Is BsAs that dangerous??

[katiiearmstrong]

I think it is pretty ridiculous having to pay to park your car on a public street! It is illegal. But so is paying off the police, government corruption, and drugs - but it still happens in BsAs! If you don't want to pay, you don't have to.. I am just trying to raise awareness of the possible consequences. I think it is better to be informed than not.

We have paid before and after - after in the city areas, before in Tigre on the weekend while the markets were on. Depends on the situation. We have out-run them before (my boyfriend likes to see if he can out smart them by getting to the car and driving off before they can reach us – a small victory haha)

Personally, I do not drive, nor do I want to in BsAs, my boyfriend does - he a national. He pays, he tells me not to complain. Why? This is Argentina, this is not Australia, the UK or America.. things are different, you cannot view this country like your home country. When the subte closes because of the rain, you do not complain, you find another way to get home. When the roads flood and they close them, you find another road. When McDonalds runs out of beef patties for its burgers (haha I could not believe it!!) you get empanadas. When the electricity blacks outs, you hang out in candle light. I found it all really difficult at first, but Argentines just carry on - they always have a Plan B, because they expect that Plan A will not always work. Things are the way they are. You have to embrace its differences. My boyfriend's mother has been held at gun point, while she had her two sons in a pram.. for her watch (20 years ago). These experiences have shaped how my boyfriend behaves. If he wants to pay the parking mafia.. I say go for it. I am happy to learn from him. Each to their own?

 

[Lucas]

These (low life) individuals are a pest an organized pest under the umbrella of who knows, no one can't get rid of them the city government with all his new shinny paramilitary police isn't able to finish with all this nonsense, these gangs of 'trapitos' intimidate drivers who dare to park the cars in their controlled area, each 'terrorist cell' control subdivisions of barrios like drug pushers, really a pain in the @#$%, this mafia is a direct product of the shanty enclaves which are expanding in the city the continuation of this trend is corroding the life in BA, I hear that there was a legislation in the making to combat all this but at the moment seems it isn't implemented yet...if ever.

A law with rags in the sun

 

[Lucas]

I think it is pretty ridiculous having to pay to park your car on a public street! It is illegal. But so is paying off the police, government corruption, and drugs - but it still happens in BsAs! If you don't want to pay, you don't have to.. I am just trying to raise awareness of the possible consequences. I think it is better to be informed than not.

We have paid before and after - after in the city areas, before in Tigre on the weekend while the markets were on. Depends on the situation. We have out-run them before (my boyfriend likes to see if he can out smart them by getting to the car and driving off before they can reach us – a small victory haha)

Personally, I do not drive, nor do I want to in BsAs, my boyfriend does - he a national. He pays, he tells me not to complain. Why? This is Argentina, this is not Australia, the UK or America.. things are different, you cannot view this country like your home country. When the subte closes because of the rain, you do not complain, you find another way to get home. When the roads flood and they close them, you find another road. When McDonalds runs out of beef patties for its burgers (haha I could not believe it!!) you get empanadas. When the electricity blacks outs, you hang out in candle light. I found it all really difficult at first, but Argentines just carry on - they always have a Plan B, because they expect that Plan A will not always work. Things are the way they are. You have to embrace its differences. My boyfriend's mother has been held at gun point, while she had her two sons in a pram.. for her watch (20 years ago). These experiences have shaped how my boyfriend behaves. If he wants to pay the parking mafia.. I say go for it. I am happy to learn from him. Each to their own?

You don't need to learn from him he is 'contaminated' by the disease and will operate in the same way just to continue and perpetuate the madness, be alert, be aware and listen what he have to say but don't give in to that kind of attitudes if you do then there is the possibility to become a zombie yourself.

 

[SaraSara]

Those trapitos work by intimidation - IMHO they are mostly toothless lions.

They don't deserve a tip unless they actually DO something to help, like holding traffic while one pulls in or out of the parking spot. I generally give them one peso, yet my car has never been scratched or dented

 

[Gringoboy]

When in Rome......................

 

[syngirl]

you cannot view this country like your home country.

I do view this country as my home country -- I've been here over 5 years.

You've been here a few months? You're on a steep learning curve. I'm glad you have a local to show you the way and I'm sorry, I don't want to be mean, but I just have to laugh a bit at someone who is so new here trying to spout advice like an expert, it's kind of cute.

 

[syngirl]

Yeah as far as I'm concerned paying the trapitos is just encouraging more of them.

Now that a few incidents of squeegee guy threatening people on 9 de julio have been caught on camera Macri I'm sure will make some show of controlling them with his new police force -- which so far don't have enough people on the force to even do anything.

