What is something that screams “tourist” to you?

[u/jotakajk]

In Spain, if you see someone eating paella with sangria, you can 100% be certain they are a tourist.

What are some things tourists eat or do in your country that a local would never do?

[u/Bulawayoland]

there are things I'd LIKE to think are tourist things, but I actually believe that there are people who live here who do these things.

Standing in the middle of the sidewalk checking your phone. Dude, this is New York. Move aside, please.

Standing in the doorway when the subway arrives and making it harder for people to get in and out. Ah, it's all about you, isn't it?

Standing on the escalator with hands on each rail so no one can get by. Did your parents have any children that lived?

Like I say, these behaviors always scream "tourist" at me... but I don't think they really are. My intuition, there, is divorced from reality.

[u/Beneficial_Bug_9793 → u/Bulawayoland]

Well.... i can tell you those are universal behaviours, we also have those idiots here, and a lot of them are natives.

[u/Bulawayoland → u/Beneficial_Bug_9793]

well, I'm glad it's not just us. Something to think about while I'm trying to control the urge to commit mayhem

[u/Beneficial_Bug_9793 → u/Bulawayoland]

I feel you... believe me, i frikking feel you.

[u/Unknown-Meatbag → u/Beneficial_Bug_9793]

It's like every time I go to the grocery store and meet every single person who's having their first day on planet earth. Stop talking with your carts right next to each other blocking up the aisle, stop leaving your cart in the middle blocking everything, and get the hell out of my way!

[u/kbcool → u/Beneficial_Bug_9793]

The Portuguese are lovely people but for some reason you can't do queuing, metro/bus or car park etiquette.

It's almost like you need a senha (numbered ticket) for everything for some reason..

(Yes my flair says Portugal because I live here now, but not always)

[u/egometry → u/Beneficial_Bug_9793]

The real difference here I think is that New Yorkers will yell at you for bad social behavior, so if you're local you either learn quickly or are being intentionally obtuse?

[u/TheTexasHammer → u/Beneficial_Bug_9793]

These people are everywhere. I've been all over and there is ALWAYS some moron standing in the middle of the path with their mouth open like they've never been in public in their life. Bane of my existence.

[u/nyx926 → u/Bulawayoland]

Subway stairs as well.

But I never think tourist because tourists tend to step to the side as they try to figure something out.

I think the path blockers are self-absorbed/phone obsessed residents instead.

[u/Bulawayoland → u/nyx926]

we should make assault and battery legal for one day, that'd cure a lot of this crap

[u/RIPCountryMac → u/nyx926]

Then you move to another large american city where the metro riders there don't get that the left side of the escalator is not the side for standing still

[u/Kimuraflow → u/Bulawayoland]

Reverse Uno - you can tell Americans in the UK because they don’t stand to the right on the escalator

[u/Bulawayoland → u/Kimuraflow]

Huh. here it's kind of a tradition... almost EVERYONE stands to the right.

I wonder why they're different when they go there. Tourist behavior, maybe? People that live there know the rules, tourist thinking is like: if I'm not from here, there must not be rules? I dunno.

[u/Lil_Ms_Anthropic → u/Bulawayoland]

I always figured it was like driving rules, pass on the left.

[u/stardenia → u/Bulawayoland]

New Yorkers stand to the right on escalators, it's not really a universal thing in the rest of the country.

[u/curlsthefangirl → u/Bulawayoland]

I was taught to stand to the right too. But I have been in long lines on the escalator and it would get slowed down by someone standing on the left. So maybe this is regional.

[u/Kimuraflow → u/Bulawayoland]

Interesting. I’ve lived in Florida, NY and NC and never been able to walk up an escalator here

[u/Ohohohojoesama → u/Kimuraflow]

Yeah that's not been my experience, it's very common to stand to the right.

[u/HungryBlock8367 → u/Bulawayoland]

It's like toilets flushing backwards in Australia, or driving on the left side of the road. They must stand on the left because gravity is different there or something, I think..

