Taxi Ripoffs

[Gato Hunter]

I don't want anyone to think that its not safe to get in a cab.

This was not meant to be an advert for SilverStar who is entirely overpriced.

I will take a cab my next trip to BA no problem.

[Silver Star]

Believe it or not the Argies drive with their headlights OFF at night so they don't burn them up and have to buy replacement bulbs!

The old joke use to be that they drive with their lights OFF so they don't use up their batteries!

I shudder when I see the ¨Donor-cycles¨ without headlights, tail-lights or BRAKE lights!

WTF!

Article in the Houston Chronicle said that you are 6 times more likely to die in a car accident in BA than in Houston!

TL.

P. S - I have only driven twice in BA in 5 years and I would have been terrified if I had'nt been so fucked Up!

I have to turn off my rear view dimmer at night in order to see the idiots with no drivers education tailgating me, etc when doing airport rides!

Fortunately, my Town Car is a TANK, very safe and airbag equipped, but more important than all of that is driving in a safe and prudent manner.

Our C4 Exclusive is also airbag equipped.

Fred.

www.silverstarcar.com

(much more comfortable and safer than a tiny taxi)

[Miami Bob]

I keep the numbers for two large, reputable radio taxi services handy--they have a record of you with both the pick-up and delivery address in their computer. You are not likely a good target for a rip off.

A & S.

Paris taxi.

Taxi Ezeiza is a car service, not a taxi. Airport to city center they are near the bottom of the "at the airport" car services, but depending on traffic, they are about 5-10% more than a street taxi that you can pick-up at the departure area illegally.

From city center to the airport, they are priced about the same as a street taxi during rush hour or maybe 5% more.

Non-rush hour, they are 10-15% more than a street cab.

If you are two or three people with luggage, taxi ezeiza or the radio service. With 24 hours notice, will sent a small sport utility that can carry more than the typical sub-compacts.

If you are a larger group or have more luggage you need either SILVER STAR or seperate taxi's

[TejanoLibre]

I always drive with my headlights on of course. I was wondering why so many drivers leave them off and what the rationale is. Most Argentines have not had formal driving education, unlike me. Most of them tailgate, weave in and out, have poorly maintained, tiny cars and usually don't use turn signals. Many cars don't have airbags either! (Unlike my company)

Fred.

www.silverstarcar.com

Worth It

Believe it or not the Argies drive with their headlights OFF at night so they don't burn them up and have to buy replacement bulbs!

The old joke use to be that they drive with their lights OFF so they don't use up their batteries!

I shudder when I see the ¨Donor-cycles¨ without headlights, tail-lights or BRAKE lights!

WTF!

Article in the Houston Chronicle said that you are 6 times more likely to die in a car accident in BA than in Houston!

TL.

P. S - I have only driven twice in BA in 5 years and I would have been terrified if I had'nt been so fucked Up!

[Silver Star]

The possibilities of being in an accident increase tremendously! The auto death rates are very high in AR. Why increase your chances of injury, even death? The drivers are incompetent. Why increase your risk? Many drivers cannot see you coming! But the practice continues, satisfying the machismo of the ignorant drivers! In AR, no traffic laws are enforced! Most men and chicas that I know refuse to ride in these vehicles! AVOID!

Here is a video on how bad Argentine driver are.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKwADYmtlTI

Fred

www.silverstarcar.com

¨Play it safe¨

[Silver Star]

The possibilities of being in an accident increase tremendously! The auto death rates are very high in AR. Why increase your chances of injury, even death? The drivers are incompetent. Why increase your risk? Many drivers cannot see you coming! But the practice continues, satisfying the machismo of the ignorant drivers! In AR, no traffic laws are enforced! Most men and chicas that I know refuse to ride in these vehicles! AVOID!

I always drive with my headlights on of course. I was wondering why so many drivers leave them off and what the rationale is. Most Argentines have not had formal driving education, unlike me. Most of them tailgate, weave in and out, have poorly maintained, tiny cars and usually don't use turn signals. Many cars don't have airbags either! (Unlike my company)

Fred.

www.silverstarcar.com

Worth It

[Miami Bob]

Bad--you know the guy is sleeze. He tried to rip me off right in front of you--the maid is paid 25 US dollars per hour. You said nothing.

How will your clients be protected from this guy in the future?

Inquiring minds want to know? Gato is an old hand, young and knows how to protect himself. If an executive from Motorola was physically harmed, there would be a world of shit. How about an elderly couple for their first trip to BA?

No one is outing the name of your business. You have some sort of duty to let this slimebag know that you know what he did and if he does it again, the tourism police will be involved. Let your clients know that 25 pesos per hour is a high, but not an unreasonable rate to pay for extra maid service. 25 dollars per hour is thievery.

You are a good guy--step-up and do the right thing.

Warn your clients about him. Do something.

