Get outta here.
With summer in full swing, one of the many complaints from local beach goers is that people don’t respect others’ space when arranging an elaborate setup in the sand.
A study by Beach.com revealed that 92% of Americans have admitted to engaging in this rude behavior, also known as “beach sprawling” — and they don’t seem to be stopping anytime soon.
And we’re not talking about a simple umbrella and chair setup — nowadays, people are whipping out tents, canopies and cabanas to make their beach day comfy.
Many frustrated people have taken their “beach sprawling” complaints to social media — stirring up an online debate.
“Probably a super unpopular opinion, but I hate, hate, hate these tents. They should not be allowed. And if you are going to use them, you should have to sit at the back of the beach. I can’t see my kid when she’s in the water, it blocks the view — and an umbrella does the exact same thing,” quipped one beach lover in a TikTok video.
“Go early and sit in the front,” argued one person in the comments.
“I’m with u! u can’t let the kids play in the water anymore!” chimed in someone else.
In another video, a frustrated sunbather showed a surprisingly empty beach — but as the camera panned, a giant blue tent sat on top of the couple with overlay text on the video that read: “Biggest pet peeve at the beach. All this space and you literally set your tent up right on top of us, absolutely no common sense or spatial awareness.”
“People have no sense of beach etiquette,” read a comment.
“I feel like they don’t like being lonely,” joked someone else.
This over-the-top beach behavior is such an issue that some Delaware, New Jersey and Maryland beaches have reportedly banned these obnoxious view blockers. Fines of up to $250 are supposedly issued if anyone is caught setting one of them up, according to the outlet.
Setting up shop isn’t the only annoying thing beachgoers are doing these days — 70% of seaside visitors have confessed to peeing in the ocean instead of finding a nearby restroom, according to the Beach.com survey.
49% of participants also admitted to drinking alcohol on beaches where it’s prohibited and 38% steal sand or shells while strolling the seashore — which is a little more innocent but still bizarre, nonetheless.
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