My pet peeve questions are clothes related:

What should I wear in Italy so I don't look like a tourist?

Are capri pants frowned upon in Spain?

Will my husband's hairy legs offend the locals if he wears shorts?

Sheesh...

Oh! I was thinking the same thing as melnq8: questions about clothing! I really 'love' this one:

"What should I wear in Paris?" as though there is a specific Parisian dress code.

I have not been a poster long on this forum, although I have visited other forums in the past. I have probably been guilty of most of the infractions cited here. I think it's understood that we are all speaking from our own experience, which isn't necessarily the width of a travel writer. We share our enthuiasm about what we have enjoyed, not certain that it will be a perfect fit for others but in the hope that it will get them to expand their possibilities. If we sometimes offer advice that isn't directly a response to the question that was posed, perhaps we will nonetheless offer a perspective the original poster had not considered. If we are not worldy enough to realize that some of our questions cannot be easily answered, we are still asking these questions out of a genuine desire for information and a need to interact with others who have been there before. I know this may sound like it's in the spirit of "There Are No Bad Dogs" (for me it would be "There Are No Bad Cats&quot, but let's give each other a break. The vast majority of posters are well-intentioned, as are those who give advice. I guess my pet peeve is peevishness.

So far, all interesting and sometimes, poking, responses to my little query re "pet peeve" questions. For me, I needed to get this question "out there" only because I have encountered the question "will I be bored?" from time to time and it's really the only question that raises my blood pressure. After all, to even be able to dream about a trip to Europe (or anywhere for that matter) is an incredible privilege for most, so it always hits a nerve with me!. Spelling mistakes and typos don't bother me on this forum - it's the substance that counts.

Bowen, I agree with you. Should we, who are uneducated, disabled, shoot ourselves becausE we do not meet the standards of a few so grammatically correct?
I think on a travel forum, I will accept some corrections from some who do not flaut their education/business
in the language and truly try to help.

Hello all, going along with Neil_OZ comments I have a question.

Does any family buy a world atlas anymore? I ask because in our household we always have had one and all of the younger generations in our family have them also. I know they are expensive but they certainly seem so important to have whether it is for travel, for following the news etc. Just wondering?

Pet peeve questions:

- "is xxx worth it"(apart from anything else, worth what?)
- can I have your advise?
- oddest of all, from manifestly American posters "can we travel independantly?" Yes, the world's going to Hell in a handcart, standards are sliping and I'm an old fart. But how in the name of all that's holy, can any American not spell Independence Day?

All of which pale, though, compared to my pet peeve answer:

"You'll love it".

After 30-odd years together, I still can't predict what Mrs F will like. How can anyone think they can know the reactions of a perfect stranger to an event or stimulus they can't predict anyway?

Questions such as: "Can I do Paris in two days?" or " Is it worth visiting?". These are questions that can't be answered. Who likes this one?, "We are going to do Europe in 2007 with our two year old. Please, critique our five day itinerary".

My pet peeve is, "I/my spouse/my children am/is/are (a) picky eater(s) -- where can we eat in [foreign place-name]?"

My answer is, "Stay home!"

"help"

"How can I pack lighter?"

Take less.

Jeesh.

Without a doubt - "is it safe" aaaaghhhh.

It doesn't appear so much on this board but those of you who visit the Africa and India boards will know what I'm talking about.

But in a way it's no different from many other sorts of questions that display a total absence of curiosity. Why do people decide they want to go to this or that place? Don't they follow up their gut response to a TV show, or a newspaper article, or a friend ranting in a pub about their latest foray to Albania or Borneo or Zimbabwe, with some research of their own.

I

Asking questions is a bit of an art form. See: Douglas Adams, "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy."

If someone is vague, one could always try interviewing them. To take an interest in people and their beliefs is easier on the blood pressure than waxing indignant.

Why would a given person believe a large geographical area can be covered in x days? What goals are they attempting to achieve that they believe this? Where did they get their original source information (do they read a lot of tour brochures? What kind of TV programs do they enjoy watching? What do their friends do when they travel? Do they enjoy James Bond movies, particularly the kind with European settings...etc etc...)

"How do I get from <airport> to <city>?"

Pet peeve:

&quot;Do&quot;, as in &quot;I've <i>done</i> France, Italy and Germany, where shall I go now&quot;, as though countries are all just entries on a list that can be checked off and ruled out forever, however brief the visit may have been.

Also, people that respond to a question by trying to dissuade the asker from visiting a city or country, even though it's clear that the OP has already booked his/her travel and accommodation.

&gt;Posters who leap in with un-asked for alternatives when someone has asked a specific question. I find that insulting to the original poster who, one would assume, has already researched the question.&lt;

Never assume.

Quite often, people ask questions that are obviously based on ignorance or poor information.

I think that those who offer alternatives are doing these folks a favor.

For example, &quot;We have 9 days to visit London, Paris, Amsterdam, Rome and Venice. What is a good car rental agency?&quot; should not just be answered with the name of an agency.

To take an interest in people and their beliefs is easier on the blood pressure than waxing indignant.

Hmmn.

Why do you suppose we believe that talking or acting out our frustrations 'gets them out of our system'? It certainly doesn't work in the case of spousal abuse, in which each case of acting out of anger or frustration is succeeded by a more intense action.

First, he shows amused contempt (he rolls his eyes when she's talking.) Then, he shows hostile contempt (&quot;you're so stupid...&quot. Then, he yells. (Oh, but he's sorry. He was just soooo frustrated.) Then, he punches the wall. (But he's really sorry. It's just that she was being so! exasperating!) Then...

&gt;&gt; Yes, the world's going to Hell in a handcart, standards are sliping and I'm an old fart. But how in the name of all that's holy, can any American not spell Independence Day?&lt;&lt;

Standards are most definitely slipping.

Is Stonehedge (sic) worth it?

Going to London - Can you recommend a nice inexpensive hotel?

Day trip from London... (not a bad question but just asked soooo often)

Oh and one other... the dropping of Road, Street, Square by our American friends when talking about London

How many blocks from Gloucester to Leicester (or even worse - Lester). I sometimes feel like saying about 100 miles