will the be treated as touting...??

beach

A hypothetical situation. Say you just have met another tourists say near a tourist site.
You exclaim to him/ her that the place looks great...
He/she says yes....and asks you the easiest way to go to the next nearest place.
You says you too are looking for the way.
.......
........
A few minutes of talking makes you exchange the typical details like how long you have been in india, your country, the places you've just visited etc.
And you asks them about Indiamike.
The peson shows no clues of knowing Indiamike.
You says it's a nice site and asks them to join.

At this pont you talk a lot about the site and the details and all great things about IM to a person totaly ingorant about it all.

You asks them to check it out when go to net next time.

Does this appear as touting.....?? Will this make people think that you have some business interest in 'pushing' them?

I've come accross with a few tourists by chance at various situations. To my surprise non of them knew Indiamike, leave alone being a member.

This question is to know the reaction, if IM members 'campaign' for new members at the tourist site when they actually meet people.

will the be treated as touting...??

your thoughts please........

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dzibead

I wouldn't consider it as touting. If it is, then I've "touted" IM to people in the U.S. who are thinking of traveling to India!

If you're worried that people will think there's some commercial angle, you can just tell them it's a free message board (let them get hooked before they hear about the voluntary contributions to Mike) made up of people from around the world, inside India and out, who are "India nuts" who love to talk about their travel questions and experiences.

I was going to suggest describing it as a "community" of people who love "sharing" their experiences about India - but that sounds kind of touchy-feely (I live in Northern California,afterall), and it might make it sound like some kind of CULT and scare some people off! -- but come to think of it, IM is sort of a cult, but in the nicest possible way

Krishnika

If you don't press the issue, there's no reason for anyone to feel like your "touting". It's just sharing of good info, which almost everyone appreciates.

Wanderer22

Beware the friendly stranger. The first one is always free.

Before you know it you're hooked. All you think about is travel in the subcontinent, or logging on to IndiaMike. I'd been on the wagon for over twenty years, then one day I clicked on a link to this site... In the start it was just a dial up connection. Soon that was not enough, I had to have ADSL. Up load a few pictures, participate in a few threads...... Is this an addiction or what? Beach? Bij? V_V?
I got hooked in my twenties and will be spending my 61 birthday in India this March. There is NO cure, so you might as well enjoy yourself. Thanks to all of you for leaning a ladder against the wagon.

Wanderer22

Matty Gee

This site is great, if you don't know about it you should. If the people didn't want your advice, let 'em get on with it, it's their missfortune, not yours.

I have met a few 'I know everything, I know best' types, let 'em just get on with it....

No you weren't touting.

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bijapuri

to me, a tout is someone who comes onto you without introduction and makes a pitch for which he will be compensated if successful.

wanderer . . . .
lemme put it this way.
I got laid off from the best job I've ever had. I went to India for 4 months and worked essentially as a volunteer, although I did get some compensation.
I got back, Miraculously was offered the same position with slightly better pay at another agency, and I am totally depressed, cuz I was sure I'd be going back to India next month after an unsuccessful job hunt.

Been going to Ma India since 1970- yeas, I'm addicted!

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Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it's only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential.
Barack Obama

lookit me!!!: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bijapuri/

Utube fuzzy logic:
http://youtube.com/profile_videos?user=bijapuri&p =r

Wanderer22

Bij, You and some of the other members on this site have been a source of courage and inspiration for me. Four years ago I quit the best job of my life, and took a large pension cut for going early. My goal was to do a few things that were important, while I was still able. One of those things was to finally make another trip to India. There always seemed to be a catch 22 holding me back. Shortly before I retired was diagnosed with PSC , a rare liver disorder. As the only cure is a transplant figured I'd better see India before getting to that stage and needing immuno-suppressing drugs to prevent rejection. Life is short and uncertain... Always eat dessert first! Wish me luck! Am hoping to break the "catch 22" curse this time around. It's also the origin of the "22" in my user name.

The Rubaiyat has a verse that's always good to remember......

Come fill the Cup, and in the Fire of Spring
The Winter Garment of Repentance fling:
The Bird of Time has but a little way
To fly -- and Lo! the bird is on the Wing.

Wanderer22

skell

I told the owner of Janak Arts in Udaipur that his store had been recommended by someone on IM. He was thrilled and we had to go to an internet cafe so I could show him. He sent the original poster a thank you note!

(I also bought some lovely miniatures and he painted a horse on my fingernail.)

steven_ber

No, this is not touting.

I used to work at the bottom of Shaftsbury Avenue, in the heart of London's Theatre land, (I was selling newspapers), I worked at the exit to the underground tube station, it was a confusing exit (not actually on Shaftsbury Avenue) and many people used to ask for directions.

After a few days I realised that many people were going to the Apollo Theatre in Shaftsbury Avenue to see the musical 'Bombay Dreams', which was actually being performed a few miles away at the Apollo 'Victoria' Theatre.

I typed (then copied) directions and transport connections onto a piece of paper to give to anyone who had made this mistake; on the bottom of the paper I typed 'check indiamike.com, a free India travel forum'.

I also used to have a small sign that I displayed next to the newspapers, 'Indian Rs changed for £'s' (the Rs & £'s bit was much larger than the rest), It's amazing how many conversations resulted from this sign (and how many free Rs I received ), I used to tell all these people to check out this website.

I don't know if anyone ever did, were YOU one of these people?

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How to get helpful replies to your transport/Itinerary questions.



Train information.

butterball

Slightly away from the topic, I met my first fellow IM'er on this trip ! It was all quite ordinary sitting in a cafe in Varkala until I started talking with a guy and very quickly the topic of 'Indiamike' came up.

Suddenly, things changed and there was an instant 'rapport' and the next hour was spent gossiping about the site and other members / threads etc !

Hi again to 'oldindiahand' ( who incidently I just received a PM from - he's back in Oz.. )

Sometimes I think we should have a secret 'code' like a distinctive article of clothing or something so we can recognise each other ... because I'm sure I've met more of you out there without knowing it ! Feels a bit weird asking everyone you meet.. ' do you know Indiamike ? ' There will surely be a lot of blank faces !

bb

Krishnika

If I meet an IMer on my trip, esp if it's by chance, I will be REALLY pleased! I remember there was a thread earlier about some ID sign. Did that go anywhere? I should do a search...

volga_volga

beach, my answer to your original question is - NO. I always look at the intent and if you don't gain anything personally (materially ) from a new visitor to IM then for me it's clearly NOT touting. (or do you )

it's nice to see old timers here posting again. even though I kind of migrated across the border IM is still one of the top sites I check every time I log on. and it's not so much an addiction (it was in the beginning, i think) as enjoying being part of the community of friendly and like-minded bunch of people

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volga_volga

Wonderer22, i agree we should have dessert first. but some of us still don't know what their favourite dessert is best of luck with your India trip!!!!

Digital Drifter

Dammit, that means I've already touted!

OK, the pair were already in the same flight to Bombay with me, Norwegian doctor & his travelling mate/gf/wife? Got into a conversation and wrote www.indiamike,com into his travel book! Told him, check the site and said, even people from Norway post there(a lie, as I didn't recollect any posts from norwegians at that instant)

See, I already acted like a tout who promises stuff and leads you down the garden path.

volga_volga

what about Chandra ?