View Full Version : Taxi Ripoffs
In your entire time in Buenos Aires, what percentage of taxi drivers do you believe deliberately took a long route or otherwise tried to rip you off in some form?
Punter 127
04-27-07, 10:49
It is getting worse and worse!
I give them specific directions, 2 streets at a time. For example, Cordoba / Callao. Then Callao / Las Heras. Then Las Heras / Junin. It is not that they are all crooked, mostly just stupid. Works for me!I was hoping you would tell us how you and other non Spanish speaking guys can do this. Tell us about your friendly and elegant manner of dealing with taxi drivers. :rolleyes: I'm sure they all miss you. Lol
Punter 127
04-27-07, 16:00
If you are finished adding to your post, which you've done about 3 times now, I will reply.
I was just jerking you around when I suggested we talk about taxis, and it looks like I hit a nerve. Dang I hate that! lol. Man you can dish it out, but you sure can't take it.
Just a little FYI, I normally I go to BsAs for 3 week at a time and I've made 14 trips, so I think you should at least call me a 3 week "Tourista".
Quizás your vast amount of longevity (what 24 months?) In BsAs explains your fluent Spanish and your excellent ability to communicate with the taxi drivers. My hats off to you!
One thing I do know is you have had '100x' more problems with taxis than I have, and for that matter any other "long time resident in BA " that I know. And I believe if you get in a taxi with a condescending, or a this guy is going to rip me off attitude, well you are probably going to be treated in the same manner.
As for comparing our taxi experiences to you telling how to "manage the plant", well that's like comparing the DR to BsAs, It’s not even in the same league!
Punter 127
04-27-07, 18:19
Ok whatever, but that was one time. I've also had a lot of good taxi drivers and some who have helped me out. I think most of the time when these things happen, it's because they don't know where they are going, not because they are trying to rip you off. If I was so worried about the guy getting an extra peso or two, I wouldn't get my blood pressure up like you do; I would take the fucking bus! Hell your BP goes up just talking about it.
"You are an expert with a unique expertise." Not for much longer, I'm going to pull the plug and go live in the DR. I can fuck hotties all night and fuck with you all day!
I have been taking taxi's in BA for the better part of 6 months, I usually take about 2-3 taxi rides a day at least 4-5 days a week. I would say my knowledge is pretty good in that department. I also speak spanish pretty well. I can usually be mistaken for an Argie, but the minute I start speaking the proper Castellano instead or porteno " voseo ", they know I am not a local. I would say my experiences with taxis have been a 75-25 split, 25 % being bad. I live in Las Canitas, and sometimes drivers like to take me around the whole polo field instead of dipping thru Dorrego, I guess they call it the " scenic " route. It usually will cost me an extra 5-10 minutes and about 5-6 pesos more on the meter. I have also had some " accidentaly " either get the name of the street wrong or they pass the place I am going to " accidentaly " and are forced to do a few circles to get me back, lots of fun when I am going to Hard Rock Cafe on Libertador and they " forget " to turn on Puereydon. The honest ones will turn off the meter when this happens, the crooked ones will let it keep charging.
There are alot of dishonest cab drivers in BA, luckily I know my way around and I can tell when they are taking me for a ride. But for the average toursit, it can sometimes be hard. I think people should be aware that taxi rip offs do happen regularly. But for a 2-3 week tourist, a 100 peso total overcharge during a 3 week stay isn't that bad. But for a local who uses them constantly, we have to be a little more picky. So I can see and understand the differing opinions of El Sid and Punter. My opinion is, if you are a long term BA resident, fuck a taxi, buy a car. If you are a tourist, don't worry about it, you can easily afford the overcharge for 2-3 weeks, but try 6 months of it and it will start to get on your nerves.
Bad
I've spent about 30 weeks here over the last 3 years with an average of 1-2 rides per day. My positive experiences are more like 99%. I have to provide directions to more obscure addresses and usually have somebody I can call by cell if I think it is going to get tricky but that's about it. I've never had a serious problem with a driver.
