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Added: Saturday, 11 July, 2009, 18:21 GMT 19:21 UK

I agree but, over & above it all, there are National stereotypes i.e. there is no smoke without fire.

ian cheese, london, United Kingdom

Added: Saturday, 11 July, 2009, 18:17 GMT 19:17 UK

The reason the vast majority of Americans voted for Barack Obama is because the kind of views you express is now history.

ian cheese, london, United Kingdom

Added: Saturday, 11 July, 2009, 18:15 GMT 19:15 UK

I've never been able to understand why Germany started the World Wars to conquer Europe. Why didn't they just put a huge beach towel over the continent to reserve it for themselves ?

[richwhome], Bournemouth

Added: Saturday, 11 July, 2009, 18:12 GMT 19:12 UK

The Americans and most Brits are loud mouthed and often offensive which is why, as a Brit living in France, I don't intoduce myself when I hear an english voice - I have a job explaining this to my French wife.

[cunnind], La Chatre - expat, France

Added: Saturday, 11 July, 2009, 18:04 GMT 19:04 UK

Living and working in Flagstaff Arizona USA for a number of years I noticed ALL travelers are obnoxious and full of themselves, native travelers or international. The human moves into this weird "vacation mode" where it's "f - you because I'll never see you again" mentality.

The only ones that were reasonably tollerable were the long term vacationers, those visiting for a year or two. A week, a few days, a month, those people were horrible.

Shelby, Evansville

Added: Saturday, 11 July, 2009, 17:58 GMT 18:58 UK

I was amazed by two Mexican women in Majorca, while waiting for the bus door to open they pushed between me and the bus even though there was little room. The queue was barely a dozen people.
I think it's called aggressive queueing?
I found it so funny, despite having a face-full of a strangers hair.
Not to be outdone I pushed in front of these rude people, my face against the bus door. haha

[eternal-zen], United Kingdom

Added: Saturday, 11 July, 2009, 17:32 GMT 18:32 UK

On holiday in the South of France the only people I have seen throwing up in the street and dropping glasses of beer because they are too drunk to hold them, are Brits. The only people I hear screaming and swearing in Spain, are Brits. The only people I see being obnoxious to waiters, are Brits. The only people denying their spending on a cruise ship, are the Brits. I am a Brit who does none of the above as I am sure neither do many other Brits. I suspect we are all over 45.

laur oldfeld

Added: Saturday, 11 July, 2009, 17:31 GMT 18:31 UK

The British are by far the worse.
They are:
Ignorant
Arrogant
Obnoxious
Foul-mouthed
In all they are embarrassing and pathetic.
There is only a few that do this, but it's enough unfortunately to tar an entire nation.
We are talking about MP's in Brussels aren't we?

PyreneesBob, Mountainland

Added: Saturday, 11 July, 2009, 17:30 GMT 18:30 UK

An American tourist asked me if there was a coffee shop around. I tried to be helpful and gave directions and recommendations.

I didn't get a "please" or a "thank you".

The next one I meet will be sent on a wild goose chase.

L Davidson, Winchester, United Kingdom

Hey, that was me! And you DID send me on a wild-goose chase. There was no coffee shop! Thanks a lot!

[MilwaukeeRay], United States

Added: Saturday, 11 July, 2009, 17:26 GMT 18:26 UK

Went to Poland a few weeks ago, British people late at night drinking heavily (with the Poles), during the day they were fine. An American woman I was talking to seemed surprised that I thought the Americans (two women) where I was staying were more modest and less obnoxious than stereotypical American tourists. Then she said its a money thing, because only the rich can go abroad a lot because education is so expensive. Having been to hostels and 5* hotels, I could only agree with her.

Dave, Sheffield

Added: Saturday, 11 July, 2009, 17:26 GMT 18:26 UK

i remember way back in 1980 trying to buy train tickets in a paris train station, i tried really hard to speak the lingo but was made to look like a buffoon at the ticket counter, ive never been to france since and i dont wish to travel there in the future

binbag the sailor, United Kingdom

Added: Saturday, 11 July, 2009, 17:22 GMT 18:22 UK

Fortunately for the rest of us, most of the lager lout Brit contingent frequent only a few locations (sorry Spain). I have travelled extensively elsewhere and in the main found my countrymen abroad to be unfailingly polite and courteous, just as with the majority of those from other countries. But hey, let's not let the facts get in the way of some nice generalisations.

Lord Snooty, England

Added: Saturday, 11 July, 2009, 17:15 GMT 18:15 UK

A French friend told me he was told to pay his speeding ticket directly to the officer that pulled him over, in cash, to make things "easier". It was a car full of French tourists with little grasps of our languarge and customs. No one pays the officer directly because they could pocket the money or it'd be considered a bribe.

Sadly, we are not very nice to our visitors,either, sometimes.

[MaureenFloridaUSA]

Added: Saturday, 11 July, 2009, 17:11 GMT 18:11 UK

The Welsh are the best tourists.

Jacques Cartier

Added: Saturday, 11 July, 2009, 17:09 GMT 18:09 UK

French Canadians are the rudest, coldest, snobbiest people I have ever encountered in all of my N American travels. But I now understand this has been their inheritance from their motherland and it comes to them naturally.

Janet, Canada


Maybe they sensed your dislike for them, or had issues with British Canadians. When I visited Quebec as an American I was treated with warmth and friendliness. I thought the French Canadians were wonderful people.

[MilwaukeeRay], United States