Hassle

[scallyally]

We were asking our friends about the closures and it works like this. There are undercover police with video cameras going around Icmeler if they get on tape a restaurant breaching the rules they have the evidence on camera. From what the guys were saying its all to do with the hassle and most of them have been caught because they are handing out their cards, everyone will now notice there arent many floating around now because of this. I know of one restaurant who were called into the local police station and they denied the hassle saying that they were merely asking the passing customers about their evening/holiday etc, the police then put on the video and got him handing over a menu card!! There is a 3 day ban to begin with then if they are caught again it goes up to a 15 day ban and then if they are caught again its closure all season.

One bar that its happened to(I wont name it as the guy is so nice) gave me a meat kebab that was raw and I was poorly for a night! But I dont think this has anything to do with the bans, Im positive they are all to do with hassle.

[bec]

[quote="scallyally"]then if they are caught again its closure all season..[/quote]

All season!!! think thats going a bit too far!!

[scallyally]

I do too!! Maybe a one day ban and then a weeks ban but closure!!!

[Colette]

Rami when are you going to a council meeting? Maybe you could take some of these comments with you?

[weapon]

Whats the problem with them handing out a menu card, much prefer this to them just about hanging onto you as you walk by.

Seems unfair as they may not be offering deals to get people in

[scallyally]

I just think that its sad that its been taken to the extreme. The only people being affected is the people working in the restaurants as we also learnt that whilst they get paid a wage weekly they also get a cash amount once the season is over and that amount is based on what the restaurant has earnt. That explains why they are desperate to get you inside as they more pounds we spend the more the waiters get. My fear is that because of these closures the waiters will look elsewhere for work next year and there is no where in the world that the waiters behave like the Turkish!!

[redrhino12]

Hassel has been a problem for the Council for a long time.
It was one of the main complaints tourists had when visiting Icmeler and was reported to the council who are now reacting to our complaints.
A lot of people refuse to travel now due to experiences they had in the past.
Do I think the new laws are severe? NO.

The offending restaurents have a warning and a closure for 3 days.
For the fools who dont learn the lesson there is another warning and closure from 7 to 15 days.
If after all this they are again caught breaking the law the restaurent or bar can be closed for the rest of the season
The reason for the fight against hassel is like I say at the request of ourselves. The Tourist.


Gene

[Diane Rigby]

Totally agree Gene. The first time we went to Icmeler I must admit the hassle from bars, jewelery shops, travel shops and clothes shops was a bit of a worry, we used to walk a certain way as to avoid the worst offenders. No hassle will make our bit of paradise a lot more like paradise if there was no hassle. Friendly banter is another matter but to feel pressurized to buy/go in somewhere does kind of spoil your holiday if you let it. Roll on 22 July. Di.

[Pauline]

Im so sad to think that its all come to this i have been to Icmeler 4 times in the last 2 years and the hassle truthfully has never bothered me, all they are trying to do is make a living!
I can walk through my town and have guys outside phone shops with cash in their hands offering the best deal! with people stopping me during my lunch breaks asking to sign up for a charity and had them follow me whilst i am saying sorry no thank you!! and in the evenings being passed flyers for clubs offering their deal for the night!!! but just the same goes ... they are trying to get business. A polite no thank you is good enough.
Lets not get carried away with all this, friends of 2 years who work in Icmeler restaurants are very upset that bad things are written on here, they feel its very unfare to be treated like this im sure we would feel the same. I really do feel the police have taken it all too far.
Apologies for this but Icmeler has everything we all love, thats why we keep going back time after time. Paradise? ....of course

Pauline

[madmackem]

well said Pauline, i could not agree with you more, as i have said on this site before it is part of the Turkish experiance not just Icmeler.

[Pauline]

Thank you Madmackem good to see someone else who agrees

Pauline

[bibbs]

hi,
it would seem that this topic will run and run as it appears to be split on what you consider to be hassle or banter,some people like it and feel that its part of there holiday,others dislike it,i fall into the latter group,i feel that there's nothing worse than being approached at almost every shop - bar or restaurant that you dare to walk past,i like to walk along the street without having to repeat myself 100 times before reaching my destination,if i wasn't being hassled i would be far more likely to give them my business,i have never been to icmeler before,next may will be our first time,been looking at all the photo's and post on here and we are really looking forward to it,just hope that when we are out walking down that lovely canal i wont need to repeat myself - clock a deaf one or look at the floor as i have had to do in antalya and kemer,

[Lynn m]

The problem with “Hassle” is when it stops being friendly banter and turns into aggressive behaviour, which I have noticed happening more over the past couple of years its unfortunate a few bad apples can spoil it for everyone.

