www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I just got back from my third trip to San Jose over Memorial Day weekend. I have read on this board numerous times never take the taxis parked outside the Del Rey. I have always flagged down a taxi and had them take me to the SL for 1,000 colones or if I’m real lucky turn on the meter verse paying the 2,000 colones the taxi drivers at the Del Rey charge for transportation to the SL. On this trip I flagged down a taxi and he agreed to take me to SL for 1,000 colones. However, when we got to the SL he demanded 2,000. When I refused to pay he tried to punch me in the face as I was exiting his cab. Luckily for me he missed. Anyways, one of the van drivers at the SL told me it was best to take the taxis parked at the Del Rey as they look after tourist and one is less likely to have problems. However, he said most people claim they are too expensive but they are much safer for tourist. Is this truth or myth?

If that is true why does the HDR have notices posted that the cabs parked out front are not associated with the hotel?

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Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

Are you serious? See, that would straight up get me in trouble. I can avoid conflict, but if a tico takes a swing at me I guess I'd just end up in jail.

No answer to your question although I take taxis from out in front often. I speak fluent spanish though and I tell them to not treat me like a mutt. The older guy out front who seems to orchestrate the other drivers always gives me a wink and treats me good. But I know behind that wink he has scammed plenty of gringo tourist.

Seems a lot of my advice on this board is to learn spanish. But here we are in a situation where if you speak fluently then chances of having a fast one pulled on you are almost zero..

Good luck,

Cujo

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"Pain is the fuel that fans the flames of my pyre. A battle plan is only as good as the general carrying it out on the field. This is my war son, and I have the biggest bombs and the smallest conscience"...

dealing with the taxis is really pretty easy if you just follow a couple of guidelines

first have some 100 col coins and at least one 500 col coin and some (1,000 col bills)

second ask for the meter to be used...if not get out

third have an idea of how much the fare should cost...you can get all around the gulch for 1000 col or less

lastly get out of the cab BEFORE you pay...or discuss the fare, at that point you can decide if you want to pay what they ask for or give them what they want, buy all means have the correct change

if they ask for more than you think is fair give them what you think is correct and walk away...sounds risky but it tells them you know the game and that it just ended...however you need to know a thing or two about the correct value or the ride

if you're drunk or have no idea where you want to go or how to get there then just hand the driver your wallet to the driver and he'll give you the proper change....

From the DR to the SL is only a 10 min walk, just dont walk through the park. I have done it 100x day and night. hell it is almost as fast as a cab. and un like my Dads grade school it is only up hill one way.

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A car moves your body, a Harley moves your soul.

No, no, no. If is dark take a taxi and let it be the end of that. How hard is to comprehend that we are talking the difference between a few dollars versus risking being mugged or worse, and all of this happening on a foreign country? You already spend airfare, hotel, pu*sy and you going to skip on taxi fare for a few dollars?

Also, most of the chica will not walk with you from DR to SL at night, especially on those high heels. Take it for what is worth but to me safety and enjoyment is paramount.

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Hit them fast, Hit them hard and NEXT!
A good chica is like a good carpenter - No wood gets wasted!!!

but it is a nice walk

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A car moves your body, a Harley moves your soul.

Livincr is spot on; good advice. I have learned from experience that this is the only way to deal with the cab drivers.

It seems that the cab drivers have gotten more "larceny in their hearts" in the past few years. Perhaps the bad economy has something to do with it. I have noticed that many of them have gotten aggressive and tend to want to rip-off the gringo more than they used to.

Zebra

I agree with Livincr. When taking a cab, make sure it is a legitimate taxi, that there is a meter and the meter is working, then pay the meter.

If the cabbie screws with you, you can complain to the MOPT. You will need all the normal identifiers: name, date, time, location, taxi ID number and description of the driver if possible. No one knows for sure if there will be any outcome from the complaint, but at least there is a procedure.

If the taxi is part of a company or a coop, take down the number on the roof sign and call the company.

The walk from the HDR to SL during the day is okay, but it is unadvisable at night.

One thing I should add to my previous statement is that you should never walk anywhere down town if your are drunk, day or night. If your drunk go in a group or take a cab.

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A car moves your body, a Harley moves your soul.

And a taxi is even better.

You are right, it probably would be better, but I am comfortable with the walk.

During the daytime, the lunatic drivers scare me more than the possibility of muggers.

How true...you are more likely to get hit while walking than getting mugged tooooo true

Like many others here I have made the walk from the SL to the Del Rey and other places many times during the day, but never at night. I never even had a hint of a problem. However, it only takes once for something to go wrong and when it does it happens very fast when you least expect it. As previously posted, on my last trip I had an attempted mugging right around the corner from the SL early in the afternoon. Luckily I was able to get around the corner and holler for the SL security guard. He even told me later that I was lucky. He said usually they come up behind you and crack a bottle over your head. My favorita I see on every trip now tells me never walk around San Jose day or night. I enjoy walking, but now I take taxis everywhere in San Jose day or night. Unless, I am in a highly populated area like Central Ave. Unfortunately, the taxis are not a perfect situation as they can be a pain in the ass, but I would rather spend the extra $20 during my trip and be safe.