to ask for your DFL (down from London) stories

[holidayspotlocal]

Living in the West Country and we are currently inundated with tourists. Great to have the money in the local economy and I hope they have a lovely time on the beach. However, some are obviously from cities and have no idea what life is like here.
We call them DFL - down from London. (they may be from other places tho)
Most worrying is the lack of knowledge about tides, rips, crumbly cliffs etc, and the sheer rudeness to hospitality staff. Plus they drive shiny 4x4 Landrovers that can't squeeze into a passing place without the parking sensors going off and they can't back up on the lanes.
Last week I heard one say 'Where has all the beach gone? I'm sure there was a lot more sand this morning'

You sound like a horrible snob. Either that or totally jealous do them for some reason. I’m sure Londoners could say similar about country bumpkins who visit the city as tourists.

@MrsRobbieHart

We are currently on holiday in the West country and DH overheard a child in the chip shop queue ask "mummy, is there wifi in our tent?"

I’ve camped on sites with WiFi. Sounds like this child has too. It’s not a daft question.

In the tent? How? Are there boosters on every fence post? I'm of the school of "attach a socket to a tree for when the Guides ask to plug in their straighteners" ex Guiders.

@ShingleBeach

I’m a Londoner and I love visitors in London, their enthusiasm, the buzz of enjoying landmarks etc. Abs like many other Londoners do my best to help with tube directions etc.

But…. I do worry about all those DFBs DFMs DFSs (Birmingham/Manchester/Sheffield) etc etc falling off crumbly cliffs and eating their jam and clotted cream the wrong way up.

It is it just people on holiday from London?

The West Country is a long way to go for people from Birmingham/Manchester/Sheffield.

So the Brummies go to Barmouth, the Mancunians go to Blackpool, and the Sheffielders go to Cleethorpes.

it worries me beacuse they get themselves into dangerous situations then other people have to rescue them

Realistically how often does this happen?
@RadioSixMusicLover I've no idea about seaside mishaps but I used to work on a mountain and the number of dangerous idiots I encountered was unreal.

I assumed the op was writing her post a little tongue in cheek & she said how they are helping the local economy.
You can be a tourist but still have a little common sense about narrow lanes, reversing and tides.

@Blessex

Oh and let’s create a new sneary acronym DFL. Just grow up OP. Don’t you think there is enough hate already in this world ?

Yep. This. I've lived in Devon for over 30 years and I've never heard this expression. I live in a village where there are plenty of SUVs and other things you get in London. The only time I, as a local, notice tourists is that they tend to wear shorts and flip flops even when it's shit weather. But I go on holiday to Cornwall and freeze on the beach in my bikini so I'm guilty of wanting to be in holiday mode even if it's not holiday weather too.

@Happymum12345 ah so let’s us Londoners write a shit post about how we feel when the country bumpkins come up to the city. Do we? No. Why? Because we are sick of division.

I'll be DFL next week and hoping most people are nicer then you op!
I somehow seem to have managed to acquire the basic social skills needed to eat out DESPITE being so unfortunate as to live in a city, so I imagine I'll manage the week without being too rude to anyone.
Fill disclose, I really am dreadful at reversing though (sadly no shiny 4x4).

And I grew up in Norfolk and am now a Londoner. Let’s please try and pull together given the real problems in the world.

It's attitudes like this that means I would rather stay in London and go on holiday abroad than in UK coastal towns and cities. Booked one today for Dec. I'm sure my touristy vibe will be appreciated where we are heading.

@Ireolu yep us too. We will go to Italy instead x

Then the UFTS (up from the sticks) - new stupid acronym - won’t be able to go abroad.

Stupid and ignorant thread. I grew up in the countryside and now live in London. I have never looked down on people who cannot navigate city life when they visit, why should they? I have also experienced being ripped off when on holiday in the British coast, several times in fact, because we are "DFL": overcharged, made to wait while locals are served first, then informed they've run out of fish, etc. I also know people who moved to the coast a year ago and now laugh at "DFLs". So stupid...

Is this for the Mail or the Express?

I live not far from the sea and every year there are fatalities of tourists who don't understand the power of the tides and currents. I don't blame them but I do wonder if maybe a basic knowledge of sea safety wouldn't go amiss in all schools. I know schools are maxed out as it is but just because you live in a city doesn't mean you're never going to go to the coast. I believe swimming is on the curriculum nowadays (happy to be corrected, my children are grown up now) but it seems it could fit nicely there?

I live in a very central part of London and visitors are very welcome, they add to the vibrancy and diversity of our city. We missed them in lockdown. Even though sometimes it does get slightly irritating to have people in (illegal) air bnbs near us thinking that they can party all night and not realising that there are many people living here permanently who have to get up for school and work, or older people who have lived here all their lives who don't want to be disturbed all night by drunk out of towners or have our front door steps littered with their discarded late night takeaways and empty drink cans because do you even have bins in the country side? Thank god Westminster Council clean up after them 7 days a week 24 hours a day. Thank god those of us who live in big cities aren't as small minded and mean as you OP.

These sort of threads really put me off going to Devon and Cornwall as those always seem to be the places where people hate tourists.
I'm a Londoner and love the touristy stuff here & I come from the north so if we're on holiday in the UK I go back up there to the North East coast. It's quick on the train from London, friendly, great beaches and food. Well worth considering if you don't want to inconvenience those in the south west.

I believe swimming is on the curriculum nowadays (happy to be corrected, my children are grown up now) but it seems it could fit nicely there?
It is, yes.

It’s fine. We will go elsewhere.

I come from Norfolk. Left. Made my money in London and globally. Now reinvesting it in Norfolk. Some people need to seriously grow up.

This is the weirdest version of Town Mouse and Country Mouse I've ever read.

Not sneery at all.

It really is.

@GreenWheat

I was thinking of starting a thread about country bumpkins that don't know how to use a diagonal pedestrian crossing or navigate the tube. But then I thought, "ooh hang on, people are from different places and maybe instead of being so superior I should help them next time....."

This.

I live in Milton Keynes and am laughing at all of you for being so uptight.

No one wants to live here, or visit here, but we love living here and one of the best things about it is not having to encounter the puffed-out chest of those who live in tourist hotspots or in London.

You are all being ridiculous to be so precious. Give over.

In the tent?

Yes

How? Are there boosters on every fence post?

I have no idea! Signal was iffy at times but suspect that was because every other tent was logged in

@Chicchicchicchiclana

Hope you never visit London op.

In the 1950s, a Welshman from very rural Merionethshire summed up his one and only visit to London: "It wouldn't suit me at all. There's too many people altogether, and all in such a hurry, and no friendliness between them. Very wonderful, oh yes, very wonderful, no doubt, but a terrible place indeed."