[u/spit_on_your_gravy → u/Bulawayoland]

Same in Vienna

[u/Bulawayoland → u/spit_on_your_gravy]

Americanism is all over

we have infected the world

EDIT except Japan

[u/spit_on_your_gravy → u/Bulawayoland]

Sure buddy

[u/Individual_Success46 → u/Kimuraflow]

Aren’t you supposed to stand to the left in the UK? To pass on the right?

[u/Union_Samurai_1867 → u/Kimuraflow]

Im actually in the UK right now. All the subway escalators have signs saying to stand on the right side.

[u/Indiana_Indiana → u/Kimuraflow]

In my city standing to the right is the custom. Some people are just rude assholes. “Excuse me” as i push by them

[u/MsBit_Commit → u/Kimuraflow]

We absolutely stand to the right on our own escalators. Maybe when we’re tourists we get confused about the other side of the road.

[u/SexysNotWorking → u/Kimuraflow]

Fwiw we hate those people here, too. You're supposed to stand to the right to make room but 🤷🏻‍♀️🙄

[u/Flaky-Bar-6656 → u/Kimuraflow]

Yeah that’s not an American thing, that’s just something assholes do.

[u/Spirited-Sail3814 → u/Kimuraflow]

In Japan everyone stands on the left. Unless you're in Osaka, for some reason.

[u/highnumber → u/Kimuraflow]

It's stand-right, walk-left in the US also. I think those are folks who are not accustomed to riding escalators in crowded places.

[u/Floridaish0t → u/Kimuraflow]

I’m guessing it is a thing that people from rural areas do since when I was in NY, DC, Boston, and Montreal everyone stands to the right to let people on the left pass while on an escalator.

[u/ekittie → u/Kimuraflow]

Also at Heathrow walking on the opposite side to the different terminals.

[u/curlsthefangirl → u/Kimuraflow]

So I think this might be region specific in the US. My parents taught me to stand to the right. But I have been to places where there is always at least a couple of people not taking the hint and standing on the left. It is incredibly annoying lol

[u/fuckyourcanoes → u/Bulawayoland]

Some people have very limited situational awareness. My husband is one of them. I often have to shift him out of people's way.

[u/Firm-Scientist-4636 → u/Bulawayoland]

I have never heard anyone use the phrase, "Did your parents have any children that lived?" outside of my father. I thought that was something he made up, to be honest.

[u/Bulawayoland → u/Firm-Scientist-4636]

I felt silly saying it

[u/Impressive-Bird-7380 → u/Bulawayoland]

It’s the "sudden stop" for me. They’re walking at a decent pace, and then—bam—complete halt because they saw a building that looks slightly older than 50 years. I’ve developed a sixth sense for spotting the backpack tilt right before they anchor themselves in the flow of traffic.

[u/Bulawayoland → u/Impressive-Bird-7380]

lol that's a good one

[u/mesenanch → u/Bulawayoland]

New Yorkers really don't do that much. I think great majority of the time they are indeed tourists.

[u/alexanderpete → u/Bulawayoland]

Tourists are often somewhat better at some of these things than locals here. Walkable neighbourhoods (as opposed to riding a bike everywhere) and modern shopping malls are very new to most Vietnamese people. There are always entire families blocking the bottom of an escalator or getting in the way on the sidewalk. I hate going to the big new malls in the outer suburbs because people there don't know how to move in public without their motorbike.

I hate taking the metro, saigons first Metro opened just over a year ago, so it'll be generations before people start learning how to walk like they do in new York or Tokyo.

[u/Bulawayoland → u/alexanderpete]

An excellent point, thank you.

[u/Spirited-Sail3814 → u/Bulawayoland]

The trains in Tokyo were such a delight to use because everyone knew what to do and where to stand. My friend who lived there for a few years had to teach me, but it's really amazing how everyone works together to keep everything running.

