Catshanghai

“Watches, bags, dvds” is a familiar call from hawks on the street haranguing you to part with money in chaotic shopping streets near tourist traps and fake markets throughout downtown Shanghai.

I wish they’d change their repertoire and their tactics. I’ve been here for three years and I got tired of being followed by desparate street vendors a long time ago.

I am originally from London, which means I am suspicious of strangers inflicting themselves on me until I have had the opportunity to warm to them or at least check them out. I like to walk down the street without being bothered and I like to browse without hassle. Foisting a pile of counterfeit goods in my face while I am minding my own business will never work. I insist on choosing what I buy, where I buy it, how I buy it and when. No amount of hit and run street selling will convince me to behave otherwise. I have never bought from these people and I never will until they start behaving differently.

I know street sellers just want to make a living and there seem to be hundreds of them around Shanxi Lu and Huai Hai Lu near the old Xiangyang Market chasing elusive sales commissions. After a thousand days of shunning aggressive street vendors, I think they are starting to get the message. Maybe I have got better at making them understand that I do not wish to buy their crap.

I have tried any number of tactics to get the message across. I have tried speaking to them in firm Chinese, but they tend to repeat ‘bu yao’ back to me as if my refusal is the most ridiculous thing they have ever heard. I have tried mocking them back by copying their pitch, but that’s very tiring and it doesn’t really get me anywhere. To my shame, I have been aggressive and I have even cursed at hawks who have grabbed my arm and stood in my way when I have been in a hurry to get to an appointment.

The most effective and stress free way to keep the street vendors at bay is to pretend that they do not exist. I have learnt to look through them like they are a window while curling my lips with contempt and disgust. Being impolite to people is not something I would normally encourage, but I need to make it clear that I have no interest in buying anything.

Presumably there is a lucrative market or they would find something else to do with their time. I wish there was an easy way for the street hawks to identify the folks who will never choose to buy from them. Then they could concentrate their efforts peddling to those who really wanted to buy something. If Moses could get the angel of death to spare the first born son of the children of Israel then perhaps there is hope that we could get the street hawks of Shanghai to passover us as we try to get home without being hassled.