Things Expats/Foreigners Do that Irritate...
I agree with the barang / local differentials cost wise being different is a frustration but disagree that the Oyster Card is a tax on foreigners - it's more difficult to buy a single into London than get a £5 Oyster now.
Apart from the usual naivety of the first day in any other country if you spend a couple of hours reading the internet you know your options.
The original question - is the blatant racism by some that expect everything to be relative. In real terms Cambodia isn't massive so yeah, some things are imported and the prices will be higher as well as different across provinces and shops.
Apart from the usual naivety of the first day in any other country if you spend a couple of hours reading the internet you know your options.
The original question - is the blatant racism by some that expect everything to be relative. In real terms Cambodia isn't massive so yeah, some things are imported and the prices will be higher as well as different across provinces and shops.
- 0zirC
- K440 Defender of the Faith
- Reactions: 0
- Posts: 1309
- Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2013 11:36 am
- Location: Cybertron
GavinMac's personal view was insightful and quite similar to what most "normal" expats do. I always let the wife talk about price, and I always end up giving 2,000r or $1 extra as a tip.
Recently I got the bus which was strange and exciting.
It vexes me when people complain about the state of the traffic and the drivers, and they themselves are worse!
It also ires me when I hear talk of poor Cambodia, pity on Khmers, and then they're out eating Kobe.
Filipinos going around asking for money for orphanages and natural disaster victims back in Pi. I don't know what they are going to do with the money just because they show me credentials. I do my own Philanthropic work, but I don't go around bothering people for it...like those Chinese Monks.
Recently I got the bus which was strange and exciting.
It vexes me when people complain about the state of the traffic and the drivers, and they themselves are worse!
It also ires me when I hear talk of poor Cambodia, pity on Khmers, and then they're out eating Kobe.
Filipinos going around asking for money for orphanages and natural disaster victims back in Pi. I don't know what they are going to do with the money just because they show me credentials. I do my own Philanthropic work, but I don't go around bothering people for it...like those Chinese Monks.
"Life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it."
—Charles Swindoll
—Charles Swindoll
-
- Making Khmer girls cry since 2003
- Reactions: 130
- Posts: 21358
- Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2003 10:15 pm
By the way, I'm not suggesting that there is a right or wrong way to do it. I appreciate that there are expats who haggle in advance below 6000 riel - $2 on many trips, it does help to keep the white face price expectation down.0zirC wrote:GavinMac's personal view was insightful and quite similar to what most "normal" expats do. I always let the wife talk about price, and I always end up giving 2,000r or $1 extra as a tip.
Follow my lame Twitter feed: @gavin_mac
- vladimir
- Feminist Watch List
- Reactions: 4
- Posts: 34235
- Joined: Thu Sep 23, 2004 7:43 am
- Location: mod edit
Or, in Saffer parlance, 'worsie forcey fun time'Playboy wrote:Forcey Worsey Fun Time.Chuck Wow wrote:Struggle SnuggleRobW wrote:^ Also rape: this is known as a struggle cuddle by these males.
ירי ילדים והפצצת אזרחים דורש אומץ, כמו גם הטרדה מינית של עובדי ההוראה.
-
- I've got internet at work
- Reactions: 0
- Posts: 309
- Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2014 9:50 am
- Location: Earth
I find sexpats irritating. Unsure what the age difference cut-off is but seeing an old fella on the dance floor gyrating up against a girl old enough to be his granddaughter is morbid.
It's never too late to be nice, unless you die.
- thepostman2020
- My Only Friend is my Computer
- Reactions: 1
- Posts: 763
- Joined: Sun Jan 13, 2013 1:46 pm
- Location: Place: Restored United States of America - Time: Post-Apocalyptic Future
- Contact:
Having cleaned up after a European female intern who got in a fist fight with a moto over a fare dispute for 25 cents I am not sure I would advise that for everybody. It has to be said she was trying to cheap charlie the driver on the fare.scobienz wrote:Starving Pelican wrote:On my last trip, I found that the tuk-tuks charged around $4 per trip leg, and that's after bargaining. Bloody rip - off.
It's your fault for bargaining. Do what most of us do. Get in, tell them where you are going, get out the other end and give them what you consider is a fair price and walk away.
The rates are pretty straightforward. Anywhere in the inner city area - around $1.50 per trip. From somewhere like the riverside / centre / 51 ish to BKK1 around $2. City to Russian Market area $2.50 to $3.
I don't know why people over complicate it by trying to negotiate in advance.
