How Tourists Annoy Londoners
Vložit
- čas přidán 18. 06. 2024
- Heading to London is a must for all travelers, but what are some of the common things that tourists do in London that annoy the locals? Well here we go through those activities, words, and things that really do upset the local population in London.
Filmed in London, England
Join this channel to get access to perks:
/ @woltersworld
#uglytravelers #London #england
Copyright Mark Wolters 2024
Learn how to plan your travels like we do with our Travel Planning 101 Course: www.brighttrip.com/woltersworld
Grab some Wolters World travel gear www.woltersworld.store
Help Us Keep Make More Honest Travel Videos: / woltersworld
Hey There Fellow Travelers! Thank you for watching our honest travel vlogs from all over this wonderful world. If you would like to get in contact with us please follow us & send us a message via our social media channels below. Also, if you like our travel videos please feel free to share them with other fellow travelers.
You can find us all over the internet:
Travel Advice & Destinations: / woltersworld
Food Travel Videos: / woltersworldeats
Travel Tips: / woltersworldshorts
Business Education: / professorwolters
Tiktok: / woltersworld
Instagram: / woltersworld
Jocelyn's Instagram: / jocelynwoltersworld
Facebook: / woltersworld
Twitter: / woltersworld
Linkedin: / wolters-world-travel-c...
What really annoys me is people who get off the escalator and stand still working out where they need to go next regardless of the people behind them. Potentially very dangerous.
I hate it when people block the escalator, the elevator, public transport doors, public washrooms. Like get a grip on your surroundings.
Visited London numerous times for business and pleasure. Never experienced problems. Just act as a normal, considerate person and you will be ok.
Very few people do that though . Most stand aside to figure it out
It's just London expects you to do it five miles away
My mother is so bad for this, she is well travelled but still does this…like why? She’s rooting through her handbag in mid pedestrian traffic but then lectures me about pickpockets
I am with you on this one. Had to yell at people on this trip as it was about to get dangerous fast as they stood there with their luggage
That blocking of the Tube platform entrance by tourist groups that you mention, really is one of the major ball aches. A little common sense goes a long way. Keep up the good work Mark. 👍
I think this happens in any major city that has a underground (or an above ground if you are in Chicago).
The only time when queuing isn’t what we do is at the bar in the pub. We huddle and spread down the bar. But, the rules of being served in turn are still there. If the bar staff try to serve you before the person who you know was there longer, it’s impolite not to point that out.
When you see a pub bar that people are queuing at, it literally scrambles my brain and I genuinely don’t know how to deal with it.
I confirm this. Bar etiquette across the UK -if you're standing at the bar and the bar staff approach you before somebody you know has been waiting longer than you, point to the other person and say 'they were before me'.
Londoner here. Everything you say about tube etiquette is totally correct. And they are particularly annoying because there are announcements or signs about all of the things you say. We don’t just expect tourists to magically *know* what the rules are. That would be mental. We try to tell you, so please listen.
Equally, a lot of it is common sense and boils down to "it's busy, don't stand in the way".
Most of these thing are more like how to be a considerate human, whether you live in the back of Bourke of Soho square!
The tube, an elevator, going in and out of a store: let people leave first!
Etiquette is the best explanation and it’s considered manners. Your comment is right.
I’m Welsh and it’s been a while since I’ve been in London.
London is the centre of United Kingdom
Highly concentrated,with a vast amount of people working there,and the flow in and out of the tube is massive- there has to be some kind of order.
I wonder do Americans get guided out of a stadium after a game ,what is New York natives like?far as NY ,I’ve heard the grumbling- it’s a fast flowing rat race there with the sidewalk full,busy and fast.
No offence to anyone-
@uglenddalejones2 I was born in NY (but have lived elsewhere for forever). I was raised that you let other people off/out first. I think there's a general lack of manners or common sense these days.
As a Londoner I live with this daily. I have an (admittedly bad) habit of shouting “bad place to stand” as I walk past people blocking entires and exits.
I'd call that educating the tourist.
Not really a bad habit, just saving everyone else the need to shout the same.