Problem drivers clearly exist so I guess I've just been lucky. I'm guessing it helps that I usually stay in a well-known part of Recoleta or Palermo so there's little opportunity for long diversions on at least half my trips. On trips to places like Vicente Lopez and Avellanada, they seldom have any idea where they are going anyway so they are following my directions. Never had any problems with the money although I never need more than a couple of pesos in change 95% of the time.
The marginal mechanical condition of many vehicles and driving too fast late at night are my biggest complaints.
StrayLight
04-28-07, 12:48
I've been living (or virtually living) here for almost a year, and I've rarely had a problem with taxis (although the more I'm here, the more I use the colectivos)
Generally, before I flag one down, I try to think about the best route to where I'm going. And then when I flag one, I make sure I'm at a spot that will allow for minimum confusion or misunderstanding. Even if I have to walk a block or two from where I am to make this happen, that's what I do.
Also, if I'm going somewhere new and really don't know the neighborhood that well, I'll look at the map first and tell the taxi to take me to the intersection nearest my destination that will also preclude confusion or misunderstanding. As we get close, if I feel comfortable with the driver, sometimes I'll tell him to continue on to the exact location.
Since I first started coming here in 2004, I've had four taxi "incidents." Two of those were definitely misunderstandings, and the drivers offered not to charge me. One was definitely an attempted rip off. The fourth could have been either. So in short, I don't consider the case of rogue taxi drivers to be much of a problem.
Daddy Rulz
04-28-07, 13:22
My experiances have been more like Straylights and less like Badboy, however I use public transportation so much more than taxis. Only once did I ever have a driver go out of his way and he really went out of his way. From Callao why Santa Fe going to Cabildo why LaCroze He went by way of Libratador through Belgrano, about 15 pesos out of our way.
Funny part was my Ex was in the cab with me. She was born here and has lived here all of her life so it wasn't a tourist thing. She kept asking him where he was going and He kept saying it was a faster way. They were fighting like crazy with Him telling her it wasn't a longer route when it so obviously was. When we got to Her place She deducted the 15 pesos, threw His money on the ground and called His Mother a *****. He said He would call a cop and She told him her apartment number and said go ahead just send them up.
My experiences are more like those of Straylight. I've been in BsAs a total of about 15 months and have used taxis alot, though increasingly I use colectivos. I have never had a "bad" experience, though maybe 2 or 3 times I noted that a slightly slower route was taken. On one occasion I am sure there was a fast meter. I always hail a cab, and the worst cab experience I have had was with a cabbie that I phoned for. Bored me to death with piquetero talk all the way to EZE in a cab that seemed to be on the verge of falling apart the entire time. To reference Stray again, it definitely helps to give cross streets, and I usually exit the cab at the cross street rather than the exact address. That also cuts down on the number of people who know where you live.
Not more than 5%. Usually not turning on the meter.
Daddy Rulz
04-28-07, 15:01
Not more than 5%. Usually not turning on the meter.I didn't think of the times that they don't turn on the meter for a short haul from caberet to hotel, but then again I don't get ripped off with that. When they say it's for a propina I give them 2 pesos instead of the 10 or 20 they expect. Unless I feel it's an honest mistake (not coming from a caberet with a hooker in the car) then I give them an appropriate amount. So I don't think of this as a ripoff because they, not I, lose.
I've had a few complain about the 2 pesos until I ask them if they would rather I pay what's on the meter.
A lot of drivers don't know where addresses are in Buenos Aires, but that's better than I have experienced in DC, where one time the driver didn't know where Georgetown University was.
Based on the story by DR with his ex, I think I understand why taxi drivers might like taking me more than a local.:-)
Daddy Rulz
04-28-07, 17:20
Based on the story by DR with his ex, I think I understand why taxi drivers might like taking me more than a local.:-)We were leaving a hotel (going from there to her house) with luggage so I think he was expecting a longer ride for more money. She did all the talking though not me, so he couldn't have thought it was anything but Argies in the cab.
