Tourists

All In London Forum
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greenleafje
I work very near the natural science museum and the V and A. Every day when I go home those museums close their doors for public; so all the tourists get on the streets, with their big ass maps not knowing where to go grrrrr, rather annoying
Posted: 2006-06-14 21:05:16
xPrincessx
I hate it when the tourists come up to you and ask for directions.
You explain it to the fullest you can, each detail squeezed in, and they still have no clue.
So you try a much simpler version and their faces look just as blank as before!
Drives me up the wall!
Posted: 2006-06-14 22:53:36
greenleafje
I read this book last week called a year in the merde. About a Londoner going to Par to live there. Now he talks about parisian shrugs. When you are not interested, shrug it away. I will try that tactic myself hehe
Posted: 2006-06-23 19:15:54
city lover
i think it's a disgrace that people are so disgusted by tourists! Why are you all so annoyed by people who love to visit your amazing&fanous capital city? Shameful, i say Sad Folks up here in Glasgow do actually welcome tourists and welcome them - why can't Londoners do the same???
Posted: 2006-07-04 03:50:22
peach
I've decided to treat people kindly, if they don't respect me as a visitor to their city that's their problem.

I hope Glasgow is a welcoming place I'm going there too. Happy
Posted: 2006-07-04 03:56:09
Dirty Boots
So it's not ok to look at a map and try to figure out where to go, nor is asking someone who does... Would carrying a GPS with me be acceptable then?

PS, i love London even though I was only there for a week. Next time i go back, i'll be sure I have studied the map in great details before i land.
Posted: 2007-09-16 04:13:00
Ender
There's a signifigant difference between Glasgow and London. Londoners try their hardest to accomodate to the tourists, but sometimes the tourist may expect a bit too much out of a Londoner. A many of times I've tried to give directions and get the blank stare of doom. If, by the second or third time explaining, I typically recommend them to pick up the good ol' A to Z (at least for getting to particular roads). Some londoners not knowing the area they've stumbled upon can be a bit annoying as well; if you don't know where a slightly-hidden pub is and they ask you for directions, you get the old heave-ho "Aw, **** off then mate" in some situations.

As with everything there's good and bad in the situations posed. I enjoy assisting people with directions when I can (I'm a "landmarkist" - where buildings, shops, and pubs are my place holders; as I'm not too well with street names), but some people just get too frustrated because London is a rather fast-paced location.
Posted: 2007-11-24 10:03:29
billc
I have never actually found Londoners rude.
Posted: 2007-11-30 20:20:42
All In London
Hi all :wave:

Interesting topic. For me it really depends on the mood I'm in on that day and what the weather's like. If the sun is shining I'm generally quite happy to give out directions :)

I think that 90% of the time directions from someone else are ignored anyway. London is just far too large and complicated to really stand a chance in giving directions.

AIL Staff
Posted: 2007-12-14 12:46:53
London-girl
Hey all,

I'm not really bothered when somebody asks me for directions. The only thing I find annoying is when I give them directions and they then start questioning what I said. The other day I was walking through Kensington Gardens when this lady came up to me and asked where Kensington Palace was. I told her to just walk straight ahead (you could actually see the Palace from where we were standing) but she said "No, I think it's in that direction" pointing to the right. I said "No, this way you'll get to Bayswater" and she gave me that weird look and asked "Hmm, are you SURE???" :speechless:
Posted: 2007-12-27 07:26:24
StuPed
lol I went to London for a few days (Thurs 3rd - Sun 6th) and fortunatly didnt have to ask for directions. I took a road map that i had printed on A3 paper folded it in two and bob's your uncle. I like to think Im quite good with maps and maybe some people are not quite as good at reading them but I found it beneficial to read up on the maps of the areas where I was staying, did my research and I would say it made the trip that much easier to do.

Ok, I live in Devon and the pace of the two places are a world apart, but we still get the typical people who just stop in the middle of the path and the map readers ect. which is why i move to one side and read my map if i have too. If its annoying for me here in Devon I only have sympaphy for you lot in London. Curious but does anyone actually enjoy giving directions?

Still, apart from the other tourists, the Londoners i met were very friendly and I would have loved to have stayed a bit longer! :hyper:
Posted: 2008-01-07 09:58:41
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