Three things make a poll.

[andrewducker]

[Poll #1793665]

Comments

[bart-calendar.livejournal.com]

If you joined Shengen you'd get a lot more expat American tourist dollars. As it is no US expat I know will try to go to the UK because your border agents are nightmares and everyone is afraid of getting deported.

Even my friends in the States who are not expats but just want to come to the UK several times a year to visit friends or boyfriends/girlfriends have stopped doing so because of the relentless questioning/threats/homophobia/misogyny that the UK border people are guilty of.

One of my female friends has her UK boyfriend meet her in Portugual now because she absolutely refuses to spend one more minute at Heathrow being asked if she's a prostitute and having to justify the lingerie packed in her suitcase. And in general everyone I know has their UK friends come to France when they want to hang out because going to the UK is such a ridiculous nightmare.

There are supposed to be free borders in the EU - but, honestly, I had less trouble traveling between borders of drug infested South American countries than most people I know have had trying to go from mainland Europe to the UK.

But, that's fine. If the UK would rather we spent our recreational income in Spain and Portugal that's the UK's choice.

[andrewducker]

Yeah, I've heard that. Apparently a lot of Chinese tourists go to mainland Europe and then don't come to the UK because it would involve lots of extra paperwork.

[bart-calendar.livejournal.com]

Not only the paperwork but the intrusive questioning. Like if you present as gay being questioned about if you have unprotected anal sex. Like, if you are a woman in her 20s to early 30s who dresses nicely and doesn't have a wedding ring being asked if you are an escort. (They read one of my friend's diaries that was packed in her suitcase in order to make sure she wasn't a hooker.)

Like if you are just a normal tourist who checked a guitar with your luggage because you like to play guitar being turned away and sent back at your expense because they assume you are a busker - all of which, and more, has happened to people I know trying to go to the UK and has not happened to anyone I know anywhere else in Europe.

Shit we are people who want to spend money in your country, which, would, you know, help the economy.

[channelpenguin.livejournal.com]

really? wow. I travel with guitar back and fwd to Denmark a fair bit and the Danes give me no hassle. I', a UK-ian so obviously don't get the sh!t on the way back. Had some herrings confiscated at Copenhagen airport tho' - reckon the guy just wanted them for his lunch :-)