In my previous post, I wrote about the basics of bus transportation. Now, let’s talk about taxis.
From my experience, taxi and other small vehicle drivers are some of the most dishonest, most aggressive people you are likely to meet in just about any country. These are rough men, hardened by the years behind the wheel and by dealing with similarly tough people around them on a daily basis. When it comes to tourists, they can be real vultures. The best solution is to avoid them altogether by using car share apps such as Grab or Uber, or at least use a taxi app or official phone number. But that is not always possible, especially if you are a newcomer to a country. In case, read on.
The trick to dealing with taxi drivers is to a) never sit in the car without agreeing upon a price or insisting on the meter being on, unless you are in the country where metered taxis are notorious for cheating, such as Czech Republic or Poland; b) always a bargain for the price even if you think it’s a fair deal, so that you would appear like you are not a pushover, and c) never pay anything in advance unless it’s a shared van and others have paid, too. With regards to knowing how much a trip should cost, the best thing is to ask locals. At airports or bus stations, you can simply ask a ticket seller or a shop owner – anyone who has no inherent interest in lying to you.
The main thing to remember is to never ask a driver for any practical information, as they will usually have an agenda of misleading you into a more expensive trip or a commission. If you must ask the driver, take his response with a grain of salt and never allow him to make decisions for you. As I always say to the backpackers: the useful rule of thumb in inquiring anyone for any information is to ask yourself: “does he or she benefit from misinforming you in any way?” If in doubt, always get a “second opinion”. My grandma, when visiting any new place city, used to ask people for directions and then in full sight of the previous informer, ask another person the same question. I am not advocating doing that, but it’s always wise to check and double-check, especially if it’s something important. Say, you need to leave town as early in the morning as possible. You ask a driver or a ticket sellers, when the first bus leaves. They tell you, 8 am. What they won’t tell you, of course, is that that’s just a bus from their company and that there is another bus from a different company that leaves at 7 and yet another one at 7:30. And why should they? All they want is your money. So, always check several sources, and if the info sounds legit, use it.
You should never let a taxi or any other driver enter the hotel with you, even if it’s the one you had already picked, unless you pre-booked it online. The reason is that regardless of whose choice hotel it was, appearance of the driver will force the staff pay him a small commission, which of course, will be shifted on you in the form of a higher price. Needless to say, never believe taxi drivers’ stories that your selected hotel is “closed”, “moved” or is “under renovation”. Insist on seeing it for yourself first. Same applies to any other establishment, such as restaurant or a shop, of taxi driver’s “recommendation”.
Taxi rides in general are prone to all sorts of conflict situations: the meter is not turned on, the way takes longer than necessary, other passengers are being picked up on your fare. It’s not always easy to fight these off, but you can always talk to the driver and make him aware you are on to his trickery. Of course, when you have your backpack in the trunk, it’s hard to have much leverage besides talking anyway, which by the way is a good reason why you should try to squeeze your luggage in the back seat with you whenever possible. Apart from that, if a truly conflict situation arises, such as you were taken to the wrong place, the meter is running wild or is not on, or the driver demands the much higher than agreed price, your main, and really, only solution is to get out, refuse to pay and insist on calling the police if the driver gets aggressive.
In Europe and North America, taxis are losing their ways to car share services big time, and it’s becoming the norm the developing world, too. However, in many places, you are still at the mercy of the taxis. Don’t let it get to you. Even if you overpay for a ride, chances are, it’s still much less than a similar ride back home. Sometimes instead of being aggravated, it’s better to your losses and relax. Chances are, you will be ripped off the most on your very first taxi ride – from the airport to your first hotel or hostel. Drivers know very well how tired and clueless tourists usually are, and those working at the airports are normally at the top of the taxi drivers’ food chain to get your hard cash. The only recommendation I can give to alleviate this is to check online for arrival tips at the airport of your destination. Usually, you should have an idea already what the fair price should be. One great example of taxis overcharging customers is the airport in Bali. If you are staying in Kuta (you shouldn’t, but in case you have to), you can simply walk to your hotel from the airport as the town is right outside. Taxi drivers, of course, won’t tell you that, and will take you on a long ride around the airport to your hotel and ask $10 for the privilege.
In Mexico and Central America, especially in big cities, never hail a taxi from the street. There have been reports of taxi drivers taking tourists to dark remote alleys and either robbing them or having them robbed by their accomplices. Always call an official taxi number or ask someone to call a cab for you, if your phone doesn’t work or you don’t speak the language. In Singapore and especially in Malaysia, hailing a taxi is fine but you may have a hard time finding one that’s willing to drive you, especially if it’s a short haul. In addition, rates will vary widely depending on the time of the day and sometimes even the weather.
In conclusion, I must mention that of course, not all taxi drivers are cheats and scammers. Some are perfectly honest people just trying to earn their bread, and it’s not the easiest work around. Once in Bangladesh, I had a later than expected arrival in Dhaka airport, and unbeknownst to me, it was next to impossible to find an open hotel after midnight in that city, let alone the one that would take a foreigner due to excessive paperwork required. The taxi driver I hired from the airport took me to several hotels I had in mind but they were indeed shut for the night, until finally, at around 2 am, he was able to find a hotel that was still open and able to host me at that hour. He took only a little extra money on top of the pre-agreed sum for his troubles. Another time, in Georgia, a tax driver insisted on taking me to his place and giving me 2 bottles of homemade wine, as a gift. So while it is important not to be a noob, do keep an open mind while remaining vigilant.