One important point is that in the UK you are trusted to judge for yourself where and when it is safe to cross the road. We don't have jaywalking offences forcing people to only use crossings. So use your common sense and you'll be fine. (I realise that's a lot to ask...)
Many people are looking DOWN at their phones while crossing. I had to give a few shouts- tough love to people who want to stay walking. It's a responsibility being a pedestrians and a driver. Some woman with a pram in UK already got run over already, this could of been prevented IF she looked LEFT
We went to London back when I was 12 of 14 back in the 90s. We went to the tower of London and they had all those signs up that say "Don't feed the ravens." so me, being the smart Alec that I was at the time decide to go feed a pigeon instead. And suddenly from behind a shadow falls over me. A shadow of a guy holding a halberd. And I look around and this big gruff beefeater says: "If you feed those you gotta take em home with you." I gotta admit that was pretty initmidating.
As an American who has visited London numerous times several pieces of advice. Get a tube map it will help you immensely. Don’t mess with the guards especially those on horseback. If you happen to get tickets to football (soccer) the stands are segregated between home and away supporters.Don’t wear a shirt with the same colors of the visiting team in the home section (I made this mistake). Also learn some British English words and terms.
Love the football stand comment, true.
@@stephenlee5929 It also applies in some parts of The States. When going to a Red Sox game don't wear Yankee stuff in the bleachers.
There is no "British" English. We speak English in England.
@@stevetaylor8698 that is true, I was just suggesting the Americans become familiar with words and phrases that they would hear so that we don’t look totally stupid in conversations
I was just being a bit of a grump. Bad day altogether here. Sorry.@@robertosborne8694
Backpacks!! Take them off in crowded areas ESPECIALLY on the tube (particularly when it’s busy). Nobody wants to be whacked in the face when you turn around.
(Also, if they’re not behind your back, a pickpocket can’t grab anything from it).
As a side note, it’s always good to keep an eye on your belongings - yes, I grew up in late 80’s London…
Lol what. Locals where backpacks though
Backpackers in a crowded tube is annoying. You can be much more agile by removing the backpack to get around rather than keeping it on. However, I suppose you can still be agile with it on without knowing you’re whacking everyone around you…🤦🏻♂️
idk why i, a londoner, have been binging your london videos as if i havent lived here my whole life. but you're awesome, im loving these videos
Stopping at the very bottom of the escalator in a tube station to check which platform they need. The other one is guided tours walking 9 abreast so you need to pass on the road!
Speaking of The Queue! When i was living in England a zillion years ago for school, I was waiting for a bus in the middle of Nowhere. I mean NOWHERE. 2 people came up to catch that bus and queued behind me. In the middle of nowhere! LOL!
If I was in London and boarding the Tube when some other tourist is blocking the door when there's plenty of room for them to move, I'll give them a VERY good reason to get out of the way as politely as possible. If they're rude after I'm polite, the polite side of me will disappear faster than they can blink.
As a Londoner I would add being mindful of people who want to pass you on pavements……but great summary and love your videos
Completely agree. Just look at the width and how other people are going. If walking fast isn't something you're able to do, at least don't walk slow side by side by side taking up half the pavement inconveniencing everyone else
I've lived in Rio, Paris, and now London. The problems are the same in every touristic city.
Groups occupying the whole sidewalk is annoying. Groups that STOP just by the end of the escalator to look at a map... this is outrageous.
Tourists have to keep in mind that the locals are making a living, running to work or back home. Also, some politeness when asking for information would be welcomed.
I would agree and also relise that depends on the industry people might be working at the weekend, more than once I’ve asked groups to move as I have to get to work at the weekend and they just reply with “but it’s the weekend”…..
I lived in Dublin while I attended Trinity College Dublin (which tourists often visit), and this is so important! It was really common for people to be delayed to lectures and seminars because tourists refused to get out of the way and would occupy massive chunks of the pavement. It was so frustrating, especially since I started there while only students and staff were allowed on campus (using ID) due to COVID. Simple walks went from five minutes across campus to fifteen when the tourists came back.
yup...even nyc. same issues!
