One of my favorite things about US residential power is that 120v is far less dangerous when homeowners (or worse, kids) accidentally do something they shouldn't.
Most european houses have a single 400v outlet: right in your kitchen, for the oven (which means the oven is going to be right in front of it.) The likelihood of a child playing with it is close to nil. As for adults, the vast majority of people are taught to just flip the breaker and work on it if needed.
I promise you more people died of sticking metal into US outlets than from 400 volts.
Modern US outlets are usually shuttered, and 3 prong grounded outlets have been the required standard since about 1969. Which is over 50 years ago.
Given how many things I have plugged in on or around my desk, I’d need power strips the size of a large dog to plug them all in UK style. Whereas US they all fit in the size of a very small cat.
Also, stepping on one in the dark is a… life changing experience! Definitely pretty solid though.
Literally every single thing you've asserted is categorically false.
Earth pins have been required on outlets for nearly 50 years at this point. US outlets are also polarized, which Europlugs are not.
Shutters on outlets have been mandatory in residences and medical facilities for well over a decade.
The cable gauge is sized for the current and ambient temperature.
GFCI outlets are required nearly everywhere there is water, damp conditions (such as basements), and power tools used (such as garages and outdoors) because tools are most likely to have frayed and poorly repaired cords. Additionally all bedrooms and living spaces now require arc fault protection as a leading cause of fires is due to frayed lamp cords.
Europe still leads the world when it comes to smoking in bed as being a leading cause of house fires so I would not cast stones in glass houses.
The only shutters on outlets in any US homes I've ever lived in have been... ones I put in myself.
Many people don't notice they exist. You have to examine the outlet fairly closely to notice them but certainly any new construction is all TR receptacles now (with the possible exception of the ones very far off the floor).
Also GFCI is very common now. The vast majority of kitchens or bathrooms will have it. You'd need to find one that hasn't been renovated since the 90s, which definitely does happen, but it's becoming less common.
That is why the voltage should be lowered to 70 Volts.
The voltage shouldn't be lowered, the pins should simply be designed not to be both connected and exposed at the same time.
False
> GFCI outlets are a miracle to find
False
I don't know where some of these people come from on hackernews.
Not to mention you normally can not electrocute yourself with 400V.
400V is between two phases, you never accidentally touch two phases.
When you touch a conductor you are between one phase and the ground, meaning in 230V.