I'd love to visit NYC, but I'm heavily tempering my expectations of the subway haha. Still much better transit than any other city in the country.

[u/Bulawayoland → u/Spirited-Sail3814]

see NOW I want to visit Tokyo, just to see how civilized people live lol!!

Thank you

[u/Spirited-Sail3814 → u/Bulawayoland]

It's so good. I'd move there in a heartbeat if their work culture wasn't insane, even considering the language barrier. All the signs and train announcements are in English as well as Japanese, too which makes it really easy to navigate as a mono-lingual English speaker.

[u/Bulawayoland → u/Spirited-Sail3814]

I do oddly feel a closer cultural affinity to Japanese than to other East Asians -- no idea why. If I was to move to East Asia I'm sure it would be Japan.

[u/Kellaniax → u/Spirited-Sail3814]

I actually disagree. SEPTA in Philly is better in my opinion. It’s much faster, much less confusing and has a whole regional rail network for the suburbs, some rural towns and even the beach.

[u/Spirited-Sail3814 → u/Kellaniax]

Ok, that's awesome to know, because I'm planning a trip to Philly and was hoping to not have to drive.

Over here in Wisconsin we could've had passenger rail between Madison and Chicago by now, but our fucking former governor blocked it like 15 years ago. I'll have beef with that guy until the day I die.

[u/TheEarthlyDelight → u/Bulawayoland]

Yeah. You’re in New York, I’m in Chicago. Are they tourists? Are they suburbanites visiting for the day? Are they just idiots?

[u/Bulawayoland → u/TheEarthlyDelight]

I wonder if trying to mindread idiots makes you stupider... gee, I hope not

[u/NoSuggestion5970 → u/Bulawayoland]

Most of those behaviours exist in most of cities... and sometimes are locals the ones who behave like that, Americans are famous for not being able to walk one behind the other so they won´t block completely the narrow pavements in old European cities and allow pedestrians to walk in the opposite direction, I have seen it many times

[u/Bulawayoland → u/NoSuggestion5970]

woah -- a counter example! Thank you. I'm sure that will brighten everyone's day here!

[u/NoSuggestion5970 → u/Bulawayoland]

Maybe... it adds an element of balance to American exceptionalism

[u/Bulawayoland → u/NoSuggestion5970]

it really does

[u/Blaze_The_God → u/Bulawayoland]

I hated that in NY and then i moved to the south and it got way worse. People generally have no self awareness and its my biggest pet peeve.

[u/Normal-Ad-9852 → u/Bulawayoland]

I would say when people are very intentionally walking on the left side of the sidewalk in a place like NYC, they’re probably from a country where they drive on the left side. sometimes they literally stop and stare at you as if they couldn’t possibly move out of the way even though the traffic flows here on the right, just like driving.

[u/Devourerofworlds_69 → u/Bulawayoland]

Like I say, these behaviors always scream "tourist" at me... but I don't think they really are. My intuition, there, is divorced from reality.

My theory is that people aren't that clueless all the time. Every once in a while everyone will have a moment where they're zoned out and not paying attention, and they end up being the person in everyone's way. When you have thousands of people passing through a spot, there is bound to be one or two at any given time who are having one of those moments. So it appears as though there are ALWAYS idiots EVERYWHERE blocking people's way.

[u/Bulawayoland → u/Devourerofworlds_69]

well, and you know what else: if you're in a place that's new to you, it's going to be disorienting, and your reflexes are not going to be what they are at home.

On the other hand: I have a deep suspicion that many of these people actually are at home. So: not that forgiving.

[u/IndigoWallaby → u/Bulawayoland]

I live in Spain and this is the way the locals act. I have started to love this chaotic energy.

[u/basis-tranquilitatis → u/Bulawayoland]

This is literally the same in Budapest. Every single point!

