Thanks! Somebody gets my drift.
I hate being angry. I don't anger easily, but once I am there it's hard for me to get over it quickly. If I get into an argument with someone (a real one, not just an enthusiastic exchange of viewpoints like we have in here), it will be with me for a while, maybe hours. I don't get that many hours on Cozumel and I don't want to ruin any of them by being pi$$ed off. So I take the simple steps I have outlined to keep from getting ripped off, and if something slips through and I get set back a dollar or two, I don't sweat it. I'll play the game better next time. Fool me twice, shame on me.
I agree that cab drivers should not arbitrarily elevate fares, but it happens. It's hardly a unique situation and nothing I do is going to stop it; the best I can do is try to keep it from happening to me, and I have been pretty successful at that.
I realize that my viewpoint is not universal; it appears to me that some folks do indeed enjoy being angry. They seem to thrive on righteous indignation. I'll step aside and let them play through.