The case of a foreign traveller who thought it was a good idea to squat and defecate outside the living room window of a farmer in South Iceland has re-ignited a heated debate in Iceland about how to deal with foreign visitors who seem to believe the normal rules of civilized society do not apply in Iceland.
Read more: Farmer in S. Iceland fed up with disrespectful travellers treating his lawn as a public lavatory
Annoyed locals
Travellers going to the toilet at inappropriate places is one of few things associated with growing tourism which seems to annoy Icelanders. Travellers have been caught doing no. 2 in people's backyards, in the national cemetery in Þingvellir National Park, on a sidewalk in Húsavík village.
Many have pointed out that part of the problem is that there are not enough public lavatories at popular tourist destinations or along the Ring Road. The root of the problem, they argue, is inadequate investment in infrastructure. Others have argued that this should not exempt foreign visitors from keeping to basic standards of decency.
How to deal with this problem?
But how should locals ensure that visitors realize Iceland is in fact a civilized country, where people do not go around defecating whenever and wherever they feel like it? Þorkell Daníel Eiríksson, who posted photos of a foreign traveller who first pooped next to his mailbox, then grinned and argued about the behaviour when he was confronted on it, suggested that perhaps visitors should be required to show proof that they have been properly potty-trained.
Others have put up signs to discourage public pooping.
Original solution at Hornbjargsviti lighthouse
The lighthouse keeper at Hornbjargsviti in the Hornstrandir nature preserve offered a rather unusual, but probably a very effective solution to the problem. In a post on Facebook he explained how he dealt with a man who defecated on the path leading to the residence of the lighthouse keeper:
I faced this kind of a situation a few years ago while at Hornbjargsviti lighthouse. A traveller squatted and shat on the side of the path leading up to the house. I pretended not to notice, and after he came into the house I went back out, without him noticing, picked up his waste with a plastic bag, and then snuck the bag, with his waste, into his backpack without him noticing and then said goodbye with a grin on my face.
The case of a foreign traveller who thought it was a good idea to squat and defecate outside the living room window of a farmer in South Iceland has re-ignited a heated debate in Iceland about how to deal with foreign visitors who seem to believe the normal rules of civilized society do not apply in Iceland.
Read more: Farmer in S. Iceland fed up with disrespectful travellers treating his lawn as a public lavatory
Annoyed locals
Travellers going to the toilet at inappropriate places is one of few things associated with growing tourism which seems to annoy Icelanders. Travellers have been caught doing no. 2 in people's backyards, in the national cemetery in Þingvellir National Park, on a sidewalk in Húsavík village.
Many have pointed out that part of the problem is that there are not enough public lavatories at popular tourist destinations or along the Ring Road. The root of the problem, they argue, is inadequate investment in infrastructure. Others have argued that this should not exempt foreign visitors from keeping to basic standards of decency.
How to deal with this problem?
But how should locals ensure that visitors realize Iceland is in fact a civilized country, where people do not go around defecating whenever and wherever they feel like it? Þorkell Daníel Eiríksson, who posted photos of a foreign traveller who first pooped next to his mailbox, then grinned and argued about the behaviour when he was confronted on it, suggested that perhaps visitors should be required to show proof that they have been properly potty-trained.
Others have put up signs to discourage public pooping.
Original solution at Hornbjargsviti lighthouse
The lighthouse keeper at Hornbjargsviti in the Hornstrandir nature preserve offered a rather unusual, but probably a very effective solution to the problem. In a post on Facebook he explained how he dealt with a man who defecated on the path leading to the residence of the lighthouse keeper:
I faced this kind of a situation a few years ago while at Hornbjargsviti lighthouse. A traveller squatted and shat on the side of the path leading up to the house. I pretended not to notice, and after he came into the house I went back out, without him noticing, picked up his waste with a plastic bag, and then snuck the bag, with his waste, into his backpack without him noticing and then said goodbye with a grin on my face.
