One autorickshaw driver approached us offered three times the price our hotel manager suggested was a fair amount. We refused to go with him based on mere principal, though the equivalent was just a few bucks. We started walking in the direction of our hotel.

Another autorickshaw driver pulled up and agreed to our suggested price. I found this to be totally brave and cool of him. He said he understood tourists were being scammed and he didn’t think it was right.

Suddenly, driver number one rushed up. Hollering, pointing, fist-pounding on the roof ensued. Driver 2 didn’t react, and though he appeared a little shaken up and scared, he stuck up for us. Driver 1 yelled in hindi and driver 2 answered in English, allowing us to somewhat follow the scope of the argument.

Driver 2 later explained to us that taxi and autorickshaw drivers in the town of Jaipur cannot offer tourists local prices. The taxi mafia (?) will come after them at night, busting up their vehicles and beating them, and sometimes their families.

I’m grateful for this example of a brave man standing up for what he believed in. My friends and I ended up paying him way more than the rate the first driver was asking. Respect.

And for this article… It’s really interesting to hear each unique voice defending what they believe to be ‘truth.’ In my opinion, each situation is circumstantial. Ultimately, people will do what they will do.

Those of us who feel we have more ‘right’ opinions than others should simply lead by example. Hopefully the masses will catch on.

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http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/01/04/guide-...

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I find that grossly overpaying for services is extremely damaging to international relations and local economies. When a taxi cab driver in Delhi demands double the tourist rate for a ride which is already quadruple the local rate, and gets it they just assume that the next tourist to come along will pay those rates as well. Very quickly you get a situation where taxi cabs extort ridiculous rates from tourists and further refuse to drive locals around. The same if true, and even worse, in Goa FWIW.

Haggling for the best price is standard practice in many cultures and failing to do so just strengthens the idea that all foreigners are rich who can waste money.

One needs to remember that plenty of travelers have fixed budgets and choose to travel to low cost destinations because they are low cost destinations. I have several times found myself trying to explain to locals in India that I spent most of my budget on airfare and came to India because it's somewhere I could afford to travel.

Regarding seasonal prices, this is true tourists don't have a valid right to complain when prices go up or down according to demand.

Regarding working (presumably illegally) I think the ethical ramifications very much depend on the specifics of the situation. Rarely are travelers truly taking jobs from the homeless masses on the streets, in fact they are probably helping employ them in a macro view. For example If I take a job as a English speaking tour guide and in the processes employ a non-english speaking driver who gets paid out, as well as I teach a little english to so that maybe someday he'll be able to drive tourists around on his own, is this not beneficial?

Regarding hitchhiking, I consider it no differently than hitchhiking back home. It's certainly always appropriate to contribute something in return, whether it be monetary (paying for gas) or service (helping out to unload the truck).

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So, if people have more money, in say, Japan, when they come to Canada where I live they should pay more?

And if they come from a country which we regard as "poorer", they should pay less money?

Aren't we making a few silly generalizations here? Untimately, a two-tiered pricing system is racist. It paints certain groups as being uniformly "privileged" or "downtrodden"…oh, the old oppressors and victims trap! This doesn't help to erase social divisions, particularly. And it's just untrue…are all white people rich? Are all Western travelers rich? Are all "brown people" poor? NO. I don't like demoting others to useless symbols.

I lived in India for a long time. Some locals would see my little white face coming and the price would go up ten fold. I was writing for a living, even in India, and not even being paid properly because some of the publications I was writing for in India already felt I had "enough money", based on my skin colour. I got this ALL the time. It became exhausting, on my mind as wella s my bank account, to the point where I no longer wanted to work in India. I am not saying ALL of India is like this- mentalities of "uniform anything" are a total disaster, but some of my experience was this exact problem.

When visitors come to my country, I see them as valuable as I am. That's called true hospitality. They should respect me and I should respect them- as PEOPLE first, not nationalities, or dollars and cents, and part of that is charging a fair price, even if I know they have more money than me. My contribution to this equasion is not being an ugly traveller and bartering over the last dime. I mea, let's all agree to be decent here.

I'm NOT defending the cheap-ass jerks who haggle over TWO CENTS, but I don't appreciate being charged double for everything in some places I've travelled. It's garbage logic.

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As far as hitchhiking is concerned… well, I did it in Japan, where no one should ever need to hitchhike – trains and buses run to every corner. I just wanted to see how Japanese would react to a hitchhiking foreigner. Very hospitably.

No tipping in Japan, either, but I've tried to wrap my brain around what to do at a Japanese-owned and operated restaurant in Auckland… the service was great… but do they want, or will they accept tips?

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The hitchhiking section was interesting. Seeing as words only communicate 7% of what we as humans are trying to get across, I think that hitchhiking and not speaking the language is a great way to get a feel of the locals.
Haha, in a way you contradict yourself. You say it is all about the attitude? Of course it is. On the public bus you can sit with your iPod in and not talk to anyone, or you can hitchhike and make an effort. Or vice versa.
Most hitchhikers usually chip in something, a beer, food, cash, whatever. And for those that don't? That's on their book.

There are other ways to earn, such as teaching the locals English (if you speak it). For those that require to be taught, often travelers can teach at a fraction of the price for what it would cost elsewhere for a private lesson.

I do agree with 'Frugality being a lifetime commitment' for sure. I think for a lot of real travelers, and not the flashpackers, frugality becomes second nature back home, after seeing what we see whilst on the road.

As for always paying the right amount… Well that would make the world a little boring without a haggle or two, wouldn't it?

Nice one on the article, it has inspired thought and reaction!
Good job

HazardousPioneers dot blogspot dot com

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