Taxi Driver 'no Speak English' ....oo(till His Cell Phone Rings)

[mamastar]

The price is whatever the meter says.

So, what happens when you're taken for a ride? Are you supposed to just pay what the meter says, despite the fact that you know, and the cabbie definitely knows that he's taken the long route? Or "missed" a turn accidentally on purpose?

Seriously, would really like to know, as this happens so often. It's my own fault I don't speak Thai, but I think that a few hundred meters advance notice of a U-turn tends to be sufficient. I also got a cabbie who conveniently missed a U-turn, then stopped to fill up on LPG, while leaving the meter on. I not only got to pay for the additional 1km because of this, but the meter time for the gas station, not to mention losing 10 minutes of my time waiting.

In such situations when it is obvious you are being ripped off, are you supposed to pay or not? I've not been in Thailand long, but have read that it is unwise to argue with cabbies, so have not so far. But it is starting to p*ss me off. Would taking down the cabbie number be enough of a threat? It's not about the money, but the principle.

[Soju]

So Soju, Do you rip off people everywhere you go?

You should become a taxi driver maybe?

I have never ripped off a taxi driver or anyone else for that matter in my life. The only taxi drivers I have not paid are the ones who I've made it very clear to that I will only pay what is shown on the meter and if the meter is not turned on I will pay nothing. I often repeat this 10 times or more. The crooked drivers that play the game of refusing to turn on the meter know that a majority of foreigners getting a taxi don't have a good idea of what the fare will be and will not protest too much for being charged a much higher than normal fare as long as it is still a reasonable amount for a taxi fare in their home country. They know exactly what they are doing, and just because I don't play their crooked game does not mean I am ripping them off. If a thief breaks into my house and tries to make off with my valuables but I stop him and take back my valuables, am I ripping the thief off? Of course not. If a taxi driver trys to con me and I refuse to be conned, am I ripping him off? Of course not.

[kayo]

okay. But meanwhile the cabbie is still paying his gas and car maintenance etc etc..

Hence my comment about ripping off.

And you`re using him to get a free ride. reverting back to an earlier comment, why not just get out and take a cabbie who WILL put on the meter.

[Soju]

okay. But meanwhile the cabbie is still paying his gas and car maintenance etc etc..

Hence my comment about ripping off.

And you`re using him to get a free ride. reverting back to an earlier comment, why not just get out and take a cabbie who WILL put on the meter.

No, I am absolutely not doing it to get a free ride. I would much prefer that he turns on the meter straight away than to go through the hassle of repeatedly asking him to turn it on and then a potential hassle at the end when I don't pay. I don't like hassles. In fact when a driver turns on the meter without me having to ask, I tip him well. If I was just looking for a free ride, I wouldn't be tipping drivers well who are honest. I do it because I like to reward honesty and people who don't try to hassle me. But even though I hate hassles, when it comes down to a matter of principle, I'll often go through a major hassle / spend hours of my time just because I'm not the kind of person that allows someone to take advantage of me. If you'd read all of my posts and others posts, you'd realize that sometimes getting out of the cab, after it is rolling, is really no option. I've gotten out of a cab many times after he's refused to turn on the meter. But as I already stated, I'm not about to risk my life getting out of a cab if he's already on the tollway, or if the cab ride is in some third-world country where he's driving through what looks like a dangerous part of the city.

Because this is a matter of principle and because the driver has spent his time, gas, car maintenance, etc. is precisely the reason why I refuse to pay him anything rather than pay him what would normally be a fair rate. If I end up paying him the normal fare, then he hasn't lost anything in trying to scam me. He will continue to pull this same scam on every passenger because at worst he makes the same as what he would if he was honest, and at best he makes a lot more. By being punished for being a crook, perhaps he will think twice before trying to do it the next time. And guaranteed if everyone did that, the crooks would be out of business in very short order. I absolutely will not do anything to help out a crook, and paying him anything is helping him out. That is what my principles are and I'm sticking to them regardless of what anyone says.

Anyways, your comment about gas and maintenance is totally misplaced. As already stated, I clearly inform the driver that I will only pay what the meter says and if he doesn't turn it on I won't pay him anything. He chooses to continue driving after I've told him that. It's 100% his decision to give me the free ride. He has absolutely no right to any money being that he has already agreed to give me a free ride. I really find your comment absolutely amazing. If you saw a sign outside an expensive restaurant that said "all meals free today", so you go inside and ask for your free meal, but then are asked to pay for it when you leave, I suppose you'd pay for it just because it cost the restaurant money for the ingredients, labor, rent, etc. IMHO, only a fool would pay for something after he's been told it's free. Likewise, I'd be a fool to pay for a cab ride after I've already made it clear to the driver that I'm not paying unless he turns on the meter. No difference in my mind between these two cases.

Edited September 27, 2006 by Soju

[Ulysses G.]

I agree with Soju that if he clearly tells the driver he won't pay him unless he turns the meter on and the driver still refuses, Soju owes him nothing, however, I also think that he is risking his life for a principle.

Admirable, but I'm not sure that it is worth it.

Edited September 28, 2006 by Ulysses G.