StrayLight
04-28-07, 21:19
Sidney says, ''it's AR, man''! AR, a country infamous for it's cheating business practices! C'Mon guys, 53 percent of you are saying these fuks only cheat you once or less in 100 rides?Well, I can't speak for the rest of the crew, but that's what I'm saying.
And if you really want to get me started on Argentines, I can tell you about how many times porteños went out of their way to make sure I did not get cheated. That's happened to me far more than the one time a taxi driver clearly tried to nick me.
Jaimito Cartero
04-28-07, 22:23
I'd say that I have to ask taxis to turn their meter on at least 15% of the time. As for outright ripoffs (either a fixed meter, refusing to turn the meter on, or trying to say you gave them counterfeit or the wrong bills) I'd say it's about 2-3%.
I try not to take taxis in front of boliches, or in Puerto Madero. The sharks seem to like to hang out here.
Ok, as far as actual Rip-Offs are concerned, I would say I have never had this problem, though whenever you leave Madahos you always get the taxi with no meter, But I just give them 12-15 pesos which is just about the normal rate to and from Madahos and Las Canitas.
Now as far as taxis " taking you for a ride ", this happens about 2 out of 10 times I take a taxi, and note, I take alot more taxi rides than the average resident and have been doing so for quite some time. I know the routes back and forth and I know which are the fastest and which are the slowest since I take many of the same trips on a daily basis. I know after the first 3 minutes in a taxi if he is taking me the long way or the quick way. Many people don't realize that taxi drivers will take you on routes that are specifically designed to add a few pesos to the meter. I don't consider this a rip off, this is more just normal business practice, these taxi drivers have alot of daily overhead: they have to pay the taxi agency fee, they have to pay the taxi rental fee and they have to pay for fuel on a daily basis, so every extra peso counts. I understand this and so 2-3 extra pesos don't really bother me, but I have had some excessive detours and that does bother me, not only does it cost me more but it wastes my time and we all know time is money.
I think what Stray said is the best idea, look at a map first and map out your own fastest route and see if the taxi driver follows it, I bet you 7 out of 10 times they won't, but a good idea is also to tell him where to go step by step. I noticed MCSE doing this on a couple trips and we actually got to the location much faster.
I would say actual RIP-OFFS are very low, I would say about 5% , but creative " scenic " routes are much more common than you would think, I would say between 2-3 out of 10 drivers will try this shit.
Take a map, plan out the fastest route and then tell the driver how to get to the location, step by step. Now for those that are already doing this, don't you think it's funny that you HAVE to do this in the first place? I do.
Bad.
PS, I have also had many drivers that are new to Buenos Aires, they are from other provinces and they don't know how to get from point A to point be very quickly, this happens alot, but I don't count those.
Rock Harders
04-29-07, 23:09
Mongers,
It is very important to remember in conducting any sort of business transaction in Argentina, whether it be paying a taxi, buying TV's, real estate, anything- that Argentina is essentially the wild west in that law enforcement will not help you and "anything goes". If somebody here thinks they can get away with ripping you off, they will attempt to do so, simple as that. There are absolutely no standards here regarding integrity, morals, or doing the right thing. In a taxi, if the driver thinks he can get away with overcharging you in some form or another he will do so, whether he thinks he can get away with it because you don't speak spanish, don't know where you are going, or he perceives you as weak and thinks you will do nothing to resist, its all the same.
Suerte,
Dirk Diggler
Taxi drivers make more money on short trips than on long ones. The "bajada de bandera" is a fixed ammount you pay just for getting in the cab so the driver changing his clients five times between A and B will have earned more money than the one who just carried one passenger.
The "scenic trip" may be a problem at nights but during the daytime the driver just wants to get rid of you as quick as he can. Not knowing the streets is one problem - Any one can get a license to drive a cab in BA - and the other problem is the typical Argentine "I know better than anybody" attitude. I'll take a longer rout because there is less traffic or the traffic lights on such and such street have a shorter red than those on the other streets.
The biggest rip off is to try and charge 50 Pesos for a 5 Peso ride or charge 5 Dollars for a 5 Peso trip.
