"What's the best and cheapest way to get from X airport to Y hotel?"

"I have 2 days in city Z, what should I do?"

"Can you recommend a great hotel for $50?"

QuietTraveler wrote: "The person/people behind you in the plane aisle waiting for you to put something in the overhead bin. You can never do it fast enough because they're just dieing to get in their seats and sit for a half-hour before take-off."

I am that person. Why take so long? Why stand in the aisle to do it? Why should I have to stand rather than sit because you can't perform a simple procedure with a minimum of efficiency? And why should departure be late because people are delayed in getting to their seats?

I was on a plane with a lady proceeded to take off her fingernail polish. I coughed for the next 2 hours.

Remember,
In a closed area, people can be sensitive to HABA items.

On Fodor's pet peeve: people who ask for a "budget" hotel without explaining what they mean by budget

Real life travel pet peeve: people who are so wedded to the itinerary/guide book/self-assigned list of must-see's that they miss the very essence of the city or country they are visiting

I get frustrated when I read " I have 2 hours between flights at CDG can I see Notre Dame if I get a taxi?? " or "first time to _________ where should I stay?" " is point a close to point b and can I see point C - I have an hour..." Good grief people have you ever flown before and do you have a map??

Verbally, it's people telling or asking or insisting or raving about a "MUST".

But conceptually, it's the failure to recognize that independent travel is not just getting off the tour bus and then driving to the bus parking lot and going to the tourist "MUST" sees.

A lot of people seem wildly proud that they don't take organized tours. But they never go anyplace other than the tourist bus stops, and then they tell others how to "do" Tuscany, or le Cinque Terre, or London or Spain and turn everything a guided tour.

I have no idea what HABA items are but that is unbelievable to me that anyone would use nail polish remover on any form of transporation. I would have asked her to stop and then called for the FA.

Are seven days too long to stay in Paris?

People walking and text-messaging!! or just texting period.

As a Californian who grew up in the 80s, I will never abandon awesome. Or gnarly.

One thing that does bug me is the cluck-cluck-clucking and tut-tut-tutting of the Fodor's 'marms, female or male. Not a very fun group, it seems.

Oh, and people who don't drink.

My pet peeve is the USA-centricity of general opinion of this forum. Explaining a different view of things or a different way of life is considered an attack on US values which will then be defended with claws and teeth. Even an innocent question is considered a personal insult. Sometimes I feel the urge to point out that not everyone here is American.

I know I will be beaten up for this again, too...

quokka, why do you hate America so much?


(Kidding.)

The poster who wants others to plan their holiday for them. The usual question is "I am going to ---------- where should I stay and what should I do or the variation "It's my first time in ------- are there any must sees, oh and by the way I have a flight a crack of dawn from 1st destination to 2nd destination what should I do stay at the airport or get an early train and what time------- " need I go on.

May be we should have sticky with the national tourist office sites.

Just thought of another, What is the dress code for -------
One day I shalll put my tongue firmly in my cheek and just post back "clothes" As if anyone bothers apart from the coutesy of appropriate dress in churches anywhere. I would never wear skimpy clothes to church at home why should I do it abroad.

Apropo wanting someone to plan your trip for you

What are your 10 must-sees in Paris?
Which are your 10 favorite bars in Ireland?

Big pet peeve: people who sit in front of you on a plane or bus and proceed to put their seat all the way back into your lap. Uh, hey stupid, you know they're shortening up on legroom these days, and you'll never get your seat to transform into a chaise lounge? And yes, I do (nicely though) say something to them when they do this. Usually works, too.

Another one: cell phone users on buses, trains, and planes, especially when the person has a bullhorn-level voice. Sorry, not interested in hearing about your petty little life, bozo -- I'd rather sleep in peace.

Will agree with the poster above about passengers who are determined to rush out of the plane or bus first unless they genuinely have a tight connection (rare), often to the point where they're in the aisle falling all over people while trying to drag out their carry-ons from an overhead bin while the vehicle is still in motion. It's not like it's a train that's going to run past your stop, you dodo.

Agree with Leely about the marms on the forum. Someone here once compared them to Margaret of Dennis the Menace.

People who go to Italy that don't drink and aren't interested in art.

