If you think people are rude at Disney........

[Tigger&Belle]

I know it has been said before, but you just have to keep in mind that rudeness is like beauty....eye of the beholder. Since you mentioned those who were rude were other tourists, just remember that what is rude to you is probably perfectly acceptable and considered polite to others. Heck, they probably thought you were the rude one . I speak from experience.

Which is exactly my point in my last posting....I was there, the crowds yesterday around the tidal basin were massive.....wall to wall people. Yes, there were a few times that I was annoyed at the way (just like at WDW) people would be walking along and then suddenly s-t-o-p in my path or be walking very slowly, taking up most of the sidewalk. But instead of let the annoyance color our time there, we looked at the beautiful trees, offered to take pictures for tourists, spent a few minutes watching a nervous reporter get ready to be on tv, talked to people, and took in the incredible experience around us. And leaving the crowded street we were on, in the heat, with the mass exodus of cars, on a hot motorcycle...not fun, but we ended up chatting with people who were in cars, passing the time and having fun....and my friend was analyzing if she had enough room to zoom between cars (which she didn't do ).

When given the proverbial lemon, we all have a choice of whether we make the best of the situation and have the lemonade or whether we look for the negative. I'm not picking on the OP--perhaps when touring they did have a good time in spite of the negatives and this was just a thread to vent--no biggy and we all can use a good vent sometimes.

I'm glad they're coming back when it's less busy--will be a very different experience. If I were any kind of a tour guide I'd offer to meet them downtown and show them around, but I'm the type of tour guide who tells people that the different color stone of the Washington Monument is the result of a massive flood many years ago.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Exactly. When we were out there we couldn't believe how rude drivers were hoking the second a light turned green but then my cousin, who lives in DC, said that the locals view this as a reminder and not being rude.

True for sure. And there's a big difference between a quick beep on the horn and repeated honking. I will beep at a driver who's not paying attention when the light turns green (but I do give him a couple seconds), but I'm amazed at the people who honk long and loud because a person didn't quickly drive the second a light turns green. Thankfully most people around here don't react that way (I'm out in the far suburbs, about 45 minutes away from DC).

I haven't really been to Indianapolis...just driven through it a couple times, but have been to other places like Cincinnati and St Louis and I do enjoy the smaller feel to those cities. When I was in Oklahoma this summer (son's baseball tournament) I enjoyed how friendly the locals were--calling me "honey" left and right. Of course some people would be offended at that familiar kind of treatment by a stranger. Can't make everyone happy all the time.

 

[CruiserMom]

We are here visiting DC now...and we were at the tidal basin yesterday too! Yes, wall to wall people, and tourists do get testy and rude sometimes, and the large group of teenagers at the Jefferson Memorial were kind of a pain. But, the views of the monuments and the cherry blossoms were glorious! I would not have missed it for the world!

Plus, every local I came in contact (except riders on the Metro) was very nice and friendly. Street vendors, tour guides, museum workers, all were nice and polite. I have learned from 5 years of regular visits to DC (DH works in DC even though we live in SC), that the Metro is not the place to expect friendly behavior. Workers are trying to get to work and home, and get really tired of the tourists that don't know how to get on the trains and how not to stand on the left side of the escalator, etc. But we love using the Metro, it is clean and easy to use, and I feel safe going around by myself with DD11.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

So that was YOU blocking the sidewalk, CruiserMom!!!!

I plan on bringing my boys downtown to see the blossoms in the morning--prayers and pixie dust needed. LOL If we get up early and drive down it shouldn't be too bad, but that's tough for us.

 

[brytorlyn]

Some very rude Washingtonian (s) robbed our van near the National Mall.

Mostly stole from DD8...he must have looked like some smooth thief on the subway (our car was parked right near the entrance to a subway/train station)..He got DD's little pink Disney Princess backpack filled with her DS, Ipod, Webkinz,games etc.

Joke was on him though because he stole our laptop..the one we only take for traveling. It was about 5 years old and the number key, shift and control keys didn't work. It was really a piece of junk.

Oh well, we still enjoyed Washington and even though it was Thanksgiving Day when it happened we were able to get it fixed quickly the following day.

 

[CruiserMom]

So that was YOU blocking the sidewalk, CruiserMom!!!!

I

Yes, and it was me standing on the left on the escalator! And standing in everyone's pictures! And stepping off the Metro train and consulting my map in the doorway, blocking the way!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Yes, and it was me standing on the left on the escalator! And standing in everyone's pictures! And stepping off the Metro train and consulting my map in the doorway, blocking the way!

