And by this, I mean the unwritten rules, expectations, customs we all follow, knowingly or unknowingly.
I was at the New Delhi train station, and needed to get to the airport for my flight to Chennai. There is a kiosk you can go to get a pre-paid vehicle. It's nice because you don't have to haggle for the price, and you can assume that you're not being overcharged because you are a foreigner. A local person may be able to bargain and get lower, but pre-paid is about as good as I can do. It's also a bit safer, as there is a record of my name, and the vehicle I traveled in.
So I go to the counter, give my destination, and am quoted a price of 80 rupees. No problem. I take out a 100 Rp note, and hand it to the man behind the counter. He starts typing the form for the cab driver. I go to put my money away, and the man says, "80 Rupees."
I look down and there's a 50 Rp note on the counter. I have several 50's, and think, "Oh, maybe I did pull out a 50 Rp note." So I hand over another 50, and I'm given proper change.
So the bottom line is that the guy behind the counter, employed by the Tourism Association of New Delhi, pocketed an easy 50 Rp. I'm certain now that I pulled out a 100 Rp note.
So he capitalized on my uncertainty, combined with the fact that I don't expect deceitful behavior from someone working for a service designed to help me, to in fact, cheat me.
And the other half of it is that I am powerless in the situation. I can report him to his supervisor, who will be placated when the subordinate gives him 25 Rp. But short of yelling at him that he cheated me, I can't do much. There's no proof, and none of the rules that we expect.
So the bottom line for me is that I have a new custom. I don't take my eyes of the money when someone is giving me change.
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4 comments:
"I don't take my eyes of the money when someone is giving me change."
~Thats a good rule of thumb, especially when travelling, and that too in India!
hehe, well, think of it this way, grandma used to drop off a roasted chicken and some other goodies every year to the local district police, fire, and EMS in Taiwan (: service expectation's all relative!
oh yeah, sorry about waking yer bum up the otherday - had to vent. to throw insult to injury, i found out she actually PREFERS rose' wines .... *sigh*
The other rule is "Never talk to strangers." Anyone who comes up to you with information is probably aiming to do you wrong.
I walked to the Maharaja's Palace today. I had to walk by a gate that is not an enterance. So the gate was shut, and a rickshaw driver told me that the "Place is closed until 12:30 for repairs."
But he happened to have a rickshaw to take me to Chamundi Hill.
Ummm... No. It's not closed, I just have to walk to the correct enterance gate.
The above (misdirection re entrance & closing time) is pure evil. That guy will get what's coming to him.
/pbz
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