid to show wrinkles, glasses and overweight people who aren't in the show solely as the butt of jokes. Other than Jeopardy and some older series, we haven't watched Hollywood in years.

[@gillianmeehan3206]

Brit here, I'm happy to take on board the diversity of the US countryside, you have many, many natural beauties to explore. However the British countryside is so compact. You could drive for just one hour and see mountains, rolling green hills, sea & beaches, lakes, rivers, babbling brooks and rock escarpments - then stop for tea and cake - and still be home in time for dinner.

[@MultiMidden]

Unless you live in Norfolk... I'd say the US can be better in someways because a single state like California has pretty much everything but on an epic scale. Deserts (Mojave, Colorado), the Sierra Nevada mountains, beaches and coastline, redwood forests, and rolling green hills and farmland (you know the XP green hill desktop wallpaper well that's in California).

[@turquoisemama33]

I was going to mention So. Cal. (LA county) similar to MultiMidden as living there, you are within two hours drive to beaches/oceans, deserts, mountains (w/snow if in the right season), meadows, hill country, farmlands, lakes, wine country, redwoods, small town, big town....Just an hour or two more and you are in Mexico.

[@jovetj]

Let's not get carried away there, ma'am...

[@carriehughes4313]

I would love to have all that!! Sometimes I wonder why my ancestors ever left there to come west. Now I'm in Ohio. We have many different beauties but I'm sure it's not the same.

[@margaretpratt5963]

At San Simeon, William Randolph Hearst’s castle on the coast of California, there is a full view of only mountains. Turn your back to the mountains and you see a full view of the Pacific Ocean. I got dizzy turning back & forth. It was so beautiful.

[@leonardking84]

Every photograph of the U.K. countryside that I've seen has shown it to be a lush and green landscape.

[@kenevanchik4478]

Fellow Illinois/Chicago area resident here. I remember my father was a massive fan of Midsomer Murders, and basically had a shrine to the show below his TV that held the DVD's of pretty much every season ever made. I recall he made the same comment, in that people on that show looked like normal people (i.e. a butcher looked like a butcher, not a fashion model, he would say). He liked that about it. I also grew up loving British TV. Sunday nights we had a trifecta of Monty Python, David Allen At Large and Doctor Who. Used to drive my mom insane as the next day was going to be a school day, and here I was staying up till 1:00AM watching all these great Brit shows.

[@feralon9570]

So what I'm hearing is Laurence loves his new home just as much as the old 💚💚 and there is nothing wrong with that!

[@RedKincaid]

I love it when you do an American accent, even when it's just one word

[@cjc363636]

I wonder if Brits in the US just 'speak American' when they're in a hurry sometimes, just so nobody stops them with "Wow, I love your accent!"

[@Anelisa8520]

Laurence’s American “categories” is pure Chicago accent

[@TheLordOfNothing]

Baaaayyyyggggeeeelllll

[@Zelmel]

Lawrence: regarding beaches, the US also has Hawaii (much to the chagrin of many native Hawaiians), which is an amazing place!

[@Stitchxavi]

And my homeland of Puerto Rico 🇵🇷!

[@anndeecosita3586]

@@StitchxaviThe US Virgin Islands? Guam?

[@josephcampbell2400]

Didn't the us buy it from great Britain?

[@AdamYJ]

@@josephcampbell2400 No, it was a sovereign country that the U.S. basically took over because they wanted an outpost in the South Pacific.

[@bria243]

@@josephcampbell2400 A bunch of American capitalists like Dole overthrew the Hawaiian monarchy. It didn't help the population was also devastated by European diseases.

[@MaxAmiga]

The grey stone house is an example of the Richardsonian Romanesque style named after Henry Hobson Richardson.

[@cyndimontanaro2902]

Ooh Lawrence, you have a TEAM! You have arrived! Congratulations. :) This was a particularly entertaining video. Thanks! You are in fine form today! Thanks for the entertaining content!

[@dugswank]

Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albrighthas said -- Becoming a U.S. citizen is the most important thing that ever happened to me. My father said that when we were in Europe during WWII people would say, “We are sorry for your troubles and hope that you have everything you need; by the way, when will you be leaving to go back home?” But in America, people said: “We are sorry for your troubles and hope that you have everything you need; by the way, when will you become a citizen?” America resettles more refugees than any other nation because it reflects one of our noblest traditions as a nation: providing support to those who are most vulnerable.

[@elizamccroskey1708]

Let’s not lose that.

[@loafoffloof3420]

the U.S. has been doing this ever since it was founded, USA USA USA

[@bridgetsclama]

I definitely agree that British television is far better than today's shows. Call the Midwife, Father Brown and Midsomer Murders are just a few of my faves!!!

