"We Can Do Without Rowdy British Tourists"
 

That's what the mayor of Amsterdam was quoted saying recently in regards his desire to clean up the city's tawdry Redlight District, which has become a major tourist draw

except i guess some of the tourists are less than welcome

How come it's always the Brits that are called rowdy tourists it seems

I've been in Amsterdam millions of times and i've rarely seen any overtly rowdy British tourists there at least no more rowdy than the French, Italians, etc.

Indeed here's one example of an Italian tourist's rowdism - a young Italian walking right down the narrow pedestrian street to the Leidesplein smoking a big spliff and blew the smoke right into the face of a proper looking American, as it turned out, yelling "It's Amsterdam Baby!"

Why do the Brits take the brunt of the rowdy tourist charge?

Disgusted in Tonbridge

Two words: stag parties.

Two more words: hen parties.

Hi PQ,

>Why do the Brits take the brunt of the rowdy tourist charge?

A. There are more of them than anyone else.

B. They are rowdier than anyone else.

C. Typical anti-British feeling now that the GBP is about $2. When the GBP drops to par, the mayor will complain about rowdy Americans again.

((I))

We like a drink, and when drunk we like a fight. We happen to be very good at fighting. It's the "perfect storm" of rowdyism.

Have to agree with Padraig.
The mayor referred to drunken Brits, not rowdy ones. Maybe it got lost in translation to American.
The British seem to be particularly good at getting fighting drunk in record time, swiftlty followed by puking drunk and collapsed in the middle of the road drunk. Stag and Hen parties manage all of the above even faster than yer normal binge drinking Brit does. Not a pretty sight.

And there's a particularly overbearing phenomenon, which is that we tend to do it in groups that egg each other on.

"When the GBP drops to par, the mayor will complain about rowdy Americans again."

What's that got to do with anything?

No-one seriously moans about rowdy Britons in Florida or New York. British undesirables will do their wenching in Amsterdam, their cheap booze drinking on the Costas and their mass orgies on Greek islands as long as these places are within a couple of hours' affordable flight.

And none of us, however eco-friendly, will seriously lobby for higher plane fares for fear they'll do all that at home.

We've been exporting our anti-social elements since 1607: most posters on this site wouldn't have a country to post from if we hadn't. Last thing in the world we want is to keep them here.

My daughter worked as a barmaid while going to school in London and believe me they are still there.

They do have a real problem with drinking and being loud and obnoxious. I noticed that in Krakow, a bunch of drunken loud Brits were taking over the entire sidewalk area of an outdoor cafe and bothering everyone (at least a dozen of them, probably more). The waiters told me they had asked them to leave, but they were not to the point of calling the police. They said they had a lot of problems with loud, drunken Brits, quite frequently because they come to Krakow a lot. They were both male and female, I might add, together, so I don't think they were stag and hen parties, but who knows. The waiter told me they had been there for hours, and had already promised to leave an hour ago, but were still there. They also told me they were the worst nationality they had problems with. They were a zillion times worse than any crowd of French people I've ever been around, anywhere.

The French are lightweights. The only people who can match us are Scandiwegians, paddies and Aussies.

Everyone else must run when they see us come. It's our Viking heritage added to our empire building tendancies.

And there is the small matter that we can get flights to eastern europe with it's cheap booze, cheap tarts and cheap hotels for £20 eachway.

If there was a similar destination available to most nations wouldn't they do the same?

I only have noticed by the thread titles on Tripadvisor (Amsterdam) that the majority of males posting about 'stag weekend' type subjects are always from the UK. (a completely unscientific observation)

Hetismij is correct

Mayor said 'drunken British tourists' not rowdy ones

i guess i though drunken = rowdy and that is apparently correct

90% of people who fall into Amsterdam's canals are British.

I am very proud of this fact.

CHOLMONDLEYPATRIOTICFACT.

"No-one seriously moans about rowdy Britons in Florida or New York"

No, people in Florida and New York moan about Britons not tipping. ;)

90% of people who fall into Amsterdam's canals are British.

90% of folks who fall into Amsterdamn's canals are drunken rowdy louts

*remembers where we sent the puritans*

*Is glad*

"90% of folks who fall into Amsterdamn's canals are drunken rowdy louts"

Maybe they should only rescue the 10% that arn't ?

It's quite easy to get out. A friend told me that. Yes that's it, a friend.

<No, people in Florida and New York moan about Britons not tipping.>

<90% of people who fall into Amsterdam's canals are British.>

thus Amsterdam furnishes sufficient proof of "tipping" British-style

maytraveller

I think it's leftover from the vast number of soccer vandals - who aren;t welcome anywhere - even in the UK.

(We stopped for lunch at some ghastley place on the highway which had a sign saying "no buses". When I asked what it was about - since in the US that type of place usually survives on tourist bus business - they said it was a ban on troops of soccer fans - who were generally drunk at all hours and had previoulys torn the place up.)

I love this thread!

There was a spot on CBC Radio a while back about how Eastern European cities used to lobby to get their local airports added as Ryan Air and Easy Jet destinations.

Apparently now some of those same places are lobbying to get Ryan Air and Easy Jet struck off, because the British stag and hen parties have gotten so out of control- town centres are swarmed with drunks, there is increasing vandelism, the cobblestones are awash with vomit, little old ladies are afraid to venture outside on weekends. Some bars have actually banned all British customers.

