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[QUOTE=Sidney]You are defending the Taxi scum, not the poor, uneducated woman![/QUOTE]I like the BA cabbies. There's a few bad apples, but IMHO 95% or more are reliable. As I have reported previously, head on up to Mexico City if you want to experience bad cabbies.
[QUOTE=Msch912]I noticed there haven't been any posts here for a long time, which probably says a lot about the taxi drivers in Argentina. I can't say much about the airport drivers, but I found the drivers in BA to be the best I've ever encountered. Always used the meter, were polite and often talkative, never drove me out of the way and gave change. I only used radio or official taxis and paid with small bills.[/QUOTE]We obviously live on another planet. And especially if you drive here. They are the most indifferent, selfish drivers in existence. Sin excepcion. And cause mayhem to other drivers by their gutter-crawling driving technique. The reason there are few posts is that words fail us!
Argento
I see two (or maybe three) faces of cab drivers here.
For the most part, like Doggboy says, they are business like and get the job done with no muss or fuss. In the two years I've lived here, I've had one taxi driver ask for too much after he forgot to turn on the meter (and I gave him about half what he asked for) two taxi drivers that were obviously running with bad meters (I paid them what I knew the trip was worth) and one taxi driver that took me and two buddies too far to a place where we knew we were going and tried to argue with us (and we paid him what the trip was worth)
I have been in cabs with foreign visitors who have tried to be "fierce" with a cabbie and ensure that the cabbie is not ripping him off. I have seen these people try to tell the cabby the names of the streets and give directions they want to go in a fashion that even I had a hard time understanding and get angry at the cabby and accuse him of not understanding on purpose. (I'm not naming any names here;))
I once saw a cab driver purposefully bump a school gril who crossed in front of him as the light was changing - he actually hit her backpack and quite on purpose. I was in the cab (forgot to list this with the issues above) and got out immediately and refused to pay the prick a dime.
I agree with Argento 100% too - cab drivers are the biggest problem of traffic on small streets and trying to get around the city in busy places because of the way the trawl for their fares to the exclusion of other people being able to get around them, and they are the absolute worst drivers because they couldn't give a rat's ass about ANYONE else on the road, whether it be another cabby or a private driver.
And lastly, I know of two women who have been raped by cab drivers late at night.
The cab drivers are far from angels, although I have to say that I personally, when I ride in cabs, have had an extremely small percentage of issues, but I'm a reasonably big guy and probably make most of them think twice before trying anything too outre.
I have mixed view of the cabbies of BA. I used about 60~80 odd cabs during my stay. I would say that almost 80% of them were very likable, pleasant, welcomed me as a foreigner, chatted with me with great interest about my life and in all offered a great ride to my destination.
However, 20% of them were very mediocre in their jobs, didn't have a clue on the BA routes, deliberately tried to increase the fare by taking longer routes, absolutely non cooperative at times, rude, sulky, unpleasant.
Overall, having used taxis in 50 odd countries in last 10 years, in my consensus purely, I would rate BA taxi drivers as much safer and less corrupt as compared to drivers of many 3rd world countries or even some of the other Central or South American countries. I never felt scared hailing a cab at 3 am in the morning on the streets of BA, I never felt scared going to a unknown place with a new cab driver at 2 am in the night. It speaks a lot about the safety the BA cabs provide to non-Spanish speaking tourists.
Being a well traveled person, I can vouch that their are some really rogue taxis in some of famous world cities. So, 3 cheers to BA cabs from me.
My personal experience with cabs in BA is 97.5% positive. Over multiple trips with many cabs, I have had two bad experiences.
One was an obviously fast meter. The fare was twice the usual. I paid the cabbie the standard fare and exited the cab. The second incident was a minor one. When the cabbie dropped me at the airport, he asked me to pay for the tolls also. I said the deal was all inclusive paid him the agreed fare and walked away.
My female friends on the other had tell me many stories of bad cabbies in BA. I guess the sight of a foreign female brings out the greed.
On a positive note, on one ride half way to my destination I noticed the meter was off. Upon being reminded the driver immediately turned it on and started cursing himself. At the destination when I asked him what was the total fare, he pointed to the meter which read $4 something. I gave him $8 which was the fare of my previous trip.
Keep in mind that about 70% (my estimation) of cab drivers aren't the owners so any trip they do with the metre off is stealing from their employer who can't check this at the end of the day with the metre unless the car is equipped with sensors beneath the seats that indicate the amount of kilometres someone has been sitting there. That pleasant, talkative chap that drives you to the airport from the car owner's point of view is a thieving fucker that is stealing from him.
The shorter the journey is the more the cabby earns. They make more on the "bajada de bandera" (pulling the flag down) than on the kilometre driven (plus the fact that they use less gas) So the "scenic route" you all worry about is not to the driver's benefit. It's just because he's an idiot that doesn't have a clue where he's going at least during normal working hours. Notice how the tortoise becomes a hare once he has a passenger. He wants to get rid of the fucker as quick as possible so as to pick up someone else!