[@MayYourGodGoWithYou]

Have you tried Death in Paradise, think Midsomer Murders in the Caribbean. The death toll is around about just as high as Midsomer as are the many and varied means of death. Great series (I think it is on Now TV if you get that in the US, my daughter (we're in Ireland) is currently binge watching the series).

[@johngregory4801]

My wife's day isn't complete without some time with Chief Detective Inspector Barnaby, some Shakespeare and Hathaway and/or Death in Paradise. Mind you, she's never lived outside of Oregon, so it's not a cultural thing. Me? Daleks are as dangerous as Romulans. Whether it's Dr. Who and his ever-faulty TARDIS or the Starship Enterprise, I'm a happy camper.

[@helenh6442]

Also Doc Martin! What a bunch of idiots! Cornwall is beautiful tho.

[@nbenefiel]

I’m about halfway through rewatching Midsomer Murders.

[@bridgetsclama]

@@MayYourGodGoWithYou yup and Doc Martin lol

[@rwill156]

As a tie breaker how about which country has a better London bridge?

[@AnthropoidOne]

I wish there was still a British film industry like the 40’s and 50’s. Trevor Howard, James Mason, John Mills, Alec Guinness, and don’t forget all those Hammer films🇺🇸

[@bordersw1239]

Film industry in the U.K is pretty healthy 290 films going into production in 2022/3. We still have more than our fair share of excellent actors.

[@AnthropoidOne]

@@bordersw1239 shhhhh….you’re making me look like a fool 🤣🤣🇺🇸

[@bigdaddigaming]

Here in America if you go for a walk and if you get away from the city or town center within just a few blocks you'll get to blocks that don't have sidewalks, you immediately get to people's yards where in Britain you don't see that until you hit the country side, there's far more footpaths/sidewalks in Britain

[@artfuldodger7838]

The neighborhood I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, was built up organically. Neighborhood stores. You could walk to the neighborhood store. Now there's zoning, and stores are too far away to walk.

[@charlesmarkley220]

My parents are both from deep Appalachia West Virginia. Neither had a tremendous accent. Was in England about 1986, doing an internship. My female friend was doing an internship in Oxford. Context is important. So I got on a train to Oxford to see her. Hailed a cabby, as you say. Then the cab got a flat tire. It was then I realized that British curing sounds much like southern US cursing. Any way as young man I broke the bolts loose and we were on our way . He obviously didn't charge me for the ride. What a fond memory of being in UK. Maybe I will tell about us being a fair in Oxford. 😊

[@DonP_is_lostagain]

When I was in the USAF in the late 70s, I was stationed in Germany. I was sent TDY (temporary duty) to Alconbury in East Anglia. I am a Southerner and at the time had a noticeable southern accent. The English folks I met knew I was an American, but were always intrigued by how much like some of them I sounded. That always tickled me.

[@spazzyshortgirl23]

@@DonP_is_lostagainI’ve always thought the much despised Birmingham accent sounds close to an American dialect.

[@wayneyadams]

13:00 The difference in public transportation is due to the size of the United States. You can fit ALL of Britain inside several states which makes it very difficult to have transportation that spans the country. The United States has over 40 times the land area of Britain. In terms of distances, the total distance from the southern Coast of England to the northernmost tip of Scotland is about the distance from the tip of Florida to the center of South-Carolina, or more dramatically, The United States is three times longer north to south and six times longer east to west than the longest distance in Britain (measured north to south).

[@Griznant75]

Herbie Rides Again is one of my favorite movies and horribly underrated. When the junk Beetle comes out of the scrapyard and chases Alonzo Hawk? Simply a masterpiece!!!!

[@MbisonBalrog]

Is that with prime and young LiLo?

[@maxwellharris507]

Disney plus

[@megnotmegan1966]

Some scenes for one of the Herbie movies were filmed at my high school…I remember him being on a truck bed parked in front for a few days 😂

[@MbisonBalrog]

@@megnotmegan1966 if young prime LiLo was there I be back of truck jacking it

[@EHLOVader]

The river tour of architecture in Chicago is worth going on. I didn't know or understand how much they've engineered the city. All the trains and their rails took up a lot of space, so they built a structure over them and sold that "land" so many of the structures and ground level of the city is built above that. But besides that some remarkable architectural achievements too.

[@marynowee]

Random thoughts: When you go to Chicago you learn about architecture; when you go to Hawaii you learn about volcanos; when go to Alaska (or where?) you learn about glaciers, Another random thought: the way the bridges in Chicago are movable. Yet another; how Chicago changed the flow of the Chicago River. (I loved visiting Chicago!)

[@Bemfactor98]

Great video Laurence! I always enjoy your content but thought this one of your better recent offerings. It was a fun watch!

