Trapitos

[notebook.fix]

Another way to get rid of the trapito thugs is for everyone to buy high powered 22 calibre air rifles...a cap in the a$$ a day, will keep'm well away.. That way we can all do our 'neighborly watch' duties as good ciudadanos.. ha ha ha ha! Seriously now, feeding these organized crime groups with more cash is like putting petrol on the crime fire. The barra bravas are behind them, and we all know that the Barras are also Narko traficantes.

Capitulating to the Mafia's extortion demand$ is not the best way forward in my opinion. It should be nipped in the bud before they take over the whole city.

 

[ajoknoblauch]

Much simpler solution.
If they want to legalize trapitos fine.
Just stick out a sign with the rate.
Just spell out the rules of the game.
Don't leave me alone to negotiate my own ransom .

In some Chilean cities, the walking parking meters (can't recall the term they use) are municipal employees who must provide a receipt. They put a tag on your windshield and, when you leave, you pay up according to a clearly displayed hourly charge. These, of course, are dead-end jobs, but it's more transparent than trapitos.

 

[GuilleGee]

These, of course, are dead-end jobs, but it's more transparent than trapitos.

Is being a trapito not a dead end job (albeit without the benefits)? I think the way to deal with this is to get rid of free on-the-street parking, and put meters everywhere. It would be smart to employ more people to control the meters, as the reason (most) people become Trapitos is because they have no better options..

 

[ajoknoblauch]

Is being a trapito not a dead end job (albeit without the benefits)? I think the way to deal with this is to get rid of free on-the-street parking, and put meters everywhere. It would be smart to employ more people to control the meters, as the reason (most) people become Trapitos is because they have no better options..

I agree metered parking would be better, in principle, but there would be vicious and perhaps violent opposition to it because of the patronage politics involved.

 

[Dublin2BuenosAires]

Trapitos are members of the barra bravas, they don't take home the cash, it goes back into the gangs coffers. They get their cut, they are employees of the biggest black market enterprise in South America. Barra bravas control drug supply and various other mafia esque crime schemes.

You can put up traffic meters, but they will be smashed to bits in a few days just like the cartoneros are ripping apart the black container bins.

Systematically you need to tackle the barra bravas and empower the police, the rest is window dressing. You need to somehow tackle poverty to reduce the hold of the gangs also. All long term goals of course.

 

[Peony54]

What would be the point of meters? Trapitos charge for "watching your car" parking otherwise on the street is free. Even if you put a meter there they will still try and charge you for watching the car. I don't think there's really any way to get rid of them - you can make it illegal with penalty and try to enforce it but it would be really difficult to do so.

 

[khairyexpat]

In some Chilean cities, the walking parking meters (can't recall the term they use) are municipal employees who must provide a receipt. They put a tag on your windshield and, when you leave, you pay up according to a clearly displayed hourly charge. These, of course, are dead-end jobs, but it's more transparent than trapitos.

Yes yes, I've seen this is done here too, in provencia .. San Martin. The guy issued me an official receipt for one hour.

 

[khairyexpat]

I agree metered parking would be better, in principle, but there would be vicious and perhaps violent opposition to it because of the patronage politics involved.

If the city employes those trapitos to control the meters (or authorize them to issue receipts with predetermined city tariff), they might have a stake in the game (not to vandalize). May be?

 

[PhilipDT]

Much simpler solution (even simpler than parking meters).
If they want to legalize trapitos fine.
Just stick out a post with the rate.
Just spell out the rules of the game.
Don't leave me alone to negotiate my own ransom .

If the city employes those trapitos to control the meters (or issue receipts with predetermined city tariff), they might have a stake in the game.

Why though? why should one individual be able to levy a tax against fellow tax payers for use of a public good?

If they "regulate" the trapitos, what's next. Imagine if you were driving down liberator and you came across a line of idiots linking arms across the entire street who stopped you told you that you had to pay a toll of their own invention in order to pass by otherwise they were going to destroy your car and leave you stuck in the middle of the road. Could you imagine that?

 

[Gringoboy]

On reflection, these people are just another in a growing band of scavengers who think that the notion 'something for nothing' is acceptable.
I piss on their twisted logic.