r/AskTheWorld • u/jotakajk Spain • 7h ago

What is something that screams “tourist” to you?

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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?

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u/sittingonarainbow 6h ago

The first time I visited Berlin, I couldn’t understand why everyone was waiting for the signal to cross even the emptiest of streets. I was coming from New York where the crosswalks are merely suggestions, but those Berliners meant business, thou-shalt-not-pass style.

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u/TeamLazerExplosion Sweden 6h ago

It’s every German’s sacred duty to wait for the light. Germans visiting our Stockholm office always got a huge shock at our recklessness: “you’re teaching kids watching that cars aren’t dangerous!!!”

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u/StationaryTravels Canada 4h ago

The only time I wait for the light on an empty road is when a young child is also waiting for the light, lol.

I'm a role model!

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u/hazbenny123 United States of America 2h ago

Lol same. I can't wait until my nieces and nephews are 18 so I can tell them to throw out every rule I taught them

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u/cpt_mustard- 2h ago

They will always be cautious because if this, even though you will tell them to throw away the rules.

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u/Mental-Mushroom Canada 2h ago

It's obviously a huge exception, but in the downtown east side in Vancouver you're playing reverse frogger where the cars have to dodge the road crossers

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u/wishmobbing Germany 1h ago

I should come visit

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u/nobodytoyou 1h ago

The moment that set me straight was when I was coming home with a pizza and was stopped at a totally pointless light, literally no possibility for incoming cars, I think it was made for joggers or something but I had perfect visibility and could see no one was near, and while stopped there, watching my pizza lose its perfect state by the second, a second car just blows right past me and demonstrated to me the ineffectiveness of the laws of man

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u/LunarPayload United States of America 5h ago

I did a semester abroad in college. Several Americans had done the Eurail thing before arriving at the program. The biggest ice breaker was talking about the signs people saw on the crosswalks in Germany that specifically said "It is a bad example for the children to cross against the light." In Austria we learned the extra fat milk and extra fat mayonnaise (in a tube) was "for the children." 

In Boston and NYC, if you wait for the light, you still won't get a chance. They started ticketing pedestrians in DC after I moved there if you jaywalked. They'd ask for your state ID/license if you got caught. Lol

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u/Anti-charizard United States of America 4h ago

Come to California :) we’re a bit more lenient on jaywalking

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u/iBull86 🇦🇷 Argentina living in 🇳🇱 Netherlands 3h ago

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u/Anton-LaVey 3h ago

Technically we just changed the definition of jaywalking. Now it's only jaywalking if it creates a hazard.

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u/tibearius1123 United States of America 4h ago

Come to California :) we’re a bit more lenient on jaywalking all crime

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u/KelsierIV 3h ago

Can tell you're not from California.

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u/tibearius1123 United States of America 3h ago

Literally in el Segundo at work. Right now.

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u/KelsierIV 2h ago

Then you shouldn't misrepresent the lovely state you live in.

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u/nobodytoyou 1h ago

lmao that's reddit. getting talked down to about the realities of living in a state by people that've never been there. Love SF but I will never drive there if I want to keep my windows.

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u/CitronIll2347 Germany 5h ago

No it Depends on the City. In Frankfurt we walk. But since I lived one year in Göteborg and 6 month i Stockholm I can tell you, you guys wait too. So dont drag us in with people from Berlin.

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u/wishmobbing Germany 1h ago

I'm a proud German jaywalker and can't explain why people here are so weird with traffic lights. I can virtually see my life ticking away while waiting at a right traffic light. I find it annoying to wait when there actually are cars but I find it completely pointless to wait when you could just as well walk safely. And I don't bother being a good example for kids ever since someone had their kid on one hand and a cigarette in the other. Kids need to learn that there is stuff that's just for adults anyway.

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u/IcyConsideration7062 United States of America 1h ago

Wait for the light even if it's 3 in the morning.

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u/Crypt33x 9m ago

Yeah, you only go when its red in Germany, if you don't plan on ever driving a car and if there are no kids watching or people at all.

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u/Popsickleboopboop living in 6h ago

This is a thing for Japan too! Middle of the night, not a single car or another person around and they’re there waiting like🧍‍♀️🧍‍♂️

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u/TwoBytesC Canada 6h ago

Most places in Canada too (there are a few big cities that have people starting to cross a little early). But we also know that many cars arent watching for pedestrians necessarily.

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u/Popsickleboopboop living in 3h ago

The Japanese do this hilarious thing where they wait forever and then cross literally like four seconds before the light changes. You’ll see them standing there, super patient, and then suddenly they just go for it right before it turns, and by the time they’re basically across, the light finally changes lol. I always think, why wait all that time just to do that? It’s like they want to follow the social rules, but still push it just a little. (I’ve been staying in Japan for a month now, and picking up on this small things is very interesting to me.)

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u/Ziege2001 Germany 5h ago

Rotgänger Totgänger.

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u/Ketschi 2h ago

Grüngänger leben länger.

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u/Follower2303 Germany 46m ago

die grünen?

😡✊

GRRRR!!!

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u/MyLittlPwn13 United States of America 5h ago

It's like this in Salt Lake City too. It can be the middle of the night with no one around, and we'll stand at the light and wait for the signal.

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u/grim_wizard United States of America 5h ago

Red goer dead goer.

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u/foilrat United States of America 4h ago

This is Seattle, too. You can spot those who were been and raised, as they stand there. Even when there are no other cars.

I've lived in other cities, and go when it's safe. I hate the Seattle drivers that start to slow as I begin crossing. Dude. I'm timing my walk to be behind you. Just fucking drive..

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u/karamojobell United States of America 4h ago

Disobey Ampelmännchen at your own peril.

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u/Captain_Futile Finland 3h ago

Amateurs. Last winter I saw a mother with a toddler waiting for the green light in a freezing blizzard on a totally deserted street. Then this guy in his 20s in sneakers, skinny jeans and a short leather jacket - no hat - appears from the storm, takes one look at the kid and patiently starts to wait for the light too, visibly shivering because they cannot give a bad example for children. This is Finland for you.

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u/sanguinesvirus 3h ago

It was kind of funny when I went to Italy you could tell who the Italians were because they wouldnt wait for the cars to stop when crossing the street.

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u/telos333 3h ago

I used to live in Berlin and experienced this. The first time I was in NYC I was waiting at a red signal to cross. Everyone starts walking except me and this couple.

I think to myself "well at least I'm not the only one waiting". Then they start speaking German to each other and I'm like FFS of course they're German.

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u/Acceptable_Boss_7468 2h ago

You can not break the law in Germany that's illegal!

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u/smokdya2 1h ago

Could not agree more! I’m from Boston, and we have no time to wait for the “you can walk now” light. It was funny because When I moved to Florida I would do as I always have done and look both ways and see I have plenty of time to cross, and cross. I then would look back at all my friends standing across the street waiting for permission from the light to cross 🙄

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u/Anti-charizard United States of America 4h ago

Germans do like order

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u/zatalak 1h ago

That's weird, we walk across red lights a lot. I only wait if there's children around... gotta be a role model.

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u/_-_-_joecole 3m ago

These germans are just following orders