[@Muchos55]

As a Brit living in CA for 5 years: US 7, UK 6! US - most welcoming, signage, beaches, countryside, film and tv, parks, food. UK - public transport, walkability, city life, architecture, healthcare, chocolate. Although there are plenty of other factors for why I prefer living here!

[@pesokpesok]

US might steal one point soon since Biden somehow managed to push Infrastructure act through(despite half of thhe government blocking his every move), i just wish he could also try for healthcare but thats quite unlikely. Although he also managed to get Chips act across(will make US and the rest of the world less dependent on Taiwan for all advanced microchips) so holding fingers for him at least trying, if he gets reelected this year(if Trump wins - US will lose most important, albeit unmentioned point - democracy)

[@Philozzi]

As soon as you made an equal verdict on welcome-ness.. I recieved an air bnb commercial.. no joke

[@eh3477]

Sorry, lost me on the parks rating... just "a bit better" than Britain? Have you ever been to any Western US National Parks??? Yes, the UK has some beautiful landscapes. But the USA National Park system is world-class, and is renowned for its diversity and huge, unique landscapes.

[@sandy_from_parkerlings]

I'm a dual American-British citizen, too. I grew up in the States (far south suburbs of Chicago, incedentally), married my British hubbie and then lived in the UK for 22 years. Now we're back in the States. While I'm very glad this video resulted in a tie, I agree with all but one of your assessments... signage. I drove in the UK for most of those 22 years and there are still quite a few motorway signs whose purpose completely alludes me. I would have added quality of driving to the lst, though, and the UK would have won out on that because of the higher thresholds that need to be achieved to get a UK driving license.

[@artpsych71]

I'm partial to West Virginia's intimate views (where I was born and still reside). From what photos I've seen, England has quite stunning countrysides! ❤️

[@tracyperez1755]

The pictures I've seen of English countryside, it seems like they don't have many "wild" areas, everything seems cultivated, like comparing a city park to Yellowstone.

[@reginaldcampos5762]

​@tracyperez1755 exactly. I even find such highly cultivated areas to be ugly and artificial, so when I think of Britain, I think of a scottish wasteland.

[@paulbriggs3072]

@@tracyperez1755 More like a nice city park compared to the Appalachians.

[@claregale9011]

You have to go back hundreds of yrs to see why we have little wild areas , we do have temperate rainforest, mountains , marshland , jurassic coast is stunning , plus we have castles , huge ancient cathedrals , my local church is from the 11th century . I'm not sure if a lot of Americans are even aware of half the stuff we have . ​@@tracyperez1755

[@tracyperez1755]

@@paulbriggs3072 Very much so. Both can be beautiful, but, while both fruit, apples are not oranges.

[@grahampaulkendrick7845]

You're very diplomatic Lawrence! I guess it's horses for courses. As an Englisman who spent 16 1/2 of his 70 1/2 years in the Toronto area , I'd agree with most of your choices. If you'd nominated Music as a catefory tho', the US would surely have won. The UK had the Beatles, but the US had jazz and the blues. And you live in Sweet Home Chicago so I trust you'll be able to check out some great blues clubs in your home town.

[@klimtkahlo]

I disagree. As an European, eu member but non an English native speaker I prefer British music to American music. American has some great musicians and bands but nothing like Scottish, Irish and English musicians, in my opinion, of course.

[@Timbothruster-fh3cw]

​@@klimtkahloWell, of course, you are European.

[@Mick_Ts_Chick]

You may need to separate music types. IMO the UK has better rock bands than we do.

[@grahampaulkendrick7845]

@@Mick_Ts_Chick 'Rock' is a pretty wide category these days, too. Lots of my favourite sixties UK bands started out copying American artists. And there have been some great bands from the US too.

[@Mick_Ts_Chick]

@@grahampaulkendrick7845 Yep, I love lots of our bands. The Doobie Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Journey, CCR, and Chicago spring to mind.

[@Del-Lebo]

Such a Fun video Laurence! I love it So much! Well done!!!!!

[@295g295]

13:05 - Near Princeton, state of New Jersey, are West Windsor and East Windsor townships.

[@MythicFool]

If you ever miss British food and are willing to take a bit of a drive, about 2.5hrs south in Peoria is a place called The Fox Pub. There, they do proper English pub faire, and on Sundays, have Premier League Football with a full English breakfast, including beer.

[@thomasjohnson-ut7zl]

In my visit to London, signage was a challenge. Street names are commonly put on the side of buildings which is fine, except when the buildings have been torn down. then there is no signage. Also a street in London may have several different names depending on where you are. I am sure this is the result of joining olden streets together, but it can be quite confusing.

[@DOMAPOI]

OOOO, but Laurence, when it comes to TV ads, you have to keep in mind, broadcast TV (which is still mandatory to supply to us here in the US) is free! When your in Britain, I've been told you still have to pay a fee to even watch over the air broadcasts. Let me know if I'm wrong or misinformed.