@@rachelscott7348 I would have asked them, yes it is the weekend, who do you think is working the museum or the attraction you are going to? Was there no one at the hotel this morning when you left? Who do you think is going to server you at the pub?
@@DrVVVinK I was in a rush and not in the mood to try and explain what I do….
Tourists walking across the Abbey Road crosswalk like the Beatles without regard for the car traffic.
Yeah,music is more important that cars!
Lmao, tough.
I briefly worked reception at Abbey Road studios - lots of crackpots coming in telling us they "knew" John Lennon and / or Elvis were hidden or imprisoned in the basement....
It is expected that will happen there though.
Zebra crossing*
On the flipside, you can endear yourself to the locals a bit by learning the local pronunciation of place names.
- Thames is the one essential
- If you can get Buckingham, Leicester, and Chiswick that’ll set you up well for lots of other names
- others like Islington, Marylebone, and Vauxhall are extra credit
I think I passed your quiz.
+ Holborn and extra points for St-Mary-le-Bow
Thames = temms
Buckingham = Buckin'-ham
Leicester = Lester
Chiswick = Chiz'ick
Islington = Izzlin'ton
Marylebone = Marleh-bone
Vauxhall = Vox-hall
"Stand right" is right. But as a londener I don't agree with "walk left". Walk on either side. Ideally reserve the left for overtaking. I don't think you will annoy anyone by walking on either side.
That's supposed to be how driving is in the U.S. I don't think most residents get it 😮
I love all of these tips! It boils down to "situational awareness" and "spatial awareness," which has become less utilized in recent years. Be aware that it's not all about you, there are other people in this space to consider, and be considerate of others wherever you are. 🙂
When a crowd gathers at a crossing but no one presses the button, and everyone ends up waiting there for ages
I often wonder whether the buttons do anything at all… The other thing that is dangerous here are busy pedestrians crossings with no crossing signals! There seems to be. Lot of intersections missing the pedestrian crossing signals.
While the US does have a line culture, it's taken more seriously in the UK. I remember being in line for something and there weren't many people around, so I unconsciously started wandering around the waiting area. THE SECOND I moved to a space that might have remotely been construed as ahead of where I was in line, a British gentleman was IMMEDIATELY on me with "Excuse me, there's a queue"-and I wasn't the only one he reminded before whatever we were in line for started up. He seemed like a nice person, we chatted for a bit, but it was immediate and stark in a way that usually wouldn't happen in the US.
Never seen a line in the UK. They only have queues, because that's the proper word! 😉🇬🇧
😂 we love a queue
@@saraanthony8665This is a popular misconception, stereotype even. Us Brits don't love queing, we just know how to do it properly.
I generally don't mind the tourists here in London. They're just a part of living here unless you're in a hurry. I particularly like the tourists who venture outside the centre a bit and turn up in my local pub (20 minutes out of the West End).
What's the name of the pub?
@@filmsociety1311 Stapleton Tavern.
@@PeterGaunt near Park Theatre? I'll remember that
Same thing here in Barcelona... Most of these are just general basic respectful things to do in medium to large cities.
I do think some people over react to tourists, respect has to go both ways. You're a local but when you travel you're a tourist that doesn't know all local rules and you'll want some tolerance.
😮. Hm i see. How is the weather these days? Is tap water safe to drink please?
As a New Yorker, this is so relatable!! Everything. With minor tweak of be prepared for unexpected rain & have an umbrella if any chances. And look left or both ways for traffic, but look for sure! And for yourself, meaning don't blindly step out simply because anoter pedestrian does. In general, use common sense & pay attention, right?
Funny that almost every one of them basically just boils down to "Pay attention and be considerate of the other people around you." You'd like to think it would be evereyone's bare minimum standard of behaviour when out in public, but unfortunately it isn't. And unfortunately it's not just tourists who fail to do this. Some people are just selfish and ignorant.