 

[Caropooh]

I just got back from an afternoon/evening in DC. Went to see the cherry blossoms since a friend of mine had never seen them. We managed to find parking, which wasn't terribly hard, but only because we were on her bike. The Tidal Basin area was packed, but it was great fun being there with the crowds, taking pictures of people, seeing the news stations. Leaving was a pain in the patooty with traffic--sitting on a bike, with protective clothing on, in the heat and traffic, is not my idea of fun, but it had been over 30 years since I'd been on a motorcycle and was enjoying the experience. After dinner with friends my friend and I went back to the memorials and monuments and drove around, stopping at the Washington Monument. Beautiful night!



Here are a couple pics from our day, the first being me and the cherry blossoms, with the Jefferson Memorial behind me and the second my favorite wall inside the Jefferson Memorial.

I want to see a picture of you on the bike! Did you wear a helmet?

 

[Quiksilvr]

We did research DC before arriving. We got two tour guide books, one of which was fodors and we posted a thread or two requesting info from local DC'ers. That is how we learned that the metro was our most reliable transpo source. That driving and parking is not as easy at it is in other cities. That cab fare is rated differentlt and how we should not park in unsecured parking lots/garages because theft and break ins were high. I dont have anything against DC'ers or against the Metro even though so many of you seem to think we do. We did experience rudeness from other tourists and did have issues, for lack of a better word, with the metro but by day 4 we felt like we had been localized enough not to be so easily jossled.

I am sorry that so many of you feel as if we are haters of Dc and its locals. We arent. This was our first trip. We are planning to return. Just like when we went to WDW the first time we had a learning curve.

I don't know if anyone mentioned this, but as a public service announcement for those who are planning on visiting DC in the future, the cabs do not use the zone system anymore.

The zone system was eliminated in 2008 and cabs now use standard fare meters just like in NYC or other major cities. The cabbies hate it, because they don't make as much money, but there's nothing they can do about it. It was a city-wide change.

The key is to make sure you understand the various upcharges that might apply (e.g., it costs extra to have more than one person in the cab, or to have a cab come pick you up from a call-in). It's also helpful to have a general idea of how to get to where you want to go, because some unscrupulous cabbies will drive tourists on a roundabout route in order to inflate the fare. Heck, I've had them try to do that to me and I live downtown.

On the whole though, cabs can be a good experience. I take cabs pretty much every day, and while some have been irritating, most of them are just guys trying to make a buck.

 

[DancingBear]

...the charge rate on DC cabs is determined by how many districts or some sort you go through from point A to point B and not a mileage like it is in Orlando, where we have taken cabs when we didnt have a vehicle dont want to be at the mercy of the disney transpo gods. Which we all know happens

As has been pointed out, that is no longer true.

 

[DancingBear]

Not according to literature. Not when talking about a 2 or 4 year old. A 12 or 14 year old definitely. But as a man, I will always give up my seat for women and children, and would feel like a cad not too. We are not talking about high school children, and the day of seen not heard has past. Asking a 2,3 or 4 year old child to try to hang on while on the metro, when a fully functioning adult has their can planted in a seat is just not in my make up.

What "literature"?

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I want to see a picture of you on the bike! Did you wear a helmet?

Not wearing a helmet denotes that a person has nothing to protect. I'll post a pic on facebook....tried the other night, but a lot of my pics wouldn't post from my blackberry onto FB.


Sorry for the off topic....


ETA....that pic did post on FB, Caro!

 

[SOnotLayuh]

They were right... this bus argument DOES happen on every subforum!

 

[Rainwater]

then I you havent been to Washington, DC!! We took our four kids there this past few days and I cant even count the number of incidents we experienced!

I know where all the rude people on the monorail and busses get their training from. The metro rail in DC!! Not one person offered our 4 year old DD a seat while traveling on crowded trains. She had to hang on standing up and precariously braced against one of us while perfectly young healthy adults sat leisurely from stop to stop. Same thing on the tour bus we took yesterday. No one would move their bag from the seat to open up a place for our two youngest to sit and just looked at us like we were lepers when we asked if they minded.....of course they minded! What was I thinking???

And if you think WDW has the monopoly on tour groups, you are so wrong! We missed so many exhibits because of tour groups of 200 or more lining up and backing up the view of various exhibits for 2-3 hours a shot! They secority guards/proprietors at the musuems would post signs stating that you had XX minutes from this point before you could view said exhibit. The Star Spangled Banner was over an hour and half wait backed up just to walk by and view the display. Spring break is NOT the time to see DC for your 1st time. We think maybe October might bring better results!!

