Health & Safety

I don't think Brits are as preoccupied with health and safety issues as Americans.

Before I moved here my pediatric dentist told me to check any medications doctors here prescribed to see if they were FDA approved, because the approval of drugs here is more lax.

My friend, an American who has lived here for a year, went back to The States for a vacation. She said she was shocked how much anti-germ hand cleanser people used back home. It was everywhere. I used to use those little kid hand wipe things all the time in NYC, but haven't seen them for sale here. They don't even have the antibacterial hand gel stuff in the doctor's offices I've been to in London.

And I don't understand the fire safety here - or lack there of. Didn't London burn down in 1666 because a cow kicked over a lantern? I haven't seen any fire hydrants. Maybe I just don't know what they look like here, but I can't find them. At least there are a lot more parking spots! I guess they could just wait for the rain to put out any fires.

Ruby's school is surrounded by high gates and almost all the doors in the gates are locked with enormous iron locks a few centuries old. There is no way the kids could escape if there was a fire or a sniper on the loose. Maybe they don't have snipers here.