I agree with you on that. I also agree with him mentioning in the video about how you shouldn't come to London and complain about the different things about London. In fact, that's just a general rule for wherever you go, locals do not want to hear outsiders coming onto their grounds and complain about it. I mean seriously, if you don't like it, go home, they never asked you to come there. I'm American and I don't want to go to London and hear other Americans complaining about the people there, the crowds, or any other issues or situations there. If you don't like it somewhere, then go
- I've never heard someone call the ticket barriers "barricades" 😆
- Number one rule on the tube (and central London as a whole) is don't get in other people's way
- The reason why commuters get annoyed if you're blocking ticket barriers, escalators, etc is that you might cause them to miss a connection which means them getting home say half an hour later
- Avoid travelling at rush hour if you can, especially if you have a lot of luggage
- If you do need to travel at rush hour, be aware that it's going to be a very busy and likely unpleasant journey so try not to make it more difficult than it has to be (by following the tips in this video)
- That's not a pub: that's a tourist trap!
- Travel out of London and find a decent country pub
- If you really want a pub in London, avoid anything that says "Ye Olde" or "Wetherspoons"
- Don't just visit London, even if it's just a day trip on the train, get out and see the rest of the country too - even if you just want to stick to cities, there are much nicer cities than London
- Overall, some good tips in this video, but remember if you get in wrong you'll most likely just get a glare or a tut - just say sorry and move out of the way
Tube etiquette isn't a tourist problem, it's a lack of common sense issue! I can atest to that as a transit operator. 😮
I think it’s cultural too. When I visited Barcelona, I was shocked to find commuters boarding and alighting the train carriage at the same time. Carnage.
Accidentally jumped the queue in a pub once once and it started to get "not pretty". Made up for it by buying everyone i queue-jumped a beer. Never seen the waves calm that fast for only 3 beers ;)
Those three people you were intimidated into buying a round for were being cheeky b'stards. If customers get served in the wrong order at at pub, it's the fault of the bar staff. They are supposed to keep track of who arrives at the bar when. Your only obligation is to correct them if you think they've missed someone, and just give a nod in their direction. Nobody should be demanding you buy them a pint. It's extortion with menaces. I apologise on their behalf, because dodgy chancers like that don't have a sense of shame.
@@MinesAGuinness That’s pretty much impossible because staff have to also do barback jobs simultaneously, plus it’s also slower because people will go to different ends of the bar and it’s silly to physically go to each person. So it has to be a two way thing between the staff and customers.
If someone has jumped in and is rude about it, we can remove them. In the flip side, if a staff has made an genuine but a customer is aggressive towards staff, then they have to leave regardless of being in the right.
one thing that annoys me is when people say they have ONLY been to London on their trip and have no plans to go elsewhere and then claiming they have “seen England/UK”. Plenty of great places to visit in the UK. Brighton, Cambridge, Cardiff, Manchester, Edinburgh, Exeter” loads and loads more places to visit. Don’t just limit yourself to London.
Maybe they can't afford to go to all those extra places.
Just pay attention where to wear Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham & West Ham shirts, and where not ^^
Thanks for the tips. I think it's rude in the US to cut in line as well. I don't do it and for the few times someone has cut in front of me, I've smiled and told them about it nicely. Sometimes I don't think they're aware where the line actually is. Enjoyed this.
All of the advice for the Tube works for every subway system. I take the subway in LA and people have the same complaints about people standing on the left side of the escalator or trying to get on the train before people get off.
Subway in LA? haha
Not a rule perse but since there was a lot of tube-talk: a “subway” confusingly is an underground walkway & I know of at least one American who went into random underpass thinking it was a tube station. They can be connected to tube (or more formally “underground”) stations but not always
The “underground” facilitates “tube” trains and the “subway” is a below ground passage way. This is probably the most easily confused concept for North Americans.
It's particularly confusing where some stations double as a subway (i.e. to cross the road) and they have signs at the entrance saying Underground *and* Subway
It can also be confusing if you just want a sandwich 🤪
Thanks Mark! Very informational! Also, another friendly tip: if you're going to watch a movie in the many London movie theaters, they have designated seating. It's not like the US where you can sit anywhere. My friend and I made a mistake and sat randomly without realizing we had reserved seating. We got booted out of our seats but in our defense, it was an afternoon show and there was literally no one else besides us and the other movie goer. But learning experience nevertheless!
