So over the weekend I was in London. I’ve come to the conclusion that Londoners and Tourists don’t mix particularly well. Now being from the North I am in fact a tourist in London however some tourists have no common sense, and Londoners I’m pretty sure they don’t know what manners are…..

Now obviously this isn’t all Londoners but a majority. You always hear about how the North is more polite and friendly than the South and honestly it’s so true! The amount of people that were just plain rude was frustrating. I’m bullet pointing the things that they do which is just infuriating:

  • Excuse me – it’s a busy place, people sometimes get in the way. A simple excuse me makes people move out of your way. Not standing behind someone huffing and puffing on the back of their neck. You look like a right creep. Back off, say excuse me, be on your merry way. It’s pretty damn simple, babies are taught it.
  • Thank you? – Apparently those words don’t even exist in London, it’s like you hit a boundary and those words have never been heard or said. Holding the doors open for people you get looked at like you’re a leper. Not thanks or thank you just a death stare. Can we start teaching people in London that a simple thanks goes a long way?
  • Apologies…. – accidentally standing on someone’s foot, hitting someone with your brief case, falling in to someone on the tube…. you know the things that might happen in a really busy city. Normally a simple apology will be said. In London – HELL NO, if they do that to you, if your fault. How dare you walk slowly enough for me to stand on your foot…. Did you just back in to my brief case? I may have fallen on you but it’s your fault for standing there……. All these things and more, retrieve the same death stare mentioned before.

Now common sense, I think this can probably relate to both tourists and Londoners however most of these infuriating events were undertaken by tourists. Again bullets points to highlight:

  • Stopping in the middle of a busy street – so walking down Oxford Street and there hundreds of people behind you. Best thing to do, come to a complete stop in the middle of the pavement so people walk right in to the back of you. No, that’s stupid, so why do people do it? Make your way to the side where it’s not as busy and

    This place, can be sometimes the definition of hell!

    then talk to your group or check the map you probably are going the wrong way.

  • Standing in the middle of the platform – right why when people first get on to the platform do they feel the need to stop and wait for the train in the middle. Can’t you stand to one side so people can actually walk past rather than stand in the middle?
  • Getting off the train and stopping – some people feel the need to get off the train and stop. They have taken one step off the train and stop. Don’t do this there are other people needing off the train too. Take a few steps forward, get away from the sudden rush then analyse your situation.
  • Attempting to get on the train before others have got off – I’m surprised this still needs to be said. You can’t get on the train till the people who need off are actually off; take a step back let us off. Why do people feel the need to try and barge on to the train when there are people there needing off it?

 

So yeah, I think we all have some learning to do. Tourists get some common sense, Londoners find some manners.

Thank you.

Rant Over.

Despite the lack of common sense and manners, it’s a lovely place to visit