Being a tourist entails a number of things. On the one hand, you have adventure and excitement, but on the other—there’s the notorious reputation of tourists heeding zero warnings and taking no guff in terms of respecting rules, laws, and customs. To an extreme degree, it seems.

Redditors have recently been discussing unwritten rules in their respective countries that tourists always seem to break. And it sounds like some of these are often made very clear, and even that doesn’t help the case.

#1

If the locals don’t understand English, raising your voice and saying it slowly will not help you be understood.

Image credits: CountMcBurney

#2

Be quiet at memorials. Stay off the monuments.

Image credits: The-potatoman

#3

Do not approach the wildlife in North America. People joke about Australia having all the dangerous animals, then will walk right up to our elk during rutting season and get gored. Same with bears, bison, moose. These animals are NOT tame.

Image credits: ThisLion329

Starting off the list of why tourists aren’t the best is the simple fact that tourists lack awareness—awareness of local customs, laws, regulations and the like.

The general consensus is that this doesn’t pardon tourists from whatever they get themselves into—they should’ve at the very least read up on where they’re going. Otherwise, it might lead to more than just a fine or a mean look from a local.

#4

Obey the signs seems to be planet wide.

Image credits: Ruathar

#5

Don’t pet the fluffy cows and stay on the boardwalks in Yellowstone. It’s actually a written rule, but apparently it’s too difficult to comprehend.

Image credits: Trick_Few

#6

Use of sun protection, I know its technically the same sun, but it works a bit different here in Australia.

Image credits: delayedconfusion

This also ties in with conflicts arising from cultural differences and perceived anonymity.

In the former case, cultural norms differ around the world and in some places they might be straight up laws. This is strongly observed in countries with a strong cultural environment.

In the case of the latter, tourists might feel that being a guest in another country means that laws don’t apply to them. Well, they do. All the same.

#7

In England please respect the queue.

Jumping the queue will bring forth a seething rage and putrid hatred that spews forth tutting and a passive aggressive muttering rant that’s loud enough for others, but not you, to hear

“Oh no you go ahead mate, I’ll just stand back here with everyone else, good job I didn’t have anything on at all….”

The queue is so deeply entrenched in the psyche of the nation that during the 2011 England riots that lasted a week, during which the social fabric broke down, looters could be seen to queue outside the shops they were robbing.

Please respect the queue!

Image credits: Ilostmypassword43

#8

They dont stay off the wet rocks and end up in the ocean

Image credits: Outdoorsmen_87

#9

If there are red flags on the beach it means “NO SWIMMING”
Which also means NO SNORKELING. NO DIVING. NO SURFING. NO PADDLEBOARDING.NO BODYBOARDING. NO SELFIES ON THE REEFS. FFS.

Image credits: algunadiana

Lesser common reasons include a desire for novelty and adventure, which puts tourists into risks they wouldn’t likely experience in their own countries (like walking on wet stones on cliffs overlooking the ocean while the tourists hail from flat-land countries.

What is worse, they can only blame themselves because more dangerous locations have warning signs that tourists tend to ignore.

#10

More specific to my region: stand on the right, walk on the left.

Stop blocking the escalators like a human iron curtain. The poor government workers have already lost enough of their souls, don’t make them mutter “on your left,” as you dawdle around in bewilderment.

Image credits: WassupSassySquatch

#11

Yosemite is in fact NOT Disneyland. You do need to wear more than flip flops when hiking up a cliff and the bears are not, I repeat, NOT animatronic.

Image credits: seadondo

#12

Do not sit in seats reserved for the elderly, infirm, or pregnant women on subways and buses. South Korea.

Image credits: Epiphanes21

There are also reasons that cultural and social conventions deem downright dumb. And that is peer pressure and alcohol.

Tourists who travel in groups might succumb to peer pressure, and so one person touching something they aren’t supposed to turns into tens if not more people touching things.

This disregard for rules is only inflated when alcohol is thrown into the mix as it impairs a person’s judgment and hence can lead to dire consequences.

#13

Stand to the side and let people off the train before trying to board the train. So many times in NYC I’ve encountered groups of Chinese tourists trying to bumrush the train as soon as the doors open.

Image credits: im_on_the_case

#14

I only ever get chatted up by tourists on the train or bus. You don’t chat up people in switzerland, just never.

Image credits: Sartozz

#15

Don’t walk on the cycling lanes.

Image credits: draaijman95

Besides getting into heaps of trouble themselves, the willy-nilly kind of tourists make those around them have to deal with the consequences of their actions as well.

And this is besides the idea of unsustainable tourism—practices performed by those trying to make a quick buck in the travel and tourism industry that cause harm to the destination;’s environment, society, economy and more.

#16

When ordering in a busy pub, please have your entire order ready. Don’t order two things, then add another one on, then go back to the table to ask Deborah what she wants. And if Guinness is in the order, ask for that first.

