When visiting a foreign country, many people like to hide the fact that they are tourists, and make every effort to blend in with the locals.
Even so, most tourists can't help but do a few things that locals seldom or never do, such as taking selfies in front of historic monuments, buying cheesy hats and T-shirts, or going to notoriously crowded places.
If doing these things will more than likely make them stick out like a sore thumb, it also won't exactly put them in harm or danger, as most tourists at least have the good sense to read a blog or guidebook instructing them on how to stay safe while traveling.
The most savvy travelers know that the best place to get advice on what not to do when traveling abroad is not online or in a book, but directly from the locals.
Redditor PM_ME_UR_DOGS_FEET was eager to hear the opinions of people around the world as to what tourists should avoid doing when visiting their country, leading them to ask:
"What should people absolutely not do when visiting your country?"
Moo!
"If you are hiking through the Austrian mountains with a dog, put it on a leash."
"The cows will hurt you if they feel threatened."
"In general, don't disturb the cows and keep away from them."- annadaso
Cows Alps GIF by MeinMontafon
Giphy
Not All Creatures Are Cute And Cuddly...
"Approach wildlife, especially when they’re with their offspring."
"The amount of idiot tourists I’ve seen outside their cars within mauling distance of a bear or moose is mind boggling."-GingerMeTimberMate
"Do not touch the bison."
"I don’t care that they’re herbivores and look fluffy."
"They are incredibly strong and will kill you if they’re in a bad mood."- hartywhalers
Bison Yellowstone GIF by Nat Geo Wild
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No One Needs To Blend In That Much!
"I live in Barbados."
"Don't wear camouflage."
"It's illegal unless you're a part of the Defense Force."- durants
They Call It The Outback For A Reason
"Don't go for a drive in the outback without making sure you're properly prepared if you get stuck."
"There's a reason you see so many abandoned cars on the highways out there."- thethreekittycats
Back Of The Line!
"UK here."
"Always queue."
"Even if there isn’t a queue, just look around politely and ask whoever’s around if they’re queueing."
"I know this reads like a joke but it really isn’t."
"There’s always a queue, and tourists always ignore it, and that’s usually why tourists get a bad rap in the UK."-fearthe0cean
Literal Red Flag Alert!
"If you're not a strong swimmer, please don't wade out into our ocean expecting that you'll be okay."
"If you want to swim at our beaches, stay between the flags where there are lifeguards on duty."- nightlightened
The Beach Summer GIF
That Some People Would Actually Need A Warning...
"Don't do the Nazi greeting."
"In fact, just don't do it anywhere."
"But especially not in my country."
"Police will arrest you for it."- Mad_Moodin
Or Stand Still In Them For That Matter...
"Don't walk the bicycle lanes."- valthorgallifrey
Be Selective When Sight Seeing
"Don't go to Hollywood expecting something."
"Also, don't spend tons of money just to see famous people's homes on one of those bus tours."
"You should go to all the cool museums around LA though, those are pretty neat."
"And the beaches aren't too bad either."- jgeradsfdh
hollywood GIF by American Idol
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It's Just Plain Rude
"Don't touch the King's guard."- EmperorOfNipples
Or Any Busy Street Anywhere...
"If you’re visiting Brazil, specially a big city, avoid using your smartphone while walking on the streets, as you become more prone to being robbed."- DistantLandscapes
Not the Most PC Name If You Really Think About It
"Order an ‘Irish Car Bomb’ shot."
"Doesn’t exist here, and the name has roots in The Troubles, a dark time in our history that people north and south of the border who are still alive lost people to."- TheIrishninjas
Irish Cream Beer GIF by DrSquatchSoapCo
Giphy
Not All Canadians Are So Friendly...
"If you come across Canada, don't ever dare touching our geese, thanks."- ClickWorthy69420
Many tourists enjoy going off the beaten path and veering from the most famous and heavily visited places.
But before straying from the path, it couldn't hurt to get advice from a local on just how far to stray.
A recent Redditor was curious to hear what tourists and locals alike should avoid doing in the USA, leading them to ask:
"In the United States, what should you never do?"
Stay out of the skies!
"Don't fly a drone in Washington, DC."
"The whole D.C. Area is a no fly zone."
"It's a federal offense."
"Just don't do it."- PeytonCarrK
Cops can't be bribed.
"Don't try to bribe cops when you get pulled over."
"I had some Argentinian friends immediately pull out their wallets and start pooling their cash when they got pulled over once.'
"Fortunately someone in the car noticed and told them to put it away immediately."- PeytonCarrK
"Don't pay off the police."
"My dad has friends from several third-world nations where it is common practice to give the police some cash when you are pulled over."
