My friends and I were visiting Naples today, stopping at a red light. A dodgy man approached our car and started cleaning our front shield.

We repeatedly signaled him to go away, he obviously didn’t listen. Once he was done he asked for money. We didn’t give in, so he started to tap at the window, then attempting to break our side mirror and folding it roughly back and forth. He then sprayed some cleaning spray on our window and put up our windscreen wiper so it was blocking our view of sight. Then we drove off.

What is your take on this? What is the best way to deal with this?

by sebbvb11

13 comments

  3. Stop a bit before the other car. If these people try to do anything around your car just move and leave him behind. He will just try to go to the next car, he’s aiming to the low hanging fruit, not every apple in the tree.

  4. You behaved very well. Never give in with these people. They try to scare you so that you give them money. My suggestion is to report to the police any threat or aggressive behaviour.

  6. Easy: I turn on the windshield wipers and washer in my car. They go away.

  7. Personally I honk until they can’t stand it anymore and go to the next car.

    I feel bad for the car in front of me but I think they know what I’m trying to do.

  8. I’m sorry dude, he is a criminal and sadly in Naples you have to be very aware of your surroundings, especially when driving a car.

    Always leave some space between you and the other car and move along if they try to do something, spray water and activate windshield if they do it anyway, even start blasting the horn if they don’t listen. I’m sorry to say that you need to be aggressive or they take advantage of you, they scare off easily (especially with other vehicles around) as they look for easy prey, but if you are too polite they will see you as an easy target.

    And if you get again in a situation like this and they are about to do damages take a video and go to the cops, it won’t be useful to get the damage fixed but if you are driving rental the cops’ papers will help to get the insurance involved. Oh, and remember not to drive with the windows down or open doors as when you are in traffic they are famous to just steal literally from your arm and seats.

    Hope this stuff won’t damage the experience you can have in Naples, it is a precious city with great people but it also has a very uncomfortable number of small criminals who can make your life miserable sadly.

  10. we are the third world, stop visiting us, tourism is whats keeping us afloat

  12. This phenomenon was pretty common in the 80s, but I thought it had completely vanquished by these days (note that I live in the North, where things are kinda different from the South, where Naples is. Also, I was born in the 00s).

    When an aggressive street vendor approaches me, I just walk/drive away. They can’t follow you forever.

  13. Da napoletano:

    accendi i tergicristalli appena si avvicina.

    Purtroppo Napoli questa è.

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