Ever had a "dumb tourist" moment?

[Deathknightish]

Some tourists are entitled (American in a small greek village demanding them to speak American, damnit!), some are know it alls (MY country's laws apply in YOUR country), while some just do goofy things that aren't necessarily rude, but comedic.

Have you ever had such a moment, either by yourself or from some "dumb tourist" around you?

[Unholyground]

When I worked at Superstore (a local super market chain not the TV show) we legitimately had Americans in the middle of a sweltering summer with skiing equipment wondering where all the snow was...

[Freighter]

When in Japan I had some other tourists go up to me and ask me about local stuff, like I know that shit. I'm a tourist as well.

Tourists who think they should be catered to in English by people who don't work with catering to tourists. I've encountered more than a few who think random people in a store or on the street should help them and speak English to them. I just refuse to speak English or help if they're gonna act entitled.

[LiiLoSNK]

The other day I watched an asian chick eat a taco by holding the shell in 1 hand and using a spoon to eat out the filling (meat/cheese/lettuce/whatever) then after it was empty they just ate the shell dry. I would've said something, but I couldn't stop thinking about the possibility that she was doing it right and I've just been eating tacos wrong my whole life.

[P for Pancetta]

I visited Hobart in Tasmania Australia once and I drove up to the highest point there. It was around 15degrees Celsius. We were enjoying our lunch on a parking lot in our long sleeved shirts when some locals showed up with their kids and started dressing them up as if they were going to cross the artic; thick winter coats, gloves, shawls and a woolen hat.

[ellieg]

I have a beach place that I spend abt half the summer in intermittently. You'll get the occasional European in a speedo. Nonforeigners but still tourists, you'll see ppl in Jean shorts, socks with shoes / flipflops, and ppl swimming with their shirt still on. Always reminds me of "shoobys" from rocket power lol.

[kaelix1]

When in Japan I had some other tourists go up to me and ask me about local stuff, like I know that shit. I'm a tourist as well.

Tourists who think they should be catered to in English by people who don't work with catering to tourists. I've encountered more than a few who think random people in a store or on the street should help them and speak English to them. I just refuse to speak English or help if they're gonna act entitled.

I understand your point but in what language you expect them to communicate? as far as I know English is the international language, I know its absurd to expect everyone to speak English but in a foreign country your best bet is English if you don't know the language, I usually look for young people 17/18+ when i travel in a country that doesn't speak english/french/spanish, if i want directions

[Rozz]

I went to Florida and was documenting my trip with pictures to my friend. When inside someone's house they had a pretty sculpture and I took a picture of it to show her. He saw and reminded me his house wasn't a museum. Teenage me was mortified and I was apologetic for the rest of the stay. He was nice and all, but it was really embarrassing and that dumb moment still burns in my mind.

[Clone]

Went back home to visit couple years ago and ate by myself at a restaurant. Waited forever for the check then realized I had to go up to the counter to pay instead.

[Doctor Amadeus]

Nope, which is exactly why I don't visit countries that don't speak English, not as an insult to the, but because, I feel as a tourist it's my obligation to speak their language, not theirs to speak mine, even though yes plenty do.

[Nasuuna]

The other day I watched an asian chick eat a taco by holding the shell in 1 hand and using a spoon to eat out the filling (meat/cheese/lettuce/whatever) then after it was empty they just ate the shell dry. I would've said something, but I couldn't stop thinking about the possibility that she was doing it right and I've just been eating tacos wrong my whole life.

I legit do not like hardshell tacos anymore, so I can't blame her for doing that.

folded/wrapped tortilla > hardshell

Nope, which is exactly why I don't visit countries that don't speak English, not as an insult to the, but because, I feel as a tourist it's my obligation to speak their language, not theirs to speak mine, even though yes plenty do.

went to scottland, couldn't understand anybody lol

[Doctor Amadeus]

I went to scottland, couldn't understand anybody lol

Ha ha I see what you did there. Although, I kind of take your point.

[Easo]

Thankfully, no. Though drunk Brits really loved to piss on our Freedom Monument for some reason.

