The Most Annoying Types of Travelers, Ranked

See recent posts by Neil Gladstone

formulanone/Flickr

formulanone/Flickr

Although traveling can be one of the greatest joys, it can also be aggravating. More specifically, those you encounter along your journey can be downright annoying. Whether you’re in a van with your pals gassing it cross-country or jetting around the world in first-class, someone is likely going to get to you. We’ve already ranked the most annoying plane and cruise ship passengers, but there plenty of other pesky traveler types that don’t fall into one of those categories. Below, we came up with a master list of the most irritating types of travelers, so you can avoid being that guy.

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15. Headless Riders

Jeffrey Beall/Flickr

Jeffrey Beall/Flickr

If you drift within three feet of another car on the freeway, headless riders are the first to yell “watch it! watch it!” For them, doom is always just a turn signal away. On planes, headless riders will never miss a chance to tell you how many times they’ve “almost crashed” as soon as the plane experiences turbulence.

14. Campers

For some travelers, creating a home away from home begins as soon as they leave their house. Campers are ready to set up their magazines, books, snacks, and laptop as soon as they sit next to you on a train, bus, or plane. These knick-knacks might even crowd your personal space. Inevitably, you start drawing up an imaginary demarcation line that should never be crossed.

13. In-Flight Gym Locker

There are some passengers who give you a whiff of an in-flight gym locker without ever having to leave your seat. Whether it’s another passenger’s carry-on meal or their body odor, you might need to plug your nose.

12. Free Flyers

https://www.instagram.com/p/7K6hjny6oN

It’s a good thing to be comfortable with your body, but that doesn’t mean all of your fellow travelers need to be privy to every nook and cranny of your wonderland. There plenty of passengers who like to let it hang out. Free flyers like to relax in various states of undress, giving you much more of a personal tour than you expected to see on your trip.

11. The Goers

Too many bathroom breaks can annoy even the most patient travel companion. Whether you’re in the car and need to stop every hour at a rest stop, or you’re on a plane and have to get up every time your neighbor needs to use the restroom, no one wants to sit next to (or travel with) the goer, a person who drank too much coffee, soda, or water before the trip.

10. Instagram Artistes

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPAcvdHFlWD

Plato once said “an unexamined life is not worth living,” but no philosopher suggested that every single thing should be documented on Instagram. Instagram artistes capture every entree and rest stop, and then share it with their followers. Sometimes it’s best to live in the moment, rather than behind a screen. Even worse are the travelers who take selfies in inappropriate locations, like the 9/11 Memorial and around animals.

9. The Non-Stop Stopper

The non-stop stopper is the type of traveler who will make a case for getting off the highway for everything, from a pie store to a corn stand to a popsicle stick sculpture museum. While some roadside attractions are certainly cool, not all are worth a stop. Pick and choose what you’re most interested in, as doing everything could have you running behind schedule.

8. The Yammering Traveler

Whether on a plane, in an elevator, or on a tour, you might run into a stranger who wants to tell you how amazing the hotel buffet is, the sites you absolutely must see, and why life is an amazing journey that can only be lived once. The incessant chatterbox can annoy even the friendliest of individuals.

7. Line Jumpers

Herry Lawford/Flickr

Herry Lawford/Flickr

Regardless of how fast a line is moving or how quickly traffic is motoring along, there’s always a line jumper who has to get there before you. On the highway, it’s sometimes the sports car driver who zips in and out of traffic, often without signaling. And in queues, this is the “VIP” who somehow sneaks to the front with the excuse that they should already be inside.

6. Lovers and Gropers

Love is a beautiful thing. But unless you’re a consenting adult in your hotel room, you probably don’t want to watch it. Lovers and gropers can’t help but share their affection for one another everywhere, whether it’s in the hotel hot tub or on the casino floor. Tip: Be mindful of others and tone down the public canoodling.

5. Adjusters and Re-Adjusters

https://www.instagram.com/p/BOv0t28Blzs/

You could be sitting next to an adjuster — behind one or in front of one. This is the plane traveler who just can’t get the seat to be comfortable. First the armrest should be up, then down. The seat should be a little reclined, then pushed all the way back. Adjusters (and re-adjusters) can distract and annoy with their constant movements.

4. The Walking Encyclopedia

On every trip, there’s an “expert” who can’t help but tell you everything he or she has learned in the guide book. They might even incorporate a few words from the phrase book: “You know, Oscar Wilde said ‘when good Americans die, they go to Paris.’” Though this can be interesting at first, the act can get annoying fairly quickly.

3. The Aggrieved

Vacation is supposed to be a time when people can relax. However, there are some folks who just can’t let their troubles melt away with the ocean breeze or country air. The aggrieved travelers are at the front of the hotel line when you’re trying to check out, in the passenger seat on an all-day drive, or leaning over the rail on a cruise. In other words, they can be found anywhere. The problem could be a day that’s too sunny or a buffet with too little bacon. If the experience is less than brochure perfect, they’ll let you know.

2. Hotel Hell-Raiser

Hallways at the Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa/Oyster

Hallways at the Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa/Oyster

Hotel hell-raisers are those who treat their property of choice like amusement park. The space between the room and the elevators are running tracks, and when the room service breakfast trays are out, the hallways become loud, giggle-filled scavenger hunts. Be respectful of your fellow travelers and keep the volume at an appropriate level.

1. Preoccupied Parents

formulanone/Flickr

formulanone/Flickr

Kids are charming little humans with endearing smiles. Being trapped in a small space with rowdy or whining toddlers, however, is not so wonderful. Of course, you can’t blame them, but what about their preoccupied parents — the ones who are on the phone or chatting with other adults, ignoring their little ones’ behavior? Those inattentive parents can really put a damper on your vacation.

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