how to handle touts?

traceyam · Apr 25th, 2005, 05:28

I don't speak Klingon, I just memorized some choice phrases I found online. The Startrek.com site used to have a pronunciation guide and audio clips. You don't have to actually yell it, it already sounds like you're yelling when you speak it. One tout actually recoiled from me a few steps and muttered in English, "Oh... very angry..." I think I had said to him in Klingon, "Give me a cookie!" The hard part is to keep from laughing.

If you want something more gentle-sounding, I suppose you could try Elvish (from the LotR movies). There are several online guides for that.

I'm not a geek, I swear!

machadinha · Apr 25th, 2005, 06:21

Good points Frooty. One thing:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frooty

2)Don't wanna interact

Sunglasses, shake your head, look serious or pissed off and keep moving... If anyone blocks your path push them to one side by their shoulder, do not engage, do not stop.

Maybe you mean rubbing shoulders which might be acceptable; pushing people around is not and it's not advisable. What might have started out as a mildly annoying or even funny situation could quickly grow more aggravated if you get physical.

jennifericous · May 13th, 2005, 03:17

im having difficulty understanding the extent of the tout situation. do they get commission every time they bring u to a hotel to check in. even if you tell them to bring u to a specific hotel? or only if it is their suggestion? so should u give them the street address of the hotel u are going to, to avoid their commission increasing the cost of the stay?

Sama · May 13th, 2005, 04:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by mira4bai4

When my wife and I got off the train at Amritsar and got out of the station we were surrounded and by rickshaw wallahs of all descriptions, so as I needed to buy some time to get orientated I pulled out the LP and through the barrage of chatter I said "before I go with any of you guys I first have to decide where I want to go, so quieten down or we will walk and none of you will get any work." That worked well, so all was peaceful with a few "I know a good place to stay, I can take you there, etc." But with a direct glare of the evil eye type and saying, "I said that I want quiet!" Should have been a school teacher. So after looking at our list and basically giving up as they all seemed pretty bad, I said "Ok, ready." That of course started them all off again and so I did my next trick. "Okay" I said, I don't like pollution and this place is dirty enough without me contributing to it, so who has the least polluting transport?" Me, me, me they all go and so I asked, "Which auto rickshaws use LPG?" "None" they said, "it was not available in Amritsar". "Well that rules you guys out then." this is when it became interesting as they began to see the picture and as the cycle rickshaw guys started to go me me me, the others said, the Tonga (small horse and buggy). "Looks good but I couldn't let an animal pull me round town, that would not be kind," I said. The Tonga driver looked a little deflated, I am sure that the pony was happy though. So we had the cycle rickshaws that got all excited, I narrowed it down by pointing out those that were to noisy and then interestingly they all pointed to one chap and said "He was the best in town." So it was, we had him for 3 days and went everywhere, he would not accept any money until the last day when he would take us back to the station. His father it seemed used to be a king pin in the rickshaw business and must have been a well thought of person as they showed great respect for the son who was in his 40's I suppose.

Anyway a good time was had by all and no language problems, once the posture was set and control gained they all played along.

GREAT STORY!

byronic · May 13th, 2005, 05:26

HAHA - -

I was just think that somewhere on the internet is an Indian tout message board. and they have threads with titles like, "How To Break Down An American Tourist" and "Best Taxi Scams on Italians"... This board must also have threads like, "Most Touted Tourists in One Day, Bragging Rights" thread. asdfghl;uoyt HAHA

.

vera · Aug 14th, 2005, 08:52

Okay, so as I get older, life in all its richness, beauty and tragedy somehow becomes as well more humorous. Being that I am 50 years young, I am responding most to the comments here that encourage humor.
I'm spending a little time in Delhi in September and October, in between trekking in Ladakh and Garhwal. For some reason though, I just don't feel intimidated. Should I be?
Can a female get away with banter? Can I start clucking like a chicken? Singing bad opera? Can I joke around with a bunch of guys without demeaning them?

jennifericous · Aug 14th, 2005, 20:06

well vera, you shouldn't feel intimidated. for a start your bound to be bigger, taller and stronger than most of the indian men!
I found that travelling with a man, and i handling all the finances. indian men were reluctant to do business with me. i think they were surprised to see a woman handling the business and the money. but i guess on your own it would be pretty obvious that you'll be doing all the talking. and they appreciate banter and a sense of humour. it works much better i found than trying the hard nosed approach!

Dr Funkenstein · Aug 14th, 2005, 20:15

Anyone can cluck like a chicken, Vera.

Personally, I find it very therapeutic.

But seriously, do try and have a laugh with the touts - it's the only way I've found to deal with them that doesn't leave me feeling mentally frazzled.

