rude chinese tourists

You should try the Chinese IN China, lol. This description of a Chinese tour group in Europe, written by a westerner who speaks Mandarin, may help explain what's going on: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/04/18/110418fa_fact_osnos

I was standing in line at a public urinal. A busload of Chinese had just arrived, and there were Chinese in front of me and Chinese behind. When my turn came, a Chinese cut in and stepped up in front of me. I treated him to a string of profanities I'm sure he'd never heard before and, as if it had been a misunderstanding, he smiled and let me have my turn. I had the impression it wasn't an intentional act of rudeness, it was just the way it's done where he comes from.

"it was just the way it's done where he comes from." Right. You wait for a Chinese train or ferry in a designated waiting room, not on the platform, and when the exit doors open there is an instant rush to get through first, EVEN THOUGH everyone has a reserved seat or cabin! Holding my own in the line to board the night ferry from Putuoshan to Shanghai I actually saw a fist fight break out.

Byron, Thanks for the link.

@Joel - that wasn't Byron.

Kathy, interesting article. Thanks!

Thank you for posting that link! What an amazing piece! I encourage everyone to read it. Here's one TINY excerpt that was quite telling: Our guide had mocked Europe's stately pace, but Zheng said her countrymen have come to believe that "if you don't elbow your way on to everything you'll be last." A car paused for us at a crosswalk, and Zheng drew a contrast: Drivers at home think, "I can't pause. Otherwise, I'll never get anywhere," she said.

Very interesting. It gives a new perspective to the Chinese and to "non-Rick" style travel. Wonder when someone will take a Rick video or book back with them and start another revolution????

Reminds me of watching footage of people in Tokyo getting on the subway. I'd have a panic attack, but it's just what they do. To each his own. I haven't run in to a TON of Chinese tour groups in Europe, but when I do, I just let them go first. Not worth the trouble.

I loved that article. The part about the bus drivers only working 12 hour days! And the warnings to not eat the food or talk to strangers cracked me up; Americans can be so paranoid in places like China, so it's funny to read the Chinese are paranoid when in Paris.

That is a brilliant article, and the author clearly has good knowledge of China. I am of Chinese descent myself and I would say that Europe does not have the significance in Chinese culture that it does in America or Australia. For us, we can trace our institutions, language etc to Europe. This is not the case with China. You can see this in the attitudes of the tourists in the article. Even the Chinese name for itself, Zhong Guo means Middle Country with the implication that it is the most important country in the world. Of course this name is a relic of ancient history. I also find the explanations of European food to the tourists amusing. My late father never got used to things like cheese and breakfast cereal. (I dislike the latter myself).

This whole Chinese tourist thing is a new phenomenon so I just give them a wide berth like I did the new Russians and other former Eastern Bloc countries a decade ago. I'm reserving judgement for another 10 years to give them a chance to get caught up. Time has expired for the rest of them though :)

What is the question here anyway? Maybe Rick will add a section to his next book warning about Chinese tourists and Byron's recommended approach (push them back when pushed). I hate going to Europe and finding some many foreigners too.

Asians have a completely different idea of personal space and queing than westerners. I've ridden on the Tokyo subway, not only are you packed in but you are shoved in by metro employees. At restaurants, ticket booths, etc. people push to the front rather than wait their turn. It seems rude to us. They don't think of it as rude at all, just the way things are done.

...and here's the Japanese train pushers Close enough. I wish you could've seen my mother's face the first time we used the subway in Seoul...Priceless LOL! Luckily, I wasn't surprised; I only wished I had thought to warn her. I'm with Byron - push, or forever stand in the back...I'd STILL be standing behind 7 rows of people in front of Venus de Milo......for the last 13 years ;-) Thanks, Kathy, for the very interesting article!

You all come visit me in Hawaii to see how both Asian and North Americans can be rude and pushy.

Holy carp Eileen, that was a frightening video! Loved it. Wow, I hope everyone showered. LOL

10 years ago I was in Shanghai along the Yangtze River waiting for a "tourist" bus. I was completely fascinated by the Chinese people waiting for buses and what happened everytime a bus arrived. Regardless of how empty or full the bus was, or how many people were waiting to get on the bus, there was no sense of creating a line, allowing the people in front to get on first. Everyone (even little old ladies) just elbowed and pushed with the crowd to get on the bus, which was especially entertaining if the bus was empty, and clearly all 15 people waiting would be able to fit on the bus. I could have observed this for hours. In the US, we have "unspoken" self imposed rules about waiting in lines, alternating, creating our own lines, and generally waiting our turn. I've been in China more recently and it seems that there is more "order" than 10 years ago, I think in part to prepare there culture for the Oylmpics.
I never thought of the Chinese culture as rude, just different than ours, and with a population over a billion, the "personal space" has to be smaller than us westerners are used to.

Nice how they ever so carefully tucked the lady's coat in. Urk.

Looks like a fun job! I see lots of busloads of Chinese tourists coming through Frankfurt. They always have their own guides, who unfortunately like to speak through loud-speakers or mega-phones. Really disturbing! They do fill up the Chinese restaurants in town too. One of the more popular stops are the Swaroski stores and they will pack in there, buying jewelry. One of the funnier things I have seen is that they will buy things, wear them, but leave the tags on, so it does look a bit odd.

The main store they go to in Luzern is the watch store Bucherer. I was going to buy another Tag H watch however there were so many chinese buying watches I decided to let Bucherer repair my band. It was near impossible getting to the counter. In Paris the main store they go to is the Louis Vuitton store and the store now has a limit of items they sell to one person to prevent reselling back in China. The prices must be good.