We’ve all been there. You get out of the taxi and realize you’ve been royally done over by the wry cabbie. How do you get the upper hand?
It will happen. No matter how much it may hurt the experienced traveler’s pride, being overcharged by a taxi driver is as inevitable as buying a fake Polo or being given the ’special price’ for the souvenir bracelet because you are so handsome.
My first independent taxi ride occurred in Shanghai. I was eager to test my language skills and looking forward to the adventure of finding my own way. I left front gate of my university and 45 minutes later, was dropped at the back gate. Later I found that I could have walked the distance in about 15 minutes. So began my education.
There are three known ways to be ripped off by a taxi: it is unmetered and you are quoted an exorbitant rate, it is metered and the driver decides to drive you in figure 8’s for an hour, or you are in Washington D.C.
Unmetered Taxis
Photo: Kai Hendry
Unless you know the language, the city, and the price scale, avoid unmetered taxis at all costs. First, they are taking business away from those taxi drivers that work within the system. Second, they are dangerous; there is generally no recourse if you have a complaint and there is always a possibility of something more devious occurring (use your imagination). Third, they definitely have the price advantage in this situation.
However, there are times when you will find yourself in a situation where you need a ride and this smiling man sucking on the Russian cigarettes is your only option.
New Arrivals
Generally people get ripped off immediately after arriving in a new location. They haven’t been able to get any local advice and they are vulnerable to price gouging. When you first arrive in a new city, particularly in the developing world, you will quickly be approached by eager drivers.
Never go with the first person who approaches you, ignore them, keep walking like you know exactly what you are doing.
Photo: StarvingFox
Look around and see where the drivers are gathered and stay away, try to stay unnoticed for a few minutes. Use this time to gather your senses, take everything in and formulate your next move. This will also give the drivers time to calm down from the initial rush and poach other unsuspecting tourists ahead of you.
Pick Your Driver
If after evaluating the situation, you decide to use a non-metered taxi (this is never advisable at an airport, as they will always, always have legitimate transportation if you ask around) try to approach a driver who is away from the group or approach one directly at his vehicle. He will be more likely to bargain when he doesn’t have to worry about peer pressure.
Use Your Map
If you have a map, use it! If you can understand exactly where you are and where you want to go, you will be able to estimate the distance which will give you considerable bargaining power. Once you are in the car, pull out the map and follow your route, or at least act like you are following the route.
The driver may assume you know more than you do and this can help convince him to go directly to the destination. I once gave in and jumped in a taxi in Guatemala without fully understanding where I currently was(no street signs) and quickly fell victim to the classic zoning scheme- more on that later.
The Metered Taxi
Photo: New York Junio 2009
Ahh, safe at last, surely this little machine full of ticking numbers can’t go wrong. Right? Perhaps. But it definitely does not work if it is not on. So first, before you go anywhere, tell them to turn the meter on! I don’t care if its the national holiday, too hot outside or their mother’s birthday. Unless you feel like you have a handle on the route and the price, the meter should be on if they have one. Get out if they refuse.
Be Aware, Be Active
If they have a meter, they should also have a notice in the car from the government agency that licenses them. Take note of this and let them see you looking at their license or a complaint phone number. Developing countries often rely heavily on tourism and taxi drivers know that they do not want to have a complaint lodged against them by a foreign tourist.
If you speak the language even just a little, just saying the word ‘why’ when making a turn will force the driver to explain himself. Even if you don’t understand what he is saying, it will put a thought in his mind that you are an active passenger, not readily duped.
Common Ploys
Never let a driver tell you that it is a holiday and rates have gone up. Never initially believe that it costs more to travel between ‘zones’ of a city. In some cities this may be the case, but I have yet to experience that and even so, the price difference should be negligible.
I was also once told in Malaysia, that union disagreements have forced the drivers to turn off their meters. You can always get out of the taxi and try another one. If you hear the same story then there may be truth to it.
Relax
Now I must say as a caveat to everything written above that I have taken hundreds of taxi rides in a dozen different countries and perhaps a handful have taken advantage of me. For the most part I’ve found taxi drivers to be pleasant and honest individuals. Do not allow yourself to become overly paranoid.
Many times when I have not understood the cost or the the route taken, it was my mistake, not the driver’s. If it does happen that you find out you paid too much, learn whatever lessons you can and enjoy the new story you have about the taxi driver who gave you an unscheduled tour of Lima.
Community Connection
If you’re worried about being scammed abroad, check out five rules for recognizing and avoiding travel scams and ten common travel scams and how to avoid them. If you’re wondering when haggling becomes exploitation, take a look at when does budget travel become exploitation?.
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15 Comments... join the discussion!
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We were ripped off in Istanbul by a cabbie… We took the taxi not far from Karakoy and wanted to go to Sultanahmet, distance costing no more than 8-10 liras (4-5 euros). Galata bridge was closed for whatever reason so we couldn’t go from the direct route. Long story short, a 5-minute drive took about 15 minutes, and the 8 liras became 27. The taxi driver did not hear our complaints at all. We paid up and left the taxi. We were too angry too note a license number or anything we could use against him. I guess that was what he was betting for.
This article will surely help us avoid such situations in the future!
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Awesome advice, I would never have thought of some of this stuff.
