Good News On Taxi Exchange Rates

[ReefHound]

Yeah, OK, but as ggunn says, don't allow it to happen. Know what the rate is. Hail the cab, reach your destination, pay the correct fare, thank your driver, and walk. Those drivers that try to impose the tourist tax can sit there all day yelling, screaming, muttering or whatever - doesn't matter - pay the correct fare and walk. The end.

I can see both sides. Yes, you can take more control of your situation, pay in pesos, and agree on rate beforehand. On the other hand, people go on vacation to relax not be on friggin' guard 24/7. Just because someone CAN take advantage of you doesn't mean the MUST or SHOULD. And if they do then they have to accept the reputation they have earned.

 

[ReefHound]

i hate to say it but if you want to pay in USD then take the loss... Pay in peso and you are treated fair. How many businesses or individuals in the US will take the peso? none..

Ridiculous comparison, how many businesses or individuals in the U.S. get 95% of their business from Mexican tourists carrying pesos in their pockets?

 

[ReefHound]

Something you seem to be forgetting is that you are a gringo and the cab driver is Mexican, the cop is Mexican, and you are in Mexico. If you get into an adversarial situation with a cab driver, who is it again that you think the cop will side with?

Pretty sad state. So I guess it would be just fine and dandy if a Mexican visited NYC and got in a dispute with a white American and the cop was a white American and since it's the U.S. the Mexican is toast.

 

[ReefHound]

$2 on a $10 fare is %20. That constant %20 keeps adding up and it upsets some people. I have been taken aback a couple times by the tourist tax, so I am careful to bring pesos along with me. But then, I've been there before and I've got a ready supply of pesos to start with.

OK, you don't give a flip about what others are going through. I certainly do.

Something else to consider is the reputation an industry if not entire country gets from it. A taxi is often a tourist's first and last impression of a place. When they get ripped off by a taxi driver - and some of them can be intimidating to even vigilant tourists - they may feel like everyone in Mexico is that way. Then they become hesitant to buy souvenirs or eat at restaurants. Sadly, one reason some tourists do all-inclusives is because they want to avoid interactions with the locals.

 

[judydivescoz]

Of course you can get overcharged in Pesos too.

I remember we were going from the house to our Carnival room at the Cuda. I was shouldering 50# of beads and toys and crap. I flagged a taxi on 10. They guy stopped and the missus took over in Spanish. He quoted something dumb like 2-300 pesos. She told him no and he got mad and left. Then I had to schlep all that crap 4 more block before we got another cab for like 30 pesos.

I would have paid the first guy.....

Still...that overcharge in pesos is better than the $20-$30 it might have cost with that driver if you were offering to pay in USD!

 

[kmurray719]

Budgets are tight all around and no one likes being cheated. It can be very upsetting if you're expecting one exchange rate and are then blindsided with another. I get it. No need to vilify those who feel victimized. I've been in a number of areas where the dollar was worth far more than the exchange rate. I have a wonderful Mink Shabka from Russia. The exchange put it way over $400 and I got it for $60 American. No, I wasn't in a tourist area either and we both felt we made out.

You realize that's why we have these discussions, right? To clue others in? No need to be so hostile.

$2 on a $10 fare is %20. That constant %20 keeps adding up and it upsets some people. I have been taken aback a couple times by the tourist tax, so I am careful to bring pesos along with me. But then, I've been there before and I've got a ready supply of pesos to start with.

OK, you don't give a flip about what others are going through. I certainly do.

Some people in this discussion are painting the entire taxi industry in Cozumel, and all the drivers, as thiefs and cheats, when by following the exchange rate decided on by the taxi union they are just doing their jobs. Whether we think it's "fair" or not, they are following the posted fare chart that anyone can look up and see what the taxi fare should be, and choose whether they want to pay that rate, be it in USD or pesos. It is also posted at several of the popular taxi stands (the ferry, the cruise ships, etc) It has been suggested by someone that it's reasonable to try to underpay a taxi driver, and to try to walk away from part of a fare you legitimately agreed to by getting into the cab and hiring their service.

