Haven't we all been ripped off, overcharged or made the foreigner fool at some time here in China? Post your experience.
I've been taken for a scenic drive in a taxi before. Years ago I didn't know any better and it doesn't happen much anymore, but recently it happened again with a female driver. As we were in the taxi for 30 min instead of what should have been an 8 min drive, she was telling me how this was the best way to go and too much traffic the other way. As I got angrier and told her I would not be paying the high fare, she grew quieter. In the end the meter read nearly 40 yuan but I left in a hurry, giving her the fair price of 10 yuan.
good on you for not paying it, taxi drivers can make a living honestly, there are plenty of fares in the day and evening.
Plenty amateurs who come around make a big deal about this being ripped off. Some even go totally mad for a dollar or two.
Sometimes its part of the deal in the first place, theres a small ripoff. Someimes is even fair, there is one. And its a culure thing, asians and locals get ripped off too. A Shanghai, Canton etc. person coming Kunming may have it even more "tough".
Perhaps this thread could be more objective if you provided the beginning and end point of your journey and which scenic route was taken.
Couple of months ago. Got in the taxi, taxi drove away, driver said 100rmb (for a 20-25rmb journey) to the destination, wouldn't use the metre.
I arrived at the destination and walked off without giving a penny.
Excellent value I suggest anyone else do the same.
Napoleon will probably walk away with a knife in the back next time. Not so good value anymore.
6331-2533 - This is the taxi complaint number - they are very helpful and have resolved any taxi problems I ever had. There is a right way of doing things and a wrong way.
Here is a copy of the regs - wenku.baidu.com/view/4e23917602768e9951e73831.html
Walking away is not a solution and will only give other laowais a bad name and be refused service.
The complaint number serves a purpose, to deter or punish the Greedy taxi drivers. In the end, it is the taxi bureau that dishes out the punishment according to their own regulations. Taking matters into your own hands is not the way to go and will have adverse effect on other laowais.
Use the system - it works very well.
Why not save all this hassle and potentially ripping of taxi drivers yourselves and settle the fare before the journey? Very common practice and highly recommended. Acting in a cavalier fashion by walking without paying not only can land you in trouble, it is not helping the situation for other westerners.
@HF.. so tell us about a taxi problem you had and how it was resolved.
Settle a fare before a journey - this is totally absurd and creates more problems - that is why the taxi has a meter, so it can give both - driver and passenger - a fair price according to the law.
Read the regs - be clear when telling others how you were ripped off - by stating where you began and ended your journey.
I have never been ripped off because when they tried I called the number and the problem was reseolved. - Learn the regs and your problems will go away.
6331-2533 - This is the taxi complaint number
Here is a copy of the regs - wenku.baidu.com/view/4e23917602768e9951e73831.html