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Good tips, Daniel. I’d add to always, always heed advice concerning taxi safety. If your guidebook says to avoid street cabs and call one instead, do it. My friends got kidnapped out of a bogus taxi in Arequipa, Peru.
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Rule #1 to not get ripped off by a cabbie is to not get in one!
Most, if not all, airports should provide public transport (how else do those who can’t afford taxis and shuttle buses get to/from?). And the people at the information booth will not tell you about it because they are in cahoots with the shuttle buses. So do your research about the airport and your options.
Of course, this article is assuming you need to use a taxi. We got ripped off on our last night in Vietnam…we raced from Phu Quoc island in one day (ferry, connecting buses back to HCMC) to catch a flight to Australia. We hopped a taxi and he took us the super long way to the airport. We knew it because the cost was about twice what we were told we would have to pay, but what choice did we have, we were in a rush…but by taking the long route not only did he rip us off he got us to the airport with no time to spare. We were the last ones to check in, they put up the “closed” sign as soon as we were through. Looking back on that day, it’s amazing we made that flight.
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I travelled a similar route between attractions in Bangkok a few times by taxi, every time a different route was taken. After buying a new phone with GPS and tracking the route a taxi takes (make sure the driver sees the GPS map in action) you’ll find they are much more efficient at taking short cuts and getting to your destination quicker :^)
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Sometimes public transportation ends at a certain time. Such was the case when I arrived in Almaty, Kazakhstan after midnight a couple months back.
Made the mistake of taking a ‘private’ taxi because we agreed upon a rate beforehand–500 tenge to my hotel. Turned out he was charging 500 PER KILOMETER. On top of that, he tried overcharging in the end, saying we had driven 25 kilometers or so when we had really done around 12 (thankfully I had a map in my Lonely Planet). He asked for 12,000–we ‘bargained’ down to 7,000 (still quite overpriced). While we were arguing with the cabbie’s buddy in the passenger seat the cabbie got out like he was grabbing our bags out the back. I noticed he had been gone a bit too long, got out quickly, and caught him zipping up one of our bags. “It unzipped when I grabbed it” was his response when confronted. Hah!
Same thing happened to me in Novosibirsk. ALWAYS be wary of cab drivers at airports, as stated above. In many countries, if you are a tourist they will assume you are rich (which is often actually the case when compared to the local norms).
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Actually, just remembered this…in Ulan Bator, EVERY car is a taxi. You just stick out your hand and someone will stop. Arrange your price before getting in. The first time we did this, the guy actually changed his mind part way through the journey because he realized he had to get somewhere (I guess)…he gave us our money back and apologized.
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If I’m arriving in an area that doesn’t have public transportation from the airport, I’ll usually arrange a ride in advance. This gives me the chance to compare rates for a few companies, make sure I’m dealing with a legit company, and not have to worry and be stressed during my first few minutes in a new place.
At airports where taking a taxi is the norm, look for a taxi queue.
I’ll also ask for taxi advice at my hotel: should I get one on the street or will you call one for me? I’m going to this neighborhood, will I be able to get a cab there?
I live in Chicago and take taxis a few times a month. I’ve never been ripped off here, but I always get the driver who has a “broken” credit card machine.
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I think you have it spot on Daniel, when you say that no matter how careful we are, if we get in enough taxis someone will rip you off. Sometimes you just have to accept it as part of the experience, and in most cases it’s no more than a few $ in any case – not worth ruining your day about.
That said, one time I have got out of it was in Istanbul where a driver took me back to my hotel; a ride that had been 7 lira several times already, and this time he wanted 18. I got angry, shouted back at him, we exchanged strong words in languages that neither of us understood, I gave him 10 lira, shut the door and walked off. I guess it was a result of sorts for both of us.
In general, as you suggest, the more confident you act the less likely you are to be ripped off.↵ -
Great advice! Interestingly enough, after living in Moscow for 6 months I only tend to feel I’m getting ripped off by cab drivers when I’m back home in the western world or the few times that I actually used a legitimate car service in Russia. It might be a bit intimidating the first time you hail a gypsy cab and get in a ’70s volga driven by a toothless grandpa, but it is truly the only reasonable and affordable (and highly competitive) form of transportation available after the metro’s closed.
Because of the scare factor, one of my rules of thumb was still never to get into a gypsy cab alone, and as far as negotiating a good price, just wait until two or three cars are lining up to get your business and don’t budge beyond an amount you feel is enough. And never agree to pay extra at the end although they often ask you to.
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If you’re in London, those big black cabs you see in the films are licensed and metered. That doesn’t stop them ripping you off of course, but what you should know is that to get behind the wheel of one of them, drivers have to take an exam called ‘The Knowledge’. To pass it, they have to know every shortcut in London. Even with GPS, they still have to take it. It’s a source of pride to London cabbies that they have the knowledge, so next time you’re in a cab, ask them about it. They’ll be more likely to show off their shortcut skills than rip you off.
Oh, and if you’re driving in London and get lost, these boys and girls are the folks to ask.
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The Knowledge! They need “The Knowledge” in Melbourne. The cabbies here are notorious for not knowing their way around. And for having unsafe vehicles!
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my friend and i were ripped in ho chi minh, vietnam on our last day of tour. the taxi driver charged us 60 dollars from ben thanh market on our way to the hotel which was a lot of money. we thought we would die that day coz the driver was getting mad and was shouting at us. great article. i’ll keep this in mind..
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