Taxi Fare ?

[mstevens]

It was not about individual fares though, as you have implied. It was about the territory of the two syndicates.

What I'm implying is that some taxi drivers in the area feel as if their backs are to the wall and are being very aggressive about fares they believe they're owed.

I don't allow myself to be cheated. However, I also don't simply hand over some money, turn my back, and leave when a taxista doesn't think it's enough. I owe him at least my reasons for not agreeing to pay what he claims the fare is.

Your advice is easy enough to give when you don't need to live with the consequences. We spend several months every year on the island. We have friends and neighbors who are honest taxistas. People know my wife's scooter and our house. There's no point inviting bitter feelings by acting in the immensely rude manner you advise.

 

[mediumone]

There's no point inviting bitter feelings by acting in the immensely rude manner you advise.

And what behavior am I advising that is so rude?

I have advocated paying the correct fare and walking away. I limited the exchange for the sake of brevity, but I always conclude our business with a "gracias". I assumed that was a given.

You and I both know how the "correct" fare is established, so I'm not going to belabor that point.

Immensely rude ??? Sorry, don't get it. Maybe I'm dumber than I thought I was.

Regardless of whether my advocacy is rude or not, I also do not get the concept of bitter feelings by paying the correct fare, which is nothing less than honest.

 

[Offroad]

What's the correct rate from Villa Blanca/Blue Angel to the Airport?

 

[Mossman]

I have been traveling around Mexico long before I ever heard of Cozumel. The fact is, the number one rule of taking taxis in Mexico is to establish the fare before the driver moves. Cozumel is an anomaly in that there is supposed a rate schedule, just like in Mexico City where the taxis are supposed to use their meters.

Any Mexican visiting Cozumel from any other part of Mexico would naturally seek to establish the fare in advance. Simply paying what you believe to be the fare and walking away is as ugly American as one could get.

 

[ggunn]

Simply paying what you believe to be the fare and walking away is as ugly American as one could get.

I agree. In the first place, you could be wrong. In the second place, if the fare is indeed correct, the driver will not contest it, so a little eye contact for closure on the contract is just common courtesy. In the third place, if the driver is so bold as to actually contest the correct fare and ask for another dollar, it's better to just give it to him and avoid that cab in the future than to get into a row over a freakin' dollar.

And if all you have is a large note, then ask the driver if he has change for it before you get into the cab.

 

[DandyDon]

I have been traveling around Mexico long before I ever heard of Cozumel. The fact is, the number one rule of taking taxis in Mexico is to establish the fare before the driver moves. Cozumel is an anomaly in that there is supposed a rate schedule, just like in Mexico City where the taxis are supposed to use their meters.

Any Mexican visiting Cozumel from any other part of Mexico would naturally seek to establish the fare in advance. Simply paying what you believe to be the fare and walking away is as ugly American as one could get.

It always bothers me when I agree with him...?!

 

[Mossman]

It always bothers me when I agree with him...?!

Just because we disagree on 99% of things doesn't mean we can't enjoy that 1% commonality

Oh yeah, and we both like to dive. Don't forget that!

 

[bflying]

Anyone know the fare from the airport to Blue Angel and Blue Angel to town?

 

[ggunn]

Anyone know the fare from the airport to Blue Angel and Blue Angel to town?

You can't take a cab from the airport, so that's a moot point; the shuttle is about 8 bucks per person. 1-2 persons from BA to El Centro is 70 pesos.

 

[MMM]

I agree. In the first place, you could be wrong.

And here's an example of how that worked in reverse (and not in my favour). On my last trip, I had some medical issues with my hearing which necessitated a couple of trips to Cancun to an audiologist. I took a taxi from the main bus station to the mall where she was located and I asked the cab driver, before I got in, what the fare would be. He told me 50 pesos, which I thought sounded quite reasonable. On my return trip back to the bus depot, I just asked the driver if it was 50 pesos to the bus depot and he said "yes". On my second appointment, I repeated the process. Then I had lunch as a small cafe nearby and happened to mention to the manager (who spoke excellent English) that I needed to get back to the bus station and inquired if there was a place nearby where cabs picked up people at the mall. He flagged a cab down for me when I was ready to go and told me not to give him more than 20 pesos for the trip! Sure enough, when I asked the driver the fare, it was 20 pesos. I expect that the taxi drivers charge more for pick-up at the bus terminal, much as they do at the ferry terminal in Coz but that wouldn't apply on my way back. Live and learn.