Would you step forward to help a tourist?
@lordwarwizard (35747)
Singapore
March 9, 2009 11:47am CST
You notice a person a few strides away from you. He is studying a map. If you take out a coin and flip it 1,000 times, it will come up Head just once, meaning he is a geography student and 999 times Tail, meaning he is a tourist.
This tourist looks lost and might perhaps appreciate some help. Would you step forward to help him? Or would you look away and hope he will not come to ask you? Or will you actively walk as far away from him as you think "safe"?
Me? I will probably do the last or at least the second.
(And you must be thinking now: Geez, I never realize Wizzy is such a scoundrel as this! Whatever I think of him, I never expect him to be so unhelpful!)
Ouch. My ears hurt. Well there is a reason for my apparent "un-helpfulness". You see, I am absolutely clueless with directions. 9 out of 10 chances that I will probably not know what that tourist is asking. I love to help but that's only valid if it is within my means. Yes, you will probably point out that I have a 1 in 10 but hey, Wizzy prefers to keep embarrassment to a minimum.
So, let's hear from you now instead? How would you react when you see a tourist fumbling? Would you step forward to help a tourist? 
36 people like this
137 responses
@mssnow (9484)
• United States
20 Mar 09
Well, My Lord, Knowing me and i do know me well.
If the torusit looked lost and if it were a male tourists I would probably walk right up andask him Because im such a flirt anyways. But if it were a female tourists i would probably wait till she asked for help. Because i have found that alot of females will just yell at me if i intrfere lol So I learn to step back.
If the torusit looked lost and if it were a male tourists I would probably walk right up andask him Because im such a flirt anyways. But if it were a female tourists i would probably wait till she asked for help. Because i have found that alot of females will just yell at me if i intrfere lol So I learn to step back. 3 people like this
@teapotmommommerced (10359)
• United States
20 Mar 09
I would help the tourist. I use to live in Yosemite National Park and Help tourists all the time. I like sharing my knowledge of the area.
3 people like this
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
25 Mar 09
I wouldn't step up and offer help. Unless the tourist come and approach me for help, I would not go up and offer any. Lest I be deemed as harboring some no good thoughts for approaching them.
But if they ever ask, and I know, I will offer them the help.
But if I do not know, I will at least direct them to somewhere where they can get help. And if I still cannot do that, I will just apologies and tell them I do not know what they are asking for.
I too am a tourist in a foreign country some times. And I too get lost and need directions. And if I can get help, I am usually grateful.
So when I see them and they ask for help, I am just returning some foreigner a favor.
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
26 Mar 09
Oh yes, some people tend to be overly suspicious.
Remember especially not to step forward when you are at the newton area lol.
2 people like this
@poohgal (6845)
• Singapore
19 Mar 09
Yea. I have done that a few times. It all happened in Orchad road. The last time it happened, I was at the path between Orchad and Plaza Singapura. An old couple, who looks like they are from Europe, seemed a little lost and so I asked them if they needed any help.
I'm also clueless with directions. In fact, I have the worst sense of direction among friends. But well, if I don't where they are talking about, I'll just say sorry.
On my own, if I get lost, which weirdly happened quite a few times even though it's Singapore we are talking about, I'll ask passerby for directions.
3 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
23 Mar 09
You must be very familiar with Orchard area to offer your help.
1 person likes this
@baileycows (3665)
• United States
9 Mar 09
Yes, I wouldnt mind helping a tourist. It would make me feel good that I could help someone out.
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
9 Mar 09
Sure makes you feel good to be able to help others...
1 person likes this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
10 Mar 09
Lol, don't most backpacking tourists look "dangerous"? Not shaving is part of the adventure badge, ha! 
@sn_singh56 (261)
• India
10 Mar 09
At any point in time.I would love to help a tourist who needs it and set a good example of being a good host country and make the tourist feel at home to the extent it is possible for me to do.We all have a responsibility towards the visitor to our country so that he explores our country to the fullest and takes back fond and lasting memories with him.
2 people like this
@sn_singh56 (261)
• India
11 Mar 09
Welcome my dear!Now plan a visit to India and do tell me when are you doing so.
@santhosheie (212)
• India
26 Mar 09
s surely pa. i seen many tourist visiters in mahabalipurram and also in chennai city
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (161080)
• United States
21 Mar 09
I help people all of the time. I live in a really small town so most of the places I could get asked about, I could also tell about. In Seattle one time, when I was there with teenagers, that were not all mine, this really nice lady who was powerwalking took us the safest way to the Aquarium, preventing us from going through some unsavory routes. I appreciated that.
2 people like this
@munhozmib (3836)
• Sao Paulo, Brazil
10 Mar 09
Hello there.
I am studying Tourism in a technical course. It is my duty to help any tourist. I will probably have to GUIDE them when I get another tourism course done. It might happen, you know?
Besides, reading a map is not necessary when you know where you are. If he asks how to get somewhere, and you know where it is, you can just point it out. If not, you can ask him to go to somewhere in which he will get more information.
Respectfully,
Munhozmib.
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
10 Mar 09
Hihi,
Would be a good platform for you to practise the essence of tourism!
