Interesting article from the LA Times.

[Phil dAmore]

Greetings all!

I found this online and thought it was interesting and even a bit funny.  Has anything like this ever happened to you?

You have to laugh, because if you don't, you go crazy!

Phil



The attitude of the check-in clerk at Gate 24 of Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport is far too stern for her soft complexion and silky auburn hair, which today is tied back into a small ponytail. My one bag is already on the ramp; my carry-on is by my side as she flips through my passport.

“Your visa expired two days ago,” the clerk says in Russian.

I’ve been in Russia a month; my wife is back at the apartment on the other side of the city, planning to join me soon in the U.S. But for now, I am on my own, heading home to Los Angeles.

“Oh, right, I was supposed to leave two days ago,” I tell her, “but the blizzard. The airports were closed.”

“You have to speak to the consul, back in the lobby. Take your bags with you.”

The consul is a button attached to a speaker on a wall. I press. Nothing happens. I wait. I press again. I hear casual joking by a group of men through the speaker, and then it goes silent. I wait. I press again.

“Wait! Wait! Just a minute!” a voice blares.

I wait.

“Yes?”

“I’m an American. My visa is expired by two days, and I want to go home.”

“Why did you let your visa expire?”

“I was delayed here by the storm, and I forgot to check.”

“That’s a very poor excuse.”

“Yes, you’re right. If you can come up with a better excuse, I’ll gladly use it.”

I didn’t actually say that last line, but it crossed my mind. What I did say was, “All right, what should I do now?”

“Write out your excuse and give it to the check-in desk.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

After having my bags searched for the second time, I present my handwritten apology to the auburn-haired marm, like a child to a teacher.

“That will be $50,” she says. “Twenty-five dollars for each day you overstayed your visa.”

I scramble through my wallet to find a crumpled $20 bill and a 10-ruble note, which is worth about 40 cents.

“Do you take credit cards?”

“Cash only.”

“I don’t have $50 in cash.”

“Do you have 1,300 rubles?”

“I have 10.” (Her eyes roll.) Why would an American carry 1,300 rubles when he’s leaving the country?

“Go back to the lobby and try your credit card in the bankomat. I’ll hold your bags for you.”

My flight is scheduled to leave in an hour and a half. Plenty of time. But none of the bankomat machines accepts my code. I return and tell her this.

“There’s nothing more I can do,” she says.

“You’re going to hold me here for the sake of 30 bucks?”

“It’s not up to me. It’s up to the consul.”

“Can I talk to the consul again?”

“You can try.”

The clerk holds my bags once more.

Back at the consul, I push the button. I wait. I push the button. I wait. I push the button. I wait. I push the button. I wait.

“Yes?”

“Listen, my flight leaves in just over an hour, and none of the bankomats work.”

“This is your personal problem.”

“Tell me how else I can pay, please. I’m happy to pay the fine...”

“It’s not a fine. It’s a consul fee.”

“I’ve got to get home. I’m supposed to speak at a conference, surely there’s something...”

“If you don’t come up with the cash, you’re not going home.”

These are words I will carry to my grave.

My cell phone doesn’t work in Russia, so I buy a phone card, which I plug into a wall phone on the other side of the lobby. I call my wife.

“Hello!”

“I can’t hear you!”

I scream, “Can you hear me?!!!”

“I can’t hear you!!!”

I scream louder: “THEY’RE NOT LETTING ME ON THE PLANE!”

“WHAT CAN I DO?!”

“I NEED 50 BUCKS!”

“SO WHAT CAN I DO!?”

“BRING ME 50 BUCKS!”

“TO THE AIRPORT?!”

“OF COURSE, TO THE AIRPORT!”

“I CAN’T GET THERE IN TIME! JUST COME HOME!”

“HOW?!”

“TAKE A TAXI!”

“THEY TAKE CREDIT CARDS?”

“NO! I’LL PAY FOR IT WHEN YOU GET HERE! DON’T LET THEM CHARGE YOU MORE THAN 2,000 RUBLES! THEY’RE ALL THIEVES!”

In one more attempt to get out of Russia, I ask at a currency-exchange bureau if they can sell me dollars from my credit card.

“You need to use the bankomat.”

Then I see a green sign, “Sverbank,” hanging over four or five windows. I wait in line. Fifteen more minutes go by.

