This must be a relatively new thing with all these tourists acting a fool like that? I spent two weeks in London in 1993 on leave while in the US Army in Germany and saw lots of British Army guards and don't recall anyone laughing at them or mocking them.

quote:

Originally posted by FiveFiveSixFan:
But then there's also this.

I'll take Marshall for my team!

There's a video somewhere of a tourist getting one shot KOed by a Queen's Guard. He's doing the robot right up against the guard and touches him. Gets laid out cold. Should happen more often.

quote:

Originally posted by Tom Highway:
There's a video somewhere of a tourist getting one shot KOed by a Queen's Guard. He's doing the robot right up against the guard and touches him. Gets laid out cold. Should happen more often.

I remember this one - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new...-Windsor-Castle.html

And the Asian getting the sh*t scared out of him after laying a hand on the soldier.

IIRC the 'robot' thing is a frawk - can you find it for me?

tac

quote:

Originally posted by tacfoley:

quote:

Originally posted by Tom Highway:
There's a video somewhere of a tourist getting one shot KOed by a Queen's Guard. He's doing the robot right up against the guard and touches him. Gets laid out cold. Should happen more often.

I remember this one - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new...-Windsor-Castle.html

And the Asian getting the sh*t scared out of him after laying a hand on the soldier.

IIRC the 'robot' thing is a frawk - can you find it for me?

tac

https://youtu.be/vv007iMWRMY

Go to around 1:55. Yeah, it does look like a staged bit.

Well, those giant furry hats are rather ridiculous looking... and pointless, inhibiting even.

Not that it excuses touching them or being overtly disrespectful, but it's hard to take anyone very seriously in a get up like that. I do respect the position, but the outfit?

quote:

Originally posted by Tom Highway:

quote:

Originally posted by tacfoley:

quote:

Originally posted by Tom Highway:
There's a video somewhere of a tourist getting one shot KOed by a Queen's Guard. He's doing the robot right up against the guard and touches him. Gets laid out cold. Should happen more often.

I remember this one - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new...-Windsor-Castle.html

And the Asian getting the sh*t scared out of him after laying a hand on the soldier.

IIRC the 'robot' thing is a frawk - can you find it for me?

tac

https://youtu.be/vv007iMWRMY

Go to around 1:55. Yeah, it does look like a staged bit.

That whole thing is fake

I keep hoping one of HRM's Guard parks the bayonet of his L-85 well into the upper right sinus of the asshole who shows the soldier disrespect.

Snowflake generation was not taught the meaning of respect, everything is a game to most of them as they believe they are entitled to an explanation...

quote:

Originally posted by 46and2:
Well, those giant furry hats are rather ridiculous looking... and pointless, inhibiting even.

The hats make them look bigger and more threatening. They were adopted after the Battle of Waterloo. Napoleon's Old Guard wore them and after their defeat the British adopted them.

quote:

Originally posted by Deqlyn:
a throat punch or two might solve the problem.*sarc*

Wasnt there a movie about trying to make them laugh or something? I'd guess that didnt help

Second Austin Powers film. He ends with kissing the guard. The guard turns and smiles at Austin.

Unfortunately my fellow Americans are the worst at respecting the British traditions. I was at a private showing of the Tower of London with mixed group of Americans, Europeans and Indians. Far and away the least respectful of the Beefeater guards (go look up what it takes to become one) were the American contingent. It was my wife's business function, and her whispering to me to restrain myself that kept me from saying something to the rest of the group. I SHOULD have apologized for their behavior. I wish I had.

quote:

Originally posted by tacfoley:


BTW, outside Buckingham Palace they have live ammunition.

tac

The ceremonial guards don't. The powers that be are overly paranoid about an accidental discharge from a dropped rifle. There is a fully armed QRT ready to go in case they are needed.

We did an exchange program a few years back and a bunch of us went there and did some behind the scenes touring and field training with the Coldstream Guard. We were invited inside the fence for a changing of the guard and did some drinking at Victoria Barracks. A fun time had by all.

quote:

Originally posted by Lord Vaalic:

quote:

Originally posted by Tom Highway:

quote:

Originally posted by tacfoley:

quote:

Originally posted by Tom Highway:
There's a video somewhere of a tourist getting one shot KOed by a Queen's Guard. He's doing the robot right up against the guard and touches him. Gets laid out cold. Should happen more often.

I remember this one - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new...-Windsor-Castle.html

And the Asian getting the sh*t scared out of him after laying a hand on the soldier.

IIRC the 'robot' thing is a frawk - can you find it for me?

tac

https://youtu.be/vv007iMWRMY

Go to around 1:55. Yeah, it does look like a staged bit.

That whole thing is fake

Yes.

quote:

Originally posted by 46and2:
Well, those giant furry hats are rather ridiculous looking... and pointless, inhibiting even.

Not that it excuses touching them or being overtly disrespectful, but it's hard to take anyone very seriously in a get up like that. I do respect the position, but the outfit?

Ridiculous, eh?

Laff THIS off.

https://thinkingouttabox.files...s.com/2010/03/sg.jpg

tac

I think this is sort of a learned behavior, parodied in movies, then twatwaffles on social media... I don't remember seeing anyone try this with the Swiss guard.

If they ordered the guard to start butt-stRoking these people if they got within range this behavior would stop pretty quick.

Keeping in mind that the guard is made up of real honest to god been there done that soldiers who are capable of taking these fools out, I think that not reacting to the taunts may be a source of pride for them.

The bearskin headgear is an honored tradition within the Brit military.

Much preferred over comic-opera uniforms that the Secret Service's uniformed division White House "palace guard" wore in the early 1970s when Nixon was in residence.

quote:

Originally posted by 46and2:
I do respect the position, but the outfit?

It's their uniform. Who are you to talk shit about it?

The Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is somewhat separated from visitors. The video's I've seen of the Queens Guard you can walk right up to them.

I've been to Arlington a few times. To get to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier you have to walk through part of the cemetery. Even pretty dense folks realize where they are after that walk.

quote:

Originally posted by BBMW:
I think at a lot of those ceremonies, the crowd is mostly tourists. So they in fact may not have a lot of respect for the British Military or their monarchy. They're just there for the show.

Also, I think everyone visiting Arlington realizes what it's about. It's not about a way past it's prime show monarchy.

I agree with your first point, but I think it's also not quite the case that everyone who visists Arlington realizes what it's about. I've seen a number of video clips of some tourist acting in ways that draw swift, loud rebuke at bayonet point.