I've yet to introduce animal noises, mind, but thanks for the tip!

seventies'hippy · Aug 14th, 2005, 20:30

Yes don't let it get serious or get to you, keep it light & if you can, humourous, I know this isn't easy in the heat of the moment, Bit if you let it get to you, get up tight or nasty then that doesn't do anyone any good including your own head,,,,,,,,,

mira4bai4 · Aug 18th, 2005, 17:26

Quote:

yogagal60510 Anyway a good time was had by all and no language problems, once the posture was set and control gained they all played along.
GREAT STORY!

Thanks, might write a book one day. Re-reading the episode brought back the whole scene, India is so much fun ~ when can I get back there?

shipwreckedcanuk · Sep 27th, 2005, 02:30

I'm going to be in India for the first time in March/April and am planning to use a couple of the tout strategies I've used in my past travels. Any suggested modifications for India would be very appreciated.

-In train stations/airports I always get jumped by every tout in the station- I'm blonde, 6' tall, well fed, and have only been mistaken for a local in Stockholm!. In order to save myself the endless hassle, I pick one, pretend to recognise him from my last visit to the city, and then thank him for his help last time. The others leave right away since the tout always pretends to recognize me as well and they figure he has it in the bag. Once we get out of the 'kill zone' I tell him the jig is up and then offer him some money to walk me to the taxi rank. I've never had a bad reaction from this and usually the guy ends up chuckling all the way to the cab. He gets some cash and I get zero hassle (and a good laugh when he does the- "ah yes, my friend, it has been too long" thing!)- a rare win/win.

-Sunglasses. I've read in other posts that they are handy, I think they are life savers. They allow you to look around and see them coming for you without catching their eye. It makes it easier to ignore them because you can still walk and look around without them watching your eyes and trying to catch them or get in your field of vision. Turning to someone with reflective bug eyes and saying in a firm voice 'go away' has a lot more power than when they can see the uncertainty or hesitation in your eyes. I also find for me that it gives me a sense of separation because you never make eye contact so that social sign of accepting a conversation never happens.

One thing I can't wait to try is Shimla's "Maaf karo" tactic- sounds perfect for the really persistent ones!

kenstee · Sep 27th, 2005, 02:40

My favorite one when someone is trying to sell me something is to say "Not even for free!!" If they don't understand or look perplexed I say "I wouldn't take it even if you give it to me for no money!" It gets a laugh and they back off to try their luck with the next tourist.

squashblossom · Oct 11th, 2005, 22:37

This thread has been really helpful.. and entertaining

Ivan i really appreciated your words of wisdom.. thanks

9hanover · Nov 30th, 2005, 03:19

We (approaching late middle age) found they were very polite and it was difficult to distinguish between ones who were being genuinely helpful and would direct us to where we wanted to go and the ones who wanted to steer us in the direction of the shops where they were up to their necks in commission.

One charming young man told me I looked like his mother...... Was that a compliment? I asked 'what does your mother look like' and he replied 'like you' Stating the obvious.

ruins_explorer · Dec 3rd, 2005, 00:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenstee

My favorite one when someone is trying to sell me something is to say "Not even for free!!" If they don't understand or look perplexed I say "I wouldn't take it even if you give it to me for no money!" It gets a laugh and they back off to try their luck with the next tourist.

You just reminded me of a cute exchange I had with a souvenir-seller outside one of the temples in the Angkor complex.

Him: "What are you going to buy?"
Me: "Nothing."
Him: "Okay, I sell you nothing. 1 dollar."

:-) so adorable.
they were pretty cute kids even if a few times we played tag, which meant we were running away from them and they were trying to catch up (basically - once you got inside the temple, they couldn't come inside and bug you so you only had to deal with the sales pitch from the road to the temple.0

Apr 25th, 2005, 05:28	#91
traceyam Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 426	I don't speak Klingon, I just memorized some choice phrases I found online. The Startrek.com site used to have a pronunciation guide and audio clips. You don't have to actually yell it, it already sounds like you're yelling when you speak it. One tout actually recoiled from me a few steps and muttered in English, "Oh... very angry..." I think I had said to him in Klingon, "Give me a cookie!" The hard part is to keep from laughing. If you want something more gentle-sounding, I suppose you could try Elvish (from the LotR movies). There are several online guides for that. I'm not a geek, I swear! __________________ "Don't you sometimes wish the arctic was strawberry flavoured?" -- Thermoman

May 13th, 2005, 05:26	#95
byronic back in the ussa Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Rang De Basantistan or Santa Cruz, CA Posts: 477	HAHA - - I was just think that somewhere on the internet is an Indian tout message board. and they have threads with titles like, "How To Break Down An American Tourist" and "Best Taxi Scams on Italians"... This board must also have threads like, "Most Touted Tourists in One Day, Bragging Rights" thread. asdfghl;uoyt HAHA . __________________ http://www.flickr.com/photos/byronic501/

Aug 14th, 2005, 08:52	#96
vera Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Vail, Colorado Posts: 18	tactics for a female with a sense of humor Okay, so as I get older, life in all its richness, beauty and tragedy somehow becomes as well more humorous. Being that I am 50 years young, I am responding most to the comments here that encourage humor. I'm spending a little time in Delhi in September and October, in between trekking in Ladakh and Garhwal. For some reason though, I just don't feel intimidated. Should I be? Can a female get away with banter? Can I start clucking like a chicken? Singing bad opera? Can I joke around with a bunch of guys without demeaning them?