When in Japan I had some other tourists go up to me and ask me about local stuff, like I know that shit. I'm a tourist as well.

Tourists who think they should be catered to in English by people who don't work with catering to tourists. I've encountered more than a few who think random people in a store or on the street should help them and speak English to them. I just refuse to speak English or help if they're gonna act entitled.

Oh, its you and your, uhh, problems about foreigners.

[Svifnymr]

I deal with a lot of tourists from all sorts of countries. Spanish is the main language barrier, but it's usually possible to work out what most of them mean. Some of them just think they need to speak louder in spanish to make me understand. So yeah, I don't doubt Americans do that overseas, but it's not unique to us. There's also the occasional Scandinavian type that speak their own language and wonder why no one understands them.

Usually when an American travels within America they have the idea that some things have variant names, but Canadians/ English seem to not catch that at times. I imagine an American overseas would run into the same thing, but recognizing that something is a brand name, not a description, and that brands are not universal could go a ways.

Mostly though, don't judge a country by their tourists. You'll only remember the asshats and then apply it to them all.


Oh, and it is easier with online/ phone translation setups, but of course most folks don't have a travel plan and I'm not letting them use my phone.

[Reaper0329]

Mine wasn't really a cultural faux pas, but it's certainly a dumb tourist moment.

I went to Italy when I was in high school on a class trip. Great times. The morning we leave, I overslept slightly, and I scrambled to get everything tossed in my bag and to get on the bus. Made it without a hitch.

The problem arose in the Rome airport. We're waiting in line for the security check on our bags...all the while, there's a very distinct buzzing coming from somewhere. People in my vicinity are looking around for the source, as am I. Eventually, I set my luggage back down flat and hear the buzzing get louder. Come to find out that in my haste, I threw my electric razor in my bag among my clothes, and apparently, something had shifted and caught the power button.

I should note, at this point, that the Italian airport security guys are decked out in Kevlar and rocking submachine guns (HK UMP's if we're being precise) and are, as an old friend of mine says, not big in the fucking around department. As I kneel and start pilfering through my bag, I look over to see both of them staring at me; one of them casually flicks his safety off (for the non-gun guys here, google image a "HK UMP fire selector," if "how'd you see it?" springs into mind. They're pretty apparent, and I wasn't any more than twenty yards away from the guy, if that).

You don't understand the phrase "I shit myself" like you do when that happens.

So I finally get ahold of the razor...I snatched it out and made a small little "oh look it's a razor stupid me lolAmericans" production of it before shoving it back in and trying to continue through the line. The next time I look over at the guard, he's still standing there, noticeably more relaxed...and flicking the safety back on.

So...yep. That's my dumb tourist moment.

[MechaCThun]

This isn't really a "tourist" situation, but similar.

When I was a child - probably 5 or 6 - my family went to a Chinese buffet & cook-in-front-of-you restaurant (sorry, my ignorance of not knowing the term) and that was the first time I saw that.

While no adults were around, I asked the cook, "Do you guys really have dragons where you are from?" and he looked at me with no facial expression and answered, "No, no" to which my dumb 5 - 6 year old self then said, "Why not?"

[Jonnusthegreat]

The only thing I can immediately think of is the crowds of 20+ asian people getting tours in large cities (in the US). But it's just weird and obvious that you're a tourist. I do the same shit in other countries and I probably look just as weird.

[B Bag]

Speaking in a raised voice/shouting in order to aid translation

[CmdrShep2154]

At a line for a ride at Disney World back in 2015 I heard some Mom and her kids talk about how Trump "will give the world freedom".

I lol'd in my head.

What freedom? Trump didn't do shit for me ever since he sat his orange ass down in the oval office and started nonstop Twitter drama.

What I would do to get a real president. A president who actually gives a shit.

[White Goodman1]

No, but I've seen videos of those idiots near the royal guard at Buchingham palace. I gues they have a deathwish. Also the idiots posing near the leaning tower of Pisa. I mean come on, okay sure take a picture of that place, but why you lose all sense of logic??