The thing that gets my goat are the folks that use seat backs as handrails when walking down the aisle of the aircraft. This is especially annoying when the cabin is darkened, and you are just about to doze off. Resting one's hand lightly on a seat back in case the plane takes a sudden lurch is to be expected, but hauling your flabby body forward with your arms like Michael Phelps going for the gold really pi$$es me off. I have actually pulled a muscle in my neck when some jerk bounced my unconscious noggin forward to snap to a halt when it reached the end of its tether. I really thought my DW had socked me for snoring, or drooling, or some other similar sin husbands are punished for.

A POX on the seat jerkers!

I have to disagree about putting the seat back, too. It's my seat. I paid for it. If I want to tip it back for a nap I will.

:-(

Sorry then, Nukesafe, if I want to get up to go to the bathroom and you've reclined all the way into my space, I'm probably going to have to pull on the back of your seat when I'm climbing out of mine. If it's all the way forward I will respectfully try not to jiggle it.

HABA is healh and beauty aides.

BEST BANG FOR MY BUCK????????

That just drives me mad as Miss Havisham.

"How can we get a luxury room at the Ritz Paris for a bargain price?"

"How do we get bumped up to First Class?"

Daft!!!!!!!!!!

Thin

Why, thank you Grasshopper. I really don't know how I have managed all these years to arise from my semi-recumbent posture and exit my seat by only leaning on the arm rest, and never needing to grasp the seat in front of me. Must be a skill learned in times gone by and now unfortunately forgotten.

BTW, I fail to see how my reclining my seat back intrudes into "your space". "My" space is defined by dimensions and flexibility of the seat I have rented from the airline. The arc it describes as it reclines is a portion of that space and is mine to use -- along with a (tiny) portion of the armrest I must somehow share with row mates.

Now I will admit that common courtesy requires that thoughtful folks limit the time their seat is reclined to those periods when a nap or contemplation is desired -- but when I feel that need is my choice, not yours.

BTW, I recall a fellow passenger almost coming to blows with a chap who had purchased and used a device which blocks a seat from reclining. A helpful FA calmed things down and confiscated the gadget.

:-)

I agree about the F'marms and find the Margaret of Dennis the Menace comment spot on.

I can't imagine why what someone else is NOT drinking should bother people.

I agree with "amazing". If everything is "amazing" - and someone used it the other day to describe a chain BBQ restaurant - then nothing is amazing. "Amazing" to me means something that is so wonderful you talk about it for days afterwards - not think - oh, this tastes pretty good.

The Colosseum in amazing. A slice of pizza just isn't - no matter how good it is.

WOW......

and I thought I was the only one harboring these thoughts. Glad you all shared, and let me say that this post, which I issued in a moment of exhaustion (mixed with some undercurrents of crabbiness), has elicited the most responses of any post under any sign in I've ever utilized. Who woulda thunk it?

Again I just got home from the office, another 14 hour day. What the ______! Sorry for the "b" session. I do appreciate this forum and all it's participants.

1 more glass of wine (really), and off to bed. I can't wait till Italy in October...........

Ciao All........

Another-when someone writes "Urgent" or some such message.

What? They just smacked their forhead and remembered they are leaving for Iran in the morning?

What is this Fedex where there are different prices for different service?

Sounds like some of you need a break from reading on these boards. No use coming here so often and getting upset.

The only thing I really don't understand is the question "is it worth it?" There is no answer for that.

Well I can see my report must have cheesed several people off. I will repost the whole thing using completely new adjectives and I will take out all the photos as well. That must surely please the above posters!!!!

When one is typing a detailed travel report (mostly for your own benefit) and decide to share it with fellow Fodorites one doesn't have the time to a) rewrite just the good bits 2)flick threw the thesaurus to find suitable adjectives. I am not writing professionally I am simply getting a message across.

That's my bit said.

Why doesn't someone write a list of suitable adjectives that we can use? That would be helpful, we could pick from the list and it would make our reports easier and quicker to write as well as pleasing those who have becomed annoyed with the use of boring adjectives.

Schnauzer

People who are so insecure or so full of themselves that they really think they can have an impact on the everyday life of the people at one of their usually overrun tourist destinations by choosing a specific outfit or acting this or that way in Paris, Rome, or London.

People who "live" on this board and must have missed the chance to be their highschool's headmaster in their former lives, and compensate that by acting as Fodor's inofficial Ms (or Mr) Manners.

People who keep a post alive in the travel section that by definition should rather be in the lounge. (Oops, that's me, I guess)

People who must have been living for years in a bubble with family, friends or peers supporting their views on life, and who are royally pi**ed off when other grown-ups have the audacity to promote their own views on anything from politics to hotel preferences.