The new police seem to be there to act as traffic control, crossing guards, and not much else. So in 2011 maybe they will expand their official duties to include contra-squeegee protection and trapito patrol.

If only they could hand out penalties for bad juggling displays as well... like the horribly laughable pretend hippies that hang out around Honorario Pueyrredon and about Juan B Justo... please, someone needs to tell that girl "juggling" the cardboard bricks that when you just have 2 of them and you're switching them from one hand to the other, it's not juggling!

 

[katiiearmstrong]

"You've been here a few months? You're on a steep learning curve. I'm glad you have a local to show you the way and I'm sorry, I don't want to be mean, but I just have to laugh a bit at someone who is so new here trying to spout advice like an expert, it's kind of cute."

I answered a post from someone in a similar situation, I am not trying to sound like an expert - nor did I claim to be one. I shared my personal experience and advice. I thought this forum was an open place, not somewhere to put people down and discourage them from posting? It is a bit sad that you would write such a post in a place where people are supposed to be welcoming.

Just because you are a "veteran" does not mean what others have to say is invaluable, nor does it give you the right to put others down in a disrespectful way. That's great you have lived there for 5 years, I am sure you have a lot to offer people in the way of advice, criticism and discussion - how about you do it constructively?

 

[comidaparapensar]

I think it is pretty ridiculous having to pay to park your car on a public street! It is illegal. But so is paying off the police, government corruption, and drugs - but it still happens in BsAs! If you don't want to pay, you don't have to.. I am just trying to raise awareness of the possible consequences. I think it is better to be informed than not.

We have paid before and after - after in the city areas, before in Tigre on the weekend while the markets were on. Depends on the situation. We have out-run them before (my boyfriend likes to see if he can out smart them by getting to the car and driving off before they can reach us – a small victory haha)

Personally, I do not drive, nor do I want to in BsAs, my boyfriend does - he a national. He pays, he tells me not to complain. Why? This is Argentina, this is not Australia, the UK or America.. things are different, you cannot view this country like your home country. When the subte closes because of the rain, you do not complain, you find another way to get home. When the roads flood and they close them, you find another road. When McDonalds runs out of beef patties for its burgers (haha I could not believe it!!) you get empanadas. When the electricity blacks outs, you hang out in candle light. I found it all really difficult at first, but Argentines just carry on - they always have a Plan B, because they expect that Plan A will not always work. Things are the way they are. You have to embrace its differences. My boyfriend's mother has been held at gun point, while she had her two sons in a pram.. for her watch (20 years ago). These experiences have shaped how my boyfriend behaves. If he wants to pay the parking mafia.. I say go for it. I am happy to learn from him. Each to their own?

Having a Plan B is good. But being resigned to this false notion that this is the way it is and will be forever is precisely why Argentina will never get ahead. It's why problems here are rarely solved. People just throw their hands up in the air and say "This is Argentina" and go on with their plan B. Instead of everyone worrying so much about themselves and their plan B, why don't we worry about everyone else and plan A?

The attitude here in Argentina, that "this is just the way it is," is not what got Australia or any other developed country where it is today...

 

[MikeandPat]

The subway comes to a halt in front of you. The door opens and there is a crowd disgorging itself from the train. You hold back waiting for those to get off before you get on. There is a lull in the crowd and you start to board the train .... but there is a group of 2-3 rather heavy set men trying to get off. They push and shove and finally leave the train while you manage to get on before the doors close. As the train pulls away you realize that your "front jeans pocket" ....YES ! THE FRONT JEANS POCKET !! was picked. All they got was a small but thick package of Kleenex my friend had in his pocket. And they were able to pick out the bulge.

As for me ... I had my camera ... in a non-descript denim bag and was holding it in front of me. When the jostling started I pushed back just as hard and literally "bulled" my way past the men and onto the train. Nothing was taken ... but although I didn't notice at the time I probably got "felt up" pretty thoroughly.

In a situation like that, keep pushing and moving through the crowd. Don't let your self be motionless for a moment ... that's when they will dig out your pockets.

Some weeks ago I was going through the Subte turnstile and put the ride card in my wallet after going through. Wallet went into my back pants pocket. By the time I got on the train the wallet was gone. No idea how or when ... it just wasn't there. It was my own fault really ... I've travelled enough to know that you never carry anything like a wallet with you.
I carry a photo copy of my passport and I.D., one credit card (with a pre-ordained limit that I top up every now and then) and limited cash (what I figure I'll need). In 35 years of travelling I've never had a problem ... and why on this particular day I carried my wallet with me .. I'll never know.
Karma I guess.
Won't make THAT mistake again.

FWIW