[@cedarcottagefarm2885]

I agree on your take on British TV. They make really good mysteries and crime shows. Their adult quiz shows are funny.

[@oonaghmarguerite6752]

Thanks for the WV shout out! Born & bred ridge runner 😊

[@davidrains3918]

In the US walking to the nearest store is at least a 2 hour-2 day round trip. Driving from San Diego to the Oregon border is a two day trip.

[@elioli123]

I have to say that you have a way of making me laugh. I didn't agree with some of your choices, but it was a fun ride. Your presentation style is unique and amusing. Keep doing what you do!

[@rumi9005]

Clam Chowder -I'm a British expat and, for me, clam chowder is hands down the BEST soup-style meal EVER. Pea and ham is good, too, however. There's plenty of good British specialty-type soups. Many of which I like a lot. But a good, thick clam chowder stands above even the best of them.

[@dj-kq4fz]

GB has an absolutely beautiful countryside, but I think parts of the eastern US are comparable. It just seems like ALL of GB is green rolling hills!

[@bullettube9863]

The one thing Britain does better and that I wish America would at least try to emulate is public walking trails. I live in a suburb and while we have some nice public parks, including two beaches on Lake Ontario, we cannot walk anywhere in the country side. I should also ad that out town deals with snow a lot better then places further south, since we have winter and expect it to snow our snow removal is much better plus we know how to drive during a snow storm. I also would like Lawrence to watch his local PBS TV station more often as quality British TV is featured, including comedies and dramas.

[@deanharstad5404]

Lol this was great. I, an American, agreed with basically everything you decided upon, excluding the countryside one. Though, given the massive size difference between Great Britain and the United States, I don’t think it would really be a fair comparison in the first place. The ecological and natural diversity of America is genuinely astounding and beautiful, but this is ultimately a subjective matter, which you addressed. Great video, as always!! ❤ Edit: Also, the healthcare part made me laugh. As soon as I saw ‘HEALTHCARE’ pop up on the screen, I immediately went, “Great Britain”. Nationalized healthcare has its flaws, of course, but good lord it’s a pain here.

[@ESUSAMEX]

When the government can deny treatment, that's not good. And that is a major problem with national healthcare. That cannot happen in the US.

[@wta1518]

@@ESUSAMEX Instead it's the private insurers and hospitals that can deny treatment, which is worse.

[@ESUSAMEX]

@@wta1518 No. When governments deny treatment, the doctor cannot help the patient anywhere in that nation or city. When the insurance company denies treatment, the doctor can still operate and the bill will arrive later. I rather get treated and the bill afterwards, then not get treated at all. By the way, denying medical treatment is illegal in the US. Once the doctor declares a certain treatment is medically needed, no one can deny it. The hospital would be sued out of existence for doing so.

[@lgayner]

My son lives in Derby with his wife and her family. If they aren't the first caller at 7am you don't get in to see the doctor. I have never not been able to get in when I'm sick. Also, his mother in law is flying to Turkey for dental care. It's too expensive in the UK. To quote "Shetland" when one of the characters got braces......"I want American teeth not Scottish teeth!"

[@ESUSAMEX]

@@wta1518 The doctors still must treat you. You will get a bill afterwards and then you can fight for the coverage. But at least you get well first.

[@lgayner]

My son lives in Derby with his wife and her family. If they aren't the first caller at 7am you don't get in to see the doctor. I have never not been able to get in when I'm sick. Also, his mother in law is flying to Turkey for dental care. It's too expensive in the UK. To quote "Shetland" when one of the characters got braces......"I want American teeth not Scottish teeth!"

[@catw6998]

Love looking at castles in GB.

[@steveurbach3093]

I even had the Castle Cat ride around on my shoulder (mine was home in the states) while I toured the site.

[@quaintlyeccentric]

Great video, Laurence! I’ve never been to Britain, but from little I have observed from movies, British tv & you tube sensations, I agree with you on most of your selections. Of course this is your list of your opinions, so my agreement isn’t important!😊 (I never cease to be amazed with the number of people who feel the need to call you out for being “wrong” for having an opinion that isn’t the same as theirs.) Keep up the good work!

[@FourFish47]

I watched a video yesterday that showed beautiful countryside in Wales. But, oooooooo Laurence! Didn't you say you love how much greener the U.S. is when you invented the word "grenlier"? 😊

[@zacklewis342]

It's a perfectly cromulent word.

