Rickshaw drivers

I am aiming this post at non-Indian people.

I often read on websites about travellers claiming they have been cheated by rickshaw drivers. A lot of the time they claimed they asked the price for a return journey, but the driver wants double the price. My own view is that a lot of the time it is a misunderstanding due to language difficulties.

Many times traveller's will argue with a driver over ten or twenty rupees. In fact to a traveller who can afford to fly to India this is a paltry amount, but to a poor rickshaw driver, this could be the difference between his family being fed that night and going hungry.

Perhaps many foreigners are not aware that most rickshaw drivers do not own their own rickshaws, but have to pay a daily rental for them. So they have to make quite a few journeys to pay this rental before starting to make any money. The rickshaw driver sees the foreigner as a rich man, who has flown to his country. Why make life difficuly by arguing over small amounts.

Here is my advice to avoid problems with rickshaw drivers and perhaps even make a new friend.

When approaching the rickshaw driver, smile and appear friendly, which will make you both relaxed. As there may be a huge language barrier, use hand signals and very simple English. Say "Two way, Go, come back." Then take a notepad and pen, mark a dot on the paper, say "Here." Then draw a straight line and say "Go."Then go back over the line and say "Come back."

Then say "How much or Rupees." Give him the pen and get him to write down the price." This is your evidence if there is a problem.

Then smile, agree the deal and ask to take his photo in front of his vehicle. That way because he knows you have his photo, he will be unlikely to cause a problem and you have a great holiday snap, to remind you of the great tour that he gave to you.

I do not agree at all.

I agree they may be poor, have to pay a daily rental and what not.

But does that warrant fleecing a tourist? Would you condone a thief because he is poor?

Now the question of Rs.10-20. Let me assure you most of the times amount will be much higher than this irrespective of the initial rates. And just so you know had the problem been money the menace would be still manageable but the bigger problem is the rowdy behavior.

Cab, tuk-tuk, rickshaw drivers the world over are required to take the college course Fleecing Tourists 101.

The problem is universal.

Yes, Drew I agree