Image credits: Kyadagum_Dulgadee

#17

Stop asking how to catch a leprechaun. It’s trafficking, and they are a protected species under EU law.

Image credits: WalkwiththeWolf

#18

NZ – No littering. A lot of us here will straight up scream at you to pick your s**t up if you litter in our beautiful country. Tourist or not.

Image credits: GoldenUther29062019

Unsustainable tourism is caused by one or more factors, including a purely profit-driven approach to tourism, lack of regulation, global economic disparities, consumer demand, and the aforementioned lack of awareness. Each of these have an adverse dynamic that can affect the environment, the people living there and the economic or political climate individually or collectively.

#19

In Medellin, Colombia, do not glorify Pablo Escobar. We don’t want to hear about the museum, the tour or you greeting his brother. It was awful for those who lived through it and there are so many other things to do.

Image credits: FewTax2

#20

Don’t swim in brackish rivers in the Nortern Territory.
Oh wait, that’s a written rule tourist’s always seem to break.

Image credits: DeusSpaghetti

#21

Don’t walk holding your cellphone you are gonna get robbed.

Do not f**k with people. Seriously you don’t know if that guy is just a normie or a high rank on the trafficking groups.

Latin women are not objects no matter how little clothing we wear. Do not grope or touch someone without their consent.

DONT TOUCH THE CAPYBARAS YOU CAN GET SICK.

Dont feed the monkeys.

Image credits: Oldlunna

As a result, this might mean a loss of precious biodiversity, over-tourism and congestion, cultural erosion and social exploitation, among other things.

And yes, it can get as bad as the travel sector benefiting completely and the people whose land and very soul is being sucked out getting zilch.

#22

Where there are seals, there are great whites. Those signs aren’t there for a joke. No one will rescue you because there are no lifeguards and/or the beach is closed. Also seals will [unalive] you.

Image credits: thatsaSagittarius

#23

Don’t suddenly hit the breaks and completly stop in the middel of the road because you see a mountain, a reindeer or the northen light. We all are going somewhere, and most of us don’t care about waiting while you fill your Instagram. Get off the road – take as many pictures as you like. Remember that in the winter it’s pitch black most of the day and slippery roads. It’s not a good idea to stop for no good reason.

#24

Do not pick up the cute blue ringed octopus, do not pick up the cute blue ringed octopus, do not pick up the cute blue ringed octopus, do not pick up the cute blue ringed octopus. Do not f*****g do this.

Image credits: DrakeAU

A couple of years back, Bored Panda covered a story that exemplifies this. A Hawai’i native provided context on how tourism is destroying the island state.

The story in question is about a woman who touched an endangered Hawai’i monk seal, and got fined $500. It could’ve been much worse, but even that sum sent tourists into an uproar.

#25

don’t dismantle the coliseum please

Image credits: dekuius

#26

A bit more specific than country in general, but in my home region: Stay the *f**k* off the mud flats. There are sometimes warning signs, but what’s frequently unwritten is the reason *why* you can’t go onto the beach– it’s made of glacial-silt quicksand. It will suck you down and never let go, and then the tide comes in. And you know it’s coming in, and you know you’re going to drown, and there’s nothing anyone can do for you, because you’re inextricably stuck. I frequently see non-locals or newcomers running about on the mud and I want to shout at them.

#27

Do not block entrances or exits. When waiting in line, give the people around you some space, no touching.

Image credits: loritree

The Hawai’i native went on to say that this sort of behavior is propagated by the travel and tourism industry, empowering folks to not care about where they are going, let alone the harm they are doing to the environment, society and economy that they will soon bounce out of, leaving the locals to deal with the consequences.

#28

Don’t pose for pictures with the big waves and pretty rocks behind you. Too many people get knocked down by a sneaker wave and are swept out and they drown. (Pacific Coast of California.) Stay away from the edges!

Image credits: SnooLentils3066

#29

No tipping – we don’t want to start the tipping culture here!

Image credits: molinana

#30

This one is highly specific, but here in the USA we have a monument called The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The changing of the guard always draws a crowd and you are supposed to remain silent. I’ve seen a few videos of people talking, laughing, etc. They tend to get yelled at. These are real guards. They carry weapons. They guard the Tomb 24/7/365 in any weather. Do not disrespect them or the Tomb. Stand silently, film, take pics, and that is all. Most of the videos I’ve seen of people being disrespectful were clearly Americans. Gods forbid these a******s go to another country and s**t all over other people’s traditions.

Image credits: fappyday

So, what are some unwritten rules in your country or area that you see tourists shamelessly breaking? Share your takes and stories in the comment section below!

But if you feel like you need more rules in life, here are some more—also unwritten, also on tourism.

#31

When entering our parks, leave nothing but foot prints behind.

