Cheaters and looters

I have experienced in India some bad things that left a bitter taste in my mouth. No one likes to be cheated when he goes to a shop to buy something, the shop keeper looks at him and scans him from head to foot like what Indians do. It is an offensive behavior to say the least, but it is I suppose a part of their culture. After the scan the shop keeper makes a judgement about you like you are rich or poor, local or a foreigner etc. and acts accordingly.

If you want 5 meters of cloth, he uses the old yard stick that is short of one meter, so he sells you less cloth at full price. Once an American friend of mine visited my hometown where his wife wanted an Indian saree, but the shop keeper showed only the most expensive sarees that she could not afford. So, someone watching scolded the shop keeper and told him to show what the lady wants and can afford. The shopkeeper said in Hindi that they are rich foreigners so they can afford.

I went to a shop in Agra to buy some sarees for my wife and some silk cloth for myself. The shopkeeper turned out to be worse than a Shylock of Indian version and charged me a lot of money for the fake silk and saree of poor quality while the rikshaw driver waited outside the shop to get his commission from the shop owner. This sort of cheating so openly should not happen to a local person like me let alone a foreigner, but it does.

Cheaters and looters always target Tourist buses

You will see buses clearly marked in the front in big letters TOURIST so you can imagine what happens next. This signboard on the bus attracts cheaters and looters like flies to… (I will not mention here). Now a cup of ordinary tea that normally sells for 10 Rupees is now sold for 100 Rupees, so the tourists pay and the tea seller smirks because he just made a lot of money by cheating. They have no shame or self-respect that gives India a bad name. The tourists going back home share their experience with their friends and relatives. This is how people develop stereotypes.

Once my brother was near the river during the Maha Kumbh Mela Festival that happens once every 12th year that attracts millions of pilgrims from all corners of the country and even from other countries. This creates the opportunity for the scammers, cheaters and looters who without an iota of shame take full advantage and charge the boat riders 10 times the normal rate that the poor pilgrims find difficult to accept. My brother could not tolerate it and scolded the boatman to charge only fair rate, but the Shylock here wanted his pound of flesh and said they will pay the exorbitant price because they are from South India, so it is a fair game. No one understands their language, so it is a problem.

Now I am not saying that it happens only in India because it happens in other countries as well where foreign tourists suffer. There is a market in Rome called Thieves market where you have to keep your hands in your pocket all the time because the thieves are breathing down you neck and follow you until the opportunity comes. They stole the camera of an American tourist who was carrying a backpack. The thief just unzipped his backpack and lifted his expensive camera. He complained to me, but what could I do? It is not called Thieves market for nothing. I myself was a victim of thievery in Rome when someone tried to slash the belt of the camera with a sharp blade. I was saved because the thief could not cut it through and got off the bus looking at me.

Once I was waiting for a Taxi in Manila so that he could bring me to the airport. I got one when the taxi driver asked me where I was going so I answered him that I was going to Saudi and I am a Cantero meaning a mason. He was satisfied and charged me the minimum rate. He did not know how I hoodwinked him. Such skills come in very handy in other countries.

So, if you are visiting another country, you have to know how to protect yourself from these looters and cheaters. You should wear simple clothes, carry a cheap Instamatic camera that no thief will steal in his right mind and wear a cheap 2-dollar watch that they sell on the sidewalk. Do not flash your Rolex or Omega to attract thieves. My own Tissot was stolen from my house twice, returned once but never the second time. Needless to say, that my Tissot was expensive, so I learned my lesson and stopped wearing watch now. I used to wear unwashed blue jeans and faded T shirt so I thought that I will be less visible, but the thieves have sharp eyes and have lifelong experience they keep honing at your cost.

Now, let me tell you something about Japan. People automatically think that they have Yakuza and other criminal gangs roaming the streets and bothering the common people. However, I assure you that criminals do not bother the common people because they are always busy bothering their rival gangs who want to take over their territories.

Have you ever heard that the Japanese waiters do not accept tips in restaurants? They will feel happy if you say that the food was better than excellent. They will bow with sweet smiles. Now go to any restaurant in the United States, you will be received by a sour face woman who will give you a table near the toilet or exit door even if the restaurant is nearly empty. Because among the waiters, they attend to certain tables only and get their share of tips. You will be in trouble if you do not give them tips or an amount less than what they expect or you complain about their service. It is a far cry from the gentle Japanese.

In Japan, the train drivers apologize if they are late even a few minutes to the passengers

If you are waiting for a train and the train arrives a bit late in Japan, you will be very surprised to see the train drivers and other staff will kneel down in front of the passengers and ask for your forgiveness for being 2 minutes late. That is how precise they are about time. They are very polite and very gentle. Read my blog about Hospitality in my previous blog.

It is against the law in Japan to make fake advertisement to fool the buyers of anything. What the picture on a packet shows must match what is inside. If not, then they punish the seller or the company that makes the product. But we see fake advertisement everywhere and specially on TV. A Sikh fellow in India saw the picture of KitKat on Tv and wanted to buy one. He was furious when he was sold a small packet of KitKat that was not what he saw on TV. You will be in trouble if you rile up a Sikh so watch out. The worst culprits are called the people who deliver something to your gate and ask for money when you have not ordered what he delivers. This sort of scam is very common here in the Philippines

I am not a pessimist by nature and usually think that most people are good and will not cheat you or loot you in a foreign country. I learned one thing that people love their native language they speak so they will like you if you speak their language being a foreigner. I will give you one example how my French speaking ability gave me a wonderful experience in Paris one day.

Once I was in Paris waiting for a Taxi to bring me to the Gare de Lyon from where I was to take a train to Marseille but was worried seeing the heavy traffic. So, I asked the driver if he could bring me to the Gare de Lyon quickly so that I could take the train. I promised extra money if he could do it. He smiled and said Monsieur, I know back roads so I will bring you to the station quickly and he did. I was relieved and gladly gave him some extra money. Inside, I had to get my luggage from the left luggage room where I explained to the concierge that my train is about to leave so please give me my luggage, so he brought it to me while many other passengers were waiting. It was because I spoke French. Learn a foreign language. You will find it handy when you travel.

So, learn to walk away from sellers who try to sell you fake Ray-Ban and other junks. They hang around the Termini in Rome and stay away from the Gypsies who will splash ketchup on you and pretending to clean it up with handkerchief, while the kids are busy checking out your pockets. They work as a gang and use the ketchup trick and many others. A 10 year old kid is an expert thief.

It helps if you go with a native who knows all these crooks and will protect you so get to know them in advance. People will become friendly if you tell them that you are a writer or a footballer or have visited many countries. Who Knows? They may even invite you to a very decent restaurant known for its excellent cuisine or find you a clean hotel room nearby. I had a friend in Paris but that is another story.