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Well, today was a first, and I hope it's a last!


suegarn

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I've been taking taxis almost every day from Walmart to El Dorado for several months now. Even when I have to call a taxi from the plaza because there are none available at Walmart at the time, I've NEVER been charged more than 50 pesos!

Today, I called a taxi, waited about 6 or 7 minutes, and was charged 75 pesos! When I questioned the fare, he told me it was because he had to come from the plaza! No other taxi driver has EVER done that before.....it's always 50 pesos, whether they're sitting at Walmart or coming from the plaza!

I was upset and felt ripped off!

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I'm sorry, but I guess you didn't completely read my post. As I said, I have been taking taxis for several months now on the exact same route. I WALK to Walmart, and because I usually have a shopping cart full of groceries, I call a taxi to take me back home. I have ridden with all of the drivers now, and even the one that I had today normally only charges 50 pesos! Today he ripped me off and was quite rude to me! I didn't think that I needed to ask him how much the fare was.

I won't mention the driver's name, but I have his business card. He will definitely NOT be on my list of drivers to call when I can't get through to anyone at the taxi stand in the plaza!

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There was an article in the Guadalajara Reporter October 2014 by Dale Hoyt Palfrey that quoted taxi rates ...... local rides then were $40 pesos - here's a quote from part of the article:

"At the going rate, drivers should

charge around 40 pesos for trans

port within the immediate locality, 80 pesos to go from Chapala to Aji

jic and vice versa, with a 10-peso

surcharge for night runs.
Taxi stands located at the

Chapala plaza (phone 765-35-11), and outside the bus station (phone

765-4697), operate with multiple drivers standing on call from 6:30 a.m. to 10 pan. Ajijic's taxi stand at the plaza (phone 766-0674), is fully staffed from 5 am. to 10

pm., with two after-hours drivers on duty until 2 a.m. "

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It has been standard practice, in most of the places that I've visited or lived in within Mexico, to charge more for a taxi that's called from somewhere else. This was a huge surprise to us but kinda logical too. In San Miguel, the fare was double to call a taxi to the house...but if we walked down around the corner to The Puertacita Boutique Hotel and flagged one down then it was the normal price. Live and learn (and don't tell the taxi drivers here)

Always confirm the fare before getting in.

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Ask before entering any taxi and you won't be a patsy. I think it is the second rule for foreigners, after don't drink the water.

I too have failed to do it and got the same gringo tax applied to my fare.

Not just for foreigners,all the Mexicans I know ask what the fare will be in advance.

And it doesn't just apply to taxis,at the tianguis my wife won't even buy produce without asking for the price before purchasing.

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Not just for foreigners,all the Mexicans I know ask what the fare will be in advance.

And it doesn't just apply to taxis,at the tianguis my wife won't even buy produce without asking for the price before purchasing.

Absolutely!!

"gringo tax"??....Mexicans will get ripped off just a quickly as anyone else if they don't use preventative measures. That's why they tend to be more cautious about price checking anything.....more so than foreigners.

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I've been taking taxis almost every day from Walmart to El Dorado for several months now. Even when I have to call a taxi from the plaza because there are none available at Walmart at the time, I've NEVER been charged more than 50 pesos!

Today, I called a taxi, waited about 6 or 7 minutes, and was charged 75 pesos! When I questioned the fare, he told me it was because he had to come from the plaza! No other taxi driver has EVER done that before.....it's always 50 pesos, whether they're sitting at Walmart or coming from the plaza!

I was upset and felt ripped off!

I was charged an extra 10p when I called for a taxi from home and that was the reason....I called for a taxi.

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While we're on the subject of Taxi's, what is the expected tip for local trips. Some people tell me that they never tip taxi drivers, I've always tipped,

maybe i'm in the minority?

I don't know about Lakeside but in general Mexicans don't tip taxi drivers.
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Tipping customs are different in various countries. In Mexico, one does not tip a taxi driver in most cases. However, if he carries luggage into your destination, or performs some extraordinary service, then a gratuity might be offered.

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I have taken taxis frequently in Guadalajara many times with Mexican friends and many times alone. My Mexican friends always ask if the taxi has a working meter before they get in and they also ask what the fare might be. One day I was exhausted and kind of lost and hailed a taxi which looked like it had a taxi meter inside and turned on (the numbers were lit up). I got in and went no more than six blocks to a bus destination expecting to pay the usual low rate when the guy turned around and said 100 pesos. I knew that was a real rip off for a 40 peso ride. I did pay the money but looked at the meter and realized that it was perpetually on the same low number. I did embarrass the guy by making a scene at the plaza and saying loudly in Spanish "Shame on you, thief!" several times. He looked shocked and raced out of there. A Mexican fellow came up to me and said that the guy was not a cab driver but a "pirate cab" that gets real cab drivers angry, too. It appeared to be a real cab when I looked at it but it didn't have the proper stickers or something--I wouldn't have known all that at the time. My Mexican friends said that they would have paid the low fare on the meter and told him that they'd call the police over if he didn't get out of there but alas, my Spanish could never have pulled that off.

Lesson learned: Now I always ask ¿Traes taximetro? in Guadalajara (fares usually go by distance and not by a set fare though you can get a set fare sometimes if you ask)

¿Cuanto aqui a ...(your destination) in Lakeside (fares go by a set price and not usually via a taxi meter).

I have refused all cabs in Guadalajara without a taxi meter since my rip off. I have even refused a cab locally when the price he quoted was out of line. Once I shook my head at the fare quoted from Buganvilias Plaza (120 pesos!!) to Chapala at 6 pm and, when the guy just kept sitting in his parked cab looking for fares, I waved to him as I got on the 9 pesos bus.

Life happens. I try to learn from my mistakes.

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It's right about now that somebody will tell us how poor everybody is and what a tough way to make a living and yada, yada, yada.

On and on it goes, the games we play with the Mexican service providers. Bottom line if you will pay it, they will take it. Loved the one about waving

to the taxi driver while boarding bus for 9 pesos. What a pleasant day to not take a taxi, but stay home and watch the NFL.

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Unless you are willing to pay whatever is asked, then ASK BEFOREHAND in Mexico the cost/price and do not let them change the price without your agreement, in advance. Sometimes, like when sewing is done, they will tell you that it was more difficult than I thought, so I need to charge double. Don't buy that. And, don't be surprised here, this is not NOB, where most prices are fixed.

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Unless you are willing to pay whatever is asked, then ASK BEFOREHAND in Mexico the cost/price and do not let them change the price without your agreement, in advance. Sometimes, like when sewing is done, they will tell you that it was more difficult than I thought, so I need to charge double. Don't buy that. And, don't be surprised here, this is not NOB, where most prices are fixed.

How much is the average cab fare in the US for a short trip, say thirty minutes?

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