I think this is a UK-wide thing - even my local independent cinema makes you reserve seats now. It didn't used to be a thing (maybe started about a decade ago), but now it's everywhere.
You can generally ignore the reservations at a quieter showing, but some people pick specific seats for specific reasons (you get a choice of seats when you buy the tickets) and get arsey if you're sat in their chosen seats.
Another tip is that you're allowed to bring your own snacks and drinks into the cinema in the UK. They might take issue if you bring in something like McDonald's, but packets of snacks and bottled drinks are fine.
@@hannahk1306 thanks! Good to know…I'll be bringing my own snacks next time!
Funny thing is, since Brits drive on the left, I as a German, would have also positioned myself on the left side on the escalator :D In Germany I stand on the right of course.
It's only the driving that's on the left. Walking is kind of a mixed bag but mostly people tend to walk on the right but overtake on the left like in the rest of Europe. The same principles apply to standing on the escalator. I think it's because of the European influence. In Australia, for instance, you would stand on the left and walk on the right on an escalator, as you said
@@Vaidelotelis interesting :D
As a Londoner you are spot on - I think the thing we just don’t get is how rude it is to get onto the tube before everyone has got off. Why would anyone think it’s ok to be rude like not holding a door open for someone behind you. Please just stand to the side and wait until everyone has got off otherwise you might find yourself either pushed back off or a few choice words in your ear !
One thing that I thought I noticed in London is that in the tourist-dominated areas, foot traffic on sidewalks/pavements and bridges passes/walks on the right instead of the left, so the non-UK tourists have taken over in this regard. But I would often see a few annoyed locals defying the crowds and insisting on walking/passing on the left.
I’ve noticed this too!
Maybe visit London just to see the stuff tourists like seeing then come straight up north lol,or maybe west
London is a cool city. So much fun stuff to do. So so so many amazing restaurants too....omg. You can find awesome food of every cuisine for any budget too.
The main tip about the carriage doors is that you should clear out of the way of the doors when you get to a station. Between stations, it's fine to stand near the doors. It's also perfectly fine to remain standing if you're only staying on for a few stops.
It's more applicable at rush hour when not moving down means that fewer people can get on. So the general rule is move away from the doors if you're not getting off soon; be near the doors if you do want to get off.
lol i'm a weirdo. i've always looked right before looking left and i was born and raised and live here in the states!
Oh, I totally agree! It is engrained in you to look to the left, look to the right and then cross. It’s hard to change that mindset!
I was taught to do that too.
By being nice and trying to speak to them. Not a problem in the north however…
Not a problem in the Midlands either. Birmingham is very friendly and Nottingham has a vibe you won't find anywhere else.
@jonathancauldwell9822 hey if you're from Yorkshire Birmingham is the South lol
I prefer the north, much friendlier and more welcoming.
Nobody cares about the North where you need to wait an hour for a bus 😂
@@MaZaCar_XiaoyuI am from the North . I don't care about London or the South
Without the brain drain London is nothing .
Go to Scotland rather than London . The landscape is beautiful, Northern England landscape is very pretty but Scotland is on another level
The tube doors thing is a good rule in general; if there are people wanting to get out of an enclosed space, those wanting to get in should wait. After all, there's more space inside once they're out.
Telling people 'it's not like this back home' (yeah we know) and yes it's probably the point of you coming here in the first place. ;)
As someone born and raised in the Notting Hill area (non-posh side), I will not wait for you to finish taking photos of The Notting Hill Bookshop on Blenheim Crescent or the rainbow houses on Elgin Crescent. I will walk straight past your camera and no longer swerve onto the road for your consideration - a gesture you didn’t even notice me do. Do not tut at me because I “ruined” your photoshoot. I am usually going home or going to work, doing the school run, going groceries shopping, on my way to the GP or running errands. You may think it was rude of me to do that to *you* but are only one of *literally* hundreds of people doing the same thing every week.
Notting Hill is now posh and very posh.
They mean Ladbroke Grove
LOL @ 'non-posh side'of Notting Hill!
