What Would U Do?

[Kerryd]

When you get on the bike just say Meter Krap.

I have never used a taxi scooter before, only tuktuks and taxi cars... Do the scooters have meters?

Waste of a couple of smilies

Not wasted on everyone !

[CWMcMurray]

I used to drink with some motorcycle guys in different parts of Bangkok many years ago when I was a drunk.

They see these rich farang travelling all round the world with high-paying jobs and taking back girls to their apartments many nights yet try to get off with 10 baht with them for a ride. These are hard-working good guys generally, who work 7 days a week to get 5,000 of which half is often sent to their family up country.

They are poor but very proud and will beat someone up without an hesitation if they deserve it.

Often it's the expats lack of communication skills that is the problem.

Imagine if you were tax driver in London and some Oil Shiek flagged you down and tried to get it 1 quid cheaper than the meter , babbling away in Arabic - you'd think he were a real <deleted>, wouldn't you?

Yeah, that makes sense... taxi fares should be based upon the income level of the passenger not the distance of the trip???

If I was the Oil Shiek and the taxi in London tried to charge 1 quid over the meter I probably wouldn't pay either.

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The best bit of advice is to always ask the fare before getting on the Bike. If they are overcharging, try to negociate and if they won't reduce the price don't get on.

I can't count the number of times I have asked and after doing some quick estimations in my head figured a meter taxi would be cheaper.

If it is a route he doesn't travel often, he should have paid the amount asked and chalked it up as a lesson learned. There is no reason not to try and haggle, but this should have been done before getting on the bike.

[BSJ]

Your friend done the right thing, why should he give in to this sort of pressure?

He fought for all that is good and justice the American way.

At least he will die a martyr and will always be remembered as a true hero.

I have requested that Thaivisa create a special forum on behalf of his memory.

When it's mounted and the sign is swinging in the breeze.....will it say 'Ima D1ck-head'?

Golden Rule: Always negotiate the fare!

[HorseDoctor]

A similar thing happened to my brother in law in Chiang Rai.

He rode on a motor bike taxi, only 1 kilometer. The guy wanted 70 baht. My brother in law refused and only gave the driver, 40 baht.

But at least my brother in law had a happy, healthy and prosperous life for another 6 months before he was murdered by the motorbike drivers gang. So we dont feel all that bad about it.

I often use the same motor bike taxi and of course I pay whatever he asks. Everyones happy all round.

I'm m an expert in what horse sh*t smells like and this is a collossal load of

Fear mongering propaganda. OOoooh what fun -Make " Farang" shiver in their boots from fear ..

Sorry I ain't buying it. ridiculous

[pacovl46]

i just ran into a friend of mine who told me the following story:

he got a bike from down the road from his apartment to not far away, knowing it would be a 30B ride. the guy asked for 50 and my mate refused. the guy got aggressive, so my mate just walked off, the guy came after him of course, and my mate gave him 40b and said that was it. the guy got really agro and asked him if he lived int that apartment, and told him to watch his back, and that he should be scared, and yada yada yada. my mate isnt too concerned, but we have both heard stories as u do.

well, i had very little advice to give...anyone else?

<he didnt get the number of the guys shirt, or the bike reg., though this could be arranged>

sorry if this is incoherent, im writing in a hurry...

the f.....s think they can charge you double because you are falang and then when you don't wanna pay up they even think they have the right to get angry??? fuc_k them. I'm so tired of getting ripped off by those anti-social subjects.. I'd go to the police and tell them that he threatend you. I had the same problem once with a motorcycle-taxi guy. he wanted to charge me 20 baht over the normal fare. i refused to pay that and instead offered to pay him what's right. when he didn't wanna take the money i just dropped it on the floor and walked away. no threats, though, but since it's been at the border to cambodia and i was exiting the country a threat wouldn't have made sense anyway.

the best thing is to negotiate the price BEFORE you even get on the bike, that way there won't be any nasty surprises afterwards.

[glossolalia]

Why is this conversation about making amends happening with a bunch of online barstool arbitrators, instead of with the motosai guy himself? (Especially if the individual in question speaks Thai!) Go to his street corner, if you are smart bring some booze, and have a chat. If it's against your principles to do this, have fun always watching your back -- for a very long time.

[zaza]

Imagine if you were tax driver in London and some Oil Shiek flagged you down and tried to get it 1 quid cheaper than the meter , babbling away in Arabic - you'd think he were a real &lt;deleted&gt;, wouldn't you?

If he is an Oil Sheik, he definitely would not flag down a taxi, he would surely have an expensive car and a native driver Plus, most of those ppl you are using as an example speaks English well.

So lets stick -The Farang in LOS- only

BTW,Did your motorcycle friends told you their opinions of (farangs in Thailand) as : real &lt;deleted&gt; or is it your own honest opinion?

[jimmybkk]

Anyone suggesting getting the police involved here must be nuts - the first question they'd ask is "what price did you agree?"

Would you buy anything from anyone without checking the price first? If you don't get the price first you're basically telling the driver to charge you whatever he likes. Personally I think the driver showed considerable restraint by only asking for 50.

You live and learn - seems to me a pretty cheap lesson at 20 Baht.