Don't be "that" tourist - things to avoid when you are abroad

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When in England remember that this culture drives on the left hand side of the road. So even if you aren't going to hire a car, take caution to also walk on the left hand side of the sidewalk. Just like the street, people tend to navigate the sidewalks like their streets. This also goes for the entire UK, Japan and any other country that drives on the left hand side of the road.
As a side note, most large cities have metro systems, subways, or underground's. Call them by their proper name for clarification. If someone asked me for the Tube in Paris I wouldn't know what they were talking about. And getting back to right of passage on public thorough fares. When standing on an escalator, stay on the right hand side (left hand side in the UK) as passengers who want to walk up the stairs will use the left hand side of the steps to pass. Most Europeans will walk up a moving escalator and I've seen plenty of US tourist families crowd an escalator gabbing away, totally unconscious of the pile up forming behind them because they "don't understand them" or can't read the sign indicating to move aside! (Tenez a droit = stay to the right).
These are my two pet peeves about tourists, hope they help.

8-18-2009 @ 3:11PM

Barb said...

Before I saw your comment, I was going to write exactly the same thing about staying to the right on escalators! I've seen locals in the London airport actually scream at these totally unaware tourists. It bothers me here in the states when I see it EVERY DAY and people just have no clue, nor, quite frankly, do they care.

8-19-2009 @ 12:59PM

Paul said...

Give me a break, If you want to walk then take the fkn stairs or if in an airport stay OFF the escalators all together. I'll NEVER know why people insist on walking on an airport escalator when those of us that have problems walking would love NOT to use them. We would rather walk beside them as nobody in a hurry walks there!!!!! A@@wholes

8-19-2009 @ 2:22PM

Walt said...

Um, PAUL - you are incorrect! Escalators were meant to WALK up or Down when they are moving - it gets you to the end much QUICKER. So, if you want to stand on one, STAY TO THE RIGHT!!!

8-19-2009 @ 2:58PM

aleighcat said...

Robert: Escalators are there for the people who don't want to (or can't) walk up the stairs manually. I'm sorry, but I am one of those "rude" people you speak about. If you are in that much of a hurry, then you need to take the stairs or elevator instead of expecting people to move aside and maneuver their parcels to accommodate you. **MY** pet peeve. What slays me is when there are stairs right beside the escalator, yet people *still* want to inconvenience everyone else by shoving them to the side on an escalator. To me, people who use escalators in this manner are the very epitome of RUDE.

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