“Can I buy dollars with my credit card?”

“Yes. Show me your credit card.”

I do.

“I can’t accept this. You haven’t signed the back.”

“Let me sign it now.”

“Too late. I already saw it.”

She turns away to speak with her friend behind the glass in the next booth.

“Look, I have a signed driver’s license ..”

“I’m sorry, regulations.” Then she laughs and says, “Okay. How much do you want?”

“A hundred dollars.” (I figure I should have extra cash, just in case.)

After 45 minutes of paperwork and holding my passport, the currency clerk tells me to go to the cashier, her friend, at Window No. 2. The cashier hands me a $100 bill.

I sprint back to the gate, sensing victory. It’s half an hour before takeoff. But there’s nobody at the check-in booths. My bags sit next to a chair, deserted.

An old man pushes a mop across the floor.

“I’m trying to get on the flight to Los Angeles.”

“It’s closed,” he says. “All closed.”

I head back to the speaker on the wall and press the button. “You win. I missed my flight. I need to extend my visa two more days until the next flight out.”

“Just come back when you’re flying and bring cash.”

Outside the terminal, I barter a cabby down from 6,000 rubles to 2,500. He lets me use his cell phone to call my wife. “You need to give him 2,500 rubles,” I say.

Upon our arrival at Fortunatovskaya Street in the Ismailovo district, my wife comes out in the snow and gives the driver 2,300 rubles.

“We did agree on 2,500,” I tell my wife, as the cabby counts the money.

She shouts at him, “That’s all I have,” then, with a slicing gesture across the throat, “and you know damn well it’s more than enough.”

He stares at her with hatred, knowing he’s screwed. I empathize.

By now, a small crowd of neighbors has gathered to welcome me home, even though I left just hours ago. Sergei, from across the hall, helps me up the stairs with my bags.

“So, Russia wants you to stay,” he says. “It’s better here than in America, anyway.”



* * *


Two days later, I’m back at the airport for the next flight out. A passport-control officer in a green shirt, miniskirt and high heels escorts me, click-clicking, to Sverbank’s Window No. 2, saying my $100 “fine” for a four-day visa delinquency has to be paid there in rubles, not dollars. The bank charges me for the currency exchange before slapping on a $25 service charge, which I obediently convert to rubles... before they tell me the service charge has to be paid in dollars. This time, though, I have extra dollars, and I make it onto the plane at last.

But about the time I’m settling into my seat, a dishonest Sverbank employee attempts to withdraw close to $1,000 cash from my credit card. My own bank declines the transaction. The Fraud Protection Department leaves a voice mail at my home. It’s one of the first messages that greet me when I walk in through the door.

The next morning, as I walk my dog in the Hollywood foothills, an LAPD motorcycle officer stands next to an SUV that’s parked in a red zone.

“What the hell do you mean you’re waiting for Brad Pitt?” asks the cop. “You have an appointment with him, or something?”

I can’t tell you how good it feels to be home.

[viking]

Phil

Something similiar happened to me going from SPB to Moscow. The bottom line?  "Welcome to Russia". And that was a quote.

[Elen]

Wonder
- what's that punishment in a case with catching at a spot in America with overstayed visa  ,
 - do they accept rubles for payiment a penalty in America( after all why should I have dollars if I'm  Russian and fine with rubles? ) ,
 -  do their bankomats accept my sberbank card, if no would it be my own problem or those who I's supposed to pay penalty to would not mind if I borrow 30$ from them  ,
- would bank accept my credit card if according to rules wrote on that very card it is not valid. 
- what do American taxists do if after deal about price has been set , I agreed but later it "appeared" I had only a part of sum  ( gees a wife of American husband makes a scandal overe 200 rubles  )
---------------------------------------------------

$25 service charge for exchanging 100$ is a poor lie as well as "dishonest Sverbank employee attempts to withdraw close to $1,000 cash from my credit card"  Just and attempt to impress Americans who belive any BS about Russia  and think that they are above any rules just because they are american

[groovlstk]

$25 service charge for exchanging 100$ is a poor lie as well as "dishonest Sverbank employee attempts to withdraw close to $1,000 cash from my credit card"  Just and attempt to impress Americans who belive any BS about Russia  and think that they are above any rules just because they are american

Next thing you know, an American journalist might come up with something even more crazy, like suggesting that Russian officials often accept bribes!

