Ask me anything about Russia.

[BuildTheRussian]

As a Russian, I've noted that many foreigners only know of us by stereotypes, which are outdated and sometimes just wrong. It is funny when someone believes that every Russian family has a pet bear. Of course that's not true, lol.
I made this thread for anyone curious about Russian roads, and life in Russia in general. Feel free to ask me anything about it.

[hotdogPi]

In the coldest inhabited parts of Russia, how many months a year do you need a coat or jacket, and what temperature do you start wearing one? From what I understand, the warmest months aren't that different from where I am (latitude 42°N, average high 29°C in mid-July); the huge difference is in the colder months. My personal jacket threshold is about 12°C. (We use °F in the US, but it's not that difficult to convert.)

As a coin collector: Is everything rounded to the nearest ruble, or do you still use kopeks?

And third: How jarring is it to cross time zones two hours at a time? Here, and in most of the world, adjacent time zones are only one hour apart.

Fourth: I seem to remember there are 85 oblasts and equivalents. Does everyone know the names of all of them? Here, all 50 states are well-known, but 85 is more than 50 and therefore harder to memorize. In addition, is Kaliningrad often ignored due to being disconnected?

[BuildTheRussian]

In the coldest inhabited parts of Russia, how many months a year do you need a coat or jacket, and what temperature do you start wearing one? From what I understand, the warmest months aren't that different from where I am (latitude 42°N, average high 29°C in mid-July); the huge difference is in the colder months. My personal jacket threshold is about 12°C. (We use °F in the US, but it's not that difficult to convert.)

As a coin collector: Is everything rounded to the nearest ruble, or do you still use kopeks?

And third: How jarring is it to cross time zones two hours at a time? Here, and in most of the world, adjacent time zones are only one hour apart.

Fourth: I seem to remember there are 85 oblasts and equivalents. Does everyone know the names of all of them? Here, all 50 states are well-known, but 85 is more than 50 and therefore harder to memorize. In addition, is Kaliningrad often ignored due to being disconnected?

1. I've never been to these parts myself, nor do I know anybody who's been to them, but my guess is you'd wear a jacket for 6 or 5 months.
Here, we switch to wearing coats and jackets as soon as the temperature drops to any negative temperature. I once was on PE outside without my jacket, there was snow, it was like 3 C, yet I wasn't very cold, just a bit cool.

2. We still use kopeykas. For example, in stores, the price tag might say 124,25 That means 124 rubles, and 25 kopeykas.

3. It's not as bad as it sounds. You just notice it, and eventually get used to it.

4. I know the names of most of them, but I imagine most people wouldn't know about the Jewish Autonomous Republic.
Everybody knows about Kaliningrad here.

[nexus73]

The land we now call Russia has had an "Invade Me!" sign on it for many centuries.  Tribes on the move during the time of the Roman Empire.  Vikings and Mongols came along.  Wars with China and Japan in the Far East.  Wars with France, Germany, Austria and Poland.  The Great Game as played by the UK and Russian Empire in Central Asia.  Add in the two revolutions taking place in 1917, the Cold War and modern day terrorism.

With such a long past of violent disruption, Russia has good reason to worry about their external security.  Where do Russians think the biggest threat will come from these days?

For a second question, I see the double headed eagle from the Russian Empire is in use.  Is there any sentiment for having a Tsar either as a genuine ruler or constitutional monarch?

Last question: Are Zil limousines still being made? 

Rick

[thspfc]

Do Russians hate the US and its people as much as western Europeans do?

[BuildTheRussian]

The land we now call Russia has had an "Invade Me!" sign on it for many centuries.  Tribes on the move during the time of the Roman Empire.  Vikings and Mongols came along.  Wars with China and Japan in the Far East.  Wars with France, Germany, Austria and Poland.  The Great Game as played by the UK and Russian Empire in Central Asia.  Add in the two revolutions taking place in 1917, the Cold War and modern day terrorism.

With such a long past of violent disruption, Russia has good reason to worry about their external security.  Where do Russians think the biggest threat will come from these days?

For a second question, I see the double headed eagle from the Russian Empire is in use.  Is there any sentiment for having a Tsar either as a genuine ruler or constitutional monarch?

Last question: Are Zil limousines still being made? 

Rick

1. Most Russians would answer "the US" of course. Though Ukraine is still mad at us because we annexed Crimea, so that is also a possibility.

2. There's no such thing as a Tsar since 1917. I don't know that much about these topics, so can't really answer that question.

3. No. They stopped producing them in 2002.

[BuildTheRussian]

Do Russians hate the US and its people as much as western Europeans do?

Some of them hate it, but nowadays most Russians are neutral towards it, or in other words, don't care.

[webny99]

Do Russians hate the US and its people as much as western Europeans do?

