With at least one citizen as a moderator of the board, plus at least one active poster, I feel I stand a good chance of replies.
Part one:
About 3 years ago, a buddy of mine who had made the trip to the Netherlands on several occasions (Now living in Sweden’s 2nd largest city-forgot the name) was planning a trip there and was getting a couple of buddies, including me, to go with him. I did some research and just plain fun surfing concerning Amsterdam’s red light district. One of the advises given, although I can not find the link, advised that if you were getting a cab ride to a sex shop there, to get the cabbie to drop you off at a bar, or they will charge you a hefty surcharge, about $50’s worth in the local currency.
Part two:
I am reading the latest edition of the Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader series, “Uncle John’s Presents Book of the Dumb.” On page 46, there is a story titled “The Hurtingest Man in The World.” It tells of a “disabled man living in the city of Tilburg” who got the municipal council to “grant him a monthly sex allowance, for its healing medicinal properties.” Apparently, this awesome plan backfired because none of the sex workers wanted to give him receipts for services, which would require them to pay taxes on the income.
The source given is Expatica.com, De Telegraaf. Unable to understand Dutch myself, I choose not to go there.
Questions, Part one:
If this scam is that widespread, I would think the Dutch government would be wise to it, and made for legal consequences that curb it. I can more easily see a “milk the tourist” scam being tacitally (or openly) encouraged in a poorer, former eastern-bloc country like Romania, but in the Netherlands?
?'s, Part two:
Very similar to ? in part one. In the Netherlands where prostution is legal and regulated, they should better know just what the hookers are up to. The municipality should have been able to give this “poor man” a list of approved providers. In the U.S., were modeling, or “stress management” studios, “escorts” and “escort” services provide the company of a model and if any sex happens it is consensual and not what the fee is for kind of thing, I am sure that they have to keep some records, at least the one’s that accept credit cards (which, if they are like topless bars, charge extra when used). I am assuming this story is excaggerated, or maybe an urban legand.
Is the story true? Urban legend? Excaggerated? English language sites with a better than second or third hand version of this story?
I am assuming that the Netherlands must be less efficient in monitoring its profit making vice than I originally thought.