# European Dopers: How do you spot American tourists? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 10, 2003, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-how-do-you-spot-american-tourists/160316 "2003-03-10T15:32:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-how-do-you-spot-american-tourists/160316/21 "2003-03-10T17:57:58Z")
For older people there is something about their taste in glasses. I can’t pinpoint what it is, but there is something. ---
**Author:** ![pingalondon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/67e7ee/32.png) [@pingalondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pingalondon)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-how-do-you-spot-american-tourists/160316/22 "2003-03-10T18:07:51Z")
They leave £10 notes as tips in pubs! ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-how-do-you-spot-american-tourists/160316/23 "2003-03-10T18:18:51Z")
I felt like I stood out in France as an American tourist (in November) because: [ul][li]I wasn’t wearing dark pants.[/li][li]I wasn’t wearing a dark leather jacket.[/li]I wasn’t wearing dark shoes.[/ul]The subway cars were like a black hole of people. The only people dressed “American-style” had whole basketball warm-up outfits on, like in an urban style. ---
**Author:** ![ticker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@ticker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ticker)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-how-do-you-spot-american-tourists/160316/24 "2003-03-10T18:22:25Z")
IME Americans somehow manage to look less causual in their casual wear. Jansport-toting is no longer the clincher it once was. Few Europeans wear blouson wincheaters, especially the over 50’s ---
**Author:** ![Davebear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@Davebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Davebear)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-how-do-you-spot-american-tourists/160316/25 "2003-03-10T18:23:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jjimm \* > \*\*Light-coloured sneakers. \*\* Oh, good! I thought _I_ was the only one who loathes white sneakers. Of course, in my case, it’s partly because they make my feet look truly humungous, instead of their actual, quite dainty, size, which is merely enormous. > [@](#): > > \*\*Complaining about the food. \*\* In all fairness, and allowing that “There ain’t nuthin’ uglier than an Ugly American” (except an Ugly Frenchman), and that some of us would complain if told we were about to hanged with a silk rope, bad food _should_ result in a complaint. If you don’t complain, it will never improve. If you Brits did a little more complaining about it, yourselves, other people wouldn’t have cause to ridicule your cuisine. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-how-do-you-spot-american-tourists/160316/26 "2003-03-10T18:43:31Z")
We Americans (the under 40 set) can usually be spotted by our stylish clothing, excessive hieght, rugged good looks and muscular build. We can generally be seen throwing money around like water, stealing all the women and generally being loud in a charming sort of way. I can understand how this can be intimidating to our reletively tiny European counterparts. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-how-do-you-spot-american-tourists/160316/27 "2003-03-10T18:51:44Z")
Outside of america, american clothes are not considered stylish. But then, outside of Italy REALLY tight white Levi 501s and waist length hair are not considered attractive on a man. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-how-do-you-spot-american-tourists/160316/28 "2003-03-10T19:00:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jjimm \* > \*\*All bets are off: you’re from Manhattan, and therefore more European than we are. \*\* I work in Manhattan, so I shouldn’t stick out much, although I did get a lot of looks a few years years ago in France with my Knicks jersey. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Caffeine.addict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f475e1/32.png) [@Caffeine.addict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caffeine.addict)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-how-do-you-spot-american-tourists/160316/29 "2003-03-10T19:03:30Z")
I lived in France for about one year back in 95-96. I noticed that the main difference was that Americans tended to like baggier clothes. The most popular brand of Levis sold there were 501s whiile here in the states people tend to prefer blue jeans which have a looser fit. The other difference was that I rarely saw people wearing white tennis shoes. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-how-do-you-spot-american-tourists/160316/30 "2003-03-10T19:09:39Z")
This thread is a most enjoyable read. But since it’s a sort of survey, I’ll have to move it to IMHO. bibliophage moderator GQ ---
**Author:** ![psychomonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/dec6dc/32.png) [@psychomonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychomonkey)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-how-do-you-spot-american-tourists/160316/31 "2003-03-10T19:17:28Z")
I have a slight hijack here. Do europeans ever pcify americans by telling them they look like they arent americans (in a non-direct sort of way). I spent a long weekend in Paris over Thanksgiving and the first meal I had the waiter at the Brasserie immediately started speaking spanish to me and then acted a little shocked when I responded in english (I had just gotten off a long flight, I wasnt about to try to pull little bits of french out of my brain). Later on at a small very touristy shop, I was accused of being german, I wondred if a midwestern accent sounds German. I ran with it on that occassion and finally got to use those 4 years of German. So was I being pacified, or what? ---
