Mainhattengirl

How sad for you Christina, to walk around scared all of the time. What an awful attitude.

I am sure the people I helped never felt "dumb".

baladeuse

That's funny, Manhattengirl, I just commented about Christina's attitude on the other threat about scams in Paris. I felt like maybe I was being naive to take issue with her "never talk to strangers, ever" approach, so I'm glad I'm not alone.

kerouac

I do help strangers myself, but never when they are trying to understand a ticket machine. I know that they can get everything in English (or whatever language they are most comfortable with, most likely) on the machine, and it is best for them to work such things out for themselves.

However, today, I was spontaneously asked by no fewer than 4 people for directions -- Paris is overflowing with tourists right now for the New Year celebrations.

baladeuse

"thread" not "threat"

annhig

I have helped several tourists trying to find their way around in Cornwall, and so far they have accepted my offers in the spirit in which they were made.

I'll let you work out for yourselves what that was.

bendigo

I found myself helping fellow tourists who were looking lost while trying to spin their maps and work out where they were in Oxford and Rome - something that I do at home, and which I appreciate if I am truly "lost" somewhere.

I also butted into a couple of "golden ring" conversations in Paris, where it looked like the victim was about to claim the ring, and tried to tell a few of the tourists in the hour-long queue at the Colosseum that they could get tickets at the Palatino office (less than 5 minutes walk away) with no wait at all.

Perhaps some of them thought I was a scammer - perhaps not. But unless non-scammers get involved or offer to help sometimes, our trust in mankind continues to diminish.

(My overwhelming impression is that wherever you go, most people are good and most people appreciate assistance or are prepared to help without seeking reward; even mangled attempts at their language are appreciated as long as they are genuine attempts at communicating rather than issuing orders, and; "please" and "thank you" can open a lot of doors in any language, but far too many can't even manage these words in English anymore).

cigalechanta

My first trip to Paris alone was to connect by TGV to Provence
I got on a train that I thought was where I should be. I was standing by the door and a man engaged me in conversation. I told him I was going to Provence, oo-la-la. he said you are on the wrong train. He grabbed one of my bags, my hand in his other and dashed us to my trian, which was about to leave.
I thanked this kind stranger with a kiss on his cheek as he blushed.

bendigo

But lest you think I am naive - on our recent trip to Europe we never accepted a gold ring; worked out train tix myself, without the help of the kids offering assistance; didn't sign an anti-drugs petition or any other kind of petition; I hope all the beggars on streets and in metro stations manage to survive without my donations; the well-dressed beggars on trains in Paris and Italy seem to have a story with a credibility gap; the promises of discounts and free drinks at sidewalk cafes were rigorously insisted on even when they were not always accurate on the early draft of the bill presented for payment - on the other hand, the cafe at Campo di Fiori that kept the limoncello coming even after the bill was finalised was one of our best and most cheerful meals out on our trip!

StCirq

Yes, I'm totally aware of this kind of scam and avoid it like the plague. I don't talk to or engage with anyone in train stations or airports or anywhere else who appears to be trying to help me, but I honestly don't need help about 99% of the time anyway, so it's irrelevant.

On the other hand, I've helped countless travelers over the years, in train stations, at airports, on the streets, in cafés and restaurants. There are SO many travelers out there who don't speak a word of French and have problems getting around, who can't read maps, who get lost, who are just clueless. If I see them, hear them, or whatever, and think I can make their situation easier, I do so.