Peso Exchange Rates and the Taxi Mafia

[hilljo88]

How do you say "Uber" in Spanish?

 

[Skittl1321]

How do you say "Uber" in Spanish?

No way are they going to let that happen. A DM can't even give a tourist friend a ride without getting paid. The taxi union is NEVER going to let a competing business model in.

 

[ggunn]

Yes, mafia is hyperbole- but what you are saying here is that the bullying has business owners changing their behavior for fear of retribution ('they have to live there'). Isn't it -slightly- deserved hyperbole?

I don't think so; I think it's a matter of choosing your battles. I always opt for avoiding a fight rather than having one if I can.

The airport thing is union behavior; that doesn't really bother me. But the union should not be able to control people in a totally different industry.

It happens all the time. If you buy a truck and try to drive onto a dock in a union yard to pick up something off a ship, you'll have the teamsters to deal with. I'll take the Cozumel taxi drivers any day.

 

[Skittl1321]

It happens all the time. If you buy a truck and try to drive onto a dock in a union yard to pick up something off a ship, you'll have the teamsters to deal with. I'll take the Cozumel taxi drivers any day.

The Caleta is not a union yard.

 

[ggunn]

The Caleta is not a union yard.

Whatever. It's their country and it's their system. We are visitors in their house; we don't get to make the rules.

 

[mmmbelows]

How do you say "Uber" in Spanish?

LOL, the first uber car approved in Cozumel better be an armored car, or one that floats. They were smashing uber cars and slapping up uber drivers yet again in mexico city today. The cozumel taxi cartel is probably a little less violent, would probably only toss the uber car into the ocean.

---------- Post added July 30th, 2015 at 06:09 PM ----------

As I watch the Peso go into a bit of a free fall - this morning Bloomberg reports that the Exchange Rate for Dollars and Pesos was just a tad over 16.44 Pesos to the Dollar, I was wondering when, if ever, the Cozumel Taxi drivers would finally adjust. Are most taxis still quoting rates in Dollars at a 10-1 Exchange Rate? I know that last December there were a FEW taxis that would give a marginally better rate -- maybe 11-1, or even 12-1 (if you haggled with them), at a time when Banks were giving almost 15-1, but it seemed those were few and far between.

Also, just to get an idea of the spread, anybody who has exchanged currency today, what rate were you given/quoted, and where? What rates are the Banks giving on Dollars for Pesos? What rate will Mega or Chedruai give you?

You're really just so much better off pulling pesos out of an ATM. Whenever you are quoted in pesos and pay in US dollars you're in for a major screwing the majority of the time with small vendors, tours and taxis, the dive shops and hotels sometimes play nicer, the tourist restaurants will go for blood while a few of the restaurants play nice, but for the most part these other guys are making more off the exchange rate rip off than anything else. Taxis doing the 10:1 deal are basically charging almost 50% more for your fare. That $8 fare is $12. A nice contribution to their x-mas fund, whatever, I'm all for spreading the wealth around to those who can use it, but I prefer to make the decision willingly instead of having somebody ripping me off.

If I'm forced to pay in dollars when quoted in pesos I typically do like mister ggun does and just do my own exchange rate to short-cut and avoid the nastiness before it can start.

 

[Skittl1321]

Whatever. It's their country and it's their system. We are visitors in their house; we don't get to make the rules.

Is it an actual ordinance that locals cannot give rides to tourists? Or is it merely pressure? Because dive ops do offer this service, when they can without taxis getting on their case. Are the dive ops who give rides breaking the law? Or are the taxis trying to scare them just to keep their business. I really do not care about the airport thing. The shuttles and the taxis are one in the same. That makes sense. Or the 10:1 rate. Taking dollars is a convienence they offer. But when I go to money bar after a dive and the DM tells me I better take a cab because there are too many around to go in their car- well, that doesn't make sense to me. Or I have to walk from a farther parking space because a cab is too close to the one by the boat and there are 4 divers in the truck. That seems like a union bullying people they do not govern. Now if Cozumel has an ordinance that locals cannot drive foreigners for business or pleasure reasons. Sure. Their house, their rules.

 

[mmmbelows]

I can't answer for ggunn, but I think what he is saying is, while it might not necessarily be a 'law', its their country, their way of doing business, ggun will respect a lot of this out of respect of being a guest in their country and their culture.

I think it's kind of like when somebody from Europe travels to the US and eats at a restaurant, back home they may not be used to tipping much at a restaurant, but as a visitor to our country out of respect for the local culture they will tip as expected instead of trying to carry their home countries culture with them.

 

[dberry]

It seems odd to expect to pay for a taxi with any foreign currency (i.e. US dollars in this case). Just try to remember that WE are visiting THEIR country.

Despite what you might think about the current strength of the US dollar, most non-Americans aren't particularly interested in collecting non-native currency. I have visited a few countries with tightly controlled economies where there were active black markets in US dollars and other Western currencies, but that was quite a long time ago. I don't think Mexico is in that category, so save yourself some trouble and just use the ATM inside the Cozumel airport to get pesos. Problem solved. In general, ATMs (and credit cards) give the best rate you'll find (even allowing for the fee for using the ATM machine.)

 

[Skittl1321]

their way of doing business, ggun will respect a lot of this out of respect of being a guest in their country and their culture.

But it is the dive shop owners country too. Clearly it isn't THEIR way of doing business to force tourists into taxis instead of shop or private vehicles. Why do taxi drivers get to dictate the way of doing business?