Taxi Ripoff

[Marqo1119]

Yesterday I took a yellow taxi directly from the Street and went home and after a few meters the taxi man stopped and he opened the front and he adjusted near the motor something and I saw that the Taximeter went very quickly and the numbers hat changed when the tour continued and when we arrived I gave him 100 Pesos and he gave me 10,20 and 5 Pesos back and the 10 and 20 pesos were under the 5 Pesos and the 10 and 20 Pesos were wrong money.

The taxi man looked really seriously approx. 50 years old.

It was the last time that I take a taxi from the street. It was not much money but it is unbelievable how the taxi man work here in Buenos Aires.

[WorldTravel69]

Maybe you should watch before you go outside again.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xv02tk_national-geographic-scam-city-buenos-aires_shortfilms


Yesterday I took a yellow taxi directly from the Street and went home and after a few meters the taxi man stopped and he opened the front and he adjusted near the motor something and I saw that the Taximeter went very quickly and the numbers hat changed when the tour continued and when we arrived I gave him 100 Pesos and he gave me 10,20 and 5 Pesos back and the 10 and 20 pesos were under the 5 Pesos and the 10 and 20 Pesos were wrong money.

The taxi man looked really seriously approx. 50 years old.

It was the last time that I take a taxi from the street. It was not much money but it is unbelievable how the taxi man work here in Buenos Aires.

[Tres3]

Yesterday I took a yellow taxi directly from the Street and went home and after a few meters the taxi man stopped and he opened the front and he adjusted near the motor something and I saw that the Taximeter went very quickly and the numbers hat changed when the tour continued and when we arrived I gave him 100 Pesos and he gave me 10,20 and 5 Pesos back and the 10 and 20 pesos were under the 5 Pesos and the 10 and 20 Pesos were wrong money.

The taxi man looked really seriously approx. 50 years old.

It was the last time that I take a taxi from the street. It was not much money but it is unbelievable how the taxi man work here in Buenos Aires.Keep a wad of small bills in one pocket and pay the taxi with exact change. If you want to give a tip, round it up or give another small bill. Taxi drivers in BA are notorious for giving phoney money as change. This will not stop the meter shenanigans (this is the first I have ever heard of it) but at least you will not get bad bills in change. Try to always take a "Radio Taxi". This will not guarantee you will not get scammed by the meter, but will reduce the likelihood.

Tres3.

[Jackson]

"Meter shenanigans" aren't hard to deal with at all. Just wait until you get to your destination, get out of the taxi, then just calmly tell him that there's apparently something wrong with his meter and hand him an amount that is something close to what the fare should have been. Of course he'll start protesting, upon which you suggest that perhaps he might want to involve the police. Shortly thereafter he'll speed off, usually after unleashing an explective or two.

Of course, to avail yourself of this strategy you need to have lots of change when entering a taxi, but you'll want to do that to avoid the counterfeit currency issue anyway.

Thanks,

Jax.

[Daddy Rulz]

Try to always take a "Radio Taxi". This will not guarantee you will not get scammed by the meter, but will reduce the likelihood.

Tres3.This is good advice and it's simple to see which are affiliated and which are independent. Independent taxis have no logo on the backdoor. They will only have the little circle with the word Taxi on the front. At night, while they are approaching you, affiliated radio taxis have a roof light, that generally have the name of the company on them.

[Spirit Rider]

"Meter shenanigans" aren't hard to deal with at all. Just wait until you get to your destination, get out of the taxi, then just calmly tell him that there's apparently something wrong with his meter and hand him an amount that is something close to what the fare should have been. Of course he'll start protesting, upon which you suggest that perhaps he might want to involve the police. Shortly thereafter he'll speed off, usually after unleashing an explective or two.

Of course, to avail yourself of this strategy you need to have lots of change when entering a taxi, but you'll want to do that to avoid the counterfeit currency issue anyway.

Thanks,

Jax.Getting out of the taxi first, before the dispute is the key point here.

More common than incorrect meter readings are when they fail to turn the meter on at all. I have had this happen a few times. Telling them if they don't turn on the meter they are not getting paid usually works. However, one time the driver insisted it was a fixed rate from the restaurant to my apartment. Except, I had taken a taxi from my apartment to the restaurant and knew exactly what the charge should be.

I was smart enough to tell me my new "friends" to exit the taxi before settling the dispute (just not smart enough for myself). He wanted to charge me double the correct rate. I told him what I had paid on the way there and was paying the same for the way back. I handed him the exact change and exited the taxi. He tried to punch me in the head. Fortunately, my instincts were working that night (relatively sober) and raised my left arm and elbow as I was getting out and the blow was deflected harmlessly.

The final lesson is to squeeze yourself into the back seat between your friends even if one of them has to sit on your lap. It is a more interesting ride and it is harder to punch you in the head if you are not sitting next to the driver.

[Jackson]

The final lesson is to squeeze yourself into the back seat between your friends even if one of them has to sit on your lap. It is a more interesting ride and it is harder to punch you in the head if you are not sitting next to the driver.I just tell the driver that I need to get out in order to reach my money in my front pants pocket.

[Member #3320]

I usually use the taxi, at a average of 4-5 times a day, 20 days a month. Some times late at 3 am. Rest of the days I am outside the capital.

I have beeing doing this for past 20 months since I started living full time in the Capital.

Absolutely no complaints with any taxi driver.no counterfeits, no probelms with any false charges.

Fail to understand all the complaints on this thread.

[Daddy Rulz]

I usually use the taxi, at a average of 4-5 times a day, 20 days a month. Some times late at 3 am. Rest of the days I am outside the capital.

I have beeing doing this for past 20 months since I started living full time in the Capital.

Absolutely no complaints with any taxi driver.no counterfeits, no probelms with any false charges.

