Question Are You Tired of the Taxi Ripoff?

[living4experiences]

I've just arrived in Cozumel and have been ripped off four times by taxi drivers! I thought I did enough due diligence to be informed about what I should be paying from point A to point B, but the taxi Mafia has little care about adhering to their rules. The first three drivers refused to provide me the rate card. The fare should have been 260 pesos from Casa Mexicana to Iberostar. The first two drivers quoted 350 pesos to which I countered with the correct fare. The price was lowered to 300 pesos. Once I mentioned I wanted to see the rate card, they all of a sudden didn't understand what I was talking about. I walked away and headed down the road on foot to catch another taxi. Driver number three said 300 pesos and also refused to provide the rate card. Now I was running out of time to get to my destination, so I paid the $300 pesos.

Coming back from iberostar, with no option, I was forced to pay the $300 pesos from Iberostar to Casa Mexicana. Once we arrived, I waited till my stuff was out of the van and then I asked the driver for his rate card, to which he did not know what I was talking about. I then typed the question into Google Translate and showed it to him. He looked dumbfounded and wouldn't answer, even seeing the question in his own language. I then went to the front of the van and took a picture of his license plate. He conveniently found a rate card. This rate card was in USD for cruise ship passengers only, for transportation from the International and Punta Langosta Piers. It occurred to me now that the drivers are charging regular tourists the cruise ship passenger rates all the time. This was not a zone rate card and it was not in Spanish or Pesos. When I asked to take a photo of the rate card, he refused. Now I'm angry and telling him that by law he needs to show it to me. He finally let me get a photo, but he didn't make it easy and wouldn't let me touch it. He says that Casa Mexicana is at Punta Langosta Pier. So somehow that means I'm a cruise ship passenger?

I would be interested to know what the community here does in these situations in Cozumel. Besides taking a picture of the license plate, what other photos should one gather in the event of filing a formal complaint? I'm not saying I would take time from my vacation to do so, but this might be enough of an intimidation to the driver that I'm not a customer that will be taken advantage of.

I'm thinking that Maybe I should just get in the cab, knowing the price, and pay it at the destination. If he has a problem with it, then that would be another issue.

 

[ggunn]

I remember reading somewhere that socks with sandals will most likely result in toenail fungus.

I almost never wear sandals, anyway. Why they would name the shoes that are the worst design possible for walking in sand "sandals" I will never understand.

 

[brsnow]

Might make sense to get working seatbelts and such. Would be a nice touch,

 

[living4experiences]

Just think when you have to go to the airport, you can get ripped off 1 last time by the taxis. Their excuse for charging more to go to airport is because its federal zone.....

And that is exactly what happened. He tried to charge us 300 pesos. We had pooled our leftover Pesos before we got in the taxi and gave him 200 and walked away. Oh, and when I asked for a rate card again, he said he left it at home.

I'm posting a trip report shortly.

 

[Snoweman]

I'll be there on Wednesday to Monday to see for myself. I hope it's not that bad.

 

[morecowbells]

I was talking to a friend who just returned from Cozumel. Tired of dealing with the taxis, they rented a car. They felt that they were targeted by the police. especially driving over to the east side. Then dealing with the gas station scams, it seems to be a lose/lose situation.
My friend also noticed more tourists from Europe. With the instability in the middle east it appeared more are coming to Cozumel. In my opinion, US and Canadian citizens are more likely to turn a blind eye and tolerate the taxi tactics. It will be interesting to see if visitors from other countries will be more vocal or likely to shake a fist autobahn style.

 

[judydivescoz]

I started reading this thread when it was first posted and just caught up reading the last few pages. I find it hard to believe so many of you have been “ripped off”. I live here. I do take a taxi home a few times a week, after Pilates in the morning and after a night our with friends. Most always solo. Taxi fare is has always within 10 pesos each trip home from Centro. We rented cars for 20 years before moving here. Once I think the gas station attendant stole the locking gas tank cover. Had pay the rental company for that. Learned a lesson. Never bothered by the police while renting. We now own a car, in the past 3 years we have still never been stopped by the police. We follow the traffic rules, and stay off the bike road . No drinking and driving. Simple. We pay for gas in pesos, watch the attendant, tip him and off we go. Never had an issue. We have guests often, never heard any complaints from them about taxis or rentals except for the one who didn’t buy local insurance and relied on her credit card coverage. She had the misfortune of hitting a taxi. Grateful my husband speaks Spanish fluently, convinced our friend not to argue with the taxi driver about fault. The taxi wasn’t damaged, the driver was good not looking for a thing. He was the reasonable one, She had to pay for a mirror on the rental and was reimbursed the next month. It’s really all that not complicated.

 

[mediumone]

It’s really all that not complicated.

It really isn't.
Precisely why I suggested that everyone should have a full length mirror and use it.

 

[ggunn]

It’s really all that not complicated.

In going to Cozumel since 1978 and at least once a year every year since 1987 (except 2020) for a couple of weeks at a time I can remember maybe three bad taxi experiences and no harassment experiences from the policia.

There was one attempt at a gas station on the mainland 20 years ago to overcharge me by a guy who did not realize that I had been watching him and the numbers on the pump. I paid him what we owed, he said he was going to call the police, I said fine, call them, and we drove off. The police did not come, of course.

 

[Snoweman]

It really isn't.
Precisely why I suggested that everyone should have a full length mirror and use it.

Why do I need a full length mirror. I never rip anyone off while driving a taxi, except maybe the taxi owner I stole the car from. Man, do they get pissed!!

 

[sefuchs]

I started reading this thread when it was first posted and just caught up reading the last few pages. I find it hard to believe so many of you have been “ripped off”. I live here. I do take a taxi home a few times a week, after Pilates in the morning and after a night our with friends. Most always solo. Taxi fare is has always within 10 pesos each trip home from Centro. We rented cars for 20 years before moving here. Once I think the gas station attendant stole the locking gas tank cover. Had pay the rental company for that. Learned a lesson. Never bothered by the police while renting. We now own a car, in the past 3 years we have still never been stopped by the police. We follow the traffic rules, and stay off the bike road . No drinking and driving. Simple. We pay for gas in pesos, watch the attendant, tip him and off we go. Never had an issue. We have guests often, never heard any complaints from them about taxis or rentals except for the one who didn’t buy local insurance and relied on her credit card coverage. She had the misfortune of hitting a taxi. Grateful my husband speaks Spanish fluently, convinced our friend not to argue with the taxi driver about fault. The taxi wasn’t damaged, the driver was good not looking for a thing. He was the reasonable one, She had to pay for a mirror on the rental and was reimbursed the next month. It’s really all that not complicated.

I'm with you, don't understand all these "ripped off" issues. They must be at a different Cozumel than I go to. I've been going there for 15 yrs+ and now spend a couple months a year on the island without any issue with taxis, police or rental cars. Have had a couple positive experiences with taxis; left item in taxi (twice) and they found me to return. A couple pleasant, professional interactions with police when they were stopping every car checking for stuff (documents?). My only complaint was when I was charged premium for a scooter brake lever that broke off when it tipped over.