Highway tolls are paid by the passenger unless specifically (and this means SPECIFICALLY) indicated otherwise. If you refuse to pay, most cab drivers' attitude is to jump in the cab and get back on the streets and make it up. They get robbed at gun point, all they made in the day stolen, their cars stolen. Even shot or stabbed so a gringo refusing to pay for the "peaje" is just part of their daily losses! Big deal two or three pesos more or less!
A few years ago, it had become quite dangerous to take a cab in Bs. As. Crooks were stealing cabs from their owners and driving them till they picked up a likely client and robbing him or taking him to an ATM machine to empty the account (the reason why banks justify the limits they have on withdrawals) but strict police controls and collaboration with the legitimate cab drivers put an end to this type of crime or at least lowered it drastically.
Today, the percentage of crooks driving cabs is low but, of course, shit happens.
But I do recommend rather than work a deal with a cab driver you either take a remise or some other fixed price means of transportation for long hauls or a radio cab for shorter trips around town!
I was taken. Very slick taxi driver about 55 years old. Waiting outside Mahados in Rcoletta.
I got in. Meter wasn't on. Said he would charge me 25 pesos to Palermo. (I knew the story and it was more then the actual fair but let it go as my stomach wasn't feeling good)
When we got to Palermo I handed the guy a 50 pesos. He took it and I don't know how he did it but the guy was a wizard and changed the 50 into a 5 practicaly in front of me.
I was amazed and here is where the killer blow came (hindsight is a *****) I went to my wallet for the 50 that I knew I had and when it wasn't there I realised I had no change and gave him 100 pesos. He took it and began counting out my change in 5 and 10s up to 50 pesos. The original amount I thought I had given him. I got out and as soon as I did I knew something was up. I closed the door and stood there smiling at him. He sat there looking at me for about 20 seconds and I just stood there smiling. I knew that he had done the switch-er-oo but at that time didn't realize that he had short changed me as well.
He roll's down the window and asks me if everything is OK and tells me there is some good clubs around the corner before slowly putting the car in gear and dawdling away. I just stood there smiling.'
Fuck me the Guy was smooth and fuck me I was slow.
So I got taken for 95 pesos which I'm sure will come back in the form of a horse passing the post and he'll get a burst tyre some night.
A little jet lag and a little tipsey with a bit of a bad stomach and not paying attention one late night in be. A.
Lesson learned. Do NOT take taxis right outside boliches. The chances of running into a problem of one sort or another increases exponentially.
That they turn on the meter, if they say "pay me what you think the trip is worth" give them 25 centavos. Just fucking demand that they turn on the meter or pull over, as simple as that.
Second since change is war in BsAs seperate your money, keep big bills, 100s in one pocket with like 2 two peso notes. When you go to a place you know will have change (Coto, Jumbo, big places not the corner kiosko) whatever the charge is pull out the wad with the 100's and 2 two peso bills, look stupid as a gringo should and just say "no tengo cambio". This will insure at the end of the night you have enough 10s and 20s to pay taxis.
I agree with Dogg and DR, and I would emphasize that having change is the most important defense against rogue taxis. Simply put, if you're in any situation wherein there is any sort of fare dispute, just toss whatever you believe is the correct fare into the taxi's front seat and walk away.
Every now and then I get a taxi with a rigged meter. In these situations I just sit quietly until we arrive at my destination, exit the taxi (never pay while in the taxi) and hand him approximately what I know the fare should have been (and perhaps less) and just walk away. Of course the driver will start his usual protestations, even exiting the vehicle to confront me, which is when I tell him that I know that the meter is rigged, but if he wants to pursue the issue further then I will be pleased to take up the issue with the police. At this point there is usually some exchange of colorful unpleasantries as he drives away.
Thanks,
Jackson
A couple months ago, a gabby taxista forgot to turn his meter on and I noticed at probably 6 pesos worth of ride. Coincidently, the rates had just gone up and he was saying he hadn't gone in yet to get the meter changed, too big a line up. I think the ultimate meter charge was around 12 pesos and he said that was good enough and fair for his lack of attention.
I gave him a 20.
MAG
[QUOTE=MiddleAgeGuy]A couple months ago, a gabby taxista forgot to turn his meter on and I noticed at probably 6 pesos worth of ride. Coincidently, the rates had just gone up and he was saying he hadn't gone in yet to get the meter changed, too big a line up. I think the ultimate meter charge was around 12 pesos and he said that was good enough and fair for his lack of attention.
I gave him a 20.
MAG[/QUOTE]The vast majority of taxi drivers (Tacheros) are honest hard working professional guys (albeit with a sociopath belief that they own the roads) who are well trained, helpful, and for the most part congenial. These precautions are for when you run into the 5% or so that are hard working scum bags.
[QUOTE=Daddy Rulz] (albeit with a sociopath belief that they own the roads) [/QUOTE]I agree with everything you say but I especially loved that quote! May I use it?
[QUOTE=Aqualung]I agree with everything you say but I especially loved that quote! May I use it?[/QUOTE]But only if you tell me how to say it in Spanish.