Silly questions asked by yanks

Degag wrote: »

Once in a bar i was working in, a yank asked me what time the music was starting, i replied "half ten." She then turned to her friend and asked her what "half ten" meant, all she got was a confused look. I had to explain to them that half ten meant 10.30.:rolleyes:

That's fair enough, they don't have that expression.

I see American tourists every day,all day because of my job and I have to say a lot of them are very savvy! They tend to research the places they visit a lot before coming to them and know towns in the backarse of this country that I've never heard of.

That said, its the younger ones (18-24) that I find quite frustrating for the most part. I guess its because they've maybe never been outside of the states before but you practically have to take them by the hand and show them the most basic things. Suggest that we dont use dollars and they have a heart attack.

The funniest thing I get asked every day is ''how do I get downstairs?''. Em, well see the elevator there? You could try that. Theres also an escalotor. Give it a go if you're feeling adventurous. If you wanna go out and out crazy, take the stairs. In the downward direction. That usually works.

This also reminds me of the time I worked in a tourist attraction and an American guy pointed at the stairs and asked 'do these go up aswell as down?'. There are no words.

The stupidest thing I have ever heard was by an Irish person the other day though (in the interest of balance again).
Him 'do you have an a4 sheet of paper?'
Me *hands him a4 sheet* yep, there you go'
Him 'do you have any a4 paper bigger than that?'
Me 'you mean a2 or...?'
Him 'No, just an ordinary a4 sheet of paper, about twice the size of that one'

Not really a question but I was told I had "a lovely european accent" in a shopping centre in Phoenix a few years back.

Was in San Dego another time and asked by a lad from Chicago what do we call wednesday in Ireland...

While staying in a hostel in Rome, one yank asked 'does anybody here speak America ??' :eek:

Was also asked did we have electricity and in-door plumbing in Ireland.

Just some incidents that happened while working in a hotel in dublin,

firstly, the porter sent 25people off with laundry bags to merrion square to catch leprechauns. Need less to say, the manager wasnt impressed when the tour arrived back to the hotel the security who was locking the entrances in the evening!!

I was once asked to take somebodies breakfast out of the microwave in their room, went up, they had the breakfast locked into their safe!!!


and a dublin tour guide told us(unsure about this) that when on a dublin city tour bus, an american woman asked why the lights beeped when they went red?! he explained that it was for blind people.
Her response, "oh, in america we dont let blind people drive"

I worked in a hostel that provided a free airport shuttle, the details of which were posted explicitly on the company website.

Cue every west coast American emailing and asking "How does the free shuttle bus work?"

So I'd send them an email back detailing the workings of the internal combustion engine. The thing was fookin huge! My boss found out and I got in trouble, asked me show him the emails. Pissed himself laughing when he saw them. Of course, it was all tongue in cheek and I answered their questions.

Also sent off some gems in response to ridiculous complaints. Very funny stuff all together.

Had 2 in the cinema before amazed at how a chip and pin device worked.

Was in Bunratty at the Banquet a few years ago and the place was packed with Americans
Anyway,afterwards one guy asks me "sir,can you tell me why they built the castle so near the highway" !

I had to be helped away.

kowloon wrote: »

That said, a war monument with wwII, 1941-45, that annoyed me.

A US War Memorial that actually lists the years that Americans fought in World War Two ??

Talk about stupid !!

D1stant wrote: »

Tourists on Bakers Street

'Can you tell us where Sherlock Holmes house is?'

Ah come on now, there actually is a Sherlock Holmes house/museum at 221/b Bakers st, you gotta give them that one.

I feel bad that i love getting a laugh out of these threads. Its the toss up between us looking obnoxious for picking on Americans vs them and other tourists being too lazy to find out the most basic information.

questionmark? wrote: »

In Manchester last year standing at traffic lights waiting to cross and then the green man and the beeping came on only for an american guy to ask "whats the beeping for?" que me saying oh thats to help the blind people. "Wow we dont let blind people drive in America" :eek:

I saw something similar in Dublin in '99, except it was an Irish kid and he asked 'what the **** are blind people doing driving?'.

InTheTrees wrote: »

It adds to the confusion. But it also explains why Ireland has so many poets...

I think the same thing every time I am waiting for a bus along the quays listening to the locals.

Poets.