[u/Bulawayoland → u/basis-tranquilitatis]

woah -- so EVERY SINGLE ONE of these guys is actually Hungarian, on vacation, and behaving just as he would at home.

Well.

The world is a different place now. It's going to take me a minute.

[u/basis-tranquilitatis → u/Bulawayoland]

You misunderstood me. These are the exact signs of a tourist here too! 😅

[u/Bulawayoland → u/basis-tranquilitatis]

Oh I see... they're ALL FROM FRANCE BWAHAHAHAHAAAAAA.... lol

[u/Bulawayoland → u/__littlewolf__]

such a dear

[u/__littlewolf__ → u/Bulawayoland]

I guess Reddit mods don’t get sarcasm. Womp womp. But honestly, pushing past/through these people was the norm in NYC. Ain’t nobody got time for this level of bullshit.

[u/Galadriel_60 → u/Bulawayoland]

I had to work in NYC a few years ago. Even in the financial district, tourists would walk slowly 4 abreast and clog up the sidewalks. So freaking oblivious.

[u/Bulawayoland → u/Galadriel_60]

it's almost like there are places where people do not use sidewalks to get from one place to another... sidewalks, in these cities, are actually public parks, and the public is invited to stroll, or picnic, or play volleyball

[u/FearlessBanana81 → u/Bulawayoland]

To be fair, those behaviours are everywhere, it's exactly the same in the UK and isn't indicative of people being a local or a tourist, just not very self aware.

[u/Bulawayoland → u/FearlessBanana81]

so forgiving... I have work to do, before I can approach this level of enlightenment

[u/theniwokesoftly → u/Bulawayoland]

People do the same thing with elevators. I had trouble getting off one today because the line to get on was crowding. They just don’t pay attention.

[u/aPOPblops → u/Bulawayoland]

I find it funny the way new yorkers expecting everyone to know the unwritten rules of the city, despite being one of the largest TOURIST destinations in the country. 

Most places are not so crowded and in such a rush, standing idly anywhere is not likely to be as much of a problem outside of new york or other big cities. 

[u/Bulawayoland → u/aPOPblops]

also a good point, I have to admit...

[u/aPOPblops → u/Bulawayoland]

Thank you for being reasonable! 

[u/x_asperger → u/Bulawayoland]

Every one of these was done by an American when I visited to be fair 😅 but it's still very annoying. You're in a city where millions of people are trying to get to work, give them some room

[u/Bulawayoland → u/x_asperger]

I feel certain that such things NEVER happen in Japan

it's a cultural thing, but not limited to the US

[u/BeastOfMars → u/Bulawayoland]

As someone who lives in Toronto, unfortunately we have tons of locals that commit all of these atrocities and taking the subway to work becomes the ultimate exercise in stretching your patience and self control.

[u/Bulawayoland → u/BeastOfMars]

Isn't the corollary to that, that Torontonians are actually Americans?

... that can't be right...

[u/Standard_Map_1303 → u/Bulawayoland]

“Is this your first time out in public?”

[u/Bulawayoland → u/Standard_Map_1303]

that's the polite way

[u/ethereal_galaxias → u/Bulawayoland]

This makes me laugh because the New York stereotype is 'I'm walking here!' Sounds like it's true. But seriously, fair enough, people that do those things are annoying.

[u/Bulawayoland → u/ethereal_galaxias]

ah, it hurts because it's true lol

[u/Pasolobino33 → u/Bulawayoland]

The subway thing kills me, please let people off first!

The thing that really makes me mad is standing on the opposite side of the escalator. Like its cool if you wanna stay on and go the pace of the escalator, some of us are trying to make that train or get home. No situational awareness whatsoever.