Another is the fake money trick. (Never get into a cab if you don't have change.)
A very common thing some years back which almost never happens now was for you to take a cab and at the next traffic light two other guys would get in a stick a gun into your ribs. They either made you take them home with you to rob your house or they would take you to an ATM machine and while one stayed in the car with his gun in your side the other would use your card to extract money from your account (And you had better have given them the correct PIN number)
This kind of robbery is not so common now but keep it in mind and keep both the doors locked. Also be ready to bail out of the cab if you see the driver slow down to give the traffic light on the next corner time to turn to red.
Jaimito Cartero
04-30-07, 00:49
I posted about this many months ago. My last time at Madahos, we drove a normal 5 peso ride. He demanded 50 pesos. The chica, agressively demanded that I pay him. I sent them away!Did you ask for the meter to be turned on? If the meter doesn't go on (or a relatively low negotiated rate offered) then I'm out of the cab. It's the same in BA, CGK, or NYC.
Or Beijing, or Rome, etc. etc.
I am in tourism and I travel a great deal for work and I bring in 1000's of tourists a year. When I coach people about travel and on my experiences, one of my rule of thumbs is to believe you are not going to get a fair fare. Its just not going to happen unless you have lived a long time in a particular city and you know it well. Even if you use the meter and you have a command of the language, you don't know the streets, the shortcuts. I plan on knowing I will not get a fair ride (I don't agree to getting scammed or ripped off) but an inflated ride. Sure. If you let go of the notion that you might loose an extra buck here or there or sometimes 5, your piece of mind is better.
Jaimito Cartero
04-30-07, 11:16
I got taken for a ride in Manila a couple of weeks ago. Took an hour for what should have been a 20 minute ride. I paid an enormous $5 fare.
If you knowingly let Taxi's rip you off, you're only empowering them to try to get more from the next guy. I don't care if it's going the long way, refusing to turn the meter on, or trying to give you counterfeit money. Same as letting chicas put on over on you.
I have noticed from time to time that when I give the destination, the cabbie will offer the route he will take, or offer a choice of routes. Not often, but sometimes.
StrayLight
05-01-07, 15:47
I have noticed from time to time that when I give the destination, the cabbie will offer the route he will take, or offer a choice of routes. Not often, but sometimes.Same here.
Greetings everyone,
There are several routes I take consisently (Vicente Lopez to Excedra, Jumbo Palermo to Recoleta) and it's been my experience that the taxi drivers almost always ask me what route I want (Sante Fe or Avenida Liberator, for example)
Of course, if you pride yourself in not knowing any Spanish, then you might not know that they were asking if you had a preference. That way you can get all pissed off at them for taking the "wrong" route.
Additionally, I've often encountered situations wherein the taxi driver appeared to be taking me to my destination by the long route, but it's almost always because they were aware that there was some sort of traffic problem (usually a demonstration) that they wanted to avoid. For the skeptics, yes, I've often checked later and verified these occasional stories.
Of course, if you pride yourself in not knowing any Spanish, then you might not know that they were only trying to avoid traffic congestion. That way, you can get all pissed off because they were "taking you for a ride".
Finally, I can also recount the few incidences where the taxi driver forgot to turn on the meter. The few times this has happened, it was almost always happens when the taxi picked me up while sitting at a traffic light. Being the thieves that they are, they won't usually turn on the meter until the light changes, and then due to their attention being diverted by the traffic, they forgot to hit the switch on the meter. However, this has never been a problem because when we arrive at my destination I just give them a little less than I know the fare should be.
Of course, if you pride yourself in not knowing any Spanish, then you might not know that they were only asking you to pay them approximately what the fare would have been. Instead, you can get all pissed off because they deliberately tried to "rip you off".
Thanks,
Jackson
Thomaso276
05-02-07, 09:39
Some issues to consider with Jackson's informative post that the average rider would not know but a cabbie with a radio might.
Lots of construction going on along July 9 that changes traffic patterns.
Lots of surprise pickets / demonstrations that shut down streets and change traffic patterns.
Serious accidents that change traffic patterns.