Image credits: cherrie7

#32

Not specifically tourists, just Americans…. They say St Patty’s Day…………who is Patty?

It’s St Paddy’s Day

Calling us British/English won’t go down well in Ireland (Republic)

#33

Respect personal space. If I can feel your body heat or your breath… you’re too damn close!

#34

Don’t f**k with Canadian geese.

And it’s always hilarious when they do.

#35

Please, for the love of god, don’t walk up the steps to the pyramids in Mexico. Aside from it being against the rules, it is taboo and incredibly disrespectful to the indigenous communities. Take pictures and admire from a distance but don’t climb them. And especially don’t get an attitude when a local yells at you to get off.

#36

Do not go to Ireland and order a “Car Bomb” unless you want to be punched in the mouth.

#37

In Germany, the train or the bus wait for no one.

#38

Don’t f**k with the bison or The Grand Canyon. Both can kill you

#39

“Hi, how are you”.

In Estonian culture it’s rude to ask it if you’re actually not prepared to listen to my whole life story. To us this is a very intimate question.

To top it off, a surprising amount of times I’ve been berated by a foreigner for not welcoming them in this exact way. Like I’m supposed to be a psychic and know what culture their from. Or their way is the only universal way to welcome someone. I’ve been extremely offended by this. Someone came to my country as a guest and didn’t even bother to Google how to say hello. ?

#40

Don’t take pictures of dead people at a funeral pyre. Saw a*****e European tourists doing this in Nepal.

#41

Do not strut into a random restaurant and expect to be seated right away in Japan even if they have a table open.

No they did *not* turn you away just because you’re a foreigner.

But they may have turned you away if you don’t seem willing or able to respectfully work through the language barrier to understand and accommodate that restaurant’s rules rather than immediately demanding service in English.

Also, Japanese restaurant staff expect you to show them the utmost respect at all times, especially the higher class you go. Demanding, grumpy, or rude customers of any nationality will likely be asked to leave, or not even allowed in in the first place. And note that your normal attitude as a foreign tourist *can potentially be misinterpreted as demanding or rude behavior* compared to Japanese or long term resident foreign diners, so try and tone it down. This includes the volume of your voice. Speaking quietly will alone open a lot of doors that would otherwise be closed to you.

If you want to explore, wonderful, but expect to *possibly* be turned away from multiple restaurants before you get in somewhere, and don’t take it personal. You are probably missing important cues (such as Japanese signs that say members only, reservation only, or reserved for a private party) that are obvious to locals and foreign residents but unclear to tourists. Roll with it.

If you want to avoid the confusion and potential embarrassment, *you MUST ask your hotel to get you a reservation somewhere*.

#42

• Don’t try and do a Scottish accent. Barely any of us talk or sound like Shrek and it just pisses us off.

• Don’t claim to be Scottish just because your great great great great great grandfather was Scottish – newsflash, you’re not Scottish.

• Don’t talk about religion – it’s a touchy subject with a lot of sectarianism between Protestants and Catholics.

• Don’t mistake us for England, or ask us to speak more English.

#43

F*****G. MOVE.

I imagine this is everywhere, but keep your groups tight and walk with purpose. People will just stop in large crowds and completely block pedestrian traffic and not give a single f**k.

#44

Coming to Canada and talking about how much we Canadian love Tim Hortons. We don’t. They got bought out and bastardized by Burger King and now the food and coffee is terrible but there are thousands of locations everywhere, some even across the street from each other.

We do not like Tim’s, it’s been forced upon us.

#45

Listen to the lifeguards when on the beach.

The amount of drownings and rescues we have here because “people know better” than the lifeguards is appalling. We had the highest rates of preventable drownings for a decade in 2022, with slightly less in 2023.
58% were men over 45!

#46

Don’t feed the F’n seagulls! Or any wild life for that matter.

#47

Use headphones or turn your volume off on your phone.

#48

You will not be able to see everything during your stay (USA). Even trying to see all that you want in one state can end up being a lot. This country is frickin’ huge.

#49

No peeing in public!!!

Source: I see specifically mainland Chinese doing this, whether it’s in Hong Kong or Toronto. It’s disgusting.

#50

Trying to pet the local moose.

Look, I know it’s a majestic creature right in the middle of the city but it’s a really, really bad idea to start thinking it’s Bullwinkle and try to get a selfie with it.

On second thought…you do you. Go give him a big old skritch on the snoot. Us locals will be watching…from way over there.

#51

Respect personal space. No close talkers

#52

In Canada you say sorry even when it’s not your fault and you didn’t do anything wrong.

#53

if you bump into someone say SORRY

#54

Funniest sign I ever saw “don’t feed the bears… they can be dangerous “ LMAO like reeeaaally?? How come there has to be a sign!!

#55

Don’t be a c**t

from Bored Panda https://ift.tt/ShGZaHU
via IFTTT source site : boredpanda