My negotiation technique is to simply tell the tuktuk/moto the price, the destination,and say okay. If he says any other price I continue walking and get another driver. It is not like there is a shortage in Phnom Penh. The longer you have been here the easier the negotiations get. The drivers know your face or their spider senses tell them that you know the correct price.
I just saw gavinmac's post and agree with that.
For night time I have used a regular tuktuk driver I've known since 2007. The key things about this guy is he doesn't drink alcohol at all and has good reflexes. He's gotten us out of a few near misses with the other drunken idiots on the road. I pay him a bit too much but I think it is a bargain.
There is a good argument for the metered Taxi's these days if you have to travel a long distance.
Regarding the OP. Foreigners who whine that the Khmer have traditional weddings and funerals. I don't think the Khmer need to adapt to foreigners on that one. Foreigners who don't like Khmer weddings or funerals should find the airport or get on a bus.
Another irritation are foreigners who dress inappropriately in places like shopping malls or other public areas. How hard is it to read up a bit on the culture of the place you are going to?
The good thing is generally the Khmer give us a lot of leeway because they 'know' foreigners are weird.
-
- Making Khmer girls cry since 2003
- Reactions: 130
- Posts: 21358
- Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2003 10:15 pm
Most of the stories about foreigners getting into violent disputes with tuk tuk drivers involve an attempt to pay a low ball the fare after not negotiating the low ball fare in advance. I don't recommend that for anyone.thepostman2020 wrote: Having cleaned up after a European female intern who got in a fist fight with a moto over a fare dispute for 25 cents I am not sure I would advise that for everybody. It has to be said she was trying to cheap charlie the driver on the fare.
I also agree with the postman that simply stating your price in a confident manner and saying "OK" works very well, much better than just walking up to a driver and asking "how much."
This is true in any developing country where transport needs to be haggled -- just research in advance what the correct rate is and tell them that's what you'll pay. If taxi after taxi refuses you and drives off, you're not offering enough. If they always readily accept and never try to get you to pay more, you're probably offering too much.
Follow my lame Twitter feed: @gavin_mac
I kinda agree, but the thing about this country is it's really hard to get more than 100 riel off even if you walk around all day and know how to ask for a discount. This is unusual as I have never had a problem in ANY other country before.scobienz wrote:It is not racism at all.zerotwosixty wrote:
Have you been overcharged in the "West" for not being white? I have never seen it happen. It's racism. You are referring to the double pricing, right? If not, the prices are just fine when you get the real price without the "White Tax".
In an environment where there is little fixed pricing, most things are haggled for and unless you know the 'correct price' (if such a thing can be said to exist) and know the language and know the rules of the game then you are at a disadvantage. That applies to everyone, not just white people.
Your so-called White Tax is nothing more than leveraging some innate disadvantages in the haggling process; why shouldn't the vendor be free to take advantage of that disadvantage? Instead of complaining about it, be proactive and redress the balance.
Even Vietnam which is famouss for its high tourist prices, I was getting discounts of up to half after the first 4 days.
Recently I have been getting better prices. I just am happier now that I've joined K440 they sense my happiness and think its for Cambodia and its people. I ask for 2000 riel off something that costs 8000 and get it.
Of course I'm taking the piss, I do like being here. Don't know how you can stand PP though.
Sorry about going off topic but you know its a subject close to my heart.
K440 : Lucky cheese for the gentry; poultry and death for the peasants.
"Reading made Don Quixote a gentleman. Believing what he read made him mad."
"Reading made Don Quixote a gentleman. Believing what he read made him mad."
I just realized that when I want to get a tuk-tuk, tell them where I want to go and I ask them how much, they always ask me back how much I'm willing to give them.
So I always say US$1 and then they are the one to ask for more so I haggle the fare down.
But I'm a pushover, so when I get to my destination, I'll throw in one or two additional thousands riels.
So I always say US$1 and then they are the one to ask for more so I haggle the fare down.
But I'm a pushover, so when I get to my destination, I'll throw in one or two additional thousands riels.
-
- 2000+ Posts! Aghh I Have No Mates
- Reactions: 1
- Posts: 2151
- Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2013 11:05 pm
- Location: The Cowshed Cappielow
Never had a problem with Tuk Tuk's, know the reasonable rate, agree that price or move on whilst being polite, there's always another willing to accept the correct price.
OP - People who over complicate the simplest of business transactions.
OP - People who over complicate the simplest of business transactions.
"Everywhere we go .. people want to know ...who we are... where we come from !"
Tartan Army retired foot soldier
Tartan Army retired foot soldier
Ooopps me again.. Trouble is your paying double!scobienz wrote:Starving Pelican wrote:On my last trip, I found that the tuk-tuks charged around $4 per trip leg, and that's after bargaining. Bloody rip - off.