[Elen]

crazy or not but you know perfectly yourself that 25 $ exchange for 100 $  is a lie and second statement should be proved ( otherwise it's a lie as well) Though AMERICAN journalists rare bothered themselves with proofs when they write about Russia
 ( all other episodes in that article could be true. Because Americans are indeed such silly and arrogant that they can't get even simple idea that there could be any other currency in alien country except dollars and that there could be punishments and fee for broken rules In majority cases they could not even "guess" that such rules do exist for them as well)

[Mir]

Many many moons ago soon after the fall of the iron curtain I went to Prague. At that time they required tourists to register their passport withing 3 days. I stayed in a privet apartment and asked the owner who said' Oh no need for that'. So on my way back the immigration officer said:' You did not register' Then he kept asking me:'Do you have any money?' So I kept showing him my cards and bank statements to prove that I do have money to survive when I get home.Eventually after 10 minutes he rolled his eyes upwards and asked me to go. Only during the flight home I realized that he was asking for a bribe!

[LEGAL]

“Wait! Wait! Just a minute!”  is a typical phrase of clerks in Russia and one minute can  equal one  hour or more.
If you have the cash and give cash to the clerks you can get what you what in five minutes. In Russia the speed of  progress of your case depends on cash - the more cash you give a clerk the more speed of progress of your case.

When you exchange dollars to rubles banks as usual take 8-10 % from all bonds and banks can say that your bonds have not purchasing power and they take extra 5% for exchanging and banks take extra for service.

Olga

[Elen]

“Wait! Wait! Just a minute!”  is a typical phrase of clerks in Russia and one minute can  equal one  hour or more.
If you have the cash and give cash to the clerks you can get what you what in five minutes. In Russia the speed of  progress of your case depends on cash - the more cash you give a clerk the more speed of progress of your case.

When you exchange dollars to rubles banks as usual take 8-10 % from all bonds and banks can say that your bonds have not purchasing power and they take extra 5% for exchanging and banks take extra for service.

Olga

 1. I pass a comment about like anything  in Russian could be get only for bribes. I just don't have too much respect to BOTH sides - to those who take them as well as to those who give them beeing soooo sure they could not get anything in other way. ( and to those who try to convince  others in that) 

2. There is such a thing like exchange rate That rate is written on tableau in ANY exchange office. Nothing new here and nothing different to any place in the world.  As far as I remeber it's far from 8-10% )

3. If exchange office thinks that your banknote has defects desribed in the law ( which I 'm sure have not idea about) then they just refuse to exchange them . Exchange oт "normal" one could be done in particular banks ( not in every one) for fee specified by law as well.  That fee is used for bringing such banknotes abroad and exchanging them to good ones ( that costs money for bank you know)

 So go and learn those laws and rules of the country you are going to be just vistors in ( but not a persones who have a right to set that rules)  Knowing elementary rules would save you a lot of money on "bribes" as well as a lot of nerves and time

[Phil dAmore]

$25 service charge for exchanging 100$ is a poor lie

A poor lie?  Perhaps... But ya know, when using an ATM (bankomat) card here in Russia, my US bank charges a $7.00 'currency conversion fee' to each transaction ON TOP of the $3.00 'foreign ATM fee' they impose.

$25 does sound a bit steep, to be sure... but it's not beyond the realm of possibility.

Anyone who has ever tried to exchange a less-than-mint-perfect US banknote here has probably encountered the  "20% discount" scam... that is, they will take the suspect bill.. but only at 80 cents on the dollar.   Plus the commission, of course.

FWIW, I think the guy got off cheap.  In September 2001 I overstayed a visa by 2 days (anyone want to guess why?) and was hit with a $90 overstay fee.. which they happily took in US currency... BTW, it took over 45 minutes to get my change, and it came in the form of two of the worst-looking $5 bills I've ever seen.  And when I got back to NY, they spent just fine.

[LEGAL]

1) It is not a secret that corruption and grease the palm are big problem of Russia.

2) When I was exchanging the Russian  banknotes with defects to new Russian  banknotes the bank did not take extra money for this service. When I was exchanging USA banknotes with defects to new  banknotes  the bank took extra pay and gave me a receipt.
Some banks  refuse to exchange and some banks won't. Every bank has it's own  supplementary services for clients. Every bank determines the  volume of  their commissions for exchanging money independently.


