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Original poster

Things that have ruined your impression of a place

113 replies

Eleventween · 09/09/2023 18:09

We stopped off in Hereford yesterday on the way back from a family holiday. We'd had an enjoyable afternoon and had been pleasantly surprised by what a lovely city it is. Before we set off for home, we decided to get a McDonalds from the drive-through. The man in the next lane thought we'd cut out in front of him and a full road rage outburst ensued. He jumped out of his car and threatened to smash our window, hurled a torrent of abuse at DH and terrified our two preschoolers who were in the back! I'm sure that whenever I think of Hereford now, that's what I'll remember. It's really annoyed me! What is yours?

OP posts:
RicherThanYews · 09/09/2023 18:12

Drove to North Wales to get my dads birth certificate from the registry office and we stopped at a chippy for food on the way back. A woman in front of me in the queue went absolutely mental at the poor sod serving at the counter because she wasn't given enough chips the last time, so angry woman slammed a pound down on the counter and said she wanted an actual pounds worth of chips. Mental case.

Crikeyalmighty · 09/09/2023 18:42

Got to be having attempted bag theft both times I've been to Barcelona and my debit card swallowed by a cash machine for no reason all in in Barcelona too-

ohtowinthelottery · 09/09/2023 18:46

If only you'd gone to Beefy Boys OP. It's the place to go for proper burgers in Hereford!

Ozgirl75 · 09/09/2023 18:46

When I was about 7 we were moving house and we went to look at one in the New Forest area. We saw a lovely house and my parents were really close to putting in an offer. Then on the way home, someone road raged my dad in a really mad way and they decided that this was a sign that they weren’t meant to buy the house.
Anyway, soon after they found “our” house and have lived there ever since (40 years!).

Riverlee · 09/09/2023 18:47

Graffiti in Brighton - spoilt it for me.

OnAFrolicOfMyOwn · 09/09/2023 18:47

My hometown 😂A man walked past me in town, at midday, shouting into his phone: "You've got to come to my party. I've bought food ... and heroin ... and crack ..."

Bibbitybobbitty · 09/09/2023 18:49

Norwich, crowds of people drunk & unpleasant during day, saw a few moved on by police but most were just harassing tourists. Very intimidating especially with kids.

CalistoNoSolo · 09/09/2023 18:50

I used to love Bristol, but it's so so grimy now that it's really put me off going back. Tbh, anywhere that I have to walk around vomit or faeces on the footpath puts me off a place.

Ozgirl75 · 09/09/2023 18:50

On a similar note my parents hate the song “In the summertime” by the Kinks as they were listening to it in the car once when someone crashed into them.

OHVanessaShanessaJenkins · 09/09/2023 18:57

Smallest pyramid in Giza. Full of horrendous graffiti.
An absolute travesty.

Floos · 09/09/2023 19:13

RicherThanYews · 09/09/2023 18:12

Drove to North Wales to get my dads birth certificate from the registry office and we stopped at a chippy for food on the way back. A woman in front of me in the queue went absolutely mental at the poor sod serving at the counter because she wasn't given enough chips the last time, so angry woman slammed a pound down on the counter and said she wanted an actual pounds worth of chips. Mental case.

"Mental case" ConfusedHmm

TheLightSideOfTheMoon · 09/09/2023 19:19

When I was pregnant with DS I went into a local sweet shop and a customer walked backwards (like, why do people do that?) into me.

Never went back. Always worried I’d be barged out of the way. DS is 20 now, you’d think I’d be over it.

Thatsmorethanhalf · 09/09/2023 19:31

Having my purse stolen within 30 minutes of arriving in Piazza San Marco in Venice. It ruined the rest of the holiday and I have never been back there. I’m sure places like that are a magnet for pick pockets, but I was so awestruck by how beautiful the place was.

DeadbeatYoda · 09/09/2023 19:38

Street drunks in Weymouth.

Unusualactualname · 09/09/2023 19:42

Long time ago I was travel sick on the M5 and we diverted into Tewkesbury. I've never been able to feel positively about the place.

IsItThough · 09/09/2023 19:47

Union jacks/St George flags on flagpoles in Dorset (and similar) towns and villages

Stinky seaweed and rubbish everywhere at Cala de Deia

Vitriolinsanity · 09/09/2023 19:51

The Festival of Litter that was happening whilst we visited Jerusalem, including used sanitary towels.

Not what one expects really.

In my current home town the Police bought themselves a helicopter during lockdown and they enjoy hovering very much. Within about a half mile radius it's like the windows are going to fall out. The like to hover A LOT.

VeronicaBeccabunga · 09/09/2023 19:55

As we approached our hotel in Edinburgh my husband warned me to avoid a whole lot of smashed glass on the pavement. It was still there when we left.

A horrible aggressive drunk told me to go fuck myself simply for walking past and I have never seen so much vomit on the ground anywhere else.

The National Gallery closed the rooms with the Scottish Colourist art, leaving others, of far less interest [to visitors interested in local art] open.

I had really, really wanted to visit Edinburgh too.

Ladybird69 · 09/09/2023 20:01

Tintagel. Visited it in the 80s and it was a magical place with a really spiritual aura, I was so excited to take my children to experience it. However when I took my children there it had been turned into a commercial venue with shops selling merchandise and the whole area was just a tourist spot. Same with Lands End.

ShowOfHands · 09/09/2023 20:01

Whitby. Had always wanted to go and stopped for an overnight on the way home from Scotland. Never seen such drunken aggression. We had wandered to the front to buy fish and chips and to watch the sun set and instead, watched a terrifying fight and scarpered as the police arrived and bottles were thrown at them.

I'm sure it was a one off though and people are always surprised.

Freshair1 · 09/09/2023 20:03

Homeless people in the streets.

ShowOfHands · 09/09/2023 20:05

Bibbitybobbitty · 09/09/2023 18:49

Norwich, crowds of people drunk & unpleasant during day, saw a few moved on by police but most were just harassing tourists. Very intimidating especially with kids.

It's weird because I've grown up in Norfolk, lived in Norwich for the best part of a decade and still visit probably twice a week. DD did work experience there this summer and caught the bus in and out (she's 16). DH was a beat copper there for several years. It's the safest place I know and I've never seen anything like what you describe and neither has DH.

I wonder what the heck was happening when you visited?

IWasFunBeforeMum · 09/09/2023 20:08

Visiting the old village in Mijas in Spain and all the poor horses and donkeys tied up in 30 heat with no access to water.

Same happened in the place in Santorini where the big cruise ships come in and the poor donkeys are lined up on the hill again with no water in stupid heat.

Until tourists stop using these disgusting methods of transport the animals will continue to be mistreated. It honestly breaks my heart and I'd never go back.

After returning from Greece in 2017 when I first witnessed this I signed up way more than I can afford the donkey sanctuary charity. But it's the only way I could ease how awful I felt seeing them.

grayhairdontcare · 09/09/2023 20:09

Durham town centre when a women pissed in a grid at 8.30 pm.
Cardiff city centre where there was an underlying tone of aggressive behaviour all day.

TheClitterati · 09/09/2023 20:36

Riverlee · 09/09/2023 18:47

Graffiti in Brighton - spoilt it for me.

Never go to Italy 😂😬