The low down on taxis

Most people can say that they have been in a taxi at least once in their lifetime. I have been in many throughout the US and around the world. With all the convenience that they bring, they can also bring hassle. An article I found on Dave’s Travel Corner gives some great insight into the world of taxis.

The following items are problems that I have run into when using taxi drivers.

Not using the meter
This can be a complicated excuse. First of all, many taxi drivers do not even have meters. Some taxi drivers such as in Bangkok as a whole, simply may refuse to use their meters in the case of terrible traffic. However more often than not an excuse to not use the meter means the driver is trying to cheat you for extra money. A common problem is taxi’s will have meters but neglect to use them.

Miscommunication
Miscommunication is one of the biggest problems with using taxis. You may not speak their language and they may not speak yours. They may pretend not to speak your language. Having an address written down sometimes helps. Be sure they understand you and *always* repeat their important responses after they say it to get confirmation

Refusing to speak
I’ve been in situations where taxi drivers refuse to speak – or pretend not to speak English after initially conversing with me in English. This usually occurs when it comes time to pay.

Don’t have Change
This is a pretty common excuse. Some taxi drivers will claim not to have change for that large bill you just gave them or even not have change for the not so large bill. Sometimes they will “magically” produce change if you tell them you have to get out of their car and go find someone who will make change.

People already in the Taxi
Taxi drivers in some countries will pick up as many people as can fit in their car and then drop them off as they go. This can be very problematic especially if you are trying to get somewhere in a timely manner. I’ve had drivers tell me its only going to take a few minutes and it ends up taking a lot longer to drop off the other people already in the car. The people already in the taxi typically will have priority over your destination and you will have to wait until they are dropped off first.

For more taxi issues, visit Dave’s Travel Corner