Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - Amsterdam City Rip-offs

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Amsterdam City Rip-offs

Zürich, March 9, 1999 The attached relates to another tourist scam recently encountered in the city of Amsterdam, this one being perpetrated by the city’s own employees. Despite a detailed complaint to supervisory officials in the city’s transportation department, absolutely nothing was done to remedy this situation. True to its record, Amsterdam has once again proven itself totally incapable of seriously investigating rip-offs committed against visiting tourists. ____________________________________________ _ ANOTHER RIP-OFF IN AMSTERDAM, AND THIS ONE’S BEING PERPETRATED BY THE CITY’S EMPLOYEES! By now we have all heard the stories about car break-ins in Amsterdam. The street thieves have virtually free run of the city. It is so bad that if you lose all of your possessions and call the city police for assistance, they tell you to come to them and they’ll rubber stamp a loss confirmation form for insurance purposes. There are so many of these incidents in the city that the police don’t even bother to investigate them any more. Amsterdam’s city officials are now taking this attitude a step further when it relates to crimes committed by their fellow public employees. During a recent trip to Amsterdam with my wife and daughter, I bought several 3-day Circle Tram tickets at the GVB public transportation office across from Amsterdam’s Central Station. Our plan was to use public transportation to and from our hotel, and to tour the city by tram. When we boarded the Circle Tram for the first time by the main station, the young conductor at the back of the tram smiled and took our tickets, saying that he would stamp them for us. Well, that is exactly what he did - after taking an inordinate amount of time fooling around with the wheels of his rotary stamp machine. All well and fine on day one. Or so we thought. On the morning of our second day in Amsterdam, we boarded the same tram and presented our tickets to another conductor, who told us that the tickets had expired the day before. When we tried to explain that we had bought them the day before, we were told that we had first used them three days ago (two days before we even had arrived in Amsterdam!) and that the tickets were now expired. We had to leave the tram and find other transportation. So much for days two and three, not to speak of the dampening effect this entire experience had on our brief stay in Amsterdam. Arriving back home we mailed off a letter of complaint to the GVB public transportation authorities of the City of Amsterdam. Did they investigate this incident? Of course not! Though we gave them complete information on the incident, including copies of the tram tickets and a full description of the conductor who had stamped the tickets (who looked so much like Bob Marley that they couldn’t have not known who he was), we received a reply letter claiming that the description and ticket copies and indications of time and place and tram number were simply insufficient for identifying the culprit who had perpetrated this vicious little joke! The spokesperson for the public transportation authority even claimed that we had to supply them with the carriage number (similar to the VIN number stamped on an automobile’s frame) of the particular tram before they could proceed further with the investigation of this hilarious misdemeanor. So, folks, next time you take a tram in Amsterdam make sure you crawl under it first and write down the carriage number. You never know - if you have that number perhaps you can get Amsterdam’s city officials to go after their co-workers who are ripping off tourists just for the fun of it. JT Borst-Fuerst Zürich, Switzerland

Depending on where you are staying in Amsterdam, there is no need to buy day passes on the tram. The most affordable and enjoyable way to travel is on foot or by bicycle. If you're staying in the center of town -- stay away from the train station, however -- just about everything is within walking distance. At least it should be if you've chosen the right place to stay. If you do want to travel by tram, buy one of the so-called "strip tickets" or "strippenkaarten." Depending on how many people are travelling with you and how many days you are travelling, these strips are your best bet. Each ride costs about 2 strips per person and you can share one long strip for a whole group. Visit our website: http://pages.hotbot.com/travel/nethe...amsterdam.html For more info, just send me an E-mail! Mark [email protected] <IMG border=0 SRC="http://pages.hotbot.com/travel/netherlands/images/rtw.gif" ALT=" RTW TRAVELLER'S CLU

We went to Amsterdam several years ago and it was a very negative experience. Loads of pickpockets and shady characters hanging out casing the tourists- we were even followed aboard Trams!!! Adice to first time travelers to Europe- stay with places like Switzerland/Austria- you just never read about a bad experience in these countries. Why- culture- they are safe friendly.