Olga

[Rvrwind]

The banking industry in Russia is just that 'an industry' & a bigger ripoff than the friggin 'Mafia ever dreamed of. The US treasury accepts any & all banknotes, you can rip the damn thing in half if you want. As long as the serial # can be read it is legal tender. Banks here do not get charged by the US treasury to exchange wrinkled or bad notes for new, they get charged simply for the exchange period, they could be brand new & they would still be charged.
The fact that they want brand new unsoiled bills here is someting that Russian banks themselves imposed which is pure crap just so they can rip you off for higher & more fee's if they are less than perfect. Just ike most Russan biusnesses banks are not above stealing from you or their own people for that matter.
I see it all too often, no excuses are acceptable if they figure you will pay somebody some money. A bunch of worthless bureaucrates trying justify their own exsistance!!
No wonder this country is in the state it is & getting worse instead of better!!

[LEGAL]

Phil & Rvrwind  I had put brand new crisp $100.00 bills in one of my money belts and when I went to exchange them in Saint Petersburg The bank would not accept them.  So being the ingenious man, I went to my flat and ironed all of the crisp new  $100.00 bills.  Amazing they cashed just fine. Phil I do thank you for the starch it worked just fine   Yes it is a bunch of BS, based on similar experiences I do concur with Rvrwind and Phil.

SO REMEMBER NEWBIES A GOOD IRON AND STARCH WILL HELP
If that does not work go and see Phil in Saint Petersburg he can fix anything


LEGAL

PS from Olga If you say to the Russian bank it is not legal  Russian bank says not to put your nose in our bank with your American law.

[Rvrwind]

PS from Olga If you say to the Russian bank it is not legal  Russian bank says not to put your nose in our bank with your American law.

Well you certainly can't use Russian law because they don't have any & what they do decide to call law they make up as they go along & are sure to make sure it is good for them & to he!! with everybody else, in fact they'll make damn sure of it.
Maybe I'm getting a little bitter after 4 years here & trying to do buisness here I'm getting real tired of all the bu!!sh!t!! The hoops I have jumped through & the a$$es I have had to kiss & then after I get it all done they go & change the rules & I have to start all over again.
They cry because people are taking their money out of the country by the truckload & nobody wants to invest in Russia. Is it any friggin' wonder??? Are ya' f***ing stupid??? They make it so bloody hard to do anything here, even the simplest of things, only those with very thick skin are stupid enough to even try & yes that includes me, however my patience is wearing real thin.
The law here is the biggest farce in the world as far as I am concerned. Dealing with the court system totally reminds me of Charlie Chaplin & the Keystone Cops, what a bunch of idiots they got wearing black robes!!!
Gawd, I gotta stop now or I could go on for pages!!!

[Mir]

Talking about currency notes to my knowledge United Kingdom is the only country where 3 different types of notes are in circulation! There are sterling notes printed by the bank of England and then there are totally different looking sterling notes printed by the Banks of Scotland and Bank of Northern Ireland!
Recently I phoned the Bank of England when someone refused to accept a sterling note printed by Bank of Northern Ireland. I was told that legally a transaction between any two individuals should be acceptable to both,therefore anyone has the legal right not to accept any currency note if they are not happy with it (due to unfamiliarity or bad state of the note etc.).
The legal postion regarding three different designs of Sterling notes printed by different banks is even more bizare but much more of-topic.

[LEGAL]

Keep your money in Sberbank!

Olga.

[Elen]

1) It is not a secret that corruption and grease the palm are big problem of Russia.

Point was that if you ( in "general)  yourself prefered to pay those bribes instead of making an effort to learn your rights and showing that you do know your rights ( or in worse case just wished to get some advantaches vs others who follow the rles )  - then you yourself were a part of that currpt system, it's supporter and provider  So at least don;t cry about those bribes blaming only system.

2) When I was exchanging the Russian  banknotes with defects to new Russian  banknotes the bank did not take extra money for this service. When I was exchanging USA banknotes with defects to new  banknotes  the bank took extra pay and gave me a receipt.
Some banks  refuse to exchange and some banks won't. Every bank has it's own  supplementary services for clients. Every bank determines the  volume of  their commissions for exchanging money independently.
Olga

Yes for Russian banknote fee is not taken ( just because bank has not to bring those old banknotes to other country for exchange)
But things are different with foreigner currency Just such a rule. Only banks which have a license to do that would do such an exchange.