05:20 the people of London, when in London, don't like "loud". Then you met the same "London people" in Corfu, or Ibiza, or Algarve, and it's like Godzilla meets King Kong meets Attila the Hun meets World War Z.
I’ve never been to london but I agree with wait until everyone gets off and then get on I do that every time i use the new york city metro
Don’t block doors with your luggage, that happened to me in Birmingham last week (it was on a train from International, which serves the airport and the NEC) and a couple put their 4 huge suitcases in the doors and moved them between stations, I was worried that a conductor was going to think they were my bags.
Back in 2000 I was on a group tour with my college and the first day I walked straight into a light post and heard at least one person shriek. Yeah, pay attention.
ouch!!!!
That thing of groups on the tube platforms is so dangerous. I saw it the other day, a group stood in a circle chatting to each other, took up the whole width of the platform and people trying to pass were getting really close to the edge. I wanted to pass them but was scared I'd fall onto the tracks.
I always tell friends and relatives visiting London to avoid public transport or taxis during morning and evening rush hour (known as peak time). Specially in central areas, West End, Hyde Park etc. Its like any big city, only travel at these times if that journey is absolutely necessary. Or for shorter distances try and walk it or rent a bike, might even be quicker sometimes.
Queue jumping in a pub is a no no, not just in London but all over Britain, when you get to the bar you have a quick look and think okay looks like I am fifth, but if the bar tender comes to you first you just point to the person who was there before you and say he or she was here before me and they will go straight over to them, then there is that little nod of thank you from the other person but if you do queue jump at the bar you will get dirty looks.
Hey Mark, awesome video
Great list! Several central London stations have lifts, we need more people to use them instead of the escalators. Also, Londoners walk fast, be aware of that and speed up or stand to the side.
Glad to know that London follows the same rules as Seattle wrt rain/umbrellas. I knew there was a reason I felt right at home there
This isn't London-specific, but stopping/standing at the top or bottom of stairs, an escalator, or the lift/elevator door to figure out where they are going next. That's a terrible place to stop, and you're going to get run over.
Great tips.
As you had it in some pictures in the above video: Don't you ever dare touch the horses of the guards on duty at Horse Guards, Whitehall! NEVER! These are 1. real soldiers, combat ready in theory, and 2. real horses, big beasts actually, no fairy tale ponies! And try - perhaps - to not disrespect War Memorials, especially the Cenotaph, by climbing on them, or so. Not even in a drunken state!
My best friend and I took a tour of the UK, which started in London. We went to a pub for fish and chips, but didn't know you had to order at the bar. The bartender was very annoyed with us and the patrons were sort of annoyed/amused. 😳
A few tips:
- pubs are generally casual dining so you'll typically order at the bar, unless they have a restaurant section.
- there's usually a sign or a note on the menu that says "please order at bar"
- if there's a table number, that means order at the bar and tell them your table number.
- most places will tell you, but if you're not sure just ask.
- a decent pub will recognise that you're tourists and won't be annoyed - I think the bar staff were just in a bad mood!
- you probably won't get decent fish and chips in a pub, especially somewhere like a chain pub in a touristy area.
- if you want decent fish and chips, head to a seaside town and find an award winning chippy near the sea front.
- if you want decent pub grub, head to a proper country pub or at the very least get out of the tourist hotspots and avoid Wetherspoons (a chain of cheap pubs, popular with students but not known for its quality).
All the Tube advice applies in Boston, DC, and NYC too.
I've found easiest way when crossing the street, try to consciously look both ways when in another country. Not so bad if I'm in a country that also drives on the left hand side of the road. A few times I've un-consciously looked right when it should have been left.
Its not just entrances, but sidewalks in general. Just dont stand 3-4 people wide blocking off the entire thing when they want to look at a map, guide or a phone or something. Just step aside and let people through. It sounds like a minor thing if you are not from a busy city, but if you have to deal with it every single day it gets really annoying really fast.
I like the "look right sign " on the pavement we really need to do this in the US.
I work in a touristy area and by far i hate when tourists just stop for no reason. We all walk pretty fast here and it gets busy.
but I enjoy the diversity of tourists who visit londons
Great to see you here in the UK. Like to meet you. You are the perfect travel partner. When will you get back to south America? Id love to go with you.