[@denisem.1042]

When it comes to walkability, I would say it depends on where you are walking. I visited the UK (actually Scotland) last summer. I noticed once you get out into the countryside, the roads are very narrow and I witnessed many cases of people walking along the road where there is nowhere to walk. There are no shoulders on the roads. Just a ditch. It seemed dangerous to me, considering how narrow the roads are. We rented a car while there and I thought the biggest issue would be driving on the other side or negotiating road signs. I found I adjusted quite quickly to these things. But those narrow roads with no shoulders not so much. I white knuckled much of the time. Take your eyes of the road for one split second and bam!

[@Anelisa8520]

When “healthcare” flashed on the screen, I knew we were about to take a hit. But I didn’t know it would be a “blow to the ass.” Laughed out loud Ahahaha! Sigh

[@yaowsers77]

😂😂😂 so true!

[@BrLoc]

The problem with Brit reactors and our healthcare system is that there is so much more to it than they say. I know, it's a short video. But they typically leave their European audience believing a trip to our doctor is hundreds or thousands of dollars right then or you just won't get treated. I would much prefer they don't even approach the subject if you can't fully explain it or explain it a little better than that.

[@DocValance]

Proctology isn't covered unless it's a pre-existing condition.

[@yaowsers77]

@@BrLoc lol you'll get treated, but you'll be in debt 🤣😂

[@ChimiChimiChurryPie]

@@yaowsers77 Does no one commenting here have health insurance from their employers? I'm a U.S. citizen and have been working since age 16 (1987) and have had good health insurance from every job since age 19. I worked for a large supermarket chain and the insurance premiums were free. It was a PPO too and only had a $100/yr deductible. After deductible was met, I only paid 10% of all health care bills. Medications were either $5 or $10 depending on if they were brand name or generic. Oh yeah, and I only had to work 30 hrs per week to get these benefits. Dental insurance was the same. After graduating college in 2000, every job offered good insurance too. I know I'm not the only unicorn with good health insurance in the U.S. I can make an appointment with any physician because I have PPO and will get seen within the week most times if it's something serious, or within the month if it's something preventative. I pay about $85 every 2 weeks out of my paycheck for my benefits. Hubby has insurance from his job too and pays even less per paycheck. We have no kids.

[@cliffmiles8862]

Thanks!

[@macgrad1]

Some of my husband’s families visited us in Canada in the 1970s and 1980s. They were shocked at the distances and one uncle who travelled with family from southern Ontario to visit us in northern Quebec, swore fluently in Dutch about “trees, trees, and nothing but trees” when describing the horrors of the drive.

[@Anagrams458]

I'm a prairie girl from Manitoba and I totally concur with your relative. While I love trees, nothing but trees and rocks is not my idea of picturesque. 😅

[@nancyjanzen5676]

In Iowa replace trees with corn, corn and more corn.

[@macgrad1]

@@Anagrams458 , we lived in Winnipeg for six months while my husband finished his navigator training. I was cold all summer. By Hallowe’en, the snow was up to the bottom of the window sills and the path we shovelled for the mail carrier was up to my hips. I had a winter coat from southern Ontario and I thought I would freeze to death that winter. The wind along Portage and Main was brutal. We moved to Nova Scotia in December and while I loved Winnipeg, I was glad to arrive at a slightly less frigid base.

[@macgrad1]

@@nancyjanzen5676 , my husband travelled across the prairies a few times when he got transferred, and he said it was nothing but corn in some areas. Being a female, I was smart enough to fly from the east coast to the west coast and back again on the next transfer.😂 of course, we needed our car, but still…

[@Anagrams458]

@macgrad1 yes, we have certainly experienced years like that. Not this year, though. Lots of above freezing temps and slush and muck. Not looking forward to what summer may bring. And still some people will pooh-pooh climate change 😏

[@dennisanderson3895]

2:21 A point I will grant to Great Britain on signage: While living in North Miami Beach in 1981, a couple roommates and I met a couple of guys visiting from England at a Burger King and conversed. (It was the first time I'd heard of the saucy but brilliant Benny Hill.) They pointed out a big difference in the street signs. "Back home, we have these nice big street signs for where you are but here [in America], they're so small! You can't even read them!" I heartily agree that our street signs here are too darn small as it has caused me location issues many times. So I add another point to GB for street signs.

[@wadebarnett2542]

We know nobody did it better, or even half as good, as James Bond.

[@peteengard9966]

But we have Rambo, Arnold, Chuck Norris, Bruce Willis, Will Smith, and all the cartoon heroes.

[@peterr4534]

A Carly Simon reference...nice.

[@cheyennehall4057]

WV gal here: thanks for shouting out our beautiful state! 🌳

[@McNasty43]

As someone who considers themselves a professional home cook, I like British food. A lot of it is made for cold, rainy weather. Do I want shepherd's pie on a California July afternoon? Absolutely not. But we're going through a historic storm in Southern California, and a good shepherd's pie or a cornish pasty sounds absolutely delicious right now.