People who think that given facts of nature will be adjusted to their travel plans, i.e. "I can only take a week off in August. Please tell me that it does not get THAT hot in Arizona, Andalucia,..."; "I got great airfare to Paris in late November. Now people tell me that it will be rainy and cool. Please tell me that this is not true."

Also dislike the "Is it worth it" posts, but just as bad are when posters ask about a city, or sight and other people answer with, "oh, don't bother, it's not worth seeing". How can any place not be worth it? See this a lot with Brussels, Milan, and Frankfurt. If all you are looking for is a big, major tourist attraction, then yeah, these cities don't have anything BIG. They are certainly worth visiting.

My favorite? "clean and safe". As though anyone would want to stay in a place that was dirty and dangerous. Why use those terms at all?

To all the many I must have annoyed in all the above ways over the years, I apologize.

Whilst many of these would have raised my blood pressure 10 years ago, when I first found Fodors, now I smile quietly and move on.(Ha! Believe THAT, if you like!)

But I still get baffled by the "I'm going to [insert name of place]; what should I do?" type of post.

And by the "I'm going to the [Highlands/Alps/Rhone]; where should I stay?" type of post.

To nearly quote Stellarossa of this parish, if you don't know why you're coming, why come? And you MUST know that the Highlands/Alps/Rhone is a bit big for anyone to help without more input....

One of my biggest pet peeves is when someone doesn't think that I have the right to recline the seat that I paid for on a flight. The seats don't recline that much, and if I'm on a long overseas flight I am looking for any comfort that I can get. If someone asks me nicely not to recline my seat because they are really tall and my seat would hit their knees, I'll by happy to oblige. Otherwise, I have every right to recline my seat.

I don't have my pet peeves in regards to Fodors. Sometimes I hate seeing the same general posts each day but overall I just skip the ones that have annoying titles.

Tracy

This isn't really a peeve, but I do feel disappointed when a poster asks lots of questions and others go out of their way to find info for them and then there is no followup report--even just a few words with a thank you to all who helped with information.

Tracy, I'm with you on skipping posts with annoying titles. and by the way, your reports are always interesting and full of useful information. As are many others on this board. there are many reports which are so well written that one does not notice vocabulary, typos, or lapses in grammar.

Thanks to all who continue to write their tales of travel.

I forgot to say that I really enjoy pictures on websites to which many trip reports refer. It is fun to go and browse through them at one's own speed. Please keep including your picture websites!

Awww, thanks Irishface! I admit that I'm not very good at spellchecking when I'm on Fodors so I sometimes cringe when I re-read my trip reports and posts....I'm just too quick with the "submit" button!

Tracy

@Leely2: I do not hate Americans. However, I do not like this "ours is the only valid lifestyle and all others have to adjust to it, and no doubts please" attitude which often shows here. I'm an active member on several travel forums, so I can compare, and I have never encountered anything like that anywhere else.

Quokka:

Which part of Leely2's "only kidding" do you not understand?

Clearly it's not only Americans who don't get irony.

<<The person/people behind you in the plane aisle waiting for you to put something in the overhead bin. You can never do it fast enough because they're just dieing to get in their seats and sit for a half-hour before take-off.>>

While waiting to board a recent flight from LAX to ATL, there were announcements several times to board only when your zone was called and then to stow your luggage quickly and sit down and not block the aisle because they wanted to get the plane off the ground ON SCHEDULE.

I had an aisle seat and noticed when I boarded that the window seats were already occupied. One of the crew announced again as people were boarding to stow carryons quickly and sit down so we would not lose our takeoff time.

So, the first to board were sitting for a while but we did take off shortly after the last passengers boarded.

My peeve is the same as Irishface's: people who ask for help and never respond after others have spent time offering it.

I appreciate the efforts of people who write trip reports and don't care what adjectives are used. And I have never seen "too many" pictures.

When posters ask questions about a driving trip, without even looking at a map or having any idea where the sites are located.

Like: "I'm landing in Denver, driving through Boulder on my way to RMNP for dinner. Then over Trail Ridge Road (will it be open in December??) and on to Grand Lake for the night. The next day, driving to Breckenridge for lunch, then heading to Ouray for a jeep tour and to spend the night. Returning to Denver from Ouray the next day, to catch our flight at noon." Ha Ha