Don't live in London anymore but years ago I was swimming in my local pool. Came to the end, turns around and there was a guy plowing down on the wrong side so I couldn't start my next length. Stopped him to point out he was swimming on the wrong side and his response was "But in the States. .." There were signs at both ends of the pool indicating the direction with ➔➔➔, And he agued with me! ¡joder!
I bought an umbrella in London after getting caught in a crazy down pour. But the weather had been really pleasant up till that point. 😅
Once again:spot on!
The British tradition of an orderly queue is so strong that even in Hong Kong the Chinese would wait in line. Sort of a minor miracle. The Chinese notoriously. shove, elbow, or force their way to the front no matter what.
In Paris meanwhile if you try to board a train before people get off you're basically an honorary local. It's not true rush hour unless every station boarding feels like a mini Rohirrim charge.
I feel this advise relates to most big cities
Totally, for most of this you could substitute “New York” and it’d be exactly the same.
(But also it’s the CZcams game. If users search for “London visitor tips” and the video’s not specifically about London, it’ll go further down the rankings.)
Not queuing like us brits , and stopping to do selfies when I’m walking behind ,I love London but puts me off going lately because it’s too busy .
As an American, I am so embarrassed when my country folk show up in a mass to anything and just clog things up--like a party of 6 all trying to engage the host to get a table in a restaurant instead of designating one spokesperson. Most London, or city for that matter, restaurants are not designed for that many people in the entry. Also, Americans doing their "Brit" impressions of waiters, salespeople, cabbies, etc.. Please STOP!!
I’m a New Yorker and I agree with all of these, one of the most annoying thing in nyc with trains is when people try to rush in while I’m trying to leave, like how am I supposed to get out?
Don't sing songs supporting the IRA on The Tube. I came across an instance of this coming back from Wembley Stadium after an England vs USA football game. The American in question was quickly "assisted" in to a horizontal position by a local.
One time couple years ago in London I was walking down the stairs having my hand on the railing. Some British guy ( gus) was walking upstairs also holding that railing. I refused to back down and pushed forward which resulted in me leaning on his hand that he kept in the railing. I was leaning on him with my weight for 3 seconds and then he said “ you could have at least said “ excuse me?” with that famous English accent.
Yeah, I guess it was my bad, I didn’t sleep for 24 hours before the situation...
On stairs, the etiquette is usually to give way to whoever started up the stairs first. If you were there first, then that's just him being a prick.
100% Support the being loud. Also please dont speak to us on the tube, or chant team USA (looking at those coming for the american football in september time) on the tube..... ask if you are lost but i dont want to share personal details and I dont want to know yours.
I answer questions on a facebook group for tourists, one of the common questions is wanting to have an 'authentic' London experience.... please dont ask that......
From Northern England. I love being an nuisance on the tube
@@hannahdyson7129you’re killing me 😂
1:30 Fun fact, it is actually against the railway by-laws to board a train when other passengers are trying to get off. Never seen anyone fined though 😂😂😂
Most of your annoyances are spot on. Tourists walking in the cycling lane should also be highlighted - the city spent a lot of money building out cycling lanes to improve the flow of traffic for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists - it’s a small feat to just walk in the pavement. And also keeping your overstuffed backpack on in a crowded tube and not knowing you’re banging into everyone with it…
The escalator rule works but when it comes to walking in the corridors, there are no rules.
Try asking the locals on the Paris Metro to move to the center of the car. They all look at you like you're from Venus.
Looking right is paramount. Until you get used to it; just look every damn way!
When I was visiting as a ten year old and walking around London with my cousins (who are from there) we got half way across a busy street. There was an ambulance barreling down the road , I probably panicked from the noise, looked right (1/2 accross at this point), saw nothing, and stepped. If not for my 12 yr old cousin's situational awareness, I wouldn't be telling this story...it was that real.
I think this is true not of just London but any big city.
I feel like these are common courtesies. These things bother me about the u.s. too! Its good to know I am not crazy.
apply all of this when in Toronto.
