Question Are You Tired of the Taxi Ripoff?

[living4experiences]

I've just arrived in Cozumel and have been ripped off four times by taxi drivers! I thought I did enough due diligence to be informed about what I should be paying from point A to point B, but the taxi Mafia has little care about adhering to their rules. The first three drivers refused to provide me the rate card. The fare should have been 260 pesos from Casa Mexicana to Iberostar. The first two drivers quoted 350 pesos to which I countered with the correct fare. The price was lowered to 300 pesos. Once I mentioned I wanted to see the rate card, they all of a sudden didn't understand what I was talking about. I walked away and headed down the road on foot to catch another taxi. Driver number three said 300 pesos and also refused to provide the rate card. Now I was running out of time to get to my destination, so I paid the $300 pesos.

Coming back from iberostar, with no option, I was forced to pay the $300 pesos from Iberostar to Casa Mexicana. Once we arrived, I waited till my stuff was out of the van and then I asked the driver for his rate card, to which he did not know what I was talking about. I then typed the question into Google Translate and showed it to him. He looked dumbfounded and wouldn't answer, even seeing the question in his own language. I then went to the front of the van and took a picture of his license plate. He conveniently found a rate card. This rate card was in USD for cruise ship passengers only, for transportation from the International and Punta Langosta Piers. It occurred to me now that the drivers are charging regular tourists the cruise ship passenger rates all the time. This was not a zone rate card and it was not in Spanish or Pesos. When I asked to take a photo of the rate card, he refused. Now I'm angry and telling him that by law he needs to show it to me. He finally let me get a photo, but he didn't make it easy and wouldn't let me touch it. He says that Casa Mexicana is at Punta Langosta Pier. So somehow that means I'm a cruise ship passenger?

I would be interested to know what the community here does in these situations in Cozumel. Besides taking a picture of the license plate, what other photos should one gather in the event of filing a formal complaint? I'm not saying I would take time from my vacation to do so, but this might be enough of an intimidation to the driver that I'm not a customer that will be taken advantage of.

I'm thinking that Maybe I should just get in the cab, knowing the price, and pay it at the destination. If he has a problem with it, then that would be another issue.

 

[Damian G. Finch]

Seems like an outrageous amount of effort over $2.34.

 

[DandyDon]

Seems like an outrageous amount of effort over $2.34.

300 pesos converts to $17.57 USD today.

I've had many arguments with taxi drivers over the years. The card rates are fine, but it can be challenging to get those.

 

[Damian G. Finch]

The difference between 300 Pesos (his negotiated price) and 260 Pesos ( the price he thought it should have been) is $2.34 USD.

 

[Rob9876]

I am tired of the taxis, and they seem to be getting worse about over-charging. In this case, I understand not liking getting over-charged by 40 pesos (that's about 15% extra), even though the amount is not huge -- it's still a feels like you're getting scammed (because you are).

However, rather than dwell on that during vacation time, in cases like this where it's a relatively small amount, I tend to just go along with it and then don't tip -- I figure the over-charge is enough.

 

[mediumone]

I'm thinking that Maybe I should just get in the cab, knowing the price, and pay it at the destination. If he has a problem with it, then that would be another issue.

This is what I've advocated for over 10 years.
Pay the driver the correct fare, thank him/her, walk away.

 

[Dave Dillehay]

Better choice might be stay close enough to downtown, that you can walk in or bicycle in if your lodging provides bikes.

Dave Dillehay

 

[ReefHound]

The difference between 300 Pesos (his negotiated price) and 260 Pesos ( the price he thought it should have been) is $2.34 USD.

He was asked for 350 pesos. It took that "outrageous amount of effort" to get the 300 pesos.

And if people don't resist, next year it will be much more.

 

[ReefHound]

Better choice might be stay close enough to downtown, that you can walk in or bicycle in if your lodging provides bikes.

Dave Dillehay

*cough* *cough* Not many lodgings provide bikes. *cough* *cough*

 

[ReefHound]

Has anyone gone into the taxi syndicate on 2nd street and asked for a rate card?