Is everybody out to get me?

mparker

Hi all,
I'm visiting Mumbai, Delhi and Agra on my first trip to India. I have somewhat of a cynical question, but I guess that's because I'm a cynic and I'd feel better knowing one way or the other. I understand that a lot of people make their living from tourists and I know that sometimes someone's not going to play straight, but must I assume that everyone is somehow trying to take advantage of me? How careful do I have to be?

Thanks for humoring me.

puchoo

i know...its a bit of a pessimistic attitude... but think its better to be cautious and play it smart everywhere.

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Cheers!

Sidharth

puchoo.wordpress.com

spicetrekker

Well in India a very small % of population is dependent on toursim as the Indian govt has not fully exploited the tourist potential of this country - but one thing is that a small % of Indian population is still a lot of people

I think you need not be too wary of the typical Indian but yes be on the gaurd with Taxi drivers, hotel touts, guides et al and get used to the idea of beggars pestering you

brishti

do not get paranoid - do a mental-check on 'offers' - keep your sense of humour - lage raho



:brishti

Nick-H

You must assume that everybody is trying to get the best deal for themselves, and you should try to get the best deal for yourself!

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Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

AvidTrekker

Isn't this more or less true for entire humanity? Barring a few saints who want a better deal for all of us?

Tourists are pestered in the so-called "tourist-traps". Be very cynical, coz they all want to trap you, milk you, use you... etc.

Leave the "Taj" alone, explore the nooks and crannies in nondescript cities... the tourist-pestering is non-existent. Yes, you will keep getting asked "Which country?" some milion times out of curiosity, but that's about it as they can't speak any more English.
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The Universe is an ellipsoid?... or a Spheroid?? If the sphere smiles... it becomes an ellipse. This IS Creation.

the opoponax

You should be cautious, of course.

But the reality is that, no, everybody is not out to get you.

I ran into plenty of honest travel agents, rickshaw drivers, street hawkers, and hotel managers in those very cities. In fact, some of my more humiliating moments happened because I was afraid that someone was trying to take advantage of me. 90% percent of my negative experiences in India happened in my own head, worrying about the intentions of someone who turned out to be perfectly honest.

For instance when I didn't realize my train from Delhi was coming in at Mumbai Central, or that this is a different station from Victoria Terminus. I icily commanded the taxi driver to turn the meter on. He said something to the effect of, "Madam, Colaba Causeway is many kilometers! We make special price..."

I heaped abuse on him: "Look, I'm not stupid, OK? I've been to Mumbai before. I know exactly where I am. I could walk to Colaba from here if I wanted, but I don't, OK, so you better just turn the meter on and consider yourself lucky for the fare..."

He took out a map. Pointed to Mumbai Central. Pointed to Victoria Station and Colaba Causeway. Pointed outside to the huge official Indian Railways sign that said Mumbai Central in multiple languages and huge block letters.

Errrr, yeah... When I said "I'm not stupid," what I really meant was...

mparker

Opoponax, that is exactly what I'm afraid of happening... me being too paranoid and reacting poorly to honest people. I know they're out to get the best they can. Thanks for the advice, everyone.

the opoponax

The best way to avoid being humiliated or walking around with a chip on your shoulder is to listen more than you talk, and always remember that the final say rests with you.

I was in Connaught Place trying to find a good place for lunch, fresh off the train. Someone comes up to me, "Madam, are you lost?" I explain, "No, just looking for a good lunch..." Of course he's Very Concerned that I may become lost in his home city, and is especially dismayed at the quality of my map, which I've ripped from Lonely Planet. Of course, he happens to know a good place I can get a better map, totally free of charge. If I'll just follow him across the street to this travel agency, he'll get me fully hooked up.

At this point I knew exactly what was happening. But I thought "OK, he has a travel agency. I go home in a week, all my travel is booked, and I don't have time for a quick jaunt to Kashmir. What could it hurt to take a map?"

He leads me across the street, yammering all the while about all the cool things to see and do in Delhi. We go into the agency. He hands me a very flashy complimentary map of Delhi. I admire the quality of said map, knowing all the while that I'll stick out like a sore thumb if I try to use it, but that it'll make a really cool souvenir. The man is continuing to regale me about all the wonderful places I could see on his myriad tours of Delhi, pointing them out on my new map and showing the distances from Connaught Place. Would I perhaps be interested in hiring a taxi to take me around to the different sites?

"No, I'm only here for a couple of days and then I go back to Bombay."

Oh, then, do I possibly need a ticket booked?

"No, I've got a train ticket, thanks."

But the train will take all night! Wouldn't I rather book a convenient flight? He can get me the best rates.

"No. I already have everything booked."

And that was that. I walked out of the office with a really cool free map and a lot of great ideas about what to see in Delhi, not to mention a recommendation for a great south Indian joint right over on Janpath. Not a paisa poorer, either.

Nick-H

Have to admit that crossed my mind when I wrote it.

You can have two diamond traders, sitting accross a table with some rocks between them. Maybe one's been in the business forty years, the other one only thirty five. You can be damn sure one is trying to make sure his experience wins the day, and the other is looking for ways of not letting it.

Yes. That's life.

PeakXV

Some Indians may 'aggressively' assume that they know what lies in your best interests/wants/needs .... and as a result will persue & single-out those that appear vulnerable to such suggestions.

Having a predetermined schedule, agenda, & associated swagger often will mask you from this unwanted attention.

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We shall not cease from exploration and at the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started ...and know the place for the first time.
T.S. Eliot

Don't go to India ~ Pre-trip Warnings & Misconceptions?

Kingstonian

I too used the "predetermined schedule, agenda, & associated swagger" to good effect sometimes ... I definitely recommend it, but:

... sometimes, like The Opoponax, I got caught with egg on my face. I had one guy ("can I help you?") walk away from me saying, "See, I DON'T want anything from you!" - with me calling after him placatingly, "sorry, so sorry!"

I still haven't worked out how to predict the difference.

AvidTrekker

All taxis in Mumbai ply by meter. Whatever distance. We Mumbai folks bargain to reduce the prices for a loooong trip [say from Colaba to Borivali, some 40 km]. This becoz taxis run on CNG which is cheaper at 22 Rupees than petrol at 52 Rupees

The fare by meter would have been 80 rupees, max 90 rupees in traffic. I dont know what you paid, but if you paid something like 200, he won with his politeness. It happens
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the opoponax

Yes, I know. I used the meter on every trip except for this one, which I got him down to 100 on.

There's also 2 important things to remember as a foreign tourist. Firstly, unless it's via something like a taxi meter or an MRP on packaging, you are NEVER going to get the local's price. Secondly, remind yourself liberally how much you are really dickering over and what it actually means to you. Thus, it matters little to me that I might have overpaid by all of 50 cents. The humiliation isn't about the price, but about my obnoxious over-confidence. I could have saved a lot of time, energy, and good will by just being civil.

abhi182

Exceptions exist...
There are couple of my Firangee collegaues who often manage to bargain better rates than me with Chennai's notorious auto rickshaw Wallahs
In fact one fella got an auto guy to come all the way from the airport to Alwarpet for 120/- (and he is almost a platinum Blonde)
A distance that I have never been able to manage for less than 200 despite being a local

oops: Bumped almost a 3 month old thread

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