Taxi Strike?

[Dogbowl]

Several years ago I walked through town multiple times and the same hawker approached me every time I passed the shop he was working for, trying to sell me whatever their wares were. One time that happened I stopped and asked him, faux seriously, "Do I look like a tourist to you???" I was wearing shorts, a Hawaiian shirt and a canvas wide brimmed hat, and I had a camera hanging around my neck. I was probably sunburned.

We looked at each other for a beat, and then he busted out laughing. After that, every time I passed him he just grinned and waved.

OMG a very similar thing happened to me just this past December. I was staying at Casa Mexicana and walked to Tres Pelicanos every day briefly along Melgar with some of our scuba gear. Every day we would pass by a man who tried to get us to go on a tour or sell us something. Every day he’d say something to us, like, “Hey Scuba Divers, wanna go on a tour to the mainland?”, “Hey Scuba Divers, wanna rent a scooter?” Of course, we said “no” and just walked on by.

By the 5th day, I got a little annoyed that he kept accosting us every single day when he knew we were scuba divers and we dived every day and we weren’t going on any tours to the mainland! So I stopped that day and said, “ Look, we pass by every day and we say no every day. Does it look like we’re gonna go on a tour to the mainland?” There was a pause, he took my hand, patted my back and chuckled in a friendly way, and said, “I know man, I’m just trying to make a living. My boss is looking at me over there.” At that moment, he transformed into the guy next door. I reciprocated and patted his back and said, “Hey, no worries. You gotta do what you gotta do.” We were all good.

 

[ggunn]

OMG a very similar thing happened to me just this past December. I was staying at Casa Mexicana and walked to Tres Pelicanos every day briefly along Melgar with some of our scuba gear. Every day we would pass by a man who tried to get us to go on a tour or sell us something. Every day he’d say something to us, like, “Hey Scuba Divers, wanna go on a tour to the mainland?”, “Hey Scuba Divers, wanna rent a scooter?” Of course, we said “no” and just walked on by.

By the 5th day, I got a little annoyed that he kept accosting us every single day when he knew we were scuba divers and we dived every day and we weren’t going on any tours to the mainland! So I stopped that day and said, “ Look, we pass by every day and we say no every day. Does it look like we’re gonna go on a tour to the mainland?” There was a pause, he took my hand, patted my back and chuckled in a friendly way, and said, “I know man, I’m just trying to make a living. My boss is looking at me over there.” At that moment, he transformed into the guy next door. I reciprocated and patted his back and said, “Hey, no worries. You gotta do what you gotta do.” We were all good.

Another time every time I walked past the SE corner of the square, the same 20-something guy would approach me asking if I wanted a tour of the island. Finally, I stopped and said to him, "I've been coming to Cozumel since 1978. Would you like me to give you a tour of the island?" Mutual grinning and he never asked me again.

 

[mstevens]

I've been asked if I want to rent a car while I'm holding my very obvious car keys (keyless remote for a Nissan). I've held them up, said I was just heading around the corner to where my car was parked... and been asked "so, do you want to rent a car"? I think Dogbowl hit in on the head - these people make their living not just by signing visitors up for things, but also in part just by asking. It is annoying, but I can't find it in myself to get too annoyed by it.

 

[Asteve]

They are very serious about job in Mexico, If you want to start a war in Mexico just start taking someone job. Knew a guy that was helping his neighbor put a roof on a garage. Short story: It was not an hour later that a government official show up and told him he was taking a job away from a mexican and could not help his neighbor.
Attitude about jobs are very different then in the USA. I think there was a ferry boat that was bomb not long ago.
This is Mexico!

 

[Christi]

I always love it when I am on the pier with one of my boats and the Fury guys or the cattle boat snorkel operators try to sell me a snorkel trip - hehehehe!

 

[Christi]

Attitude about jobs are very different then in the USA. I think there was a ferry boat that was bomb not long ago.
This is Mexico!

Yes, this IS Mexico, it's NOT the United States and despite what people think, one can't just come down here and work because they want to. Your (collectively speaking) rights as foreigner do not extend across borders just because our culture thinks they know best and how things should be done. You're not in Kansas (or Colorado) anymore.

You're a little late to the ferry bombing party - haha!

 

[Asteve]

"You're a little late to the ferry bombing party - haha!"
I think it had a little to do with jobs, is why I brought it up, but yes it was beat to death.

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

@Christi, what is the status now? Are Uber's coming to Coz? Are the taxi drivers still staging protests? I have not seen anything on my limited sources.

Thanks,
Jay

 

[Dogbowl]

I always love it when I am on the pier with one of my boats and the Fury guys or the cattle boat snorkel operators try to sell me a snorkel trip - hehehehe!

@Christi , did you reciprocate and try to sell them a 2-tank dive trip?

 

[Christi]

@Christi, what is the status now? Are Uber's coming to Coz? Are the taxi drivers still staging protests? I have not seen anything on my limited sources.

Thanks,
Jay

That was it as far as I know or can tell - no other protests and everything is business as usual. The law was passed to allow UBER (and others in) but no one has taken advantage of the new freedom yet.