world's worst tourists

In article ,
Desmond Coughlan wrote:

le Wed, 08 Oct 2003 13:00:12 -0500, dans l'article
, Jenn a dit
...

{ snip }

the march to the front of the line is also typical -- more than once we
have joined with Brits and other Americans in lines to block Italians
from simply bullying their way ahead [Japanese tourists will also jump
lines routinely]

TBH, the French do this, too, albeit less. When I first came to France, I
recall standing in my bank in Lyon, and having a conversation with the bank
employee, whilst the next customer leaned against the counter, three or
four inches from my elbow, unabashedly listening to your conversation.
This is so commonplace, that most banks and post offices will now have a
sticker on the floor, or a sign, asking customers to respect the 'ligne de
discretion'.


in Italy they have been forced to come up with techniques as well -- we
have typically had to wait up to 2 hours in banks to just get a
transaction space at the window [A US bank would go out of business with
the service typically provided in totally non consumer oriented Italian
banks] BUT at least everyone was served according to the number on
their ticket. Train stations run information this way and many shops
have number machines as well.

Once when I hadn't noticed the number machine at the butcher counter in
an Italian supermarket, the butcher and the waiting Italians very
graciously let me take my turn anyway noticing that I had waited long
and didn't have the number.