"However, if you try to bribe a police officer here, you'll get into a lot of trouble."- JohnASmiley
"Do not f*ck with cops."
"It might cost you your life."- Guska-siilka
Know your rights.
"Everyone, including foreigners, has the right to be silent and have a lawyer when being questioned."
"Don’t say anything."
"Also, even if you speak English fairly well, ask for an interpreter."- WickedLilThing
Enjoy all that nature has to offer... carefully!
"Don't wander off in the national parks."
"It's very real wilderness and you can get lost and die out there."
"This includes going over railings you aren't supposed to, or off trails."
"People have died accidentally falling into a steam geyser that looked like normal water, mauled by animals or left to the elements."- AlphaOhmega
national parks GIF by Visit The USAGiphyAllow plenty of time!
"Expect consistency at TSA in airports."- WickedLilThing
Some terminology doesn't translate...
"If you’re from England, they’re called cigarettes here."- Yung_Onions
Make sure your license is up to date.
"If you come from a walkable country don’t come here expecting the same."
"There are some areas with good public transportation and bicycle/pedestrian friendly streets but for the most part, especially outside of cities, the areas are designed to accommodate cars more than anything else."
"The reason a lot of Americans drive everywhere is because, depending on where you live, we have no choice."- The_Cars93
Dog Driving GIFGiphyWait for instructions.
"Get out of your car and approach the cop when being stopped by a cop unless told to."- hildrash
Be careful who you associate with
"Don’t join a cult and work for their 'family businesses' because by the time you realize you’re in a cult the statutes of limitations probably has run out, on the financial exploitation."
"Good luck trying to get reimbursed because after that you’re crap out of luck."
"At least you have your sanity back."
"Don’t give your power over to an illiterate boomer, who is dressed in all white, promising you that they have the secret sauce to the universe, trust your gut, and just walk away."- The_Bearded_1_
Don't rely on the badge
"Ask the police for directions, or anything else for that matter."
"At least not in Mobile, Alabama."
"Just my two cents after being a ignorant tourist trying to find my way."- Andreomgangen
season 9 eddie GIFGiphyAvoid another revolution!
"Betray us!"- brandii5k
Don't rely on our healthcare...
"Get sick."- Giga-Gargantuar
Hold it in when you can...
"Visit a public bathroom."
"I’m not American, so the bathrooms there seem 12x more disgusting then the ones at home."- QuietQuizzy
snl child GIF by Saturday Night LiveGiphyConsult a map first...
"Don’t understand how freaking huge the states are."
"Most European countries are barely if even close to the size of most of our states."
"They’re ginormous."- Grumpytacos56
At least not in plain sight!
"Pee on the sidewalk."- SkyUpbeat8839
Budget accordingly...
"Underestimate gas prices but that’s pretty much for a lot of countries."- Fun-Feeling8216
gas gasoline GIFGiphyDon't spoil your appetite
"Serving sizes."
"Its 3x your size here in America."
"A large cup in Europe is a medium or small in America."- Thund3r_Cr4ck3r
Level your expectations...
"Believe in the American Dream!"- zoheer
Whether your'e waling down a street in a foreign country, or the street you've lived on for your entire life, it's always wise to be on guard and aware of your surroundings.
Not to mention, obey the law.
I try my best to respectful when in other people's spaces. But how can we do better?
Rocked Off
"Going on the black rocks and being swept out to the Atlantic Ocean, risking the lives of first responders and locals many of whom are already traumatized from Swiss Air."
bassibear
Just be decent...
"Don't freaking carve your name on stuff!!! The amount of people who need to carve their names onto historical buildings and statues are just crazy. Don't be an a**. You are ruining the place. And respect peoples properties. Yeah, it's a cute street with cute houses and charming gardens. But that does NOT give you the right to enter peoples private properties to peep in their windows, walk in their gardens and try to open their doors."
"A colleague is selling his house because he's tired of people peeping in their windows and trying to open their door to have a look inside. He got yelled at for being inappropriate while he was sunbathing naked in his own garden by a tourist who let themself in the gate and walked around the house to have a look at his garden."
Frequent_Artichoke
Defacers
"Deface world heritage sites for souvenirs or internet clout."
"For example: The Colosseum in Rome has graffiti carved into it's walls by arsehole tourists and Stone Henge is closed off to the public because arseholes were chipping pieces off for souvenirs."
Bedlamcitylimit
"It is worth noting: at one point the 'caretakers' at Stonehenge handed out rock hammers to tourists for the specific purpose of chipping off bits to take as souvenirs. That was before the modern idea of 'museum as conservation of history.'"
beamrider
Snapshots
"Stopping their cars in the middle of the road to take in a view. WTF?"
