Abuse whilst parking in old town

Tonight my Mrs was driving around the parking area at the top of the old town (the bit that got washed away) and was flagged down by some guy who waved her into a space that had a cone reserving it.The Mrs then got out of the car and the guy said he reserves the space for parents with kids and then asked her to pay him money for letting her have the space and that she could stay for as long as she wanted,she said she would prefer to pay at the machine and get a proper ticket,it was at this point the guy started to go off on one saying he been working for the council for 30 years and would she rather pay the rich than the poor and that she was a b1tch and a good few other swear words and told her that she better not park down her every again,all of this was in front of my 3yo son.

So anyone know what the deal is with this guy and the parking at that location ? The Mrs said he didn't have any kind of uniform on and just had a bum bag around his waist and that he looked a bit like a tramp.

It is usually gypsies that ply this trade,if you go to Faro,& park near the marina,it is almost impossible to avoid them.They usually demand 2 Euro,but will take 1.

Along the same lines,we were at a supermarket and was returning the trolley to a trolley bay to get back the €1 and some tramp bloke came up and said I will take that trolley and tried to pass me a coin,straight away I knew he was a up to no good and sure enough he was trying to palm off some other coin (not €1).

We often visit Albufeira in around may or October and have never had any problems like this before,but coming in June has been a nightmare with people wanting money/scamming/begging.Even at a set of traffic lights there is always a group of people collecting money for something or other,I just keep the windows up and say no thanks.

It's a good job we don't give to all these people because it would end up costing a small fortune when you add in what we give in tips at bars and restaurants.

Algarveaddick wrote: You want to take up smoking mate - it'll calm you down...Â

I would do,but I just couldn't cope with having to go without at faro airport

.....and Loule.

cubsur wrote: ...and Galé beach where they expect you to pay them for showing you where to park on a public road. They are a nuisance and every now and then there is a purge, but they swiftly come back. Do not give them money.

I don't suppose you know the email address for who I could complain to at the local council or whoever could deal with this issue.

It has upset my Mrs so much that it's put her off going to Portugal ever again,the guy was that abusive.

Carlsberg-10 wrote: Yes they are everywhere, traffic lights, car parks etc, I wouldnt let the beggars etc bother you, just ignore them. I do. Do not let them deter you from coming to Portugal again. Ive heen mithered by alsorts over the last 16 years of visiting the Algarve, i wont let them get to me, dont let them get to you.

Thanks for the advice,but it clearly hasn't bothered the Mrs as bad as I first thought as she has just booked up to come back again in a few months

The beggars don't bother me as being a 6ft bodybuilder often helps people keep their tongues in their mouths lol,if I had been with the Mrs when it had happened the bloke would have been walking off with a parking cone hanging out of his backside.

So we are now looking forward to our next visit,and I will be looking out for parking spaces with cones in them,just so I can then drive over and park on top of them,and then charge then beggars a €1 to get their cone back