Forgot To Check That Taxi Meter Was On!

[FreedomDude]

On my latest taxi trip to Don Muang, I forgot to check that the taxi meter had been turned on, and of course when I looked as we were approaching the terminal it was off. I pointed this out to my gf and she asked the driver in Thai, but he just kinda mumbled and didn't really answer her. "Uh oh", I thought. So we got to the curb, unloaded my luggage, and the driver holds up 4 fingers asking for 400 Baht!!

My blood pressure start to rise.

GF can sense that I'm angry, and I am quite angry.

I get out a pen and write down the taxi number, I point to the sign on his roof that says taxi-meter. None of this, of course, evokes any kind of response from the driver.

Then my gf just says to me: "Just give him 200 Baht."

So that's what I did, I just gave him 200 Baht, and walked away to the checkin counter. The driver just shook his head and took off.

Moral here: If a taxi driver tries to overcharge you when you forget to check that the meter is on, just give him what you feel is a close-to-fair price. Especially if your destination is the airport.

[meemiathai]

I think this would be the dumbest taxi driver in town. Someone tough enough could've just walked off and fool him around. He is just gambling.

But looking at it at a different angle, you could also see how hard it is for poor people to make a living. C'est la vie!

[meemiathai]

Moral here: If a taxi driver tries to overcharge you when you forget to check that the meter is on, just give him what you feel is a close-to-fair price.

Glad you were smart enough to add this

Especially if your destination is the airport.

to the following.

[Potter]

I think this would be the dumbest taxi driver in town.  Someone tough enough could've just walked off and fool him around.  He is just gambling.

But looking at it at a different angle, you could also see how hard it is for poor people to make a living.  C'est la vie!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It is harder for a taxi driver to make his money now that the oil has gotten as expensive as it is. That the taxi driver tries for a rip off is nothing new. It happens to all of us. When it happens pay what you think is fair and a little ekstra. After all, we do not want the thais to hate us. Next time be 100% sure to check either the taxi meter or kilometers.

[RDN]

That was cheap! It's about 300 baht (including the 50 baht tip and toll-way fees) from Sukhumvit Road to Don Muang.

[et33.com]

next time

bargain for the price first

and that stick to it

or else

make sure the meter is on

[kenk3z]

Also have to be somewhat careful that the meter doesn't get turned off on you if there is some kind of distraction.

Most of the time if you walk up to a cab on the street, there's plenty of time for negotiation. It gets to be more of a challenge to negotiate properly if you're leaving a hotel and the staff loads your bags into the cab too quickly.

So you learn a little bit each time. My first time into Thailand I got hooked by the blue coats inside the airport who sell the so-called "limo" rides and refer to themselves as "taxi service". I paid 950 baht from the airport down to Sukhumvit Soi 24. Yes it was a nice Volvo with leather seats - but I didn't really need that.

I was really happy on my second trip in to watch closely and see them get no business whatsoever from the entire flight.

For the most part, I've found the driver's use the meter during the daytime. The nut drivers are out late at night and try running the tricks.....

kenk3z

[autonomous_unit]

Another scam I noticed on an errand with my wife was that the "stand timer" kept counting time at one minute per minute of travel even at speed so you are paying for time and distance. It's a small difference, but over our trip it I guess it added almost 10% to the fare. I didn't feel like hassling it so I didn't mention it to my wife until after we left the cab. However, he apparently was presumptuous about keeping change and annoyed her, so she asked for every single baht of change anyway without knowing about the bum meter.

On the other hand, coming home from Don Muang one night around midnight I forgot about the 50 baht airport surcharge and under-paid the driver (200 baht instead of 250). Perhaps he could tell I was jet-lagged but he didn't make a fuss. I didn't even realize what had happened until the next day when we were chatting about how much the ride had cost this time.

[chanchao]

No brainer: No meter = free ride.

Or, give something that's definitely not MORE than what the meter price would be. Most of my trips from sukhumvit to the airport are about 150-180 baht. So I'd give 150. I'm not paying for his &lt;deleted&gt;-ups.

[astral]

This basic check not only applies here, but in ALL countries.

[Neeranam]

That was cheap! It's about 300 baht (including the 50 baht tip and toll-way fees) from Sukhumvit Road to Don Muang.

I get from Bang Na to Don Muang for 39 Baht!

White 38 for 5 Baht to On Nut.

BTS Monthly ticket to Mor Chit(18Baht), then the air bus to the domestic terminal 16Baht. It is faster too!

Some people have money to throw away. Lucky them.

