Turning the table on street vendors

Old Feb 27th, 2008, 11:10 AM
  #61  
 
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Will this work in my local mall???

I swear if those women with the lotion or hair extensions come near me again I am going to hit one of them LOL! (I once threatened to call the police on one of them because he kept trying to put something in my head. My exact quote "If you touch me with that nasty thing I will have you arrested for hitting me" ) I doubt it would work but he got out of my way..

I have no problem harrassing back. Sorry, but street vendors can be making a living without harrassment and in truth which ones do YOU buy from. THe ones who chased you down the street or the nice ones???
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Old Feb 27th, 2008, 11:19 AM
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dave- You can count me in as another who is not rude to store clerks, telemarketers, street people, or waitresses... not ever. It's not about being a pansy*ss, it's about going thru life in a respectful manner.

You think you weren't being nasty but you WERE making fun of other people by mimicking them and 'performing' to get laughts from the other tourists. You think this is a "light-hearted" story, some of us think it is not really very funny, is all.


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Old Feb 27th, 2008, 11:49 AM
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what we do not know is the degree of aggressiveness the malcreants are accused of

Dave send: <When they would approach, wanting to sell one of those toys or a flower, I began to try to sell them a half-bottle of coke for only 50 euros. I would actually follow them (as they do so often) offering the bottle. It only took a few seconds, but it got the attention of all of the vendors and we would be left alone at that location.>

Seems like a street vendor simply approached Dave offering to sell toy s or flowers and he then right away 'began to try to sell them stuff for an exaggerated price - then he would follow them - assuming they would follow him which they apparently did not

So it seems such boorish actions were pre-mediatated and not apparently directed at a seller who was indeed selling aggressively

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Old Feb 27th, 2008, 12:16 PM
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Ok, I see where I should have put in more info...

It began with my family and I sitting at a cafe. The first vendor came up selling the toy things, I told him no. He tried again, I said no. He then moved to my daughter, no, he tried again. I gave him the "you should leave look". He then went to my grand children, trying again. All of us said NO in unison. He then came back to me. By this time, another seller had stepped in. That is when I first did the coke sale thing. It worked.

Later, at Trevi, several came up selling their wares. No did not work, No several times did not work. One in particular followed us, continuing the harassment. So I did the coke sale. The vendor, embarrassed, walked away, and yes I followed him. It was to let him know what it felt like.

The third one and I actually ended up having fun with each other, as I stated earlier.

So, sorry if I offended any of you. I was pretty offended by their actions.

Geez, give it a break...

dave

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Old Feb 27th, 2008, 01:17 PM
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Good for you, Dave... just because someone is poor and wants to sell something does not give them the right to be rude. It would be nice if a simple no would do the trick,but many times it doesn't. As a single, elderly woman I have been intimidated and harassed by street vendors. I do not appreciate it.
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Old Feb 27th, 2008, 01:22 PM
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Yes but why not turn your approbation to Rome authorities who have let this type of selling mushroom for years

drivers routinely have their windows washed at stoplights, etc.

Rome should do something as this type of activity impacts tourists enjoyment of the city
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Old Feb 27th, 2008, 01:42 PM
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"cringe worthy" is exactly right. I've been harrassed by vendors all around the world and, when they persist, find that nothing works as well as continuing my conversation as though they weren't there. No eye contact. Nothing.

Sorry if I'm crossing any lines here, but the vision of a family yelling "no" in unison and of davees doing what he did screams "arrogance" in a BIG way. The fact that he's a visitor in THEIR country makes it doubly obnoxious.

And no, I've never been rude to telemarketers. I am quick to say "I appreciate the offer but no thank you." If they persist, I say "thanks...have to go" and then hang up. I'm only glad that fate hasn't dealt me a hand that requires me to make a living in any of these ways. A little kindness is in order.
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Old Feb 27th, 2008, 03:33 PM
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I am a female, so I've noticed screaming "don't touch me" deters male vendors
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Old Feb 27th, 2008, 03:50 PM
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Faina, I am male, and think that if I adopted the same strategy it would work just as well for me.
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Old Feb 27th, 2008, 05:06 PM
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I wanted to kick each guy in the head at the Trevi fountain if they tried one more time to give my woman a rose. IMO it ruins a beautiful site. F'em
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Old Feb 28th, 2008, 12:54 AM
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Dave- You obviously have never worked any sort of retail job, or if you have, you've forgotten all about it. Try getting a part time job and a restaurant or a store and then tell us if your opinions are the same?


I work at a store, and I try not to be rude. Whenever I get those annoying automated calls from some annoying business, I just hang up. I avoid most clerks unless I need to. If a cashier is rude, I just pay and leave. If it's bad enough, i'll complain to the person in charge. But I won't blow up or mock them. They get enough crap every day.

Sure, the vendor was highly annoying, but why not just ignore him, avoid eye contact, and then walk towards some sort of authority member or into a hotel for a few minutes?

Sure beats giving the wrong lesson to your grandkids. Why not show them how to remain calm under pressure and how to handle annoying people with class?
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Old Feb 28th, 2008, 02:26 AM
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Some of the criticisms of daveesl are grotesque. The street vendor's behaviour was harassment - pure and simple. Why should daveesl be 'respectful' to people who are not respectful to him?

It's silly to compare bullying street vendors with people working in a shop. I've never experienced harassment from a shop assistant(more likely the opposite -- not being able to find anyone willing to take my money...).

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Old Feb 28th, 2008, 04:01 AM
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The main thing I now realize is that Dave was setting an unfortunate example for his grandchildren in how to deal with the frustrations of travel. And those street vendors have been in Rome for, well, centuries, and will likely be there when the grandchildren are adults.

Dave also mentions he teaches ESL....over the internet. Which might explain a lack of ability to realize the impressions he leaves behind on locals with the kind of behavior he describes.
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Old Feb 28th, 2008, 04:24 AM
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Was this in Italian ?
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Old Feb 28th, 2008, 05:27 AM
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And those street vendors have been in Rome for, well, centuries

Millennia probably.
Do you think that they had Gauls and Britons flogging dodgy whatever the Roman equivalent of a handbag was?
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Old Feb 28th, 2008, 05:45 AM
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Josser wrote: " And those street vendors have been in Rome for, well, centuries".

So now we have to take OP to task for abuse of the elderly?
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Old Feb 28th, 2008, 05:54 AM
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Well as the forum expert on handbags, I am on my mettle.
sacculus simulatus perhaps?

I love the idea of the dodgy little workshops in Gaul.
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Old Feb 28th, 2008, 05:59 AM
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Do you think that they also tried to flog you a dancing Mus Micaelis?

You are quite right, mocking a thousand year old pedlar would be very unkind.
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Old Feb 28th, 2008, 06:20 AM
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Why are we assuming these vendors are poor or are entitled to sympathy? I've often wondered: Why are there so many vendors? Why are they (in some cases) so organized? Why are the tactics similar (to varying degrees)? Is it possible this is a relatively lucrative business (and possibly tax free)? While I probably wouldn't make the effort that Dave did, if I employed agressive or rude tactics in my line of business, what right do I have to be offended if the tables are turned?
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Old Feb 28th, 2008, 06:50 AM
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I remember seeing a tv show quite a few yeara ago in which they followed disabled street beggars in NYC. You know like the ones sitting on a blanket, blind sometimes with a dog. Most were not disabled and all were making a decent salary.
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