My taxi tips: wait for the newer undamaged cab - avoid the rolling wreck; check out the driver and take the grandfatherly type with a shirt and tie - avoid the slob who just got out of jail.
Jackson,
I am one of those lazy SOBs that spends a lot of time in BA and other Spanish speaking cities but never took the time or efford to learn Spanish. However, I am not proud of this factor and now wish I had.
I have taken BA taxis for 5 years and to date do not feel I have ever been "taken for a ride". For the most part the route was always the same. On a few ocations I did question the route and was told in Spanish which I didn't understand there was a problem. But I did catch the idea when they said "mucho problemo". So I assumed there was a trafic problem. And in the end the charge was always about the same. So who cares? Considering they are generally driving at break neck speeds do anyone really think they are trying to rip you off? Come on now, it would be easier for them to just slow down than take a longer route. Being Americans we think everyone is trying to rip us off. And in most cases it's us who is trying to rip them off. My recommendation is just close your eyes, relax and enjoy the roller coster ride to your destination. JB.
Greetings everyone,
There are several routes I take consisently (Vicente Lopez to Excedra, Jumbo Palermo to Recoleta) and it's been my experience that the taxi drivers almost always ask me what route I want (Sante Fe or Avenida Liberator, for example)
Of course, if you pride yourself in not knowing any Spanish, then you might not know that they were asking if you had a preference. That way you can get all pissed off at them for taking the "wrong" route.
Additionally, I've often encountered situations wherein the taxi driver appeared to be taking me to my destination by the long route, but it's almost always because they were aware that there was some sort of traffic problem (usually a demonstration) that they wanted to avoid. For the skeptics, yes, I've often checked later and verified these occasional stories.
Of course, if you pride yourself in not knowing any Spanish, then you might not know that they were only trying to avoid traffic congestion. That way, you can get all pissed off because they were "taking you for a ride".
Finally, I can also recount the few incidences where the taxi driver forgot to turn on the meter. The few times this has happened, it was almost always happens when the taxi picked me up while sitting at a traffic light. Being the thieves that they are, they won't usually turn on the meter until the light changes, and then due to their attention being diverted by the traffic, they forgot to hit the switch on the meter. However, this has never been a problem because when we arrive at my destination I just give them a little less than I know the fare should be.
Of course, if you pride yourself in not knowing any Spanish, then you might not know that they were only asking you to pay them approximately what the fare would have been. Instead, you can get all pissed off because they deliberately tried to "rip you off".
Thanks,
Jackson
JengisKhan
05-05-07, 21:34
I have been here 2 years now, and take taxis everyday, probably about 1.5 on average per day. So thats about 1000 taxi rides, give or take. I have been given a fake 100 peso note once (or at least my girlfriend was while I was in the taxi) I had taxi driver in his 50s try to try to cheat me once with giving me the wrong change, and was taken a bad route maybe two or three times. So thats well under 1 percent.
I can imagine that if I didn't speak Spanish then maybe it would be about double that or more, but still a very small percentage of times. Taxi drivers here are for the most part honest.
At my experience, Buenos Aires is not the city of big taxi ripoffs, like for example Prague. I was nearly always taken to my destination on a reasonable route. I am however, able to tell the cabby in understandable Spanish where I want to go and am able to discuss alternatives, ánd I think I don't give the impression of being a tourist, but of having been in town for some time.
One thing to bear in mind is, due to the system of one way roads found in most parts of Buenoe Aires, it might require a considerable detour to reach a particular address - 2 to 3 blocks - if your destination street is opposite to your general direction of travel. For that reason, I always give a corner as my destination, except if it is raining cats and dogs or I have heavy luggage.
And I avoid taxies waiting "conveniently" in front of tourist attractions or expensive shoping malls, I think they might be more likely waiting for prey instead of customers than ones taken out of flowing traffic.
Just my 2 centavos.
El Alemán
I picked up a cab a couple months back near the US Embassy and needed a fast ride to the Brazillian Consulate before they closed at 1pm. Cabbie seemed a good guy, we talked about numerous things, told a few jokes and he was going a reasonable route. It's a fair distance.