300 Baht , cheap?

I can fly to Koratachasima or KK for cheaper than that.(Air Asia)

[976]

the bus will always be cheap, this man have his girl with him, i gess the price for skytrain and bus will be dobul then. and then you can not take all you thinks with you indside a bus

a 20kg backbag inside a bus is not easy unless you are a young backpaker

i did pay about 200 baht last time i went to patunam ( ist about 25 km) + the toll way

so you did a good deal

[ZOVOX]

That was cheap! It's about 300 baht (including the 50 baht tip and toll-way fees) from Sukhumvit Road to Don Muang.

I get from Bang Na to Don Muang for 39 Baht!

White 38 for 5 Baht to On Nut.

BTS Monthly ticket to Mor Chit(18Baht), then the air bus to the domestic terminal 16Baht. It is faster too!

Some people have money to throw away. Lucky them.

300 Baht , cheap?

I can fly to Koratachasima or KK for cheaper than that.(Air Asia)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You know most of the no.38 buses goes to mo chit - you could stay on the bus and save yourself 18 baht.

[marquess]

That was cheap! It's about 300 baht (including the 50 baht tip and toll-way fees) from Sukhumvit Road to Don Muang.

The fare with the metre on from Asok is 150 Baht, I don't know what the tollway fee is, but I think the figure of 300 if too high, unless of course he is taking some dodgy route. You might ask why I am so familar with the fare? Because I live right near the airport.. In fact it is 26km eactly to the airport from Asok Bts, providing you are get the taxi heading in the Nana direction

[stroll]

Another csam is that the meter may be already on when you enter the cab, i.e. the first 2 kms you'd get for the 35 Bht starting price have been used up already.

I gladly leave a tip, but I resent attempts to be taken advantage of. When I notice they don't turn on the meter, I will only mention it after they drove some distance, and make it clear that I will either pay the metered amount or leave, already well on the way to my destination. This discourages the practise, they'll think about it next time.

[ZOVOX]

One of the advantages of looking Thai is that i never get scammed by Taxi drivers: I simply get into the taxi, and wait for the guy to turn on his meter, and then i say - in my broadest london accent - 'Ekamai, please!'

[Axel]

The fare with the metre on from Asok is 150 Baht, I don't know what the tollway fee is, but I think the figure of 300 if too high, .....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Agree to the Baht 150 from Asok or lower Sukhumvit, provided no standstill, right lane to downtown not closed.

Enter at Soi 1 to the expressway Baht 40. Stay on the elevated highway at Ding Daeng another Baht 30. Total 150 plus 70 = Baht 220.

On rare occasions I take a taxi around Grace-hotel, one of the guys waiting the whole day for a tourist to go on sightseeing. Agree to Baht 300 incl. toll fee (that's his price idea, not mine) Usually, after delivering me at the airport the owner-driver tells me, 'enough for today, I go home to see my daughter. '

[sbk]

I only had one taxi driver who didn't want to turn on the meter, this was at the train station. I got in, told him where i was going, he said "200 baht ok?" and I told him, in my lovely broad southern Thai accent to turn on the meter. Since I could speak Thai and the policeman was standing right there, he turned the meter on immediately.

That said, when I get a good guy I always tip. What an awful job.

[Ajarn]

I only had one taxi driver who didn't want to turn on the meter, this was at the train station. I got in, told him where i was going, he said "200 baht ok?" and I told him, in my lovely broad southern Thai accent to turn on the meter. Since I could speak Thai and the policeman was standing right there, he turned the meter on immediately.

That said, when I get a good guy I always tip. What an awful job.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Driving Yellow Cab nights in San Francisco, outside of the potential dangers, was a great job at the time. Excellent money, too. No bosses, freedom to go where I wanted. I got off on playing tour guide, too. Whenever I use a taxi here, I always mention I'm a former taxi driver. Without exception, this has made for a most pleasant ride for both of us as we discuss taxi driver stuff...

Someone earlier mentioned the 'waiting time' charges... We used to call it 'wasting time' because it clicks quite slow when sitting compared to moving. In Bkk, I was told by a taxi company owner that the 'time' takes over when sitting or moving less than 6 kmph. Taxis are so cheap here anyway....

Driving taxi ain't so awful, in my book

[RDN]

That was cheap! It's about 300 baht (including the 50 baht tip and toll-way fees) from Sukhumvit Road to Don Muang.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

... Most of my trips from Sukhumvit to the airport are about 150-180 baht.  ...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Agreed. But I usually go express-way (+70 baht) and give the same tip going to the airport as the driver gets when coming from the airport (+50 baht). So total is 270 to 300 baht.

.....300 Baht , cheap?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I said 200 baht was cheap, not 300.

Jesus wept. Everybody clear?

[sbk]

  Driving taxi ain't so awful, in my book 

I didn't mean as a job in general, just as a job in Bangkok. The traffic, the crazy motorcycle taxis, the crazy tuk tuk drivers. It would drive me mad!

