I know the location well. Four or five years ago a friend bought the kids a new shovel to make their work easier. Next trip the old shovel was back. Turns out the kids sold the new shovel. I assume the kids younger brothers are carrying on in the older kids footsteps. It's a cultural item. I have handed out a few pesos over the years but that is changing.
- Thread starter reese_in_va
- Start date
I am fed up with tourists!
Yes it is.
They do this to Dominican drivers too, so it is not to do with being white skinned.
Would I be correct in assuming that the town you refer to is Puerto Plata? I ask because only twice in 16+ years of driving around Puerto Plata have I been approached by window washers. I won't tell you how I achieved this but I would advise you to watch how Dominicans handle it and learn from that. There are ways of handling it so that it doesn't become a problem for you. All part of the learning curve.
I always lock my car doors & windows when driving thru traffic & the other week I saw the hazard in not doing so.
It was at traffic lights in POP a car I'd followed from Costambar had the windows washed - of course they said no but the boys carried on regardless. When it came time for the money the driver wouldn't pay & in the aftermath of that at one point the passangers' door was pulled open. It could have got VERY nasty bt thankfully didn't!
BTW windscreen wiper on at full speed generally stops the POP window washers, but do it before the sponge hits the window. Once it's on there they seem to assume you owe them money ....
It was at traffic lights in POP a car I'd followed from Costambar had the windows washed - of course they said no but the boys carried on regardless. When it came time for the money the driver wouldn't pay & in the aftermath of that at one point the passangers' door was pulled open. It could have got VERY nasty bt thankfully didn't!
BTW windscreen wiper on at full speed generally stops the POP window washers, but do it before the sponge hits the window. Once it's on there they seem to assume you owe them money ....
It's not a new idea folks they've been washing windows in Montreal for years.
Now they stand at stoplights with a coffee cup and try toget money from the drivers for doing diddly squat.
Santa
Now they stand at stoplights with a coffee cup and try toget money from the drivers for doing diddly squat.
Santa
I generaly dont give money to the street kids.
Ok...what i DO do tho is some mornings i will order a sizeable breakfast...i'll eat 1/2 of it and then give the rest to some kid who is hanging around.
I used to give out candy treats...but have stopped doing that because i dont want them to rot their teeth.
I hate ignoring the little kids while i am there...but i know if you give a little one day it just wont stop. (it gets REALLY bad when they grow up and are agressive teens after you've been traveling there for years).
On my very last night i will let some boy shine my shoes for me and tip him generously.
Squeegy guys are the worst tho! That is the ONE good thing Guillani did in nyc. I wouldnt blame the tourist for giving them money tho...they probably feel intimidated. The only solution is to outlaw them and really enforce it. An other idea is for car rental places could warn them about the Sqweegie Guys and how to deter them. (I liked the idea of turning on the windshield whiper. But again...I think the best idea is to have the rental companies warn the customer in advance.
Ok...what i DO do tho is some mornings i will order a sizeable breakfast...i'll eat 1/2 of it and then give the rest to some kid who is hanging around.
I used to give out candy treats...but have stopped doing that because i dont want them to rot their teeth.
I hate ignoring the little kids while i am there...but i know if you give a little one day it just wont stop. (it gets REALLY bad when they grow up and are agressive teens after you've been traveling there for years).
On my very last night i will let some boy shine my shoes for me and tip him generously.
Squeegy guys are the worst tho! That is the ONE good thing Guillani did in nyc. I wouldnt blame the tourist for giving them money tho...they probably feel intimidated. The only solution is to outlaw them and really enforce it. An other idea is for car rental places could warn them about the Sqweegie Guys and how to deter them. (I liked the idea of turning on the windshield whiper. But again...I think the best idea is to have the rental companies warn the customer in advance.
Seriously? No, nor a starting pistol - could tell you lots about that! However, a plastic bottle with water in it would be ok. Preferably with a heavy solution of potassium permanganate in the water. But no pistols.
Folks, the original "rant" that I had was to inform, not only tourists, but expats as well the pattern that is taking place here. We all need to be aware of how WE are changing this beautiful island. After all WE live here and have to live with the consequences.
I too have been guilty of passing out free handouts when I first arrived, in and around Puerto Plata, but after a few months of seeing and experiencing my impact on the pattern of behaviors that be, I made the decision to stop all freebies.
Yes, at first it was a rewarding feeling and a sense of helping out those who are in need.
Now, I fully realize what I have given into and what I had participated in.
I know the tourists, and expats alike probably think the same way, that they too are making a difference, and after all they probably can afford to give handouts.
It's my own personal opinion that this type of generosity is taking a turn for the worse, and I wanted to share this with everyone who reads this post. The mentality of those that expect and demand handouts will continue to ask and beg rather than making the effort to earn their keep and continue to be dependant on others generosity.
Peace.
I too have been guilty of passing out free handouts when I first arrived, in and around Puerto Plata, but after a few months of seeing and experiencing my impact on the pattern of behaviors that be, I made the decision to stop all freebies.
Yes, at first it was a rewarding feeling and a sense of helping out those who are in need.
Now, I fully realize what I have given into and what I had participated in.
I know the tourists, and expats alike probably think the same way, that they too are making a difference, and after all they probably can afford to give handouts.
It's my own personal opinion that this type of generosity is taking a turn for the worse, and I wanted to share this with everyone who reads this post. The mentality of those that expect and demand handouts will continue to ask and beg rather than making the effort to earn their keep and continue to be dependant on others generosity.
Peace.
"We all need to be aware of how WE are changing this beautiful island. After all WE live here and have to live with the consequences."
That is an excellent point, and of course it involves every aspect of how we all assimilate in the culture here. The process of assimilation is dynamic and has profound long-term consequences.
We are impacted by the existing culture and we have an impact. If we understand this going in we have a much better chance of having a overall positive effect.
Reese is suggesting that all of we should carefully consider all of our actions. Everything we do is important and our actions will have a cumulative effect.
I agree with Reese. We can't complain about the way things are unless we are willing to make thoughtful and considered decisions about how we live our lives here.
That is an excellent point, and of course it involves every aspect of how we all assimilate in the culture here. The process of assimilation is dynamic and has profound long-term consequences.
We are impacted by the existing culture and we have an impact. If we understand this going in we have a much better chance of having a overall positive effect.
Reese is suggesting that all of we should carefully consider all of our actions. Everything we do is important and our actions will have a cumulative effect.
I agree with Reese. We can't complain about the way things are unless we are willing to make thoughtful and considered decisions about how we live our lives here.
Supersoaker
The image of a Dominican driver toting a huge supersoaker water gun is just tooooooo funny. supersoaker - default
Of course, the result of using it might not be as amusing.
The image of a Dominican driver toting a huge supersoaker water gun is just tooooooo funny. supersoaker - default
Of course, the result of using it might not be as amusing.
I found it to be most annoying to replace the driver's side wiper blade each day. After seven days of rain in Santiago, I wonder how many times I purchased my own wiper back?