Anyway, we arrive and are giving our salutations I handed him a 20 for about a 11p and change fare. As our conversation ended I was instructing him to just give me 8 pesos back as is norm for a prop. In loose change. Faster than I can blink and eye he showed me in his hand a 10p; I was taken back, slightly confused and at 5 minutes before 1pm I just got caught tongue tied. The fucker. I gave him a 2 spot and blasted out the cab. There's no question I gave him a 20. But I couldn't believe this guy and all his friendly bullshitting and then to pull that. So he got $5 out of me for a $2.75 fare.
I didn't follow one of those golden rules of always saying out loud how much you're handing the cabbie, cashier or anyone. But as I said this guy was a good talker and we had an interesting chat so my guard was down.
My friend visiting a couple months back got handed a fake 50 while I was in the cab.
Other than that, I've been fairly treated, routed and "fared" in this city.
I picked up a cab a couple months back near the US Embassy and needed a fast ride to the Brazillian Consulate before they closed at 1pm. Cabbie seemed a good guy, we talked about numerous things, told a few jokes and he was going a reasonable route. It's a fair distance.
Anyway, we arrive and are giving our salutations I handed him a 20 for about a 11p and change fare. As our conversation ended I was instructing him to just give me 8 pesos back as is norm for a prop. In loose change. Faster than I can blink and eye he showed me in his hand a 10p; I was taken back, slightly confused and at 5 minutes before 1pm I just got caught tongue tied. The fucker. I gave him a 2 spot and blasted out the cab. There's no question I gave him a 20. But I couldn't believe this guy and all his friendly bullshitting and then to pull that. So he got $5 out of me for a $2.75 fare.
I didn't follow one of those golden rules of always saying out loud how much you're handing the cabbie, cashier or anyone. But as I said this guy was a good talker and we had an interesting chat so my guard was down.
My friend visiting a couple months back got handed a fake 50 while I was in the cab.
Other than that, I've been fairly treated, routed and "fared" in this city.When it comes to the value of the education you received, that experience was a true bargain, amigo. We should all be so fortunate.
Jaimito Cartero
05-07-07, 23:04
My friend visiting a couple months back got handed a fake 50 while I was in the cab.
Other than that, I've been fairly treated, routed and "fared" in this city.Well, if your friend got a fake fifty, he must have changed a $100P note with a cab, which is a big no-no.
I've had the friendly cabbie routine before a few years back, and I think he pulled the switch on me (the cab was dark) That's when I switched to having 10P bills and up my shirt pocket, and smaller stuff in my pants pocket. I'll always try to give exact change, as well.
StrayLight
05-08-07, 21:15
Last night I took a cab across Recoleta. The driver seemed a little confused about which way to go when I told him what I wanted, and when he turned the meter on, it started at some ridiculous fare...something like 49 centavos. Hmmmm, I thought, this is going to be interesting. I thought there was going to be some sort of scam.
So we got to the destination, and the meter was reading in the neighborhood of $2.60. When he looked up to tell me the fare, he was obviously surprised, and a little at a loss for words. Finally he told me the fare off the meter.
It was clear he wasn't trying to scam me, so I asked him if the meter was broken and if he would like some additional money. He was absolutely adamant that I only owed him what was on the meter, and he didn't want a centavo more.
That's more typical of my taxi experiences than the stuff I hear Sid describing.
Just came home from Exedra and the trip back to my apartment is almost always in the area AR 7.50 or less. Tonight the meter was at AR 9.72.
No traffic and a really smooth ride home. Can this be a rigged meter? And if it is, is there anything to do about it? Taking the cars number and reporting it or something?
Jaimito Cartero
05-09-07, 03:30
Just came home from Exedra and the trip back to my apartment is almost always in the area AR 7.50 or less. Tonight the meter was at AR 9.72.
