to really hate tourists?

[SheikYerbouti]

They are the bane of my life.

Yes, yes, yes, I KNOW they plough millions of pounds into our local economy and that they have the right to invade my home town EVERY DAY OF THE FARKING YEAR.

But WHY do they have to stand in the middle of the pavement in their shorts and backpacks holing maps and getting in the way. I saw one today in pissing hiking gear - in the centre of Bath fgs. I know it's hilly here, but one does not need crampons and a walking pole for scaling the dizzy heights of BHS. (he wasn't really wearing crampons, btw. I am exaggerating)

They get off the park and ride that I use to get to and from work and they just STAND THERE. Never do they step aside.

Yes, I know IABVU, but I just had to get it off my chest because they all stand in groups squinting up at things and getting in the way

they used to bug me a lot more when we lived in Edinburgh.

that may have been because i had to work right near the Old Town and the bus always took an age to trickle through huge crowds of numpties.

we have a lot here, but they are mostly weegies and so they are not nearly so bothersome . they like a laugh and a drink and a good time and are not po-faced for the most part.

Chopchopbusybusy - did you name change? I used your catch phrase to great effect with my kids, then you disappeared off the boards and I thought I'd imagined you! Chop chop busy busy is a BRILLIANT phrase to get kids moving!

I like to visit historic towns. I love Bath and when I go I have plenty of time to wander around and stand and stare-I don't see anything wrong in that.
Life would be pretty horrible if we always had to rush around our home towns in a purposeful manner!
We even had a letter in our local paper complaining that old people and mothers with children were blocking pavements and making queues in shops at lunch time when workers were in a hurry! I really don't see why old people and women with children should have to shop to suit the workers!!

Message withdrawn

I have never really noticed any tourists in Birmingham.

Lots of vomiting Hens and Stags up Broad St though, if you can class those as 'tourists'

I agree riven-I am going to enjoy wandering aimlessly around Bath in the future!! I also have Cambridge and Edinburgh in mind!
People complaining have an easy solution-go and live in a place that no one wants to visit-there will be one within commuting distance!

Funnily enough I live in a place where there are hoardes of tourists in the summer and they don't bother me one bit. But I work in the centre of London where they drive me demented.

I think we must get a better class of tourist out here

God bless the tourists! if it weren't for them, my business would probably go under at the moment.
agree with cod re: foreign language students...I have caught 2 stealing in the last month

///waves to Trefusis
(who has no idea who I am as I name changed as part of new life a while back )

No not unreasonable...Blackpool resident here!

why oh why do they just stop dead in the middle of the pavement and stare up in amazement at the fucking Tower...you can still see it if you step to the side of the Godam pavement you know!!! [red]

I like tourists. I live in London and I feel strangely proud when I see tourists admiring it. Also, I've found that they are always very happy to help with buggies on the tube.

I live in Devon and the tourists are a nightmare between about June and October. It takes an extra half hour to get anywhere from all the tourists driving at two miles and hour and pointing at sheep on the moors-why can't they park up? and when you do finally get to your destination, the car park is full of huge motor homes parked over 2-4 spaces. As we live quite close to the Cornwall border our road also gets blocked off by a trail of motor homes and cars stuffed to the gills (obviously holiday makers) on their way home, particularly bad at the weekends. Plus all the general aimless wandering that goes on. It makes living here hard work in the summer.

Well if you have a suitable boudoir, Trefusis, you might as well make the most of it
Can they use camcorders too?

I'm in Edinburgh and I can deal with the actual tourists but the people who come up for the Festival who are "arty" I hate them with a passion.

They are so LOUD. And so BORING. A young man walked down my street yesterday on his mobile. I could hear EVERY word he said till he reached the bottom of the street. None of it was interesting, or necessary information.

And they do think that I have nothing better to do than go and see their crap show. It's on at 2pm. I'm wearing a suit. What do you think I'm doing with my day, you flippy haired dolly moppet?

dartmoormama you must be near me (right on border but in the north).

I heart tourists - mainly because they wind the locals up

they can't drive.

they see a car (mine) coming towards them on the lanes, (like last weekend) with 4 cars behind it, and continue coming towrds you, even tho they have NOTHING behind them.

I sat there, with the 4 cars behind me, no way i and 4 cars can reverse.

Sit staring, and then car decided 5 minslater to reverse about 15 ft into a passing place.

we call them grockles.

I like them really. The ones i don't like are the toffee nosed ones who turn up on the beach in floaty dresses, flip flops that prob cost £60, and the men are in pink sweaters and jeans, and shoes (like last weekend). Then they sit on embriodered monsoon quilty throws, and pick off every grain of sand that deigns to get on them.

I live near canterbury, the only problem I have with the continual visitors is when they walk staight in front of my pushchair or my nanna, and then give ME the dirty look.

Yes, Demelza! I hear you!

I worked at the university and we all hated the Festival folks.

You couldn't even get from the bus stop to the office without screeching mobile/flyer dodging.

Arrggggh.

And forget about going out to lunch or getting a coffee.

Oh, yes. The tourists. They wander up for a walk in the forest in the middle of the afternoon in August (illegal due to the fire hazard) in 38 degrees centigrade with a small bottle of water each.

We love them really and don't at all mind a single bit when they wander into our garden and ask for water, no really, not at all annoying.

One of these days we'll say no and then feel guilty for ever as the relevant idiot tourist dies of dehydration.