**Author:** ![mooka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@mooka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mooka)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-how-do-you-spot-american-tourists/160316/32 "2003-03-10T19:39:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by psychomonkey \* > \*\*I have a slight hijack here. Do europeans ever pcify americans by telling them they look like they arent americans (in a non-direct sort of way). I spent a long weekend in Paris over Thanksgiving and the first meal I had the waiter at the Brasserie immediately started speaking spanish to me and then acted a little shocked when I responded in english (I had just gotten off a long flight, I wasnt about to try to pull little bits of french out of my brain). Later on at a small very touristy shop, I was accused of being german, I wondred if a midwestern accent sounds German. I ran with it on that occassion and finally got to use those 4 years of German. So was I being pacified, or what? \*\* I doubt very much whether those people were trying to pacify you… There can be a bit of anti american feeling in europe, but its not yet got to the stage where being thought of as american is an automatic insult! You probably just looked spanish or german to that waiter. You weren’t flamenco dancing on the table were you? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Slugworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4bbf92/32.png) [@Slugworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slugworth)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-how-do-you-spot-american-tourists/160316/33 "2003-03-10T19:54:03Z")
Some of these stereotypes seem like they might have been true about 10 years ago, but past that, I’m confused. Fanny packs? Unless Americans radically change the second they step foot on foreign soil, I doubt it. I haven’t seen a fanny pack in about a decade. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-how-do-you-spot-american-tourists/160316/34 "2003-03-10T19:58:46Z")
I haven’t seen many of the garish stereotypes recently, even in London. The most common US tourists I seem to see are young backpackers, who don’t really stand out that much (other than dress sense – especially clean, white trainers and tucked-in tops – and the ubiquitous JanSport rucksack). ---
**Author:** ![Binarydrone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Binarydrone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Binarydrone)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-how-do-you-spot-american-tourists/160316/35 "2003-03-10T20:05:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jjimm \* > \*\*Somebody feeling a little defensive/bitter perhaps? \*\* Well, I have to admit that the things being posted here aren’t exactly making me feel good about myself and my countrymen. ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-how-do-you-spot-american-tourists/160316/36 "2003-03-10T20:12:43Z")
Between the two of them, **jr8** and **jjimm** managed to describe my parents to a ‘t.’ 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-how-do-you-spot-american-tourists/160316/37 "2003-03-10T20:26:29Z")
It’s the shorts. I’ve lived in the Middle East and travelled quite a bit in Europe, and after a while, I could tell who the Americans were because they were the only ones wearing shorts. After spending time abroad, I pretty much stopped wearing shorts entirely and now find them unattractive. ---
**Author:** ![Theom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9a28c/32.png) [@Theom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Theom)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-how-do-you-spot-american-tourists/160316/38 "2003-03-10T20:28:52Z")
Table manners are the easiest way to spot and american, pray tell, what is the point of cutting up one’s food at the start of the meal and scooping it up with one’s fork thereafter? Doesn’t the food go cold? plus it looks unsightly. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-how-do-you-spot-american-tourists/160316/39 "2003-03-10T20:56:28Z")
I’ve found that, even in the last five or six years, the behavior of American tourists in London has improved greatly. Certainly the behavior that created the “ugly American” stereotype is quite rare these days, and the British currently hold the title for “worst tourists”, especially in Spain. **Theom** : Americans have never mastered the art of balancing peas on the _back_ of a fork. No wonder the Brits liked them pre-mushed. ---
**Author:** ![Tomcat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Tomcat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tomcat)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-how-do-you-spot-american-tourists/160316/40 "2003-03-10T20:56:35Z")
**Theom** , huh? Use a knife? What? Edge of the fork baby! I can go DAYS without using my knife. Fork it or f\*\*k it, I always say… American guys: baseball hats and Levi’s American girls: ‘Friends’-type haircuts, still, to this day. Every-other word ‘like’. -Tcat [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-how-do-you-spot-american-tourists/160316.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-how-do-you-spot-american-tourists/160316.md?page=3)