In Reply to: thanks for the heads up posted by first_timer on Tuesday, 4. January 2005 at 06:18 Bali Time:
The 'hard-sell' stall operators that give travellers these awful experiences are banking on - and cashing in on - our innate sense of good manners. (We don't want to make a fuss, or raise our voices, or wrench our arms away as we are guided to a seat or into a store). We do not want to offend, for this is how we were raised, and we are worried too that we may be over-reacting, and then how silly would we look. They KNOW this...they count on this and use it to their own advantage. They are intelligent people. What you have to do is step out of a lifetime of social conditioning and BE ASSERTIVE. Risk offending. Risk being sworn at (You probably won't know what it means anyway). Risk being followed halfway down the lane and verbally abused. Say "No" with as loud and angry a voice as you want. Say "Tourist Police" and make a point of looking about to identify the exact location of the stall.
However, in saying all of the above, sometimes the physical closeness is not meant to be intimidating or designed to coral a customer into the store. My husband found it very uncomfortable that the Balinese are a more physical people and did not like the way the guys would casually grab an arm or pat him on the back or whatever if we stopped to chat or buy something. Sensing his discomfort, I would just say to them in Balinese with a smile that he did not like to be touched, and they would usually just back off, with a smile. If they didn't, then it was very likely he let them know with angry tone and body language to get away from him. I would just shrug with an "I told you so" look and get on with my purchase.