No traffic and a really smooth ride home. Can this be a rigged meter? And if it is, is there anything to do about it? Taking the cars number and reporting it or something?I had a double time meter from a "waiting" taxi in Puerto Madero a bit over a year ago. A 5.50p fare turned into 10.50. And then he tried to switch money out on me too! I'm sure they probably get less complaints if it's only rigged a bit. If the future, I'll write down the plate number.
My client (argentinian) picked me up at my apartment in a taxi and we went to thier office. It felt like the cabbie was driving in circles but I dint say anything. $20.
We walked 2 blocks after meetings to dinner afterwhich somone from the company called me a cab. They took down the number just in case and gave him directions and put me in (I don't speak shit for spanish) 9.60 straight to my place. Go figure.
TeddyB: Meter rigging is pretty rare but it happens. Like you, I would not have said anything or done anything about a 2 peso difference, but you could well be right. Did you see "Libre" lit before getting in, or did you see him reset the meter when you got in? If not, then it could be he just had a small fare already on the meter.
Once going from Barrio Norte to Microcenter 2 of my group of 4 Americanos noticed the meter going too fast (maybe 1.5 times or 2 times normal) and started talking about reporting the guy. But none of us could say for sure what the ride should have cost, and all of us here, uh, slightly under the influence. I became sure we were right because the cabbie became very defensive and nervous and discounted the fare.
I've taken hundreds of cabs and most of these guys are super honest and work 60 plus hours a week. I think "less than 1%" is the right answer, unless you are asking for trouble. Speaking Spanish helps, of course.
I was in a taxi yesterday and the cab driver missed the correct turn and we had to circle around for a couple extra pesos of fare. I thought to myself "bastard," but when we got to my place he said that he was sorry that he missed the turn and knocked a couple of pesos off the bottom line.
Lesson: do not be quick to judge.
HobbyF: The "Libre" sign was on and he did not start his meter until the light was green and he started driving, so everything looked good.
I do not really care about two pesos, but if the meter was rigged it added like 25% to the real fare, and for a longer trip that could ad up to some money. But what the hell - in my country the taxi meter starts at the similar to 44 pesos.
I usually take several taxis every day and yesterday also I noticed that a cab made an unnecessarily long detour to get to a place, but what do I know. Maybe it was quicker even though it was longer?
And I had my first scam for change on this trip. Instead of a one peso coin I got a Peruvian 2 soles coin. In a dark cab they look almost the same. I do not know the value of the 2 soles and I really do not care. It is to little money to get a fit over.
All in all my experience with taxis are good. Most drivers are honest and hard working. I will not let a few bad seeds ruin my trip or their reputation.
2 Soles would be exactly 1.94132 AR Pesos - You really got diddled! I got myself a great deal. I got a Euro coin somewhere and the only thing I can figure out is I got it from a cab driver instead of a peso.
Sometimes you win, sometimes you loose!
When it comes to the value of the education you received, that experience was a true bargain, amigo. We should all be so fortunate.Yeah. You bet. And I still get a good story to tell. Well worth the couple bucks, no?
I was in a taxi yesterday and the cab driver missed the correct turn and we had to circle around for a couple extra pesos of fare. I thought to myself "bastard," but when we got to my place he said that he was sorry that he missed the turn and knocked a couple of pesos off the bottom line.
Lesson: do not be quick to judge.This happened to me once when the cab and I were talking and having a good conversation, he missed the turn and the series of one ways took more time and more $ on the meter to get back to my place. He ended up knocking 3 pesos off the fare and apologized for the missed turn explaining too much talking and not paying attention.
There is a guy in a BMW picking people up out of Madahos. He claims he works for them. Anyways, he speaks good English and claims to be with Hell's Angels. Avoid him. He charge me 25 US dollars to a trip to the Sheraton.
Hells Angels? I didn't know those guys were in BA,
Anyway Hefe thanks for the info, I have seen the guy there before, he drives an older model 7 series (I personally like that model) I have never taken the service because he is NOT a taxi. He is a Remis. A remis service is basically like a taxi, BUT it is more expensive, usually twice as much. I have taken a remi to the airport once or twice and it cost me $40 US. It is a service for those who don't mind paying twice as much for the priviledge of getting driven around in a nice unmarked new model car by a private driven as opposed to the average black and yellow bucket with no tinted windows driven by the occasional coked out taxi driver.