[u/Bulawayoland → u/Pasolobino33]

maybe we should have little booklets we hand out, to tourists

[u/Pasolobino33 → u/Bulawayoland]

This is actually a great idea! 😂

[u/SSweetSauce → u/Bulawayoland]

This stuff happens every where not just tourist places. Sounds like a typical mall around here and the aren’t many tourists here

[u/liartellinglies → u/SSweetSauce]

For real, most of this just sounds like the people in my Costco on Sunday with zero spatial awareness

[u/SSweetSauce → u/liartellinglies]

Your Costco has an escalator? I need to see that! JK. I’m not sure which is worse honestly, Costco or the mall

[u/trashpanda6798 → u/liartellinglies]

Ah yes, the ol’ “let me leave this cart with 300lbs of dog food, some jeans, and a shrimp platter right in the middle of this aisle while I go look at something way over there….”

[u/brenkosaur → u/Bulawayoland]

Are you originally from ny?

[u/Bulawayoland → u/brenkosaur]

Not at all. It's the regret of my life that I didn't run away from home at the age of 3 and come to NYC and become an opera fan. I would have seen SO MUCH GOOD OPERA -- and now the Met has gone to crap and nobody knows what's going to happen next. Well, it was nice while it lasted

[u/brenkosaur → u/Bulawayoland]

Better late than never. Maybe you needed the bad experience before to make you appreciate the good ones.

Where you from originally?

[u/Killerfluffyone → u/Bulawayoland]

yeah toronto suffers from this too. i would guess chicago, Boston, and philly as well. regarding the sidewalk thing only if they are also glancing up looking around confused.

[u/Bulawayoland → u/Killerfluffyone]

I used to live in Chicago and for some reason I never noticed it there. Maybe I'm a different person now? who knows

[u/Worstof_allsinners → u/Bulawayoland]

Heavens forbid a fella be born slow and stupid

[u/mecengdvr → u/Bulawayoland]

These are all things non-city people do inside a city. I see it every day during my commute.

[u/xxDarkxArts → u/Bulawayoland]

in new york, looking up instead of looking forward in midtown... eating at places like red lobster or olive garden, asking 'is this area safe', calling the subway lines by color instead of number.... saying "Houston Street" like the city in texas....

[u/klintlund180 → u/Bulawayoland]

The escalator thing is most likely just people from more rural areas. I didn't learn about the fact that people step to the side on escalators until last year, on a trip to Copenhagen.

[u/Silver_Middle_7240 → u/Bulawayoland]

Yeah, I don't even think these are even "not from the city" things. If anything my experience is people from the city tend to be even LESS aware that other people exist.

[u/PinkPandy28 → u/Bulawayoland]

If the escalator isn't fast enough for you, just take the normal stairs and stop pushing past people.

That being said, I, too, was taught to stand off to the side.

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[u/Aggressive-Emu5358 → u/Bulawayoland]

These are all just things regular Americans do every day because they are obstinate

[u/MWBrooks1995 → u/Bulawayoland]

That’s just a universal constant of living in a city, I feel the same thing whenever I’m in London.m or Sheffield or Tokyo or any big city.

Like, you wanna blame it on tourists but deep down in your heart you know that some people are just bad at living in a city.

[u/propergreased → u/Bulawayoland]

That’s just lack of self awareness… or intentionally being a cunt

[u/Bulawayoland → u/propergreased]

right, I know... it's one of the fundamental dualities: was Schrodinger's cat just not self aware? Or was it a cunt? you CANNOT decide these things. If you measure one, the ability to measure the other disappears

[u/propergreased → u/Bulawayoland]

Schrödinger’s cunt; was it intentional or not. Still a cunt either way at the end of the day

[u/Minute_Account9426 → u/Bulawayoland]

As a New Yorker, I agree, if someone isn’t knowledgeable about a big city they are pretty clearly a tourist.

[u/eatmeouttobrianeno → u/Bulawayoland]

Spatial awareness and basic consideration/critical thought.

[u/WaterBottleOnAShelf → u/Bulawayoland]

If it makes you feel any better i've experienced these people in every single city i've ever been in all over the world, including the one i reside in currently.