[Gato Hunter]

I have rented the same apartment my last few trips. I got in a cab to go to EZE on Tuesday night. A spanish speaking board member that speaks fluent spanish was listening while the portero talked to a taxi that was hailed for me. I heard something about coming back tomorrow with 40 pesos but they were talking fast and using some lunfardo.

We go one block he wants me to eat a tic tac, I say no. We go two blocks and I tell the taxista to start the meter. We go three he asks me to eat another tic tac, in hindsight it was probably a roofie. He tells me its a flat 200 pesos to the airport. I tell him to pull the fuck over. He mentioned something about a commission for the portero. I almost climbed over the front seat and was about to kick some ass when he would not stop. He finaly stopped on Las Heras when I was about to beat his ass from the back seat, and tried to drive off with my bag on the front seat. I opened the door and somehow got it out. He then got out and asked for 50 pesos to go away. I was going to bust his teeth out and I think he knew it. So he just left.

I flagged another cab down on Las Heras at 6pm that was happy to run the meter to the airport, no problems.

To those in the know this was not the super cool night portero but the douche bag day portero.

I will never rent from Badman again, this was a setup plain and simple. I am a very street smart ex marine and not a dumb ass schmuk.

[Silver Star]

Was in front of the Sheraton Convention center waiting to pick up a client for private car services, I noticed a radio taxi dropped off an unsuspecting asian, who paid with a $100AR note. The driver went from outside after helping with bags, and after collecting the $100AR, he went to the cab, and came back with a fake $100 and demanded a new bill! The passenger game him a new $100, and all was good (for the driver)

Moral-Never ever give a black and yellow cabbie here big bills, and exact change is best, always check you bills before giving them out, having a pocket flashlight is helpful.

Fred www.silverstarcar.com

Buenos Aires leader in private native English speaking Lincoln Town Car services.

[Wild Walleye]

First post on the boards, thought I'd share.

I got scammed on my first trip upon arrival at EZE. Thought I took a Radio Taxi because it was black with the yellow top, but when I got in the car it didnt look like a taxi at all. Driver didn't turn on the meter until we arrived and tried to charge me 380 pesos since the meter of course showed 3.80 pesos. I ended up paying 35 USD which I assume is a fair bit more than a metered ride from EZE to Palermo would have cost.

Oh well, lesson learned

You got out of that one pretty easily. US$35 is a little more than a remis from EZE to Palermo, but you got there safely and he didn't try any enhanced methods of extracting more $ from you.

[Tika Taka]

First post on the boards, thought I'd share.

I got scammed on my first trip upon arrival at EZE. Thought I took a Radio Taxi because it was black with the yellow top, but when I got in the car it didnt look like a taxi at all. Driver didn't turn on the meter until we arrived and tried to charge me 380 pesos since the meter of course showed 3.80 pesos. I ended up paying 35 USD which I assume is a fair bit more than a metered ride from EZE to Palermo would have cost.

Oh well, lesson learned

[Wild Walleye]

Be careful folks when you take a black and yellow capital cab. I was at EZE today early for a pickup and ordering at McDonalds, and a Brazilian who was just dropped off had a fake $50 rejected he had got as change from a cab. The bill paper did not have the right feel and texture, and the portrait of the watermark was very hard too see, although it was there. Color of the bill looked good.

Moral, never give cab drivers big bills to change!

Fred.

www.silverstarcar.com

Went to pay the driver as he dropped me off (fare was AR$90) gave him AR$100 bill. While I grabbed my stuff off the seat, he must have switched the bill I gave him with a fake AR$100 bill, which he returned to me saying it was a fake and asking for another. I was a little distracted so I just gave him another. Upon further consideration, I realized that all the 100s in my pocket came straight out of the ATM and therefore were very unlikely to include a fake. Learn from my mistake.

[Silver Star]

Be careful folks when you take a black and yellow capital cab. I was at EZE today early for a pickup and ordering at McDonalds, and a Brazilian who was just dropped off had a fake $50 rejected he had got as change from a cab. The bill paper did not have the right feel and texture, and the portrait of the watermark was very hard too see, although it was there. Color of the bill looked good.

Moral, never give cab drivers big bills to change!

Fred.

www.silverstarcar.com

[Joe Hernandez]

When I took a cab with my girlfriend and her brother, my GF wanted to pay with a 100 bill and he said name the last 3 numbers and remember them. He then checked the bill. Pretty nice because that way there is no risk he changes the bill or the customer getting angry on a counterfeit bill.

Actually you should try to avoid with 100 bills or even 50 bills.

[Joe Hernandez]

I told all of them to get fucked! Hailed another. We decided on 70 pesos to Recoleta. A metered ride to EZE was 64 pesos. BTW, Ezezia Taxi is up to 98 pesos!

Hailing a non-official taxi at Ezeiza is dangerous, I would think the risk is not worth 20 peso, especially if you carry cash and expensive luggage.