Western Europeans? Since when have western Europeans hated the US?

[NWI_Irish96]

Do Russians hate the US and its people as much as western Europeans do?

Western Europeans? Since when have western Europeans hated the US?

This is just an approximation, but sometime around 12:01 pm on January 20, 2017.

[webny99]

Do Russians hate the US and its people as much as western Europeans do?

Western Europeans? Since when have western Europeans hated the US?

This is just an approximation, but sometime around 12:01 pm on January 20, 2017.

I don't want to derail this thread, but come on now. If I can keep the last few years in their appropriate context as someone in my early 20's, I would expect anyone older than me to be able to do so even more so.

There's simply no comparison between Western Europe and a Cold War rival like Russia in terms of feelings towards the US. To frame it as if Western Europe is suddenly somehow the pinnacle of hatred towards the US, as if it's comparable to a true long-standing rival like Russia or China, is simply untenable, bordering on bizarre.

[webny99]

Here's another question for the OP: What are the highways like in Russia? Do you have freeways in rural areas sort of like our interstates, or are freeways mostly only in urban areas?

[BuildTheRussian]

Where I live, there are no freeways. The closest thing to that are "motorways", and these don't exist in my Krai. We however have a Federal Highway which is divided near the city, and narrows to 2 lanes elsewhere.
There's no real need in motorways in this part of Russia tbh, as most of the population lives in the European part, and I live in the Asian part.
Even in the European part, there's not many motorways. I know that a few stretches of the "Don" highway have motorway status.
Federal highways are pretty similar to "U.S. Routes". They range from being as small as 2 lanes, to having over 6 lanes.
Usually only the busiest intersections are grade-separated. If, for example, it's a dirt road coming out of a forest or village, then it'll intersect at-grade.
In terms of road quality, federal highways are usually well-maintained. Though there are a few exceptions, like the infamous "Road of the Bones" from Yakutsk to Magadan, which is dirt and gravel for the most part.

[webny99]

Where I live, there are no freeways. The closest thing to that are "motorways", and these don't exist in my Krai. We however have a Federal Highway which is divided near the city, and narrows to 2 lanes elsewhere.
There's no real need in motorways in this part of Russia tbh, as most of the population lives in the European part, and I live in the Asian part.

Interesting! I sometimes forget just how huge Russia is, and how much of the population is concentrated in the west.

How are the roads that go from your part of Russia to the European part? Are they rugged and mountainous, or mostly flat? I would imagine it would be mostly two-lane roads until you get close to Moscow.

[BuildTheRussian]

Where I live, there are no freeways. The closest thing to that are "motorways", and these don't exist in my Krai. We however have a Federal Highway which is divided near the city, and narrows to 2 lanes elsewhere.
There's no real need in motorways in this part of Russia tbh, as most of the population lives in the European part, and I live in the Asian part.

Interesting! I sometimes forget just how huge Russia is, and how much of the population is concentrated in the west.

How are the roads that go from your part of Russia to the European part? Are they rugged and mountainous, or mostly flat? I would imagine it would be mostly two-lane roads until you get close to Moscow.

They're pretty flat. The Ural Mountains only divide the north half of Russia, the highways run south of them.

[SectorZ]

Do Russians hate the US and its people as much as western Europeans do?

Western Europeans? Since when have western Europeans hated the US?

This is just an approximation, but sometime around 12:01 pm on January 20, 2017.

I don't want to derail this thread, but come on now. If I can keep the last few years in their appropriate context as someone in my early 20's, I would expect anyone older than me to be able to do so even more so.

There's simply no comparison between Western Europe and a Cold War rival like Russia in terms of feelings towards the US. To frame it as if Western Europe is suddenly somehow the pinnacle of hatred towards the US, as if it's comparable to a true long-standing rival like Russia or China, is simply untenable, bordering on bizarre.

Some people just have to be political brainlets on here at all costs. It's what they do.

It's no wonder Russians laugh at us and think we only understand them in stereotypes. They should.

[hotdogPi]

Do Russians hate the US and its people as much as western Europeans do?

Western Europeans? Since when have western Europeans hated the US?

This is just an approximation, but sometime around 12:01 pm on January 20, 2017.

I don't want to derail this thread, but come on now. If I can keep the last few years in their appropriate context as someone in my early 20's, I would expect anyone older than me to be able to do so even more so.

There's simply no comparison between Western Europe and a Cold War rival like Russia in terms of feelings towards the US. To frame it as if Western Europe is suddenly somehow the pinnacle of hatred towards the US, as if it's comparable to a true long-standing rival like Russia or China, is simply untenable, bordering on bizarre.

Some people just have to be political brainlets on here at all costs. It's what they do.