But you think that the people saying "whoa, that seems like an extreme reaction to a 'problem' with an easy solution of paying in pesos, maybe you should chill out a little" are being 'hostile' and vilifying the 'victims', that somehow means they are insensitive and don't 'give a flip about what others are going through'?? It seems to me that the people you're talking about aren't the ones being hostile here. Perhaps it's time for a vacation? May I suggest Cozumel? And a rental car of course

 

[mmmbelows]

When I am on the island I tend to take the same taxi ride many times - from the hotel to town and back. It was 70 pesos last trip, I believe. When I flag a taxi I lean in and say "70 pesos, si?".
Something you seem to be forgetting is that you are a gringo and the cab driver is Mexican, the cop is Mexican, and you are in Mexico. If you get into an adversarial situation with a cab driver, who is it again that you think the cop will side with?

Seriously, all the heartburn in here over a few pesos seems pretty silly to me, especially when the situation is so easily avoided. The last thing I want to do on with my precious vacation time is to get into a fight with a cab driver, or anyone else for that matter, and I do all I can to avoid such conflicts. For example, my wife is no longer "allowed" to mix caffeine and tequila while we are on holiday.

So true and I'm not advocating calling the cops over a few dollars, only stating the obvious in regard to the legality.

Because the cabs in Cozumel are notorious for cheating tourists the two ways to avoid any hassle is do exactly what you've advised already - to ask for the fare in advance and have pesos, that eliminates about 95% of their ability to rip you off. Of course if a tourist doesn't do those two things nobody deserves to be ripped off and those are the side issues and what you are replying to in regard to my replies, nobody is without 'rights' and deserving to be ripped off just because you pay with dollars or aren't savvy enough to know to ask the fare before you get in. The law would be on your side, and while none of us want to get into a situation that can be avoided, I'd personally have no fear of the Cozumel police, like any Mexican tourist zone they are a lot different than the backwoods police you may run into outside these zones, they are pretty fair and understanding and at least from my experiences they frown upon locals taking advantage of tourists.. well maybe that's not a fair blanket statement, let's just say they frown upon locals taking too much advantage, a little bit is okay..

 

[ReefHound]

Some people in this discussion are painting the entire taxi industry in Cozumel, and all the drivers, as thiefs and cheats, when by following the exchange rate decided on by the taxi union they are just doing their jobs. Whether we think it's "fair" or not, they are following the posted fare chart that anyone can look up and see what the taxi fare should be, and choose whether they want to pay that rate, be it in USD or pesos. It is also posted at several of the popular taxi stands (the ferry, the cruise ships, etc) It has been suggested by someone that it's reasonable to try to underpay a taxi driver, and to try to walk away from part of a fare you legitimately agreed to by getting into the cab and hiring their service.

But you think that the people saying "whoa, that seems like an extreme reaction to a 'problem' with an easy solution of paying in pesos, maybe you should chill out a little" are being 'hostile' and vilifying the 'victims', that somehow means they are insensitive and don't 'give a flip about what others are going through'?? It seems to me that the people you're talking about aren't the ones being hostile here. Perhaps it's time for a vacation? May I suggest Cozumel? And a rental car of course

It's not my problem as a tourist how the structure is set up internally. So the industry/union as a whole implements a ripoff policy, that justifies even more that people view them all as trying to rip them off. We can talk all day about what people could do or should do but the typical tourist is going on vacation to relax, not study up on the taxi industry and prepare themselves to engage in battle to be treated fairly.