My wife and I were in Amsterdam over this past Thanksgiving and never felt threatened or had any trouble with pickpockets or shady characters. I even carried my wallet in my back pocket as I usually do. We had the same lack of problems in Barcelona a couple of years ago. I'm starting to get the idea that many of my fellow posters are either very unlucky, very careless or scare too easily.

A guy who carries his wallet in his back pocket in tourist cities accuses other posters of being careless?

Good one. Seriously though, you don't think the locals carry their cash in money belts, do you? If they don't, why should I?

Because it's a LOT harder to replace things in a foreign country. A little precaution might save you a couple days of grief. And we each chose our own risks :)

My husband carries his wallet in his back pocket in our little non-tourist town, but when we head for Chicago to sight-see, you can bet he doesn't leave it there, especially if we are using public transportation while we are there.

Never had any problems in Amsterdam and I've been there many times. It seems like quite a safe city to me. The drug addicts get their drugs from the government in Holland so they don't commit crimes to get money so it's actually safer. Barcelona is another story. That city is very, very bad for street crime (pickpockets).

You cannot be too careful. My wife and I have made many trips to Europe over the last 10 years without incident. However, during a trip to Madrid last month, my wife's wallet was stolen from her purse without her feeling a thing. We were both being extremely cautious. You always must remember that this is what pickpockets do for a living. They are very good. Be careful!

Frankly, having travelled a great deal, Amsterdam is a rip-off. The hotels are overpriced for what you get. The people have a weird attitude...maybe it's the drugs, and the cigarette smoking is terrible. There is no NON-SMOKING! They are behind the times at least 20 years, not to mention all the dog poop on the sidewalks. One day there would be more than enough to last a lifetime, and I would discourage any people with asthma to go somewhere else.

Pardon the typo. The last sentence should read "discourage". Sorry

Sorry, I mean "encourage"

Re: Merriem's smoky Amsterdam: I find it interesting you consider amsterdam smoky, since you claim to be well travelled. Try finding a truly smoke free restaurant in Montreal or for that matter anywhere in Quebec. And the far east appears to have a ongoing contest of whom can smoke the most cigarettes in a given time. The French also seem to take great pleasure in poluting your dining environment. To condemn a whole city because they do there what I perceive most of the world to be doing at the same intensity, is somewhat unfair. Granted, Amsterdam has its faults along with most cities on this globe. But it has great charm, their culture is unique even among other european cities, and I find the people on the whole, extremely accommodating, warm and genuinely interested in the multitude of other cultures Amsterdam mixes up with great equality. They appear to be very steeped in their own culture, and North Americans can learn a great deal from how the Dutch, and other european cultures, cope with this modern world we live in.

Pervasive smoking in Amsterdam didn't bother me as much as the culture of drugs, sold by the government. Tourists flood in and overdose on the highly pure substances every day. A man OD'd right on the steps of our hotel and when the police arrived to cart his corpse away, they just shrugged - it happens all the time, they said. Marijuana-hazed teen-age residents of the city ride and walk around the streets in a stupor and are openly rude to tourists. And it's true, the people don't pick up after their dogs, so watch where you step. It's too bad. Amsterdam is a beautiful city with lots of charm, but the red-light district, free drugs, anything goes attitudes have convinced me never to return.