[dr_Pat_Pong]

That was cheap! It's about 300 baht (including the 50 baht tip and toll-way fees) from Sukhumvit Road to Don Muang.

The fare with the metre on from Asok is 150 Baht, I don't know what the tollway fee is, but I think the figure of 300 if too high, unless of course he is taking some dodgy route. You might ask why I am so familar with the fare? Because I live right near the airport.. In fact it is 26km eactly to the airport from Asok Bts, providing you are get the taxi heading in the Nana direction

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Does the oversize font turn you on ? It is a pain in the butt for most of us.

[farang24]

Have caught hundreds of cabs in Bangkok and found most of the drivers to be very good and most of them just put the meter on.

They are one group of people i really like to tip because it is a very tough job for little pay.

Of course if they refuse to put the meter on i just get another cab...no problem...this happens more frequently late at night...

The cab drivers in Bahrain are much worse than Bangkok will not put the meter on and charge over the top rates....300-400 baht for a 5 minute trip....

Bangkok taxis are dirt cheap really.

[FreedomDude]

That was cheap! It's about 300 baht (including the 50 baht tip and toll-way fees) from Sukhumvit Road to Don Muang.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I payed the tolls as we drove along. I started from near Baiyoke Tower.

[meemiathai]

Driving taxi ain't so awful, in my book 

Yes, but only when there are plenty of customers around.

My brother in law quit taxi-driving in Bangkok coz he was making too little money.

[meemiathai]

That was cheap! It's about 300 baht (including the 50 baht tip and toll-way fees) from Sukhumvit Road to Don Muang.

The fare with the metre on from Asok is 150 Baht, I don't know what the tollway fee is, but I think the figure of 300 if too high, unless of course he is taking some dodgy route. You might ask why I am so familar with the fare? Because I live right near the airport.. In fact it is 26km eactly to the airport from Asok Bts, providing you are get the taxi heading in the Nana direction

Does the oversize font turn you on ? It is a pain in the butt for most of us.

Yes, pain in the butt for me too, especially when they are in Thai as well. Wait...I just realized they were English..

[Ajarn]

  Driving taxi ain't so awful, in my book 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I didn't mean as a job in general, just as a job in Bangkok. The traffic, the crazy motorcycle taxis, the crazy tuk tuk drivers. It would drive me mad!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Or madder perhaps?

Coming from your place where a major driving concern is slipping in the sand , I'm sure Bkk driving would compare to Heaven and ###### (by the way, why the ###### is ###### #'d out? What about sh*t pu**y c*ck, etc.??)

I know you remember when it was even worse before the expressways, but I've lost far more hours being lost on Bkk expressways than I've ever lost on Bkk surface streets. If you miss your correct expressway connection, good ######' luck in getting back.... I'm sure there are people who know the expressways like the backs of their hands- likely the cab drivers, since there's no faster way to 1. Get there (time is money!) 2. Rack up the meter very quickly (more! more!)

I love driving anywhere, anytime, but twice in the last couple of months, I've driven from Chiang Mai to Bkk in six hours, only to spend another 3 hours going around in circles on the expressway- and my car has GPS!

Here's an overview of my tracks on my trip last week..

And I consider myself a very smart driver!

The key in these situations is, obviously, to be in the right frame of mind- Don't think much! The more I think about these situations, the more stressed and pissed off I feel. I think I must have met one of those 'cure you or kill somebody' kind of experiences and all survived. Now I just relax and enjoy the ride- mostly.

[donna]

I got in a taxi last week from Bumrungrad and wanted to go to Thewet. We took the highway for an extra 40 baht as the traffic was pretty bad. The taxi was an old rust bucket of a thing that I think the taxi driver would wai each night when it got him home safely.

Anyway, usually the meter fare is about 90 baht in heavy traffic to my place.

Before we got off the highway at Mission Hospital it was already 93 Baht and had 13km on the clock (the trip is only 7 or so km). I questioned the driver about the price and told him that it was a very expensive taxi and as I was only half way home (or so) I think that there may be something wrong with his meter.

He looked at me with a dumb look on his face and asked me how much I usually pay and I told him that the most I have ever paid was 100Baht and that was a 45 minute trip due to the traffic being so bad.

OK. 80Baht.

He turned the meter off straight away, probably embarassed that I caught him out on his little rip off scheme.

But on the other hand, the next day I had a lovely taxi driver who sang "Beautiful Sunday" to me all the way home.

[ProfessorFart]

I get from Bang Na to Don Muang for 39 Baht!

Thats expensive!!

Take a 20B minibus from the Victory monument instead!

[cojones]

you sound like a farang ki nok , getting all uptite over a miserable 100 bahts .

but if you are so venal try the radio cabs , you agree the price before the taxi calls round to the hotel. its usually 300 all in .