Dealing with Touts

proxyindian

I know this must have been gone over a million times here, but I'm having trouble finding the thread that tells the best ways to keep the touts away. If someone could please put a link in here to point the way.....

Thanks,
Steve

Merchant

You just have to get over your mother's injunctions to be nice to people, especially when you feel like a guest in a foreign country. You wouldn't have any trouble getting rid of touts at home. A firm, sneering, dismissive NO, with attendant hand gestures while moving off usually works. If you appear timid, uncomfortable, or polite, you're toast.

thirdreel

You can't. Full stop. India always has touts. If you want to vacation somewhere that doesn't have touts, don't go to India.

PeakXV

Dealing with touts - is a serious oxymoron.

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Nick-H

Perhaps PeakXV's Signature applies very much to this post!

Seriously, it is like dealing with a small child. Say NO, mean NO, and don't waver.

Any child that detects NO just might mean YES won't stop trying. But if they know it means NO, it just isn't worth the energy.

Of course, there are touts and children that nothing stops.

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proxyindian

Thanks. I pretty much thought it was just saying NO and walking away. Or ignoring...

I heard its good to learn some Hindi words like "bas".... that people respond better to this than when you say stern things in English.

dan37_123

i do not agree with it at all. Most effective way to get rid of touts is to politely and firmly tell them you understand their need for employment, but you can not just help them.

good luck
dan

greenchutney

LuAnnandJawahar

Hmmm, don't speake Hindi (or whatever native language) to them!! That's just gives them a wedge for further interaction. What Indian when hearing a nonIndian speaking in their tongue would not be compelled to compliment the speaker and inquire how they acquired their knowledge of said language. And now you are in a conversation and next thing you know you'll be checking out of your hotel to go stay in the tout's cousin's place.......

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BabeInTheWoods

My partner has a great way of dealing with the tenacious ones. He says "Yes. How much for a ride to (somewhere about 2 metres away)". It takes them a minute, then they crack up laughing and leave us alone next time.

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Sama

except in Madurai or Mamamallapuram....

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robotvoice

Namaste India Tours,
i disagree, i used hindi to my advantage when i couldnt get rid of tenacious touts. after a dozen times of them not taking no for an answer, i would say "nehi chayeh" sorry for the spelling but basically it means "I dont want anything" Usually got the point across.
Babeinthewoods, good one. many variations of this are also effective and entertaining... like asking for somethng you know they cannot get, like a South Park dvd, or a pint of anchor steam.

Indiamad

Robotvoice I agree it works well. I was at a cricket match in Chandigarh a few months ago - the drinks and snacks men kept doing the rounds every 20 minutes and kept making a beeline for me and my friend. I had the crowd sitting near me roaring with laughter cos everytime the vendors would approach me I'd politely say Na-heen chaya dhan-ya-vaad with a slightly dismissive wave of the hand, they'd look a bit shocked, then smile and quickly walk on. Easily amused these Indians - mind you I think they were just high on the cricket!

Casey

Walk swiftly and with purpose and confidence. And be aware that not everyone that approaches you is a tout (except maybe in parts of Delhi and Rajhestan). I had a few nice discussions with people who approached me in Kolkata. We also had a great experience with the shoe shiners in Sealdah train station. One man told us his story of how he originally came from near Mumbai and his family. He was funny and entertaining and by this point not trying to sell us a shoe shine. Eventually, we had a bit of a crowd of shoe shiners who had tried all their sales with the waiting passengers and would rest in our ever-growing circle. They seemed to be excited for us when our train came and we boarded the train to a waving, smiling crowd of faces. I will never forget that one particular shoe-shiner and it was an experience that could have easily been missed.

Sure, the touts when you are getting of the train or bus can be really annoying, but this is also an acceptable way of making a living in India. If you know the prices of things, touts can provided a useful service. A buyer from Britain told us she always looks for particular touts when shopping because often they can take you to places where you would never find on your own.

cyberhippie

I really can't understand this preoccupation about touts, they are people just like you and me and in 90% of cases react to a polite no thanks I'm not shopping/using a travel agent!!

Sure some are a pain but just keep walking, the fact that so many people get uptight about this puzzles me and I'm sure it's the indivuals inability to cope with the raw human interaction in India that so disturbs and annoys. I just get on with enjoying myself and the tout is forgotten 5 seconds after I've passed them by!!

I've also used touts to very good affect in finding cheap and best accomodation!!

If you let touts become an issue in your head, it will only help to spoil your holiday!!