When visiting my sister in Leicester this year, I did notice that literally every second shop in town was a pub or bar. There were also these areas that had signs designating them as "No Alcohol Zones", usually a small park or side street or something. And people seem to dispose of their empty beer cans by tucking them onto storefront windowledges, doorframes, and along the walls in alleyways. My favourite was this nice little park with a "No Alcohol Zone" sign, and all these beer cans bobbing in the water fountain.

To be fair, though, my sister claims Leicester is the chav capital of the UK, so perhaps it is a more extreme example.

I actually think the drinking problem is separate from the rowdiness/hooligan problem. Lots of northern countries have problems with alcoholism (Canada, Scandanavia, Baltics) but without the extreme behaviour.

The UK is so obsessed with controlling anti-social behaviour, all it seems to do is cultivate it.

In Australia, some of us prefer to respond to 'convicts in chains' taunts from our Pommy friends by reminding them that we regard Britain as 'where the convicts came from'. Seriously though, the sort of misbehaviour we're talking about - and my compatriots are at times among the main culprits - is usually plain old bullying by young males who think they can get away with it, under the guise of 'having a good time away from home'. It's up to all of us to let them know unequivocally that what's unacceptable at home is unacceptable elsewhere - easier said than done of course. In the meantime, we can only cringe and hope.

It's been so long since I was invited to a party where anyone fell into a canal.

We have never had "vast numbers of soccer vandals". I really don't know where to start on this. So i won't.

What is certainly true is that the British when drunk in large numbers are not a pretty sight. But it really isn't just us.

Where I sit at the Lane is near a block of seats that are sold to Scandiwegian supporters clubs as part of a weekend package.

It's easy to spot the reindeer-botherers. They're all seven foot tall. They all have mullets and they are all roaring pissed by lunchtime. They treat London as a cheap booze destination (which to them it is).

They behave themselves at the Lane (where it is wise to mind your ps and qs) but they go on viking style rampages afterwards.

It seems to be a northern european thing.

Similarly, we get a reasonable number of Danes and Noewegians - affectionately referred to aas "Nogs" after a childrens TV program.

The behaviour is very similar - they are "Lads" out for a good weekend, which for some cultures, including Britain, means drinking to excess, and passing out on a pavement somewhere (Waking up in a strangers bed an optional extra).

Spurs have drawn Prague in the UEFA - so that's another city laid waste! (as if Prague doen't know all about British Stag Parties).

Actually in Prague it's yankee colege types that are the real pains - they're all still on their L plates as drinkers and get absolutely ratted.

"Actually in Prague it's yankee colege types that are the real pains - they're all still on their L plates as drinkers and get absolutely ratted."

You make it sound as if alcoholism, intoxication, and binge drinking are good things.

Perhaps that's part of the problem.

Most people I know from the UK are binge drinkers, and the only social activity they seem to have is getting drunk. I rather doubt that the rest of the world looks upon these drunken episodes with admiration, particularly when they involve vomiting and urinating in the street, disruption of public order, vandalism, and so on.

Then you're mixing in the wrong circles, AnthonyGA.

I agree, Patrick et al...

The Brits are champion world class drinkers. Ne plus ultra.....thank goodness.....there will ALWAYS BE AN ENGLAND!! Of course, the Irish aren't too shabby.

During Oktoberfest, many nationalities come to my town to get totally wasted.

I have not seen that many differences in the behaviour of drunk Germans, Britons, Italians, Americans, Australians, Irish, or Scandinavians. They all drink, pass out, get concious again, vomit, drink more, and so on.

Rowdyism is not such a big issue here. If you freaked out after too much booze, it would be seen as a sign that you were not able to cope with the amount of alcohol you had. And no young German male would want to be seen in that light ;-)

That does not mean that they are never loud or would not get on others' nerves. But demolishing a pub or causing major damages is not really common.

<90% of people who fall into Amsterdam's canals are British.

I am very proud of this fact.

CHOLMONDLEYPATRIOTICLIE.>

And the other 10% are pushed into the canals by drunken British louts

I have to say that I know my way around binge drinking, and that the way it has become routine in the UK is something else. Maybe all my British friends are just degenerates, but everytime I visit them, it descends into a level of drunkenness that rivals my university exploits. And it would be one thing if we were the only ones acting like this, but we aren't.

Well, it's not routine among anyone I know: frankly, I've always thought of it as something for the students and the underclass.

It's something you do when you're a kid.

As you get older you drink less quantities of more expensive hooch. At least that's my experience - but even "moderate" drinkers in the UK would get "an intervention" in the USA.

What's a "chav"?

"Chavs, Hoodies, Neds, Townies, Kevs, Charva, Steeks, Spides, Bazzas, Yarcos, Ratboys, Skangers, Scutters, Janners, Stigs, Scallies, Hood Rats, whatever you know them as, this site is about them, Britain's ASBO peasant underclass that are breeding faster than vermin and are over our towns and cities!"


http://chavscum.com/

In reply to the OP - I suppose all those drunken prats on holiday in Mexico (Cancun etc) are just Brits with silly accents ?

Doesn't anyone else enjoy the irony that the mayor is concerned about behavior in the Red Light District?

SusanSDG wrote: "Doesn't anyone else enjoy the irony that the mayor is concerned about behavior in the Red Light District?"

I see no irony in it whatsoever. The women who work there (in particular) and other people in the area should not have to put up with rowdy drunks.