Also, public sidewalks are owned and blocked by whom ever chooses to walk in a shoulder to shoulder formation, and if they choose to stop then you better be prepared to brake and take a moment with them because if you say excuse me and try and move around them you get cursed, kicked and shoved I am so in love with humanity

I miss back home where people wave and say "hello" in passing whether they know you or not.

Just a question, I always offer my seat to someone, when I think they need it. But why do you think your entitled to someone's seat just because you want it?

 

[wishspirit]

I am sorry you had such a bad time!

I went about 3 years back in a big tour group of about 40 odd of us (sorry!)

However the experience of the Metro sounds very like London, unless the child looks exhausted or having trouble balancing, I doubt many would move. People who ride them everyday get very cynical.

However we went about this time of year, we booked tickets for things in advance, and loved seeing all the statues as well as the gorgeous cherry blossoms!

 

[torinsmom]

Unrelated to crowds but still Metrorail related, when riding the escalators up or down to the platforms, if you do not intend to actually walk on the moving stairs, stand to the right. Blocking the left "walking" side of the escalator will earn you an "Excuse me" from people trying to walk.

It earned me a little more than that when we went last June for a few days! We learned the "rule" really quickly, even though noone told us about it. I was amazed at the speed some of the walkers were moving at up those steep escalators.

I do have to say there were lots of riders with bags and books taking up seats on our trip too. We parked at the Ballston Mall and rode the metro with our luggage to our hotel in Wardman Park. We were trying to balance luggage and noone offered to move their bags for us to have a seat. By the time we rode back, I had no problem asking someone if they minded if I sat down. Noone said no, although some looked annoyed. I guess I kind of understand putting your bag in the seat after seeing some of the other people riding. Maybe they just want to deter freaks from sitting next to them?

 

[donaldbuzz&minnie]

In the midwest....we often give up our place in line at grocery stores and such for folks with less items or elderly because we always have a FULL cart and know it will take us 15 minutes to check out to their 5. We greet folks even if we dont know them, we hold doors open for others to walk thru and so forth. You get the idea, Im sure! No we arent saints, just trying and be polite. It the way we were raised and how folks are in our neck of the woods.

That sounds exactly like my neighbors, friends and me. PS I live in DC.

 

[kimmar067]

When I was a teenager in DC (born and raised in the city) we used to play "give the tourists the wrong directions"...we thought it was a great game.

...tee-hee-hee...AWESOME!

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

People who ride them everyday get very cynical.

I can't believe I'm still participating in this thread.

Having said that, standing on the metro is a privilege that my child looked forward to. He was so excited when he was 3 and I stopped bringing the stroller to pick him up at daycare and let him stand on the train. At that age he stood consistently whether the train was empty or full.

I don't offer my seat to young children, unless they appear uncomfortable, for the same reason that I don't offer my seat on the park bench to children at the playground. Why would I offer a child who is doing something safe and fun a chance not to do it?

I don't think that makes me "cynical". Having said that, as a person who takes the metro often, this thread is a good reminder that standing on the train may be an aquired skill. From now on, I'll watch more closely and see if a child who is standing is in distress (or if their parent is) and offer them a seat.

 

[bamagirl@hrt]

I've been following this thread off & on since it's beginning. I'm from the deep South, where we are particularly known for friendliness and hospitality. I used to scoff at the fact that magazines such as Southern Living considered DC to be part of the South. Then I went to DC for the first time last summer, and I experienced true southern hospitality.

I was so impressed with how friendly the natives were. We stayed on Pennsylvania Ave., about 4 blocks from the White House. The first time we were going to ride the Metro, we had difficulty finding the station. We knew it was supposed to be RIGHT there, but learned that it's marked differently than we'd seen in NYC. A gentleman in a suit, obviously on his way to work, stopped and asked if he could help us. He very nicely pointed out where we needed to go & we were on our way.

Using the Metro on the way back that evening, we got onto the train, but when we needed to swipe our cards after getting off, the machine wouldn't accept them. The attendant there was so nice and helpful. It seems that our Metro cards got too close to my cell phone and deactivated the magnetic strip. I had to go to the Metro Center station to have them replaced ( I was at Farragut West, I believe). The attendant gave us one way passes to get us where we needed until I could get them replaced the next day.

The only rudeness we encountered came from other tourists. I don't see that in any way as a reflection on DC, though. Those people brought their attitudes with them from where ever they call home.