I think this is all very much a case of looking at the stars or the gutter. The truth is your travel experiences are what *you* make of them. Cities are human creations and as humans are creatures of a dual nature, so too great cities have both good and bad. People are cheated *and* welcomed, disgusted *and* delighted in every city in the world. The problem comes when you allow yourself to become locked onto a bad experience and steadfastly refuse to allow the good to come to you. I once saw a homeless woman near death in January on the Champs Elysee -- vomiting, screaming and nearly naked, people stepping over her -- until the police came and took her away with a very much "it happens all the time" attitude. It was a heartbreaking scene I could have witnessed in any great city in the world. I certainly wouldn't avoid Paris because of it. I was pickpocketed my first trip to Rome. (oh my inexperience - strictly my fault) But it, along with Amsterdam and New York, is one of my favorite cities in the world. How could I avoid Rome -- noisy, smoky, expensive Rome; gracious, awsome delicious Rome. If you wish all your destinations to be as safe and same as a gated suburb in the states -- well, such an attitude becomes a prison. The price of seeing the world is seeing things you may not wish to see. I am sorry you had bad experiences in Amsterdam. I have always found the people warm and educated; interested in my culture and genteel to me. As in any city, I avoid the red light district (they all have them, you know) and I look for the kind of nightlife that I enjoy. If the company is not good, I move on. I wish you better luck on your future journeys. Try not to let the mishaps sting so much. K

I think this is all very much a case of looking at the stars or the gutter. The truth is your travel experiences are what *you* make of them. Cities are human creations and as humans are creatures of a dual nature, so too great cities have both good and bad. People are cheated *and* welcomed, disgusted *and* delighted in every city in the world. The problem comes when you allow yourself to become locked onto a bad experience and steadfastly refuse to allow the good to come to you. I once saw a woman near death in January on the Champs Elysee -- nearly naked, vomiting, passing out, waking to scream obsenitites and people stepping over her -- until the police came and took her away with a very much "it happens all the time" attitude. It was a heartbreaking scene I could have witnessed in any great city in the world. I certainly wouldn't avoid Paris because of it. I was pickpocketed my first trip to Rome. (oh my inexperience - strictly my fault) But it, along with Amsterdam and New York, is one of my favorite cities in the world. How could I avoid Rome -- noisy, smoky, expensive, dangerous Rome; gracious, awsome, delicious, eternal Rome. If you wish all your destinations to be as safe and same as a gated suburb in the states -- well, such an attitude becomes a prison. All that is left to you are the simulated Europes of Disneyland. That is too small a world after all. The price of seeing the world is seeing things you may not wish to see. I am sorry you had bad experiences in Amsterdam. I have always found the people warm and educated; interested in my culture and genteel to me. I have found, a little personal responsibility goes a long way: check your tickets when they are handed back to you; research places to stay in the quiet residential areas of the city, where I assure you, junkies are not collapsing on the doorways. When in Amsterdam, as in any city, I avoid the red light district (all cities have them, you know) and I look for the kind of nightlife that I enjoy. If the company is not good, I move on. I wish you better luck on your future journeys. Try not to let the mishaps sting so much. K

Bert, you must be from Quebec, and yes they do smoke there. It is not on my list of places to visit again. However, Halifax was a totally different story. We spent a week there, and never had a problem finding a non-smoking section in any restaurant. Also, Buenos Aires, visit the fine restaurants, and there is always a place for non-smokers. In Barcelona, from which we most recently returned, all restaurants were more than willing to try and seat us where there were non smokers. Frankly, I think it depends on if you smoke, then of course you will defend your beliefs, that's fine....But no doubt many places are 20 years behind the times in their knowledge of 2nd hand smoke. I choose not to visit those places, because as travelers we do have LOTS of choices. Try Tahiti if you want clean air!

Bert, you must be from Quebec, and yes I have been there, and you are correct they do smoke. However, try Halifax, a lovely city, where in a week's visit we never had a problem finding a non-smoking section in any restaurant. Buenos Aires has some fantastic up-scale restaurants, and always had non-smoking. Even in Barcelona, the people had class and were not walking around blowing smoke in everyone's face. When we would go to a restaurant, they would always try and seat us away from the smokers. If you want clean air, try Tahiti. I think you comment about Amsterdam and their way of coping with the world today is funny. If drugs, sex and a totally permissive attitude is the answer, I think you had better reconsider. May people will not agree with you. My advice on Amsterdam, it is fine for two days, after that "been there, done that" and find a more refined culture.