HOW TO GET RID OF ILLEGAL STREET VENDORS

Imagine you've always wanted to go to Paris. After a long time of saving money and anxiously waiting your finally there. You step out of the metro and there it is, the Eiffel tower,  as you walk around to explore the place this man comes up to you. 'Look look, little Eiffel tower, you buy you buy, I got good price! Good price!?' You politely tell the man off and as you continue your way he keeps following you, constantly blocking your view of the Eiffel tower. When he finally goes off one of his mates comes up to you and the all of the previous repeats itself time after time. 

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The above scenario happens in pretty much every (South) European city, at every single monument. Usually the people vending stuff on the streets are illegal immigrants, giving them no right to sell anything or even be in the country.They are persistent, annoying and even trick tourists into paying for their junk. Some of them for example pretend they only want to give you a free bracelet, 'Im an artist!', and tie a rope extremely tight around your wrist, making it unable for you to take it off. Then they start demanding money for it. If refuse you'll be swarmed by a whole group, they're never alone, and in some cases they even use violence. Buying something from them VIOLATES THE LAW and could possibly result in you, the innocent tourist, getting fined. Apart from that 99% of the time the stuff they sell is rubbish and overpriced. 

The police tries to fight these immigrants by locking them up or giving them a fine. Unfortunately these methods don't seem to work because the immigrants out number the cops by far.  So what can YOU do to get rid of them? 

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If you never been to Europe, it might be hard for you to recognize illegal vendors (although I can guarantee that you will be able to within one day) Let me describe them for you. Most of the sellers are immigrants from Africa (selling ropes, jewelry, little Eiffel towers and bags), India or Pakistan (roses, children toys that shoot up in the air and lasers). They don't mix or sell each others products and always operate in (big) gangs of their own ethnicity. This is in no way meant to be any form of racism, it's simply my obversation.  

TWO METHODS TO GET RID OF THEM 

After touring many European cities I've discovered that neither telling these vendors off politely or yelling at them works. Here are two methods that will most likely help (no money back guarantees) and will turn an annoying encounter into a funny one. 

1. THE UMBRELLA 
This is by far the quickest, most effective and most rude method. Bring a little foldable umbrella with you in your bag. Whenever you spot a vendor creeping up to you shield yourself from him. Do it in a over the top manner and don't hesitate to put it right in front of his face, but make sure you don't poke out their eyeballs. Their behavior is very rude, so why would you be polite? As long as you don't use violence I think this method is of no harm. You can find foldable umbrella's retailing for around five euro at almost every tourist shop. 

2. USE A FANTASY OR FOREIGN LANGUAGE 

Wanna have fun while making a vendor leave you alone? Start talking in either a foreign language, or if you don't speak anything else but English (most of them understand this the best) use a fantasy one.  While you do this make sure you laugh until your cheeks start hurting. At first they will try to continue selling you something but most likely they will give up pretty soon. Be loud so all the vendors around you can hear you. Most likely they won't try to approach you after this, slightly embarrassing,  act. Killing two birds (or more) with one stone!  Something that also tends to helps is starting a 'serious conversation'. I for example pretended to get all up set when a guy tried to sell me a rose, telling him it's rude to do so while my boyfriend is sitting next to me. If you spot men trying to put a rope on peoples fingers I suggest you use the above method.

I am fully aware that the vendors I described above would most likely prefer to have a normal job but the way they try to sell things is a big nuisance to tourists and ruins it for illegal immigrants that have actual talent. In some city's you'll find men and women quietly sitting on a piece of cardboard, crafting beautiful works of art (a chopper, elephant or any other animal) from bamboo like leaves. Believe me they sell and lot more then the aggressive ones do. 

With Love,

Elise Mooijman