Quote:
Originally Posted by Bilbo1967
American authors who set scenes in the UK and don't understand that it isn't the same as America;
- Multiple examples I've read of characters walking a number of "blocks" in British towns - even British characters giving directions based on the number of blocks (British towns just aren't structured that way and nobody here would use the term "block")
- One memorable description of a driver turning right to take the off-ramp on a motorway (we drive on the left!)
I'm sure that there are equally stupid mistakes that UK writers make about the US as well;I just wouldn't necessarily notice those!
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I'm an American and I wouldn't even try to set a story anywhere north of Oklahoma.
The stupidest map error I ever saw was the "author" thought that in the US, the bigger the number, the more people would be on that road. The main character in the book needed to hitchhike from Amarillo to El Paso but avoid New Mexico. The quickest way to do this would have been south to Odessa then hit the interstate west.
The way the guy went was southeast to Snyder then another little road southeast to Abilene. Then instead of getting on the interstate he then went southwest towards San Angelo then headed back north to Odessa and finally caught the only road to El Paso.
Note, that detour added so many miles, he couldn't have done it in the 8 hours alloted.
Second note: you might could now but when the book was written, the short way would have been 10 hours. Speed limit is now 80 out in rural west Texas.