I am always amazed by the number of times I encounter English-speaking tourists in Europe who walk into a shop and speak English as though they were in Niceville, USA. While it's not realistic to expect one to speak the language of every country visited, not even politely asking if one speaks English (in any language) is pretty rude, imo. (Given that it's typically combined with speaking English like one would at home to a native speaker.)

[Edited for content.]

[This message has been edited by SMessier (edited 12-11-2002).]