Rickshaw Hassles and Guys at Israeli Folkdancing -What do They Have in Common?

August 4th-Monday

Last I wrote was just before we left on Saturday for Mahabalipurum...I will now have to catch up on all that happened since then and hope I will manage today, but doubt it...any any rate...want to just return to last week and the previous entry with a small story which is typical India...it is something which annoys many people, but I just find it a part of life here...and I've come to realize that it is not directly specifically at tourists, but locals themselves have these hassles as well..perhaps not on the same scale, but it is defintiely a part of the local scene ....
As you remember, I was shopping with Rachel and we came out of the shopping mall to go home and of course needed a rickshaw. So we go out into the street and a whole line of "autos" are lined up. We go to the first and Rachel says "harrington Road...how much?"
-45 rupees
-no...30
-35
-no 30-
-OK 30---come...which place on harrington?
-last
-so 35
-no 30
-ok-30

Then a different guy comes running over to drive the rickshaw and as he gets behind the wheel he says:
-I take you to nice shop
-NO SHOP!
-so...40 rupees

So we start to get out of the "auto" and he says: OK, OK, 30 rupees but just see shop!

So again we start to get out of the "auto":

-OK, OK ...30 rupees no shop

and with that the original driver gets back in!

This stuff is really funny for me since I am rarely disappointed-Foreigner? They will try to con you...not in any aggressive way but they will try-if it works OK, if not, OH, well.

Reminds me of the guys at folkdancing in Israel. They always "start" with you after 2-3 weeks of dancing with them. Once I asked a guy if he starts with every woman he dances with and he said "yes". Asked why...answer was "Why not? I have nothing to loose - 10 woman say no but one will always say "yes", and then I've got it made, so why not try?"

Same with the rickshaw guys here-WHY NOT TRY?