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.

 

[loady]

You think the taxis discriminate financially against the locals? Or do you think the tourists financially discriminate against the taxistas?

I think higher fares hurt every cohort of passenger. But wealthy travelers can absorb the increase. Cruise ships hurt budget travelers thru inflation. That’s why I’d either stay in downtown and walk everywhere or at all inclusive and never leave it. I’m nervous about renting a car or scooter. That could be the most expensive option. Medically or otherwise.

 

[BRT]

I think higher fares hurt every cohort of passenger. But wealthy travelers can absorb the increase. Cruise ships hurt budget travelers thru inflation. That’s why I’d either stay in downtown and walk everywhere or at all inclusive and never leave it. I’m nervous about renting a car or scooter. That could be the most expensive option. Medically or otherwise.

Have you spent much time in Cozumel?

 

[ggunn]

I think higher fares hurt every cohort of passenger. But wealthy travelers can absorb the increase. Cruise ships hurt budget travelers thru inflation. That’s why I’d either stay in downtown and walk everywhere or at all inclusive and never leave it. I’m nervous about renting a car or scooter. That could be the most expensive option. Medically or otherwise.

My preference is to stay fairly close to town but neither in town nor far south. Blue Angel and Villablanca are in the goldilocks zone for me.

 

[ggunn]

Have you spent much time in Cozumel?

Good question.

 

[loady]

Good question.

Bro do you even dive? If you don’t have 1000 logged dives you don’t belong here bro. If you haven’t spent 1000 days in Mexico you’re not welcome bro.

 

[loady]

Bro do you even dive? If you don’t have 1000 logged dives you don’t belong here bro. If you haven’t spent 1000 days in Mexico you’re not welcome bro.

Locals only brah

 

[ggunn]

Bro do you even dive? If you don’t have 1000 logged dives you don’t belong here bro. If you haven’t spent 1000 days in Mexico you’re not welcome bro.

Very droll. FWIW, I have spent about two years cumulatively on Cozumel and I don't log dives.

I think what BRT was driving at is that there are those who post in this subforum griping about the way things are on Cozumel who have either never been there or who have not spent much time there. Speaking strictly for myself I have set my expectations to fit the way things are on Cozumel rather than complaining about the way things are not. When in Rome...

 

[loady]

Fi

Very droll. FWIW, I have spent about two years cumulatively on Cozumel and I don't log dives.

I think what BRT was driving at is that there are those who post in this subforum griping about the way things are on Cozumel who have either never been there or who have not spent much time there. Speaking strictly for myself I have set my expectations to fit the way things are on Cozumel rather than complaining about the way things are not. When in Rome...

 

[loady]

First visit in 2005. Please post a log of your trips to coz. The last 50 years will do.

 

[loady]

Very droll. FWIW, I have spent about two years cumulatively on Cozumel and I don't log dives.

I think what BRT was driving at is that there are those who post in this subforum griping about the way things are on Cozumel who have either never been there or who have not spent much time there. Speaking strictly for myself I have set my expectations to fit the way things are on Cozumel rather than complaining about the way things are not. When in Rome...

Brazil and many places are infamous notorius for constant crime. I don’t accept it and try to get robbed. I reject the culture of crime and stay crime free. Respecting a culture doesn’t mean being a victim. Unless Stockholm syndrome is involved. Does that make me an ugly American? Listen I applaud your wealth and generosity. All of us are not so lucky as you. We don’t want to pay Florida or Hawaii or fiji prices in Mexico.