(Those of you who prefer my Pollyanna happy person blogs might want to skip this one. It's my annual beginning of the season rant.)
Every year, I am astonished at how inconsiderate some people are. I'm not sure that anyone sets out to be deliberately rude, they just don't think about the possible impact or perception of their behavior. Some people, when on vacation, are pretty well self centered and focused only on how everything around them affects them, rather than remembering they are not the only people on the planet. (Some people are like this all the time, too...so I can't fault the people who are only like this when on vacation too much!)
What do I mean? Here's a quick list of DOs and DON'Ts which will give you some examples.
When on vacation in a small town (which is basically what Ocracoke is):
- DON'T walk, bike, drive, skateboard or anything else down the middle of the street. I understand that one of the things people love about Ocracoke is that it's so different from home, but truly road rules (and common sense) should not be variable. There are people who live and work here, who need to drive to where they are going by a particular time, and who don't need to worry about whether they can get there on time because a group of 16 (or 6, or 1!) people is walking literally in the middle of the road. Besides that, it's just not a great idea for your health and future wellbeing (or being at all!) Yes, Ocracoke streets are not as busy as the ones in your hometown, but they do still occasionally get busy, and you don't want to be in the middle of them when that's the case. Even in the middle of the night, you never know when someone might be driving and not paying as much attention as he or she should be, for a variety of reasons. I think I've said this before, but it bears repeating: injury or death is really not how you want to end your vacation. A quick summary in case you've forgotten: walk on the left (facing traffic), bike on the right (with traffic).
- DON'T loudly comment about the prices you see on the menu of a restaurant as you walk out the door. By all means, if the prices are not what you expected or are more than your budget can afford, go ahead and walk out the door. There's just no need to be judgemental about it in a voice the entire place can hear. It's embarrassing for the other patrons, the staff, and you.
- DON'T make fun of the pronunciation of...well, anything. The name of the island, the sandwich you just saw on the menu, etc. You never know if the person for whom the sandwich is named is sitting within feet of you, listening to you butcher and laugh at his or her moniker.
- DON'T sit on the ferry and discuss how awful Ocracoke is, and how you can't imagine that anyone would want to live there. There is probably someone who lives there within earshot. If you don't like it, by all means go back to your home, but don't malign the choice of the people who make Ocracoke theirs.
- DO - pick up after your dog, when he/she uses someone's lawn as a restroom. I have personally observed multiple people do this outside my house, and I appreciate it greatly.
- DO tip your server. They work hard and don't get paid much. They depend on your generosity.
- DO enjoy the peace and quiet. Or enjoy the many available activities. Yes, there are many available activities on Ocracoke. If you want to stay busy, you can. If you want to sit still, you can do that too. (If you don't believe me about activities, here's a partial list: go parasailing, go shopping, ride a bike or a scooter or just walk around the village, visit the OPS museum, learn about Blackbeard, go fishing, take a sunset sail, take a dolphin cruise, read a book on the beach, see some live musical entertainment, ride a jet ski, take a Ghost Walk...hopefully you get the idea.)
- DO say thank you. To people who answer your questions (where is that pesky Lighthouse, anyway?), make your bed, sell you souvenirs, etc., etc. And to God (whoever you conceive Him to be) for the beauty of this place.
And DO enjoy your vacation!
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2 comments:
I suppose that's the price of living in a vacation spot. These "nuisances" in the guise of tourists are part of the reason that Ocracoke has made it to the 21st century. Be thankful for them, for they pay the salaries of many of those you write so glowingly about in your blog with their hard earned vacation money that they choose to spend on "your island."
Some of the things I've described are the price of living in a vacation spot, absolutely. I don't think of tourists as nuisances, and as I said in the blog I think that most of the people I've observed doing some of the things I described don't intend to be rude or hurtful, although they sometimes manage to be anyway.
I think that most everyone who lives on Ocracoke, me included, is thankful for the visitors who come here. Many of us came here as visitors ourselves initially. It is entirely possible to be thankful for people, and also to be affected by their less-than-wonderful behavior. I am thankful for my husband, but he also annoys me sometimes.
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