[@kimmer6]

We lost our power in the SF East Bay for 18 hours yesterday afternoon to this morning. No power, no central furnace. It was a cold morning. Dinner last night was peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Breakfast this morning was peanut butter on Graham crackers. I was overjoyed when I heard the coffee maker turn on at 9AM when the power came back on. We need to work on our emergency menu.

[@loistverberg900]

When I visited Britain I was totally underwhelmed by British food. It's very similar to homemade food, but not very good home cooked food. Meh.

[@McNasty43]

@@loistverberg900 I think it all depends on how you make it. For example, I'm not a huge fan of pozole (My wife is Mexican), but a couple minor changes make it very enjoyable without deviating from the core traditions. For example, browning the pork before putting it in the broth.

[@russelljackman1413]

Well done, Laurence!

[@neutrino78x]

Lawrence, please note that the locals here in the San Francisco Bay Area don't use the cable cars lmao. They are historical anachronism that's maintained for tourists. The locals use something called "muni", which refers to the bus and light rail system in SF. Also we have two region wide train systems, BART and Caltrain (the latter goes from San Francisco to San Jose aka "Silicon Valley"). But yeah, the cable cars, in some cases have lines that are hours long just to get on them so no, that's not what the locals use for public transit lmao. We do have a world class public transit system here in the Bay Area, though. I'm 46 and don't even know how to drive, because I grew up in the Bay Area. 🙂

[@johnp139]

WTF CARES about PUBLIC TRANSPORT? Get a car!

[@chrisschepper9312]

​@@johnp139yeah. And sit for hours in traffic.

[@kirbyd]

world class....... 😐nice try .

[@neutrino78x]

@@johnp139 "WTF CARES about PUBLIC TRANSPORT?" Nobody, in the USA. We use "public transit" here. And if you're traveling inside of a city, public transit is typically better than driving. We do need both, of course. There are some trips best done with a car, such as picking up groceries for the family once a week. But I'm a single man, and grew up in the Bay Area, so never had a need to learn how to drive. 🙂

[@neutrino78x]

@@kirbyd "world class.." Yup. One of many reasons why millions of international tourists come to the Bay Area every year. You're thinking of like Texas or Wyoming. In the Bay Area, yes, world class public transit.

[@wadeintonature2975]

The US does have ancient architecture. Mesa Verde national Park is ancient pueblo people known as the Anasazi. The Aztecs have ruins just outside of Aztec New Mexico.

[@jdspencer60]

Larry, I'm glad you joined us over here. I know it's scary and people seem super insane.....I don't really have anything else after that lol. it is scary and many people are super insane

[@DougPowell01]

Well, I've considered Britbox for TV. Although UK weather patterns are no where close to those we have in Colorado, I really do enjoy watching Monte Don.

[@ProfessorMichaelT]

Your humor (British, of course; not the American part) is my favorite!

[@kamcorder3585]

Its easy to have public transit covering thr whole country when the country is the size of a thumb. In the USA, we have got so many time zones to cover.

[@susanq8925]

I vastly prefer British television over American television and watch it nearly exclusively. I’m especially keen on British panel shows. They beat American equivalents, and I use that term loosely, hands down. My initial appreciation of British film and TV arose from the fact that the actors and performers look like real people. Unruly hair, interesting eyes, speech patterns, un-manicured dental expanses, physical disabilities…all are represented and recognized as being representative of the real world. I much prefer that to the American obsession with perfection.

[@telegramsam]

Same. I read an essay a few years ago called "EVERYONE IS BEAUTIFUL AND NO ONE IS HORNY, MODERN ACTION AND SUPERHERO FILMS FETISHIZE THE BODY, EVEN AS THEY DESEXUALIZE IT. by RS Benedict" - search it up. It really digs into this phenomenon especially as a post-9/11 cultural phenomenon in USA film. American film has always favored artificial beauty but it's gotten Worse in the last couple decades. And now with AI, i think humans are going to be deemed obsolete, alas. 🙃

[@beagleissleeping5359]

Signage. I used to work pizza delivery. I hadn't grown up in that area so I didn't know where anything was. 911 had also recently arrived to the area and they put up brand new signs for all the roads. They also changed some road names, something that was extremely unpopular with the locals. I couldn't find a particular address. They wouldn't answer my cell phone call because "unknown caller," so ended up returning to the store. After a long conversation with the customer to try and get directions I was informed in a haughty tone, "Well the sign SAYS Sassafras Road, but it's always been Dupree Road." And that's why your pizza took over an hour to get to you.🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️

[@jameswestbury7333]

As an American currently living in Britain, I wholeheartedly agree that Britain's countryside is superior - even as someone coming from the Pacific Northwest. Meanwhile, I have absolutely the same thoughts that you do, sometimes walking down a street in London and thinking, "Oh my God, I live in England!"