Fail to understand all the complaints on this thread.I don't have many problems with Taxi's but I have had a few. Once a guy tried to take me from Centro to Colegiales through Barrio de Chino, once I had a driver try and give me fake 50's, and twice I've taken rides where I know the meter was cooked. When compared to the total number of cab rides I've taken, it's insignificant but it does happen and there are precautions to take against them. Don't sit back far in your seat if you're paying with a 100, sit up and keep an eye on the bill. Know the way the cabbie should be going to your destination and speak up if he's going the wrong way. Little stuff like that.

[DavieW]

Like #3320 I've had very few problems with taxi drivers..until very recently. Worst incident was one speeding off with my new suitcase that I'd put in the front seat as soon as I got out. That was a bloody expensive cab ride!

Just had one this weekend in Mar del Plata. Straight out of the bus station, got in the cab, checked my cash and asked him if he could change a 100. He made some jokey comment about it only being worth 8 dollars and I immediately knew he was going to try and scam me! First instinct was to make sure he'd turned the meter on and I realized I couldn't see any meter. I asked him where it was and he put the sun-visor up to reveal it. It was already showing 18 pesos (we'd gone 2 blocks) - old trick, run the meter up and then hide it. I made it very clear that I knew exactly what he'd done, mentioning that I'd been in Buenos Aires for 7 years and he feigned shock, like he didn't know what I was talking about. I was tempted to just give him 8 pesos less when we got to the hotel, but I had my 5 year old with me and didn't want to cause a scene for the sake of 8 pesos. I hate letting them get away with that kind of sh1 t, but some battles aren't worth fighting.

[Member #3320]

You guys amaze me!

What can I say!!

Their is nuthing in this world as "getting lucky"other than the few things such as the family, country, genes you are born to / with.

Bringing maths into play, simply by the number of times I take a taxi in a week..my so-called luck shud have worn out by now. Not to mention, that I have been coming to BA since 2007 for 2-3 months a year before I started living permananently here in mid 2012, been using taxis here since 2007, without a single complaint.

Being a world traveler myself having traveled over a 100 countries in my life time and perhaps taken a taxi in almost 90% of those countries, I guess I am just too aware of all bad possible things which can happen in a taxi of a unknown city!

[Gandolf50]

Things are getting tight in this mystical wonderland of Cristinas. As a result more and more people are looking to scam you. Besides, as anyone who lives here knows, there is no way to file a complaint and there is no one around who will actually do something to help you. The warning " Consumer beware " only scratches the surface here.

[Daddy Rulz]

You guys amaze me!

What can I say!!

Their is nuthing in this world as "getting lucky"other than the few things such as the family, country, genes you are born to / with.

Bringing maths into play, simply by the number of times I take a taxi in a week..my so-called luck shud have worn out by now. Not to mention, that I have been coming to BA since 2007 for 2-3 months a year before I started living permananently here in mid 2012, been using taxis here since 2007, without a single complaint.

Being a world traveler myself having traveled over a 100 countries in my life time and perhaps taken a taxi in almost 90% of those countries, I guess I am just too aware of all bad possible things which can happen in a taxi of a unknown city!My post was agreeable, I didn't challenge your assertion that by and large the taxi's here are good. I only said that I have had a few problems, and that it happens enough to be aware of the potential issues.


When compared to the total number of cab rides I've taken, it's insignificant but it does happenFor fucks sake the taxi scams even made their way on to scam city http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ha_soNGADMY but since it didn't happen to you, it can't happen to anybody regardless of the number of TV shows or legitimate travel sites that suggest the same precautions that I said. I never said they were the worst in the world, I didn't even say that they were the worst in S America, just that it can happen and a little awareness and common sense will keep it from happening to you.

Please feel free to post your asinine rebuttal I'm done with this.

[Member #3320]

Please feel free to post your asinine rebuttal I'm done with this.Jeez, I thought I was on your "ignore" list. If you have not done it by now, Please put me in the "ignore", so that you are liberated from reading my ""asinine"" arguements.

I will continue posting my real experiences.

[Tres3]

I will continue posting my real experiences.Although I am dubious regarding your post, I will give you the benefit of the doubt and say that you are a very lucky man. I would venture to say that you are the exception to the rule regarding BA taxis. In fact, I will go even further out on a limb and say that you are probably the only poster on this site who has never been the victim of a taxi ripoff or attempted ripoff. I wish you continued good luck.

Tres3.

[Daddy Rulz]

Jeez, I thought I was on your "ignore" list. If you have not done it by now, Please put me in the "ignore", so that you are liberated from reading my ""asinine"" arguements.

I will continue posting my real experiences.I had put you on my Ignore List over your senseless attacks of Stranger through that bizarre alias you created. A contractual requirement obligated me to remove all members from my ignore list. In the future, while the terms of my agreement necessitate that I read your generally useless posts, all well as those of your mentor, I will refrain from commenting on them. You however; are more then welcomed, nay encouraged, to put me on yours.

DR.

[TejanoLibre]

I usually use the taxi, at a average of 4-5 times a day, 20 days a month. Some times late at 3 am. Rest of the days I am outside the capital.

I have beeing doing this for past 20 months since I started living full time in the Capital.

Absolutely no complaints with any taxi driver.no counterfeits, no probelms with any false charges.

Fail to understand all the complaints on this thread.I think it depends on what you look like and how much of an accent you might have.

I have had the "Forgot to turn the meter on trick" , the "Double Quick Meter Trick" and the "Tour of the City" lots of times.

I have been Let Out numerous times and I broke my hand on a cab years ago!

It was not even My cab!

99% are good guys or indifferent, some are coked-out at night and don't want to be bothered with small talk.

I have met some good guys, asked for their numbers and use them as often as possible for various reasons.

Thanks,

TL.