Aug 14th, 2005, 20:15	#98
Dr Funkenstein Joolay !!! Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Manali, Himachal Pradesh Posts: 854	Anyone can cluck like a chicken, Vera. Personally, I find it very therapeutic. But seriously, do try and have a laugh with the touts - it's the only way I've found to deal with them that doesn't leave me feeling mentally frazzled. I've yet to introduce animal noises, mind, but thanks for the tip! __________________ Out There Somewhere : My Travel Blog.

Aug 14th, 2005, 20:30	#99
seventies'hippy Maha Guru Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: UK Posts: 2,127	Yes don't let it get serious or get to you, keep it light & if you can, humourous, I know this isn't easy in the heat of the moment, Bit if you let it get to you, get up tight or nasty then that doesn't do anyone any good including your own head,,,,,,,,, __________________ . . . My Photo Gallery

May 13th, 2005, 03:17	#93
jennifericous Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: IRELAND Posts: 190	im having difficulty understanding the extent of the tout situation. do they get commission every time they bring u to a hotel to check in. even if you tell them to bring u to a specific hotel? or only if it is their suggestion? so should u give them the street address of the hotel u are going to, to avoid their commission increasing the cost of the stay?

Aug 14th, 2005, 20:06	#97
jennifericous Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: IRELAND Posts: 190	well vera, you shouldn't feel intimidated. for a start your bound to be bigger, taller and stronger than most of the indian men! I found that travelling with a man, and i handling all the finances. indian men were reluctant to do business with me. i think they were surprised to see a woman handling the business and the money. but i guess on your own it would be pretty obvious that you'll be doing all the talking. and they appreciate banter and a sense of humour. it works much better i found than trying the hard nosed approach!

Sep 27th, 2005, 02:30	#101
shipwreckedcanuk Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Bermuda Posts: 18	I don't know if this would work in India.... I'm going to be in India for the first time in March/April and am planning to use a couple of the tout strategies I've used in my past travels. Any suggested modifications for India would be very appreciated. -In train stations/airports I always get jumped by every tout in the station- I'm blonde, 6' tall, well fed, and have only been mistaken for a local in Stockholm!. In order to save myself the endless hassle, I pick one, pretend to recognise him from my last visit to the city, and then thank him for his help last time. The others leave right away since the tout always pretends to recognize me as well and they figure he has it in the bag. Once we get out of the 'kill zone' I tell him the jig is up and then offer him some money to walk me to the taxi rank. I've never had a bad reaction from this and usually the guy ends up chuckling all the way to the cab. He gets some cash and I get zero hassle (and a good laugh when he does the- "ah yes, my friend, it has been too long" thing!)- a rare win/win. -Sunglasses. I've read in other posts that they are handy, I think they are life savers. They allow you to look around and see them coming for you without catching their eye. It makes it easier to ignore them because you can still walk and look around without them watching your eyes and trying to catch them or get in your field of vision. Turning to someone with reflective bug eyes and saying in a firm voice 'go away' has a lot more power than when they can see the uncertainty or hesitation in your eyes. I also find for me that it gives me a sense of separation because you never make eye contact so that social sign of accepting a conversation never happens. One thing I can't wait to try is Shimla's "Maaf karo" tactic- sounds perfect for the really persistent ones!

Sep 27th, 2005, 02:40	#102
kenstee Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: New York Posts: 7	My favorite one when someone is trying to sell me something is to say "Not even for free!!" If they don't understand or look perplexed I say "I wouldn't take it even if you give it to me for no money!" It gets a laugh and they back off to try their luck with the next tourist.

Oct 11th, 2005, 22:37	#103
squashblossom Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: australia Posts: 18	This thread has been really helpful.. and entertaining Ivan i really appreciated your words of wisdom.. thanks

Nov 30th, 2005, 03:19	#104
9hanover Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: UK Posts: 83	Touts We (approaching late middle age) found they were very polite and it was difficult to distinguish between ones who were being genuinely helpful and would direct us to where we wanted to go and the ones who wanted to steer us in the direction of the shops where they were up to their necks in commission. One charming young man told me I looked like his mother...... Was that a compliment? I asked 'what does your mother look like' and he replied 'like you' Stating the obvious.

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