@sminut13 (1783)
• Singapore
30 Mar 09
hahhaha well i would probably do the second or if not, depending on where i am, the last. grins, i'm the same as you. clueless with directions too. if it's a place where i've been frequenting often, (which is rare)-_- then i would try and help out. but i too don't want to be embarassed and guilty too if i can't help out.
2 people like this
@jerzgirl (9327)
• United States
10 Mar 09
I would absolutely step forward - I have before, even when I could tell they WEREN'T tourists, as long as I was familiar with the local area. I would want to be helped in their country if I were lost, I should represent MY country in a like manner. When I was in Munich, it was a local who guided us to the famous HofbrauHaus. I had gotten us to within a block of it using local mass transit maps, but it was around a corner and we just couldn't find it. Why would I want to do less?
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
10 Mar 09
Yup, when I say tourists, I am quite generalizing it. I really meant locals too. 
@beautifulmood102 (23)
• China
10 Mar 09
I am very clueless with directions.If I kwon exactly the position demanded I'd like to be helpfull for the loser for if I am in his/her place I am eager for the real help.And i think i am always a favorite of god for whenever and wherever I need a help like this there is someone who will offer me exactly what I want.Thanks to all persons who helped me once and helped others once.God bless you kind citizens.
2 people like this
@gdesjardin (1918)
• United States
10 Mar 09
I would definitely walk right up to him/her and help them out. I am great with directions, so that wouldn't be a problem. I live close to Chattanooga, TN which is a tourist city. When I used to work in downtown Chattanooga, I used to help out poor lost tourists all the time. I would recommend the better places to eat, off the beaten path, and some of the great places to see, that usually only the locals know of. Of course, I have to tell you, I have always wanted to work at a travel agency or to be a tour guide of some sort, so I guess I am just living out a part of my dream when I help a tourist out. Have a good day!
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
10 Mar 09
Great with directions? Cool!
Looks like there is a little tour guide in you.
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
9 Mar 09
Yes, I feel that I would try to help them the best that I can anyhow. If I was unable I would try to seek help from someone else for him. I am not to good with direction either but I would try to help him the best I could.
1 person likes this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
9 Mar 09
I would explain I don't know much but will try to be of some help. I don't get to town but maybe once or twice a month and although I have lived here the last 20 years in I couldn't tell you half the things about it. But being embarrassed isn't something I would be even if I couldn't help because I tried. I have been that person before needing help and everyone walking past me on their own merry way and I would finally have to be the one who approached people to ask even if some would say they didn't know and keep walking so they wouldn't have to stop and explain..So I been there done that and I feel that I should help those if I can if I can't I would try to ask someone else.
1 person likes this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
10 Mar 09
Okay... for me, I much prefer to spare myself the possible embarrassment in the first place.
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
9 Mar 09
But it would be quite embarrassing to try find help when you are proven unable to help a tourist. After all, a local/native is *supposed* to know everything lol.
1 person likes this
@marciascott (25529)
• United States
10 Mar 09
Yes I would help a Tourist, because if I was lost or couldn't find my way I would want someone to help me too.
1 person likes this
@samorast2 (3)
• India
10 Mar 09
but no one would help you then what you will do?
1 person likes this
@sukumar794 (5040)
• Thiruvananthapuram, India
10 Mar 09
Definitely YES! If someone ,a stranger for that matter need help or assistance from me I would gladly be providing it in full mind.
@yushen1008 (357)
• Philippines
10 Mar 09
yes i may help the lost tourist, but in case i also don't know which direction the tourist might take, i might just help him by referring him to the "authorized" direction caretaker and that is... traffic policemen. coz as far as i know, i easily get lost on directions too. :)
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
10 Mar 09
Yea that would be one last resort but I just think it might be pretty embarrassing for us (he might think: why waste his time if you can't help? He can easily ask one of the officials himself).
@mysdianait (66009)
• Italy
9 Mar 09
I woulld step forwards and sideways to help. Especially if they appeared to be English tourists,
We get lots of them here and I'm only too happy to help. I can usually direct them without a map too because I know where most of the local landmarks and tourista attractions are
When are you likely to be arriving? 
When are you likely to be arriving? 1 person likes this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
9 Mar 09
Oh Diana, you are so sweet. 
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I am scared to go to Italy. I might be overwhelmed by the hospitality and made into my own brand of wizzypizza. 
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I am scared to go to Italy. I might be overwhelmed by the hospitality and made into my own brand of wizzypizza. 1 person likes this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
10 Mar 09
You gotta promise to bring me around when I do visit Italy, ha!
1 person likes this
@mysdianait (66009)
• Italy
9 Mar 09
They do not usually turn foreign tourists into pizza!
No matter how appealing they might seem 
1 person likes this
@Bluepatch (2476)
• Trinidad And Tobago
10 Mar 09
If they ask, yes. Reason being that usually helping somebody who doesn't know can take about 15 minutes of explanation.
During the day I'm usually so tired and dragged out with my hot and sweaty work that I don't have the energy to do this.
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
10 Mar 09
Of course, if one is in a foul mood himself, he isn't likely going to get fired up with helping others...
