Touts - A closer way to India

Big Texan - if only all the tourists understood this !

But I think there's some cultural context. In some sense, Expedia does approach me as a friend. They send me emails that say "Hey, Andrew, isn't it time you had a vacation?" and when I go to their website, it says "Welcome!" If I didn't know better, I'd think there was something personal in the message--but of course I do know better. I know that their interest isn't entirely in helping me have a good trip, nor is it in the civic promotion of mind-opening travel; those are nice perks on their path to making money. And since I know that "Welcome" is a common phatic, that websites use that word impersonally, I don't feel personally insulted by anything disingenuous.

And so it is with tout culture. They don't know me; their predatory sales has nothing to do with me. In my grumpier moments I've sometimes cut through the act. "Hello friend!" "I'm not your friend." But in the end I realize that it's all part of the rasa lila, the silly game humans play.

If you pay 2000 bucks (India bucks) for a cheap scarf, you've got no one to blame but yourself. Educate yourself and touts can't trick you.

True. No one wants to make an honest living From the guy who sells you fake silk scarf or LV handbag, to car sales guy who knowingly sells you a lemon with DPOs, or the lass from the call center, selling you your bank's useless credit card addons, to the gang that sold your municipality rigged interest rate for bonds, to them guy who makes money selling your assets and moving monies to Cayman Isl

You're right, next time those potholes in your street, or the laid off firemen or beat cops, or shuttered municipal or state hospitals impacts you, just imagine them guys in the London pub... or New York restaurant drinking Jamesons and eating Porterhouse Steak on your tab no less !!!

it is a matter of degree to which you are going to be fleeced. Tout salesman you can say no !!! When your bank or your company does it...