You think admonishing people that Mexico is not the United States is cordial? What, does anyone honestly think tourists don't know they are in Mexico? You think telling people that if they pay in USD they deserve getting ripped off is cordial? Nobody "deserves" to get taken advantage of, no matter how stupid, ignorant, careless, or drunk they may be. We all know it is going to happen though, and not just in Mexico. This isn't unique to Mexico. But when it happens the tourist may have a negative impression of that taxi driver, and if it happens to them over and over they are going to extend that impression to all taxi drivers and perhaps all local Mexicans. They will go home and tell their friends. And if it happens to enough tourists who tell enough friends, eventually a negative reputation is established that is very difficult to reverse.

 

[mmmbelows]

On the other hand, people go on vacation to relax not be on friggin' guard 24/7.

It's unfortunate but it's pretty much the way it is with every trip to Mexico, love the place, the food, the people (the honest ones), the beaches the diving... but when you go there you have a mental check list, oh yeah, going to Mexico, get ready...for Mexico and the rip offs, the aggressive/dishonest time shares salesmen, the games played with forcing insurances on you at the rental car counters, the gas station rip offs with the 200 peso notes that turn into 20 peso notes, the continuous rip-off with the exchange rate game, the padding of bar bills with extra drinks... it goes on and on. After a few trips you get savvy to all the tricks and you learn the things you need to do to avoid too much of the 'tourist tax'.

You try to minimize your exposure to these things and for the most part the further you step away from the tourist traps the more honest and sincere everyone is and it's a lovely experience, you book diving or fishing trips and the people you interact with providing you these services are just great people and you have a wonderful experience. It's usually getting to and from and wading through the rip offs to get to these great people that sucks. Yes there is far more good than bad in Mexico that's why we return all the time, but that doesn't mean I give the bad a pass, nor accept it, and all the games are unfortunate as it does give the place a bad rap that it doesn't need and adds an underlying level of needless stress to those on vacation that is unique to Mexico. I see different scams and schemes all over the world but nowhere do I travel so frequently that has so much of it as Mexico does. At it's current level you can deal with it but there are times we travel elsewhere and you do make mental notes of "Oh yeah, not in Mexico, don't have to keep your guard up over every single transaction" and that paints a mental contrast.

It's also unfortunate because all of these things add up and they just give the all inclusive resorts more attraction to tourists because of the comfort level of not having to navigate these things, keeping people on the resort grounds instead of venturing out to mingle with the locals.

 

[kmurray719]

It's not my problem as a tourist how the structure is set up internally. So the industry/union as a whole implements a ripoff policy, that justifies even more that people view them all as trying to rip them off. We can talk all day about what people could do or should do but the typical tourist is going on vacation to relax, not study up on the taxi industry and prepare themselves to engage in battle to be treated fairly.

You think admonishing people that Mexico is not the United States is cordial? What, does anyone honestly think tourists don't know they are in Mexico? You think telling people that if they pay in USD they deserve getting ripped off is cordial? Nobody "deserves" to get taken advantage of, no matter how stupid, ignorant, careless, or drunk they may be. We all know it is going to happen though, and not just in Mexico. This isn't unique to Mexico. But when it happens the tourist may have a negative impression of that taxi driver, and if it happens to them over and over they are going to extend that impression to all taxi drivers and perhaps all local Mexicans. They will go home and tell their friends. And if it happens to enough tourists who tell enough friends, eventually a negative reputation is established that is very difficult to reverse.

I didn't say any of those things, nor did I say any of them were okay. I said that the taxi situation is what it is, and that we could talk about it forever and that isn't going to change anything, it's wasted time and energy. The only things you can do to "protect" yourself is agree to the fare in advance and pay in pesos. And that Netdoc's comments were a pot/kettle situation.

Every time I enter this thread I think of this quote. :

"Happiness is allowing yourself to be okay with what is, rather than wishing for, and bemoaning, what is not.....The rest is just you, arguing with life."

Y'all can go ahead and spend your time arguing with life, I prefer to spend mine under a palapa drinking a XX and watching the sunset. You're welcome to come on down and join me, we'll make sure it's somewhere you can walk to avoid using a taxi