Guest guest Posted April 25, 2003 Report Share Posted April 25, 2003 > > Here's one trick I devised in dealing with toots, > especially around Delhi > (Connaught Place), Mumbai and airports. > > "Toots" are hustlers that vie on western tourists to > get you to buy > something, like a boat trip to Kashmir, exchange > money, massages, fortune > tellers, clean the wax out of your ears and every > imaginable thing. They know > English and what things cost in the US, Europe and > govern their prices > accordingly. They are independent commissioned > agents. They know how to > hustle, hassle and hound. > I think the best way to deal with touts is a "namaste" followed by a blast of pepper spray or a right cross to the jaw. Those Om Namah Shivaya metal bracelets can make good brass knuckles in a pinch. So much for ahimsa While I didn't resort to this, I partially succeeded in fending off touts by pretending not to know English ("Ich kann nicht Englisch sprechen" - and hopefully the tout didn't know German), or by responding to them in my albeit limited Hindi. While the touts were particularly nasty in Delhi and Agra (arguably the worst place in India for fleecing westeners and even Indians visiting the Taj), I didn't run into any touts in Bombay. Probably because Bombay is too sophisticated and cosmopolitan for this kind of thing, the hotels are smart enough not to deal with touts, or because westerners are such a common sight that they don't get glommed on. Keval The New Search - Faster. Easier. Bingo http://search. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 26, 2003 Report Share Posted April 26, 2003 "Bombay is too sophisticated"? Ah, well... I recently saw the award-winning movie, "Salaam Bombay." It portrays the experiences of a pre-teen boy, Krishna, who sells <chai> in the streets of late twentieth century Bombay, and falls under the influence of a petty crime boss, "Babaji," who sells assorted drugs (usually mixed with rat poison) to tourists, pimps for several prostitutes, shakes down various merchants, and is a general nasty character. His criminal activities are mostly performed for him by children and teenagers. It reminded me of a modern-day, Indian version of Fagin in Dickens' "Oliver Twist." Beautifully filmed, sensitive portrayals of characters -- but depressing. --- Len/ Kalipadma On Fri, 25 Apr 2003 06:55:09 -0700 (PDT) Mike Brooker <patria1818 writes: > > I think the best way to deal with touts is a "namaste" > followed by a blast of pepper spray or a right cross > to the jaw. Those Om Namah Shivaya metal bracelets > can make good brass knuckles in a pinch. So much for > ahimsa While I didn't resort to this, I partially > succeeded in fending off touts by pretending not to > know English ("Ich kann nicht Englisch sprechen" - and > hopefully the tout didn't know German), or by > responding to them in my albeit limited Hindi. > > While the touts were particularly nasty in Delhi and > Agra (arguably the worst place in India for fleecing > westeners and even Indians visiting the Taj), I didn't > run into any touts in Bombay. Probably because Bombay > is too sophisticated and cosmopolitan for this kind of > thing, the hotels are smart enough not to deal with > touts, or because westerners are such a common sight > that they don't get glommed on. > ______________ The best thing to hit the internet in years - Juno SpeedBand! Surf the web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER! Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 26, 2003 Report Share Posted April 26, 2003 Ah, well... I > recently saw the > award-winning movie, "Salaam Bombay." It portrays > the experiences of a > pre-teen boy, Krishna, who sells <chai> in the > streets of late twentieth > century Bombay, and falls under the influence of a > petty crime boss, > "Babaji," who sells assorted drugs (usually mixed > with rat poison) to > tourists, pimps for several prostitutes, shakes down > various merchants, > and is a general nasty character. His criminal > activities are mostly > performed for him by children and teenagers. > A taxi driver in Bombay wanted to take me to one of the brothels in Bombay's notorious red light district, but I told him "mere ke pas nirodha nahin hai" (I don't have any condoms on me). You won't find that in your Lonely Planet Hindi phrase book Keval The New Search - Faster. Easier. Bingo. http://search. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 26, 2003 Report Share Posted April 26, 2003 --- Mike Brooker <patria1818 wrote: > > Ah, well... I > > recently saw the > > award-winning movie, "Salaam Bombay." It portrays > > the experiences of a > > pre-teen boy, Krishna, who sells <chai> in the > > streets of late twentieth > > century Bombay, and falls under the influence of a > > petty crime boss, > > "Babaji," who sells assorted drugs (usually mixed > > with rat poison) to > > tourists, pimps for several prostitutes, shakes > down > > various merchants, > > and is a general nasty character. His criminal > > activities are mostly > > performed for him by children and teenagers. > > > > A taxi driver in Bombay wanted to take me to one of > the brothels in Bombay's notorious red light > district, > but I told him "mere ke pas nirodha nahin hai" (I > don't have any condoms on me). You won't find that > in > your Lonely Planet Hindi phrase book > > > Keval > > Although I am Indian, I was mugged by a cab driver in Bombay. When I sat in the car he showed knife and ripped 1000 rupees from me. That was really bad experience I had. regards avinash. The New Search - Faster. Easier. Bingo. http://search. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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