What's The Best Way To Deal With The "trapitos"

[citygirl]

I never pay them until I come back. It grates on me to be honest but as long as my car is there, unharmed, etc - well, it's cheaper than a garage I guess.

 

[Markgeezer]

I pay 5 - 10 or rarely 20 pesos depending on where it is, and have had a vehicle badly scratched for not paying up front. Outside BA province I would say that I'll pay on return.

For football matches, that is an entirely different matter because you are dealing with barras. I negotiate what I will pay on the first match of the season and alway park on the same road so they know my face. Last season I paid 50 pesos per match. The police get their cut out of that for favors. If you just turn up expect to pay twice that or more at a big team.

 

[citygirl]

Oh, I've never had anyone question me about paying on the return. Once they asked me upfront and I just smiled and said no but that I would pay when I get back and no problems.

Funny, I never really encounter them out in the pvca. I do get the windshield washing guys but generally I say no. And if they wash it anyway, I don't pay them. After the 2nd time of doing that (it's the same guys/same place), they don't bother anymore.

 

[ElQueso]

I almost always park in parking garages. Much better peace of mind, in my opinion. I've never been anywhere in the city where a parking garage wasn't easily located, at least within a block or two of my destination. In the provincia, I'm usually going to a store or a friend's house, where there's parking. After a couple of incidents of parking on the street and having my car towed where I could see no sign prohibiting parking, and other cars parked there too, I decided for as little as I drive my car, a nice berth in a garage does wonders for peace of mind.

A buddy of mine has an apartment near Recoleta Shopping and he used to have to deal with a guy there who insisted on asking my buddy or I for money every time we would park in front of my buddy's apartment (he has a car too). My buddy used to get quite incensed that someone was insisting that he pay for the privilege to park on his own street. After a few rounds of this, the guy gave up trying to collect from my buddy, but I always slipped him a 10 pesos bill when I was parking because he would find me a space on the street (the only place I can remember parking on the street where one of these guys was in business) every time. He had an old beater that he parked in a space and if nothing else was available he'd move it for me to park there. He actually provided a service, wasn't there for extortion.

The reason I mentioned that - quite coincidentally, the guy who used to control parking on my buddy's street now works for the garage where I park my car (couple of blocks from the apartment). Heh. We've become friendly and he always does a great job on my car when I get it washed - 130 pesos inside and out, detailed, etc. I just wish he'd quit asking me if I can set him up with one of my sisters-in-law, who he's seen a number of times when we all go out somewhere

The windshield washers though...used to be they were real easy to deal with. Simple wag of the index finger and they'd leave. Seems like in the last half year or so they've become more aggressive, at least around Micro Centro/9 de Julio/Libertador. Tell them no and sometimes they start putting dirty soapy water on the windshield anyway. That really pisses me off. I start becoming rather emphatic and turn on the windshield wipers even if they have a mess they should clean up.

It was one of the few things I liked about Buenos Aires more than Asuncion. In Asuncion they are very aggressive and I've had more than one incident where I had to leave the car to prevent them from breaking the windshield washers when I told them "no". It used to be pretty nice in BA - if I needed the windshield cleaned I'd pay to have it done, but when my windshield is clean I don't want the service. Nowadays I get a hard time from about a third of the guys here in BA.

I don't mind paying for a service I want or need - but I don't like to be forced into it. In fact, I often give the guys who do juggling and other stuff at the lights if they're good and I enjoyed their "show". but I don't give money to people just because they insist!

 

[ben]

I pay 5 - 10 or rarely 20 pesos depending on where it is, and have had a vehicle badly scratched for not paying up front. Outside BA province I would say that I'll pay on return.

Give 'em a sweet smile and thanks when you leave the car, it goes without saying that you'll be paying when you come back. When I get back I usually pay 5-10 pesos.

 

[Crema Americana]

My husband usually pays about 5 pesos and almost always when he returns to the car... normally from inside the car and rolling down the window. But BA provincia trapitos tend to be more laid back than some of the ones you find in Capital. Places like Barrio Chino are okay, but in others the trapitos are mafia run -- especially at events or tourist spots.

I prefer trapitos to parking meters or overpriced garages, but they're unnecessary.

 

[RichardP]

Looks like there is a war on trapitos in MDP.

http://www.infobae.c...ra-los-trapitos

 

[nlaruccia]

What about the kids that throw water on your windshield at a stop light and proceed to clean it even though you tell them "no". Now when they throw a bottle of soapy water on my windshield I turn on the windshield wipers so that they can't clean it. They always get frustrated: "apaga las parabrisas".

 

[Hybrid Ambassador]

Trapos, is it same as Rugs?

 

[nlaruccia]

Trapo means rag. Alfombra means rug.