Taxi pimps? Wtf?

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wildbill9

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Messages
652
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Location
arkansas
# of dives
1000 - 2499
We usually walk north into town. This trip most cruise ships stopped south of town, only two stopped north. We decided to walk south just to see the area. Many very pushy time share people, others pushing island tours others beach trips and many did not accept no gracias! They kept after us finally we had enough and ask a cab how much to take us back to the Blue Angel a local dressed in whites jumped in and told us we had to go thru him to get a taxi ( 95 pesos which was absurd) . He continued to chase us and tell us we had to use him. We walked away, caught a cab 300 yards down for 60 pesos. So what is the taxi pump scam by the cruise pier? Bill
 
Sounds like the international pier or the one next to it with the world longest liquor store. (Puerta Maya-on edit) It's the gringo tax. They are looking for stupid or drunk or stupid drunk gringos that do not know any better to take advantage of. Once you're in town it's not as bad, and you can always walk on the sea side of the street. Airports and cruise terminals are the worst. If "no" doesn't work...just keep walking. Eventually they will look for the next sucker. There is the taxi scam (several variants) , the time share free access scam, the gas scam, the authentic Cuban cigar scam, the no license plate on the rental car scam, I haven't seen the parking scam on Cozumel but we seldom rent a car. They look for newbies that don't know any better.

It's still my favorite place in the world. These people have to make a living somehow, just not off of me. 99% of the people probably hate the taxi pimps too!

Safe travels
Jay
 
We usually walk north into town. This trip most cruise ships stopped south of town, only two stopped north. We decided to walk south just to see the area. Many very pushy time share people, others pushing island tours others beach trips and many did not accept no gracias! They kept after us finally we had enough and ask a cab how much to take us back to the Blue Angel a local dressed in whites jumped in and told us we had to go thru him to get a taxi ( 95 pesos which was absurd) . He continued to chase us and tell us we had to use him. We walked away, caught a cab 300 yards down for 60 pesos. So what is the taxi pump scam by the cruise pier? Bill
I don't know what attracted these guys to you. I have gone to Cozumel at least once a year since the late 1980's and I have only rarely had a hawker pester me after my first smile and "no, gracias", and never after my second refusal. I have never had an agent try to get between me and a taxista.

I did once tell a young guy pushing island tours that I had been coming to Cozumel since before he was born and did he want me to give him a tour? :D
 
The only place worse then Cozumel is Acapulco. There are so many scammers and pick pocketing thieves it's ridiculous. Unfortunately Cozumel is a big cruise ship destination and the females in the family love tourist shopping. So I have to be the grumpy bodyguard who shoes the beggars away.
 
I"m wondering just where you were. Was it by Puerto Maya? We walked down there once and were shocked that a popsicle that costs 15 pesos in town was 90 pesos! We left abruptly and made our way back near Marine World/Atlantis Submarine. As for the taxi drivers, I'd say that at least half that we meet are extremely nice and helpful--the others just weren't very talkative. We were waiting for an empty taxi across from Marine World and there were two other guys waiting for one too. A taxi van was coming but I didn't bother to wave it down because I'm under the impression they have a minimum so it only works for large groups. He pulled over, picked up all of us, dropped off the first guys, and only charged us half the usual fare.
 
... These people have to make a living somehow ...

Through lies and intimidation? That's a very liberal definition of "making a living".

For the OP, this isn't much different than the touts along the malecon (already mentioned) or the ones at Cancun airport. I've had those guys tell me that the free shuttle that runs every 20 minutes costs $200 pesos and runs every 45 minutes; or that ADO only runs every three hours and that I just missed one, when in fact they run every 20 minutes.

I"m usually too tired, but one of these days I want to try "Eres pendejo mentiroso. ¡Vete!", just to see what the reaction is.

[Edit: add] I just wonder how the aggressiveness correlates with the season. The foreign tourist season starts winding down after Easter. There's a pickup in domestic (Mexican) tourism in July, which is the traditional vacation time, as I understand it. Things really drop off in August, bottoming in October, and not really picking up again until US Thanksgiving in late November. I wonder if the guy in the OP was hanging on from high season and running low on cash, hence the desperation.
 
If there is a line of taxis there is usually someone in charge of who is next and to keep them in line. I know across from dolphinaris by the palace there is a nice older guy who sits across the street on wall and keeps the taxis in line and waves them across when there are people waiting for a ride. He's kinda slow and its nice they let him do this, I say hi to him to everyday.
 
Couple of friends came back and were very disappointed. The street scams were a bit too much.
Really is a shame
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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