[Phil dAmore]

Legal. my hair has grown close to 8 inches since that pic was taken!!!

[Elen]

The banking industry in Russia is just that 'an industry' & a bigger ripoff than the friggin 'Mafia ever dreamed of. The US treasury accepts any & all banknotes, you can rip the damn thing in half if you want. As long as the serial # can be read it is legal tender. Banks here do not get charged by the US treasury to exchange wrinkled or bad notes for new, they get charged simply for the exchange period, they could be brand new & they would still be charged.

You didn';t get an idea about banknote excahnge at all We are speaking about rules of exchange of FOREIGNER currency  In a case with Russian banknotes Russian banks don't take a fee.

Any way The rules are SUCH here Learn them and follow them.  And don't give others a chance to use you ( if you can't then blame your self first of all  )

  Btw I BET you have not read what defects were accepted but Russian banks ( But for fee of course  That fee is charged because - GET SUCH SIMPLE IDEA - those banknotes are supposed to be brough ABROAD to the USA by Russian banks to exchange them and THAT does cost money)

[LEGAL]

So at least don;t cry about those bribes blaming only system.

Elen,

Who are you taking with?

Russia has not a powerful and  effective  law. Russian State Duma afraid to take U.N. Convention against Corruption as a model   :hairraising:  Everybody knows why   Duma thinks that the Singapore model does better  for Russia.
One interesting fact - the more salary of Russian state officials and bureaucrats  the more their   pretension to bribe  

Olga.

[Elen]

I 'm not dicussing HERE global problems in Russian reality

 I'm discussing that "interesting acticle fom the LA Times" which just shows American unability to deal with Russian rules because Americans have not idea those rules do exist and what exactly those rules are

As for bribes then my pont was - let start with YOURSELF If you YOURSELF are sure nothing could be done in proper way and are going to pay bribes then don;'t cry that those bribes still exist YOU feed them
Point is exactly that people who pay bribes used to cry more laughdly than any others  about "breaking" rules , not takeing into concideration that paying bribes is the same crime.

[LEGAL]

Point is exactly that people who pay bribes used to cry laughdly than others  about "breaking" rules , don't takeing into concideration that paying bribes is the same crime.

Elen,

When somebody who is more powerful than you one day will say- Shut up or you will  lose what you have even your child. What will be your choice? Will you bring suite on these people?

Olga

[Elen]

Elen,
When somebody who is more powerful than you one day will say- Shut up or you will  lose what you have even your child. What will be your choice? Will you bring suite on these people?
Olga

 What does your question have to do with my attitude to paying bribes and my offer not to pay them in simple cases when all you have to do to escape paying those bribes is to learn a law and your rights  and follow that law by yourself first of all

 I presume that "losing all you have even your child" is not a price for not paying bribes in 99% , is  it?

[funkola]

Olga those pictures are sooo funny. 

[LEGAL]

learn a law and your rights  and follow that law by yourself first of all

 I presume that "losing all you have even your child" is not a price for not paying bribes in 99% , is  it?

People in Russia just can cry about bribes and corruption because people in Russia are not protected by LAW. Russia has only one LAW - those people are right who are strong and  powerful.

Has Russian Government asked you what a Convention against Corruption you want?

Russian law against corruption is very weak and not in favor of ordinary people. The big and sudden change in Russian law against corruption will be great stroke for whole Russian system because the Russian system is like  beads if you will try to change one head you should take to pieces whole beads...

Russian ordinary people can do nothing because even Parliamentary elections are under corruption in Russia.

Do you know how many Russians mothers are losing or have lost their sons in the wars which are saturated with  smell of Government's corruption?

Are you ready to sacrifice your child?  I'm not.

Olga.

[DKMM]

One thing I've noticed with the "typical Russian" attitude is if you get screwed over by somebody its your own fault!!

Its easy to see how propoganda worked in the CCCP because a lot of people really did believe the stuff they were fed about their own country.  I see it still happening, just look at how the media there lies and tells their people that its the fastest growing economy in the world and they are still a superpower, etc.

Here is an interesting article:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070301/people_nm/russia_artist_dc_1