I am not into paying twice as much for a remis when I go to the grocery store or the local ***** house (Madahos) but for dates with certain "normal" girls or trips to pick up certain friends and or family from the airport, a remis service can be the right choice.
Bad.
But $ 75 pesos for a 10 minute ride is pretty rediculous, this guy sounds like he is charging 4 times as much since he is at Madahos and you "spoke english". I guess he figures since the taxis out there try to charge twice as much, he will go ahead and charge 4 times as much.
Jaimito Cartero
06-01-07, 05:02
I'm happy to report that I had no problems on my just concluded trip to BA. I probably took about 25 trips total, and other than a few guys who got lost, no problems. Fares rounded up or down 20-30 centavo's sometimes, but came out even on it.
I was switching from the Intercontinental to the Hilton for a day, so I asked the taxi driver if he knew where the Hilton was. "Oh yes, no problem". He's going by Puerto Madero, and then takes a side route, so I figure there may be construction or a protest or something. I then tell him that he's already passed it, and he seems confused. He pulls over and asks a parked taxi driver.
We're in a horrible traffic jam then. He is cursing to himself in a low voice. He finally reaches up, and turns the taxi meter off. When we finally get to the Hilton, I ask him how much, figuring it will be a gouge. He says 7 pesos, and all is done. Given the route he drove, I'm sure it would have been 18 or 20 pesos, but 7 is about right if he had driven it correct from the beginning.
Hells Angels? I didn't know those guys were in BA,
Anyway Hefe thanks for the info, I have seen the guy there before, he drives an older model 7 series (I personally like that model) I have never taken the service because he is NOT a taxi. He is a Remis. A remis service is basically like a taxi, BUT it is more expensive, usually twice as much. I have taken a remi to the airport once or twice and it cost me $40 US. It is a service for those who don't mind paying twice as much for the priviledge of getting driven around in a nice unmarked new model car by a private driven as opposed to the average black and yellow bucket with no tinted windows driven by the occasional coked out taxi driver.
I am not into paying twice as much for a remis when I go to the grocery store or the local ***** house (Madahos) but for dates with certain "normal" girls or trips to pick up certain friends and or family from the airport, a remis service can be the right choice.
Bad.
But $ 75 pesos for a 10 minute ride is pretty rediculous, this guy sounds like he is charging 4 times as much since he is at Madahos and you "spoke english". I guess he figures since the taxis out there try to charge twice as much, he will go ahead and charge 4 times as much.Yes,
I felt like an idiot paying the guy. Hell's Angels, according to him, he was in the U. S. And decided to come back to B. A. He said he still has a lot of brothers in Hell's Angels. Anyways, the next day he asked if I needed a ride again. I told him I was going to go back in and then when he left, took the radio cabs.
Have you noticed radio cabs turning off their meters when you come out late. Sometimes I feel they rip me off
Rock Harders
06-01-07, 07:19
Mongers-
I think this has been made clear before, but I will reiterate it: NEVER take a taxi, radio taxi or otherwise, waiting outside any hooker club. They will try to rip you off every single time if they think they can get away with it. Just walk 50 feet down the road and flag down a passing cab. If you are at one of the Vicente Lopez vicinity clubs, either walk down to Las Heras or get a cab actually driving down Vicente Lopez with its "Libre" light on. This sort of bullshit is part of the reason that Buenos Aires will never be ready for mainstream tourism.
Suerte,
Dirk Diggler
Thomaso276
06-02-07, 10:42
About 4 years ao I saw a small group of Hell's Angels, wearing their colors, taking a coffee at an outdoor cafe in Recoleta. They were cleaner than their US counterparts but the colors were valid.
All 100% outlaw motorcycle gangs are involved in strip clubs in the USA, so why not here?
There are also some local gangs out in the provinces, the Clarin ran a story on them a couple of months ago. Pretty standard memership rules and attitude about life.
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