Poll: Travelers annoyed by beach behavior

NEWTON, Mass., July 1 (UPI) -- A Massachusetts-based travel Web site said its survey found 74 percent of respondents believe people "often violate some form of beach or pool etiquette."

TripAdvisor said its online survey of more than 1,100 U.S. respondents found more than 74 percent believe rude behavior is common at the beach, with Miami Beach, Fla., being voted as the location with the worst behavior among beach and pool visitors.

In the beach category, 27 percent of respondents cited loud music as the worst violation of etiquette, while 12 percent chose public intoxication and 12 percent complained of littering.

Among poolgoers, 21 percent said loud music was the most annoying behavior among rude people while 18 percent cited beach chair hogging and 13 percent complained of smoking at poolside.

However, the survey found only 25 percent of respondents had asked a stranger to stop their etiquette-breaching behavior.

"Regardless of how beautiful the sand and blue the skies, even the most jaw-dropping beach and pool settings can be ruined by inconsiderate behavior," said Karen Drake, senior director of communications for TripAdvisor. "With vacation time precious to us all, a little thoughtfulness can go a long way in maintaining waterside harmony."