It's your fault for bargaining. Do what most of us do. Get in, tell them where you are going, get out the other end and give them what you consider is a fair price and walk away.
The rates are pretty straightforward. Anywhere in the inner city area - around $1.50 per trip. From somewhere like the riverside / centre / 51 ish to BKK1 around $2. City to Russian Market area $2.50 to $3.
I don't know why people over complicate it by trying to negotiate in advance.
K440 : Lucky cheese for the gentry; poultry and death for the peasants.
"Reading made Don Quixote a gentleman. Believing what he read made him mad."
"Reading made Don Quixote a gentleman. Believing what he read made him mad."
- horace
- I can not turn my computer off ...
- Reactions: 307
- Posts: 5484
- Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2011 12:27 pm
- Location: different planet
You all pay too much for Tuk Tuks, Short journeys are a dollar day time and 2 for night, I regularly get a tuk tuk
when the driver has failed to pick me up for whatever reason to and from work, Wat Botum to Canadia Industrial estate Veng Sreng St ( 12K) 4 $,Chom Chao roundabout at night (8:30pm) to Wat Botum 5 or 6 $. Once had to get a Tuk Tuk 35 k out of town back into town because the MTB had a problem One cycle , one man and 4 beer stops on route back 10$ . This means the average fair should be 2,000 per K not a dollar.
In answer to the OP , westerners speaking (who think they are fluent) Khmer really badly annoy the fuck out of me, westerners who speak it fluently without an accent impress me beyond measure unless they proceed to correct my shit Khmer ( which has stood me in good stead for 17 years ) then I just wanna slap them into the gutter.
when the driver has failed to pick me up for whatever reason to and from work, Wat Botum to Canadia Industrial estate Veng Sreng St ( 12K) 4 $,Chom Chao roundabout at night (8:30pm) to Wat Botum 5 or 6 $. Once had to get a Tuk Tuk 35 k out of town back into town because the MTB had a problem One cycle , one man and 4 beer stops on route back 10$ . This means the average fair should be 2,000 per K not a dollar.
In answer to the OP , westerners speaking (who think they are fluent) Khmer really badly annoy the fuck out of me, westerners who speak it fluently without an accent impress me beyond measure unless they proceed to correct my shit Khmer ( which has stood me in good stead for 17 years ) then I just wanna slap them into the gutter.
k440, something to do when you're pissed.
- Lucky Lucan
- K440 Knight Captain
- Reactions: 761
- Posts: 22525
- Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2011 12:24 pm
- Location: The Pearl of the Orient
I find foreigners who rant on about tuk-tuks all the time sort of irritating, but then I couldn't really give a shit.
Romantic Cambodia is dead and gone. It's with McKinley in the grave.
Personal peeves:
Foreigners who say how much they love the laidback Khmer attitude and then complain that the service is slow/the bus is late/things don't work.
Foreigners who use street kids as entertainment to impress their friends/girlfriends; they call the kids over, get them to put on a show with whatever they're selling, and then basically tell them to fuck off when they've had enough of a laugh.
Also, arrogant ignorance, like the tourist/backpackers who gate-crashed a funeral and then complained that Khmer weddings aren't as fun as they say... we had to tell them that it was a funeral...
And, of course, foreigners who haggle over 100r.
AND SHOUTING TO BE UNDERSTOOD
Foreigners who say how much they love the laidback Khmer attitude and then complain that the service is slow/the bus is late/things don't work.
Foreigners who use street kids as entertainment to impress their friends/girlfriends; they call the kids over, get them to put on a show with whatever they're selling, and then basically tell them to fuck off when they've had enough of a laugh.
Also, arrogant ignorance, like the tourist/backpackers who gate-crashed a funeral and then complained that Khmer weddings aren't as fun as they say... we had to tell them that it was a funeral...
And, of course, foreigners who haggle over 100r.
AND SHOUTING TO BE UNDERSTOOD
-
- Similar Topics
- Replies
- Views
- Last post
-
- 23 Replies
- 4628 Views
-
Last post by Playboy
Wed Jul 01, 2020 4:22 pm
-
-
Foreigners now must pay 500 THB fee to enter Thailand
by Expatissimo » Wed Oct 06, 2021 11:43 am » in Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar and Lao forums - 12 Replies
- 2218 Views
-
Last post by Guest
Thu Oct 07, 2021 12:33 pm
-
-
- 11 Replies
- 3229 Views
-
Last post by Wild Banana
Fri Feb 21, 2020 7:27 pm