Duality_is_my_prison
"They do this for wildlife where I live as well. I've seen idiots chasing bears with cubs into the forest to take pictures with their phones. A friend of mine lost a relative because a touron in a bear jam didn't look before pulling back into traffic on the road because he was so focused on the bear and didn't see the cyclists. Hit one of them and broke the cyclist's neck."
MizElaneous
Hands Off
angry yellowstone national park GIFGiphy"For your sake, STOP TRYING TO PET THE BUFFALO! Or don't, some of us are entertained by the videos of you flying through the air."
WyoPeeps
Why do we always want to touch the wild beasts? We have death wishes.
Too Many Sips
Happy Spring Break GIF by HBOGiphy"Driving drunk. I live in Sonoma County, California. Make sure you’ve got a sober driver ffs. The roads around here are never more dangerous than winery tasting room closing time on a sunny weekend."
XinaRoo
Money Woes
“'I paid a lot to be here.' 'Change (blank) or I’ll leave a horrible review.' Driving like a d**k head, leaving garbage anywhere but a rubbish bin, stopping in the middle of the road to let out your family of 12 instead of pulling into the parking lot. I have a lot of stories. I live in Hawaii and work only with tourists. Best yet, My company was asked to contact the cruise ship company to have them move the ship because it disrupted the sunset."
Ishart_thesherrif
Infested
"In my hometown, it somehow became a thing that tourists would rent mopeds. So when you are trying to get to work, you often get stuck behind a flock of tourists on mopeds, riding at 20MPH in formation so you cannot pass them. We are infested with gawking tourists moped gangs. If they want to rent mopeds, at least go the speed limit, and ride in a manner that allows others to pass you."
Panthean
Food Wars
"Stop feeding the damn seagulls."
AlwaysPhrasing
"I worked at Disney World for a few years and the squirrels there are vicious. People think it's fun to feed them so they are completely fearless. They'll hop right into a stroller and grab food from a child."
Jupiters
Proper Attire
Falling Down Lol GIF by America's Funniest Home VideosGiphy"Stop trying to hike up a mountain in flip-flops! Also, don't try to use an air mattress as a mode of transport between islands. Several of these every year."
JoetheGrim
Hey SoCal...
"I live in SoCal and... there's a lot, but one thing I find hilarious is the way people complain about the locals at Disneyland. 'The passholders ruin it for everyone! It's too crowded!' Like ok let me just not enjoy my local amusement park so that you can have less crowds during your vacation."
"Maybe stop traveling here in the summer. It's SoCal; it's warm all year long. Come in the winter. Another funny complaint I heard was: 'It's weird seeing the locals walk around chilling, like it's just a normal day for them. It kind of ruins the magic of Disney."
heidismiles
That Weekend
"Allowing their kids to do whatever they want. I grew up in a small tourist town that does Civil War re-enactments ( Ulysses S. Grant lived there when he won the presidency). Once a year they have a weekend where the Boy Scouts take over the town camping down by the river, taking tours of the historic buildings etc."
"Every year most of the downtown shops will close for this weekend because of how much the Boy Scouts will steal or vandalize while there. Everyone that lives their dreads that weekend because the troop leaders just let the scouts do whatever they want."
m00mrayne
What's left behind...
"Spain. We get a crap of tourists. Very well behaved for the most part where I am. So, thanks for doing it right, tourists. The worst is littering on the beach, which is thankfully pretty rare. I occasionally see someone put a cigarette butt in the sand. A lot are taken away when they leave, but the sand has away of hiding stuff, so a lot remain."
"I'll give you tourists one tip. Night swimming. If you put your keys, glasses, etc. down in the sand, they're gone. Between the sand and the dark, you'll never see them again."
sbenzanzenwan
History Spots
dallas cowboys football GIF by Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the TeamGiphy"Stop walking out into the middle of an active downtown street to take group pictures of yourselves in cheerleading outfits on the spot where Kennedy was shot."
stupidlyugly
Just Stop
"Clean up your f**king trash. I used to live in a spring break destination which was a small surf town. After spring break, people would be cleaning up pounds upon pounds of beer cans, broken bottles, needles, used condoms... f**king revolting.
"Edit for you nitpickers: I meant 'stop throwing your garbage on the ground.' There, now get off my cheeks."
MiniatureWendigo
Oblivious
"Amsterdam. Walking around like they're at Legoland, blindly stepping into traffic, oblivious to the fact that people actually live here. We use the bike to get to work, to get groceries, we're not just aimlessly cycling around for the fun of it."
bidluf
"I live in the Netherlands so I’m used to bikes. Amsterdam however truly is on another level. The residents ride their bikes like they are ready to kill anyone standing in their way."
neortje
Dead Pause
"Stopping dead in a crowd in the middle of the sidewalk."