You should be able to walk around without being forced into bars or restaurants that you don’t want to be in, and sometimes a polite no thank you does not always work.

This year when passing a bar near our hotel one of the guys shouted Hello neighbours then turning to customers he was talking to Yeah but they are not good neighbours they don’t come in here. My reply to that was and now we never will, but why should we be subjected to things like this when we have saved up hard to come away on holidays to relax.

I have been going to Icmeler for over 10 years and found the problem was getting worse so I am glad that the council have started to crack down on this.

Lynn

[bibbs]

hi lynn m,
could not agree more,hope that the hassles gone altogether by the time i arrive next season,

[Subzi]

My friend Jack was outside his shop the little supermarket next to dreamboys you all should know it and he was just talking to his friend but stood outisde the shop or near it and they got closed down for 3 days!

[Yorkshire Rose]

Lynn, I agree with you - my husband dreads the hassle, we would always be polite, but it does wear you down. We are really friendly with Jack the hassle guy at Dreamboys, and he would never hassle us to go in, just welcomes us with hugs and kisses etc and lets us go on, but he knows we will be in there at some stage. Its a shame that they are being closed down for talking to people, but this happened the first time we were in Icmeler 4 years ago, and Pop Inn was closed down for 2 days because the hassler was greating some friends and the police saw him.

I for one think its a good thing that the hassle is being clamped down on because we used to take short cuts throught the little streets just to avoid being hassled, - why should we have to do that? I want to eat where I want to, and not where I am pestered to go into. If it stops altogether, then I think thats good, but is shouldnt stop you talking to your friend and having friendly banter - that is going OTT. The thing is, people moan about it, but when something is done to stop it, thats wrong too!.

[Lynn m]

Council do seem to be going in a bit heavy handed but that seems to be their way.

Last year they were going around that bars checking everyones licences and drink and the officials had 6 police along with them.

The ironic thing is that all the bars I've heard of being closed apart from the dreaded Barron I've never had any hassle from them.

Lynn

[juneflo]

This has turned into an interesting debate. I think it's only right and fair for the council to bring in some measures - as mentioned, tourists have expressed concern - and probably voting with their feet (into other countries!). Haggling is what we understand as part of Turkish culture - in fact the middle east generally: let's not confuse that great cultural experience with hassle - which is to get us in the shop/bar restaurant in the first place. When hassling turns into aggression - verbal or physical then it's not on anywhere - is it?

When we visit other places, we need to remember that our home culture is different: some tourists expect British culture to be freely practised in other countries and yet some will moan about people in Britain practising another culture. We Inevitably there will be cultural differences - we can't have it both ways. Let's remember travelling is about learning from each other and experiencing what is different.

If the council can work with business to ensure as much as possible that icmeler is presented in the best way possible - that can only be good. Maybe business need to work together and work with each other - say some agreed standards/practises. Something needs to happen before - as someone else said - workers don't come back and businesses move on. The council needs to be keeping an eye on the affect on the economy - heavy hand approach is not the best in the long run.

[skilly]

I have stated my views previously on this thread and must say that I totally agree with Pauline.

I go to our local town and you can hardly walk in a straight line because of hassle. Just because it happens in England doesn't mean it's acceptable but not in Turkey, and why should it be?

I have been going to Icmeler for many years and I can honestly say that I have not been insulted or offended in any way. If I had have been I would never have gone back after the first time.

People all have different levels of tolerance for different issues and after I have been in September I promise I will tell you if my views have changed because actually ,I am a sensitive person and easily hurt so if hassle is worse it will affect me.

[Erik The Viking]

I dont mind it but it can wear you down sometimes, especially in the markets. Last year a gut was trying to talk me into having a haircut and shave...if you look at my picture in the photos forum you will se im clean shaven with a bald head.....

I am more than happy to take a menu card and are much more likely to go back to a restaurant that has not hassled me

I like chef restaurant but am going to venture into the old village this year...