[@ralphbalfoort2909]

On the subject of walkability, although I live in the city, my neighborhood doesn't have sidewalks; we have to walk in the street - and many of us do, and not just to walk our dogs. On the other hand, two large suburban towns have made the decision that all new construction must include sidewalks, and older subdivisions are having them added along older streets/roads.

[@lyncourt1]

I absolutely love it when Laurence does his perfect American accent!! Makes me laugh every time. ❤🤣

[@OkieDokie294]

So many great thing in both places. I love the history in Britain, visiting museums , historical buildings, etc. It is also very green which is beautiful. As for signs, I don’t remember having any issues in London, we mostly walked and used the underground. But in Scotland we rented a car. In the city, street signs were up high on the buildings making it difficult at times to see them. I also have an argument with a Particular roundabout outside of Inverness, the signs didn’t really point at the exits and it was difficult to tell where they were pointing. We had to go round a few times while we figured it out. Thankfully there wasn’t anyone else out there. Driving in Inverness was a challenge because they changed the direction of the streets in the evening, one way in the morning and the reverse in the evening. I’m sure it works for locals but every time we tried to head back to our B&B outside of town we got lost. We would eventually make it to the highway and head through our favorite roundabout. An adventure! As much as I loved the countryside in Britain, there is so much beauty in the U.S. also. Yosemite has to be my favorite place, it’s amazing. As for food, we had some really good food but also a lot of so so food in Britain. It can be the same here. If you are eating out, you need to know where to go.

[@mn240s14]

I agree with every verdict except for the countryside. The vast variety of American countryside wins in my opinion. As a fellow midwesterner, I agree that we don't have the best vistas but outside of the midwest, the shear variety is crazy outstanding. The appalachians and napa valley, combined with the acquired taste of the midwest, out perform the UK.

[@aedenjohnson6103]

Don't sell the midwest short. There is the driftless region of southwest Wisconsin, SE Minnesota and NE Iowa. Also the lake superior highlands in Minnesota and the U.P. OF Michigan.

[@AnneDowson-vp8lg]

But you can see mountains, lakes, rolling hills, seaside all within an hour or two. And it's green.

[@SusanTalbot-c3q]

I'm glad you admitted to the blah-ness of our country's center! Otherwise, I'd give both places top marks.

[@megelizabeth9492]

While the midwest is a bit less obviously pretty than some of the other parts of the US, don't discount the beauty of the prairies and rangeland of that area/

[@sandratuttle]

Come see the green rolling hills of Pennsylvania and the Three River Point in Pittsburgh. Drive a little bit south and you will be in the Appalachian Mountains. Northwest and you will see Lake Erie. We have it all in Western PA.

[@KJ7JHN]

Please make a video of you rucking or bicycling the country side. Full length uncut. A complete series would be awesome. Id also like to know what bicycle tours are available across the US. Keep up the job.

[@IrishKelly-d9b]

Dear Lawrence , tie breaker, who has the better stadiums? Countryside? I disagree with you (expected) because if you want green fly over the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York through Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine during Spring and summer. Then make the same trip in the fall. I disagree with architecture too. We need another 1000 years to see if our buildings will last as long as many of England's. Finally, you are correct about Chocolate! There is a reason we add peanut butter and many other foods to our chocolate. God's Blessings, Irish

[@Timbothruster-fh3cw]

I like chocolate & carmel combos the best!👍

[@jovetj]

Dear User-cy3ub1fq3o , his name is Laurence, not Lawrence.

[@IrishKelly-d9b]

@jovetj Lau, not Law, got it. God's Blessings, Irish

[@jrob7975]

Which of the two countries has the better road network? and those roundabouts now sneaking into my city! Great Video from Columbus, OH

[@Nicksonian]

England’s green and pleasant land. As an American, I randomly explore Great Britain on Google Earth.

[@nancyjanzen5676]

Here where I live the primary color of the landscape is red. Red sandstone mountains..

[@amberrodriguez851]

Apparently y’all have never been to Alabama or Tennessee! GREEEEEEEN! It’s beautiful! Should check it out!

[@AnthropoidOne]

I do that too.🇺🇸

[@nerfherder4284]

Dude. Olympic peninsula. (Mic drop)

[@bucksdiaryfan]

Isn't it because of the island climate and the influence of the sea? I thought someone told me thats what makes Ireland look emerald green from outer space

[@scotcoon1186]

People complain about the plains, but we have color year round. I've taken pictures in January with brown, red, yellow, orange, and green. You just have to get off the interstate and look beyond the back bumper of the car in front of you. Although i must admit, after two years of drought, seeing cattle belly deep in grass along i80 between Lexington and North Platte last spring was a beautiful sight.