ScoobyJoobyDigDog
"St. Patrick’s Day in Chicago when they dyed the river green, we had tourists stretched across the sidewalk taking photos with selfie sticks. I eventually had to gently, physically move them since a massive crowd was forming and they wouldn’t let anyone through."
Proper-Emu1558
Show some...
Respect Aretha GIF by MOODMANGiphy"Just respect the land! Clean up after yourself. Be very careful about making and extinguishing your fires (because forest fires!). Don't dump garbage, fuel, gray/black water in ditches."
"A big one in BC is for tourists to learn how to drive in mountainous areas. Most tourists drive way too slow (leading to road rage), and too many don't know how to stay right on highways except to pass. Or pull over to let people pass you if you don't know how to drive on twisty roads."
cabalavatar
Well this is all good information. Now... will people listen?
Redditor Phrince_Prillip asked:
"Non-Australians, what's the first thing that comes to your head when you think of Australia?"
Mr. Dundee
"A voice in my head saying 'You call that a knoif?'"
- Flaky-Fellatio
"Love the pronunciation of the word 'Knoife'."
- Phrince_Prillip
"That's not a knoife. THIS is a knoife."
- MadnessPersonified
Giphy"I hate that my answer was kangaroos."
"I know more about Australia but f'king kangaroos pops up first."
- yankiigurl
"AUSTRALIA=KANGAROOS"
- Zgirl333
"Kangaroos, yes. But specifically that kangaroos are just buff donkeys."
- Torshii
GiphyFood?
"Answering honestly, the first word that popped into my head when I read your question was vegemite."
- ReadyTadpole1
"Now I want some Vegemite."
- Fabulous_Parking66
"Please don't make the mistake everyone makes. Remember, it's not chocolate. This has been the Australian Government Department of Vegemite Health and Safety."
"Funded by the Australian Government Canberra."
- ProbablyNotYourMum
"If you are a foreigner, the first time you eat vegemite, it should be spread so thin that it is a light brown smear. Half a pea size might be too much for one piece of bread."
"Now if you are an aussie and still do that amount, you are weird."
- Theosie
GiphyR.I.P. G.B.R.
"The Great Barrier Reef. It’s a dream of mine to see it one day."
- macaronsforeveryone
"Better book yr ticket soon…"
- BandicootPlastic5444
"I guess my dream is dead in the water, literally."
- macaronsforeveryone
"People say it's all dead but there's still an enormous amount of living reef to be seen. It's definitely worth going to."
- philjorrow
GiphySouthern Hemisphere
"Summer during end of the year, December."
- ixhejehdbejeh
"For whatever reason, we still play all the old Christmas songs. even White Christmas, when it's summer and like 40°C (104° F) outside."
- rawker86
"Christmas on the beach is sensational."
GiphyCrikey
"Steve Irwin."
- Ok-Chocolate5893
"When I was a kid it was my life goal to meet Steve Irwin, I was obsessed with the man. When he passed I was absolutely inconsolable for days."
"Also, does anyone remember the episode where he lays with his dog [Sui] before she passes? I've been trying to find the clip and was never able to."
"No idea why I want to make myself cry but it was a really touching moment."
- la-bano
"Bless that wonderful person."
"We miss him, my eyes just watered from thinking about him, he was my first ever celebrity death, and I was devastated as a young boy."
- Sir_Admiral_Chair
GiphyChomp!
"Crocodiles."
- Deana-Marie
"Ooh! Saltwater crocodiles!! I'd forgotten how big they can get."
- pennyraingoose
Giphy🎵 You better run, you better take cover...🎶
"Men at Work’s 'Down Under' automatically started playing in my head when I read the word Australia."
- Jaded195
GiphyChanged Perception
"German here, now living in Australia."
"Before: heavy drinkers, kangaroos and koalas."
"Now: Huntsman spiders, bushfires, flooding and heavy fines for everything."
- drschnaps
"Twas an early morning after a big night with my mates. Everyone was sleeping, and I got up from the couch to go to the toilet or whatever."
"I came back to witness a chunky Huntsman spider walking across the tiled floor, toward my friend's bedroom door."
"I could hear its footsteps."
‐ PHILOSOMATIQA
"The big spiders are fine, it’s the tiny ones that will kill you."
- My-Witty-Username
A lot of animals made the list, but koalas, echidna and wallabies did not.
Did anything else synonymous with Australia get forgotten?
What do you think when you hear Australia?
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