It's no wonder Russians laugh at us and think we only understand them in stereotypes. They should.

The incorrect stereotype here was against Western Europe, not against Russia.

[Rothman]

I lived in Volgograd before the ruble was revalued.  Kopecks were antiquities then.  Glad they brought them back.

What Russia doesn't have in freeways it makes up for in rail.

[SectorZ]

I've got some questions that I hope aren't too dumb

- Did the high usage of dashcams well ahead of the rest of the world indeed stem from a lot of faked pedestrian accidents? If so, has the problem gotten better with more on camera?

- Is bicycling a big thing there?

- What is the car culture like there? Any particular cars have a strong popularity amongst car enthusiasts?

- Much going on in the way of electric cars penetrating the market?

[BuildTheRussian]

I lived in Volgograd before the ruble was revalued.  Kopecks were antiquities then.  Glad they brought them back.

What Russia doesn't have in freeways it makes up for in rail.

Yes, we even go as far as transport the military and prisoners by train.

[SectorZ]

Do Russians hate the US and its people as much as western Europeans do?

Western Europeans? Since when have western Europeans hated the US?

This is just an approximation, but sometime around 12:01 pm on January 20, 2017.

I don't want to derail this thread, but come on now. If I can keep the last few years in their appropriate context as someone in my early 20's, I would expect anyone older than me to be able to do so even more so.

There's simply no comparison between Western Europe and a Cold War rival like Russia in terms of feelings towards the US. To frame it as if Western Europe is suddenly somehow the pinnacle of hatred towards the US, as if it's comparable to a true long-standing rival like Russia or China, is simply untenable, bordering on bizarre.

Some people just have to be political brainlets on here at all costs. It's what they do.

It's no wonder Russians laugh at us and think we only understand them in stereotypes. They should.

The incorrect stereotype here was against Western Europe, not against Russia.

As a Russian, I've noted that many foreigners only know of us by stereotypes

[MinecraftNinja]

Hello Russia.

[BuildTheRussian]

I've got some questions that I hope aren't too dumb

- Did the high usage of dashcams well ahead of the rest of the world indeed stem from a lot of faked pedestrian accidents? If so, has the problem gotten better with more on camera?

- Is bicycling a big thing there?

- What is the car culture like there? Any particular cars have a strong popularity amongst car enthusiasts?

- Much going on in the way of electric cars penetrating the market?

1. That is correct. It all began in the 90s, after the Soviet Union collapsed, and crime rate grew sky high. There's another reason related to that time, and that is police corruption.
Traffic cops would pull you over and claim you were speeding or breaking any other road rule, when in actuality you weren't. Back then it was the driver's job to give evidence that he was in the right. Usually these cops would also demand bribes from you, and so drivers resorted to dashcams to prove that they are in the right, and to catch cops trying to demand a bribe.
Thanks to the mass use of dashcams, these sorts of scams have become a thing of the past. Corruption is very rare among traffic cops today because of that, but it's not completely gone.

2. Not really. It is a thing in a few cities like Moscow, but for the most part, it's not common. In my city, cycling is actually regarded as recreation, and not transport.

3. I'd say Ladas are quite popular here. In slang we call them "тазы" (literally bowls), which is an abbreviation for the Tolyatti Automobile Factory, officially called the Volga Automobile Factory (VAZ). We use a lot of slang overall when referring to cars. We refer to certain Lada models by their last number (e.g a Lada 2107 would be called a 7 literally).

4. Electric cars aren't a commodity yet, but you can occasionally find them on the road.

[Takumi]

3. I'd say Ladas are quite popular here. In slang we call them "тазы" (literally bowls), which is an abbreviation for the Tolyatti Automobile Factory, officially called the Volga Automobile Factory (VAZ). We use a lot of slang overall when referring to cars. We refer to certain Lada models by their last number (e.g a Lada 2107 would be called a 7 literally).

Ladas are certainly what we westerners think of as a typical Russian vehicle. In my own observation, I see a lot of videos of rear-drive 1990s Toyota sedans, particularly the Chaser, in Russia.

[BuildTheRussian]

3. I'd say Ladas are quite popular here. In slang we call them "тазы" (literally bowls), which is an abbreviation for the Tolyatti Automobile Factory, officially called the Volga Automobile Factory (VAZ). We use a lot of slang overall when referring to cars. We refer to certain Lada models by their last number (e.g a Lada 2107 would be called a 7 literally).

Ladas are certainly what we westerners think of as a typical Russian vehicle. In my own observation, I see a lot of videos of rear-drive 1990s Toyota sedans, particularly the Chaser, in Russia.

Toyotas and most foreign brands in general are popular here. I've also seen a lot of Hondas, Hyundai's, and a few Fords.

[webny99]

A bit more specific question here... what exactly is this?