Brits abroad

[Stortman]

I sometimes despair of my fellow Brits on their holidays with their total lack of consideration and frankly downright rudeness. I'm lucky enough to be out here for a few weeks this summer on a working holiday and last weekend we went to Agora in Paspatur, which incidentally, I think is raising its game again. During the course of the meal I couldn't help but get distracted by a very noisy (loud mouthed) English guy, who had bought a large meal for the family and a bottle of wine - and I think we all know the cost of a bottle of rubbish wine but he had a good one! At the end of the meal he then started haggling over the price - I know Turkey is famous for its haggling but I'm completely unconvinced a restaurant with printed prices is the place to do it. He wasn't even complaining about the quality of the meal just trying to knock the price down. He then announced that it didn't matter anyway because he didn't have enough to pay the fully amount.You could see by the look on the waiter's face that he and his manager were less than impressed by this absurd charade. In the end and fair credit to the restaurant, they basically just took what he had so that other diners were not disturbed by this guy's antics. I'm all for having a good time in a restaurant but I do basically expect to pay the charged price unless something is seriously wrong. And you don't wait for the end of the meal to remonstrate about poor food in my opinion. If you don't think the service is up to scratch then don't give a tip or pay a service charge but haggle the price of a meal?
Maybe I'm just getting less tolerant as I get older but it is no wonder sometimes that Turks view Brits with such suspicion. Well done to Agora for handling it diplomatically and hopefully the t****r that thought he was being clever goes home soon!

[Toky]

He's lucky Agora didnt get the polis to him. That's what would happen here if someone didnt pay their bill.

[Colwyn]

Still, not as bad as Magaluf where were are sending police from the Midlands to help the Spanish to deal with our kiddies. Good job crime is so much under control in the Midlands.

[kevin3]

  Two years ago we were sending UK police to patrol French motorways to apprehend UK motorist's breaking

  French motoring laws, and they may still be doing so for all I know.

  The Birmingham police in Magaluf are probably freed up by the proposed directive requiring UK victims of crime

  to Email the evidence to the police to save them showing up.

  I agree with you Stortman, but it works both ways. I see the actions of foreigners in my country at first hand. 

[Steve A]

Kevin3 interested in the directive about victims e mailing evidence,where did you get that from?

[kevin3]

  Steve A

National Police Chiefs Council chair Sara Thornton suggested that due to budget cuts being

imposed on them by the Government victims of some crimes may be asked to send in evidence,

upload photo's ect. She said "The Police Service will have to do less with more focus in coming

years". There were also reports of one force suggesting only attending burglary victims who's

address began with even numbers. They don't like being asked to tighten their belts.

[Jacqui Harvey]

There was a posting on T.A. recently from a British woman who was so worried about going back to Oludeniz, her favourite resort, because she had heard that Russians where going on holiday there now, and she thought that Russians would totally spoil Olu and it should be kept as a "British only Resort" 
So, obviously, some Brits think us Brits are perfect when on holiday.

[Steve A]

Thanks Kevin,I thought as much,nowhere is it suggested that Police will not turn up it is just a suggestion to modernise service and cut costs.If you were more informed you would not comment that "they don't like being asked to tighten their belts".The Police Service in the UK along with other public services have made massive savings and given more than their fair share to the people of the UK while "we are all in this together".Yet still they are criticised daily by people with an agenda.There are very few avenues to travel in order to cut even further ,particularly when the Govt don't have the first clue where money can be saved only that it must be.The only way that this can go is change the way we Police,yes that may be a reduction in the service provided and get rid of officers.God help us!

[kevin3]

 Steve A
Have you read the National Audit Office report on police procurement.?
Look at 24.Part 2.procurement.figure 5. examples
The report gives examples of what forces across the country ( some forces refused to provide the Audit Office with detail )
are paying for the same items.
                                                                           min price paid                          max price paid
Body armour (male)                                            £ 203                                       £ 410
Hi viz jackets                                                      £ 20                                         £ 100
Riot shields                                                        £ 31                                         £ 138
Standard issue boots                                        £ 25                                         £ 114
Standard issue handcuffs                                 £ 14                                         £ 43

The government wants to set up a central buying office where a team of buyers negotiate the best deals from suppliers
and forces across the country buy from that central office. Police chiefs across the country are fighting this idea, preferring
to keep control of their own budgets from their own little power bases. The above examples show just how efficient they
are at spending our money.
Steve A
Are you saying that on just this one issue there is no room to tighten belts.?
And do you defend the forces that refused to tell the Audit Office how they are spending OUR money.?
And are you saying hand on heart that numerous other savings cannot be made without cutting manning levels.?

But I am sure you are aware of all this as you are obviously more informed than I am.
   




 

[Stortman]

I'll admit to being somewhat mystified by the way the thread has gone. I wasn't questioning the integrity of the British police, police budgets; the involvement (such as it is) of British police in Magalluf; or activity of foreign nationals in UK. All I really wanted to point out was an incident that I found, as an Englishman, an exhibition of crass English behaviour in a restaurant in Turkey and bemoaned the fact that there are occasions when we can behave like complete idiots when trying to look exceptionally clever. I'm sure my man went away from the restaurant gloating about how he'd knocked his bill down with some tough negotiation skills and bragged all about it to his mates - when all he'd done was actually narrowly escaped from an embarrassing episode due to the diplomatic handling of the issue by the restaurant staff. Not sure how the economics of police protective gear expenditure got into this or anything else to be honest.