[@savannah4439]

When you were recounting being attacked by ducks in St James(?) park, I thought you said “attacked by goths” and I was like ??? Are we just going to breeze by that one?? 😂

[@Mick_Ts_Chick]

If he thinks ducks are bad, he really needs to stay away from geese, lol. Ouch!

[@thebec8853]

I really love the fact that I came across this video and watched it, while eating imported Jelly Babies in Alabama! (So much better than Gummy Bears..) Although I've never had the pleasure of getting to travel, I love GB. I made my guesses along with your scores and we came out pretty close. 👍🏻 How I long for actual Healthcare and Public Transportation in my country... at least we have great parks.

[@williamstratton6399]

Oooh Lawrence Healthcare...I had to laugh as I just saw a story in the news how there was a lineup/que of hundreds of people to see a "new" dentist in Britain. That doesn't happen in America, if you need a dentist find one, walk in and get seen almost immediately.

[@AlecBrady]

Yep, that'll happen when you have conservatives in government; a delapidated NHS because of austerity economics. Never mind. We'll have a sensible party in power for the next ten years or so, and that might - just - be enough time to start repairing the damage.

[@barbod2133]

You can be seen almost immediately in Britain if you're prepared to go 'private' and pay full whack, which is what I presume happens in the USA. The queue was for a dentist offering 'NHS treatment' which is subsidised by the state. (Although not subsidised enough in my opinion - you do have to pay something towards both examinations and treatment unless you are a child/student or pregnant/new mother or on benefits). Most healthcare in the UK does not involve dentistry and is free at the point of care.

[@amiwakawaiidesu]

I've never been to the UK but I'm reminded of the novelty of the green countryside in rural Japan when I lived there for a year; so much of America is boring fields (deserts and wasteland), it was neat to see a country where every bit of land was tended to and open spaces seemed precious. I wonder if the countries aren't too different, as island nations where land is precious.

[@BillieBrown-f2p]

I love fish and chips, which is my favorite meal. However, it is extremely difficult to find decent fish and chips here in Salt Lake City.

[@LindaC616]

Easier here in NEngland

[@mdelles]

If you ever want a truly unique beach experience, you really need to check out the Oregon Coast or Ruby Beach in Washington

[@TheZombie1984]

As an American whos mother is British (coming here by boat at 15yrs old), i honestly have to disagree with the architecture perspective! Sure, we've got a bunch of fun wacky designs but Britain defined gothic architecture. That stuff is absolutely timeless!

[@SusanTalbot-c3q]

Thoroughly agree! Even a cot on Shetland is preferable to my aesthetician preference.

[@Andre-qo5ek]

spot on for the film & tv category

[@JulesAl-Mighty]

This Texas Girl loves her BritBox! ❤

[@TheLordOfNothing]

Real Texas girl or "I moved from New York" Texas girl?

[@JulesAl-Mighty]

@@TheLordOfNothing I’m more of a “That’s none of your business, how about you stay in your lane” Texas Girl. 😉

[@claregale9011]

Britain by far , we have our ancient villages nestled in between the rolling hills with streams running through , old stone walls from hundreds of yrs ago . The lush green grass , you just have to look at the cotswolds , lake district , Highlands of Scotland, we have a vast diverse landscape for a fairly small island . 😊

[@frankisfunny2007]

Britian only has 1, maybe 2 biomess. America has several more biomes. Like, there's .... -- swampy countrysides of places like Florida, (coastal) Texas, Louisiana, etc. -- mountainous countrysides of the west coast -- desert countrysides of quite a bit of the western half of the US -- even the Mars-like red rocks in the other parts of western US -- hilly & green countrysides of the east coast -- green, but flat countrysides of the Midwest Those are just 5 biomes I can name!

[@bentoth9555]

There are several biomes in my state, Oklahoma, alone. The southeast of the state can get pretty swampy, the northeast is hilly and green (called Green Country,) the middle of the state is windswept plains, and the west part of the state is more desert and red clay.

[@brianstone6463]

You may have experienced the red of the west, and the brown of the deserts, and the greens of the south. But, then there's the rarely talked about: Yellow Biome. Very few people outside of the Midwest talk about pine tree pollen season as a problem, but it can be devastatingly Yellow. I dare suggest that you have never experienced "yellow" until you've experienced a pine pollen explosion. This is a biome in-and-of-itself.

[@LindaC616]

​@@brianstone6463😅

[@Trix897]

I’m glad you partnered with BritBox. I love watching all the detective shows on there! As far as the UK vs the US, I prefer the UK, hands down. Plus as far as the healthcare systems go, UK wins hands down. I work for one of the largest healthcare systems in the US, and it’s a headache on my side of the desk as well.