Time for a rant.

One of the major annoyances that I’ve had to get used to here is the extremely aggressive touting, haggling, scams, and begging that foreigners have to put up with when visiting India. This occurred in every other country I’ve visited, but nowhere near the level I’ve witnessed here.

Having to say “No, thank you”, “I don’t need a rickshaw”, “I don’t need a guide”, “I have a hotel”, “I’m not looking to buy souvenirs” dozens of times a day can be draining at best. Even more annoying is that with the more aggressive touts, you actually have to convince them you don’t need what they are offering before they leave you alone. It can really get on one’s nerves, and I’m only starting to get used to it now.

In China, simply ignoring beckons of “Hello! Rolex!” or showing disinterest is usually enough, but not here. At the Gateway to India in Mumbai, for example, one self-proclaimed government guide actually scolded us for ignoring his sales pitch, saying it was extremely rude not to stop and listen. After smiling and telling him we were not interested, he then proceeded to lecture us on proper etiquette in turning down offers such as his. Just as I started feeling a bit guilty he went straight into his sales pitch.

“Foreigner pricing” is another major issue. Besides shops overcharging tourists, getting taxis/rickshaws to use their meters is often impossible. Instead you get quoted a ridiculously high foreigner rate and have to haggle your way down to something remotely fair. At the end of the trip, some drivers still come up with an excuse to demand more than the agreed upon price. Landmarks, museums, temples, etc. clearly post admission fees of ten times or more for foreigners. I try to imagine what would happen in the West if taxi drivers refused to use their meters for foreign tourists, or if national landmarks had a blatantly discriminatory pricing scheme.

Then there is the begging. I think that beggars that approach and follow foreigners (often children that are coaxed by nearby adults) piss me off the most. I don’t mean to sound like a dick; if I have money and see people in need, I will often give. But never when I’m approached directly. It can also be hard to determine actual need versus those in character. A few times we’ve had conversations with beggar children, and it turns out they had homes, families, went to school, are were not hungry. Like many of the “suburb homeless teens” in Toronto who are homeless because they want a later curfew (and either make up with their families in the winter or go to Vancouver where the weather is nicer), begging is just an easy way to get some extra money. It annoys me when I see foreigners give kids money with the mentality that “10 rupees is worth it to have them leave me alone”. It just ensures that they’ll come bother me next. There is nothing more annoying than watching a beautiful sunset by the river only to be approached by a tout or beggar who will not leave you alone.

It often feels like everything here is a battle to prevent getting completely ripped off.