Travel

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Beach NO-NOS: hogging chairs, peeing in water

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 08/28/2010 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies)

Perfect strangers have to share precious real estate at public beaches and pools to cool off, but not everyone knows about the unwritten rules of waterside etiquette.

Travel website TripAdvisor polled more than 2,000 U.S. travellers and found that, for the second year running, Americans take the swim cap of shame as the worst beach and pool offenders, according to the site. Eighty-two per cent of respondents think people often violate some form of beach or pool etiquette, while 30 per cent have gone so far as to ask a stranger to stop behaving rudely at the beach or pool. New Yorkers were named the worst culprits, followed by travellers from Florida and New Jersey.

The most common violations were blasting loud music, at 22 per cent, beach-chair hogging at 18 per cent and urinating in the water at 14 per cent.

However, while 15 per cent of travellers maintain urinating in the water is the most annoying violation of beach and pool etiquette, 53 per cent think it's acceptable to urinate in the ocean, if no other swimmers are near, and four per cent think it's acceptable in the pool.

As for kids, 52 per cent of travellers think it violates etiquette when parents change their children's diapers in public at the pool or beach, and 85 per cent think it's unacceptable for a young child to go in the pool without a diaper on. Sixty-three per cent think there should be designated child-free areas altogether.

When it comes to skimpy suits, sometimes less is more, with 75 per cent saying it's acceptable for women to go topless at the beach or pool, in countries where it's culturally the norm. However, 35 per cent think Speedos for men is a no-no, while 29 per cent think the same of women in skimpy bikinis.

Respondents were more lax about drinking alcohol near water, with as 71 per cent of respondents saying alcohol should be permitted on the beach. Smoking ranked as the second-biggest pet peeve in 2009, but dropped off this year's lists. However, 83 per cent think smoking should be banned around pools, while 64 per cent think it should be disallowed at the beach.

-- Postmedia News

Beach and pool etiquette: Essential dos and donts:

* Don't ask a stranger to help apply suntan lotion; 77 per cent of travellers think this is unacceptable.

* Don't be a chair hog: 85 per cent think it's unacceptable to get up early and leave stuff on poolside chairs for hours on end.

* Do have a shower before entering the pool: 32 per cent think it violates etiquette not to rinse off (39 per cent confess to rarely doing so).

* Do keep your distance: 26 per cent maintain that, at a crowded beach, travellers should sit at least six feet away from other strangers. While on an uncrowded stretch of sand, 38 per cent think it's in order to sit at least 20 feet away.

-- Trip Advisor

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition August 28, 2010 E5

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010; View the changes. New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

WFP Hockey

Download our new hockey app for the iPhone for Winnipeg Jets updates
Editor's Bulletin

Sign up for daily bulletins from editor Margo Goodhand
Winnipeg Jets

All things NHL on our Jets landing page
Twitter

Follow our reporters and our news feeds on Twitter
News Cafe

Check out the menu, read our blog posts or get info on coming events
Facebook Fanpage

Follow our Facebook Fanpage for story links, contests and special events