You have to ask how often these types of things are said in jest. I LOVE saying stupid things like this to annoy my friends/family/those around me...but never with the idea being derogatory towards others - I just like embarrassing myself. MOST OF THE TIME people realize what I have said was said with a sense of humor - but there are some of the humorless undead walking around.

Two Examples: Standing in front of the Piranha tank in Shed Aquarium, I loudly told a friend, "You know, I once had a finger bitten of by a Piranha." I said this in a loud voice so the 20 people or so standing around could hear. Pausing a few seconds I lifted both hands and loudly announced, "Thank God I was born with eleven fingers!" There was a large collective groan.

At the USS Alabama in Mobile there is a sign stating, "This way to the Alabama!" It is not like you could miss seeing the ship. So of course I had to ask the ticket agent, "Now, where is the the battleship?"
You have to ask how often these types of things are said in jest. I LOVE saying stupid things like this to annoy my friends/family/those around me...but never with the idea being derogatory towards others - I just like embarrassing myself. MOST OF THE TIME people realize what I have said was said with a sense of humor - but there are some of the humorless undead walking around.

Two Examples: Standing in front of the Piranha tank in Shed Aquarium, I loudly told a friend, "You know, I once had a finger bitten of by a Piranha." I said this in a loud voice so the 20 people or so standing around could hear. Pausing a few seconds I lifted both hands and loudly announced, "Thank God I was born with eleven fingers!" There was a large collective groan.

At the USS Alabama in Mobile there is a sign stating, "This way to the Alabama!" It is not like you could miss seeing the ship. So of course I had to ask the ticket agent, "Now, where is the the battleship?"

Oh, x, what fun you have! You are too, too amusing!

Sorry for the typos in my post and the double posting part! See, maybe it isn't an act...I may just be dumb! ;-)

X, please tell us your upcoming itineraries. I want to make sure our paths don't cross. Obviously you thought your comments were witty. Do you think anyone else did?

Oh, my goodness, x, i think i was there that day when you made that funny comment about the battleship. I still laugh when I think about. That was probably the funniest thing i ever heard in my whole life. What a funny person you are. And how I wish i could have beent there for that finger line. It must have been almost as funny as the battleship one.

I'm everywhere...

These come from a National Park humor-type email...

"What time do they let the animals out in the park?"
--Visitor at Denali National Park

"Why did the Indians only build ruins?"
--Visitor at the Grand Canyon

"What is your best parking area?"
--Visitor at Zion National Park

"Where's the road to the summit?"
--Visitor at Mount Rainier National Park

"Don't you think the polluted sky makes a much prettier sunset?"
--Visitor at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

Grand Canyon National Park:

Was this man-made?
Do you light it up at night?
I bought tickets for the elevator to the bottom--where is it?
Is the mule train air-conditioned?
So where are the faces of the presidents?

Everglades National Park:

Are the alligators real?
Are the baby alligators for sale?
Where are all the rides?
What time does the two o'clock bus leave?


Mesa Verde National Park:
Did people build this, or did Indians?
Why did they build the ruins so close to the road?
Do you know of any undiscovered ruins?
What did they worship in the kivas--their own made-up religion?
Why did the Indians decide to live in Colorado?


Carlsbad Caverns National Park:
How much of the cave is underground?
So what's in the unexplored part of the cave?
Does it ever rain in here?
How many Ping-Pong balls would it take to fill this up?
So what is this--just a hole in the ground?


Yosemite National Park:
Where are the cages for the animals?
What time of year do you turn on Yosemite Falls?
What happened to the other half of Half Dome?
Can I get my picture taken with the carving of President Clinton?


Denali National Park:
What time do you feed the bears?
What's so wonderful about Wonder Lake?
Can you show me where yeti lives?
How often do you mow the tundra?
How much does Mount McKinley weigh?

Yellowstone National Park:
Does Old Faithful erupt at night?
How do you turn it on?
When does the guy who turns it on get to sleep?
We had no trouble finding the park entrances, but where are the exits?

Oh traveler, what an old fuddyduddy you must be!

I wonder how many of the things "people heard" are real and how many fall under the "urban legend" category. I've had multiple park rangers tell me about the person who asked, "Why were all the Civil War battles fought in National Parks?" Was this question ever asked or is it something funny for a park ranger to say?

At George Washington's historic home,Mt Vernon near DC - there's an old brick bread oven in the kitchen. Grandmom to child - "Oh look, there's the pizza oven".

Hey, x, do you also ask people to pull your finger?

I live in the Washington, D.C., metro area and used to use our metrorail system to get to and from work. Obviously the area draws a great many tourists, and none of the natives would care if so many of them didn't behave like morons. One day as the train pulled into the metro station that is directly beneath the Pentagon, a woman on the train loudly proclaimed to her son, "Look, sweetheart, the whole thing is underground!" I'd never believe this if I hadn't been there to hear it myself! I'm sure some of the things you hear ARE urban legends; but on the other hand, don't EVER underestimate the sheer stupidity of the general public!

Lynn, who are you calling stupid?

Why is it always the "general public" so stupid and, of course, we are the highly enlightened ones?

I'm sure we have all said our fair share our dumb things.

"I'm scared to fly after September 11", as quoted from another poster. Dumbest thing I've EVER heard.

Overheard at the Lourve, in front of the Mona Lisa: "Is that the real one?"

ttt

Kind of a 3 way tie between Celeste for her Delta posting, any posting by Steve on the Airlines board, and any and I mean any comment by a Travel Agent in the Travel Agent forum

"there were too many Japanese with their cameras, snapping away"
a critique on a hotel.

I've traveled a few times while pregnant and heard some stupid comments, mostly along the lines of "you're going to do THAT?" as in "you're going to take the walking tour?". My favorite was a co-worker who said "You're going to New Orleans? You won't be able to drink!" He seemed amazed that I could find ways to fill four days without getting drunk on Bourbon Street.

several years ago a friend of ours from England came to visit. he needed my car to run out and get something from a 7-11. The cashier asked him what type of accent he had and when he replied English, the cashier looked into the parking lot saw his car and asked if he drove to America.