One thing that really annoys me is when people fly our flag upside down - as in your thumbnail.
Ooh ouch
I think that's a general thing even to the locals to jump or skip queues. People everywhere always want to show they are smart not only peculiar to tourist.
When saying thank you, if you want to sound more informal and friendly, use the word 'tossa' at the end.
Example if you go into a shop and buy something, when paying: "Thank you so much, tossa".
That cover photo is great with flag and expression!
Stopping in the middle of the pavement is annoying. It’s easy to do sometimes when using the phone for Google maps or something. I always tried to step to the side when doing that.
Most of this video is common sense though.
Much of it is common sense when you have lived in a crowded place, but some of the jaw-droppingly irritating things tourists do in big cities just come from living in non-crowded places and never developing socio-spatial instincts.
@@StamfordBridge : Having lived in a small town with many tourists living in big cities, I can inform you they many stupid things as well.
@@runarandersen878 I didn’t say anything about being stupid. In fact, I was trying to move away from judgment a little. I was talking about things your living environment would not make you aware of (such as spatial awareness in crowded places), and I’d bet that a lot of “stupid” things city people do in small towns or rural areas also have to do with an environment they’re not used to, such as different driving conditions.
EDIT: All of which is not to deny that there are genuinely stupid people everywhere, so if that’s your point, no one could argue with it.
I wonder if we could put running LED arrows pointing right, to remind Americans to look right? We’re a high tech city, maybe we can upgrade from paint.
The being loud part, I was at Reykjavik recently and there was some locals kept saying shh shh as they were talking pretty loud. I wasn't a locally and was getting annoyed as really don't care about their conversation.
Am loving 🥰 the place
We got chewed out by a local in London when we stopped in the middle of a sidewalk to figure out where we were. They told us very bluntly not to do it again. We didn't.
Related to the stopping and blocking the pavement issue...tourists who go to Abbey Road studios, of The Beatles fame, and try to recreate the Abbey Road album cover on the pedestrian crossing. Walking across it and having your photo taken is fine but many tourists STOP motionless when they're on it, holding up any waiting cars. You don't need to stop and be still to have your photo taken on the crossing...The Beatles didn't! Just keep moving and keep the disruption to a minimum.
The one that irks me, not just in London but everywhere, are the people who, when crossing a street, use the opposite side of the pedestrian crossing to the direction they intend to head in, e.g. heading right but standing on the far left of the pedestrian crossing. Not pretty, especially when wheeled suitcases etc are involved.
Pub is loud though 😂
Not the biggest deal but can be annoying if its very busy on the tube. You dont need to wait for the gates to close after the person before you has gone through. Just tap your card!
Yes even as a tourist I get annoyed when people stop in the middle of a foot path to take a photo. I can remember one time someone stopped in the middle of the foot path on Westminster Bridge, then I muttered internally blood tourist and remembered I was one, but I felt like a local as I'd been there for a few weeks and was getting to know my way around. Well this should be an unwritten rule anywhere.
Is it really neccessary to tell people not to jump the queue (skip line)? Is that OK in America?
No
It happens…..
Have you been to your neighboring countries in continental Europe? Some countries have cultures that foster respect for queues; some don’t. The U.S., since you ask, is somewhere in the middle, but actually toward the more respectful end of the global spectrum. But England, in my own experience over the decades, has had some erosion to its famous queue culture as well.
No, it is definitely not accepted to jump a line in the US, and huge majority of Americans would not give a second thought to forming and waiting in a line, nor would they notice anything out of the ordinary with queuing in the UK. Mark does have viewers from many countries though, many of which don't seem to have a concept of forming an orderly first-come, first-served system.
@@StamfordBridge some erosion yes - but you still jump the queue at your peril.
I am not a Londoner, though I am British
and I did learn my underground etiquette in London
from visiting for work, concerts and plays etc.
I still get annoyed here in Germany with:
people who block the escalators
(I have even written a jingle
(in my head)
for the U-Bahn stations in Bielefeld
to encourage folks to step to the left etc.),
stopping at the top or bottom of the escalators
which seems to be a very German habit.