www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Some of those meters are rigged a lot more heavily than others, sometimes by unbelievable amounts. If its only lightly rigged to the point where you can't honestly tell for sure whether it actually is or not, then I'd just pay it. However, where its clearly rigged (in this case by over 50%), then I'd call him on it, tell him it is bullshit and give him the amount that you know it should be (actually a little more since there can be some variation due to traffic delays and different routes). If you paid the 1200, I hope you at least told him that you knew he was ripping you off.

Here is a good rough rule of thumb, count the blocks you travel. Each block is roughly equivalent to 100m and so each 10 blocks are roughly equivalent to 1km and, as of the last official rate increase in December, each km SHOULD run you just 510 colones or roughly 1 buck (source: see page 21 of this ARESEP document). The base charge of 510 is for the 1st km, but after you've traveled 1km the meter increases in smaller incremens for each fraction of a km you travel beyond that (plus any wait time or traffic delay time). So most short rides (like between the SL and the HDR) which are less than 1km shouldn't even move the meter beyond its base charge of a buck and even longer runs WITHIN the immediate downtown area (which is less than 2km across) shouldn't cost you more than 1K colones (or ~$2). Slightly longer hauls, like say between the Amistad and the Paseo Colon area MP's or rides at the height of rush hour when you can get stuck in traffic for what adds up to several minutes over the course of your trip could be a bit more (or heading completely OUT of DOWNtown to someplace like Escazu will run much more than that). But for MOST of the rides that we typically take while staying downtown it should only rarely cost us more than a couple of bucks.

For example, let's look at GDJ's trip. The Dunn Inn is on the corner of Calle 5 and Avenida 11. The Amistad is on the corner of Calle 15 and Avenida 11. As the crow flies that is 5 blocks due east or roughly just half a km. Unfortunately, because of 1 way streets downtown it is rarely quite that simple. In this case, GDJ had to go a half a block west to Calle 3b and 2 blocks south to Avenida 7 to get a eastward avenue and then past Calle 15 to Calle 17 for a northward calle, then up 1 LONG block past the hospital and back over 1 block to get to the Amistad. If you add that up it comes to something like 10-11 blocks. Add in the delays and the EXPECTED and INEVITABLE (and perhaps somewhat forgiveable) NOMINAL amount of tampering, and that 780 doesn't sound so far off that one wouldn't just pay it. OTOH the 1200 was just a total rip-off and the sad part is, because it doesn't seem like so much to most of us, most gringos would probably just pay that too (and another tico learns that he can get away with his petty rip-offs of the dumb rich gringos). For me it is not about the amount but about the principle and about teaching them that there are limits to our gullibility and what we're willing to put up with.

Thanks for the explanation Prolijo. I told the first driver that I knew he ripped me off, but then just chalked it up as a learning experience. I agree it's about the principle, not the amount.

Here's some more advice. For relatively short trips such as this, sometimes the best (and certainly the healthiest) way to avoid a taxi rip-off is to just walk it. That also serves the purpose of working off some of those gallo pintos and cervezas we eat and drink while down in CR. Lets face it quite a few of us could stand to lose a few pounds to look a little better for the chicas, have more stamina in the cama and live longer for more trips to CR.

I won't fault anyone for taking cabs AT NIGHT for the sake of greater security, but this particular walk (over to Avenida 9 and up past the Cafe Mundo to the Amistad) should be relatively safe even into the early evening and I think we can ASSUME that at least one of these trips occurred during the day because there was heavy traffic. So that possible exception to my advice above doesn't apply for at least one of these trips. To be completely fair to GDJ, I DON'T know if it was also raining out (heavily) or if unfortunately he is in such bad shape that walking 500-600yds would leave him sweaty and wheezing, which would be 2 other possible exceptions I could think of for opting for the cab over walking it. OTOH, if its raining heavily, ordering another cerveza and waiting another 15minutes before heading out is often all it takes to avoid the worst of the rain and bringing a waterproof windbreaker or pocket umbrella should protect you well enough for the more common light drizzles. And as far as being so out of shape that a half km walk is a challenge then that may be all the more reason to try short walks such as these whereever you can.

I don't mean to single GDJ out to pick on and not knowing the full particulars of either of these trips my advice may not even apply to him. However, IN GENERAL I think that more than a few of us should give greater thought to walking at least the shorter hops more often than we do rather than automatically opting for a cab every time and not just to save a buck or two or to avoid being ripped off.

During the day, I always walk. The heavy traffic was about 6:30pm. I've learned since that even though it is dark at that time, it's pretty safe to walk. I walk about an hour a day around town. I'm a believer in getting exercise outside the bedroom.

The presence of other folks does make for a safer walking environment, which is why walking around on Sunday is somewhat hinky--sidewalks are more deserted because most-all the Ticos/a's are in church or with their families.

_________________
"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED

Never were truer words spoken ... its just a pain in the ass to have your mongering high blown or ruin what is supposed to be a feel good kind of day, vacation or whatever keeping your guard up for little shyt constantly because some unsavory cab driver wants to charge you what may amount to 40 cents or a dollar or more for a simple cab ride and you have to have a "minor" verbal confrontation with him over the principle of it all.

It's a fine line because we could really get pissed off by all the little things that we get nickled and dimed over by cab drivers, waiters, bartenders, hotels you name it. And unfortunately, we as the 1st world gringo will always be a target with that BS in a land more 3rd world and the mentality for some (not all) is "let's see how we can get more from the gringo".

I for one don't like to be anyones chump, but I do pick my battles and when it gets to the point where I am more concerned of whether someone is trying to chump me for something then I am in when and where and how I will acquire my next favorita ... then its time to find new haunts ... which I am sure the cab drivers (and others) will be no different just a change in location.

Good Commentary

Had another one tonight, but not as bad, and in my own way I got a little revenge. Flag a moving cab outside the DR, tell him to go to Sudamer, we get about one block before I notice the meter isnt turned on. I ask why not, and he says 1500 colones. I tell him no way, so he pulls to the curb to let me out. I open the door, and just leave it wide open. He has to actually get out, walk to the other side, and close the door. Revenge is mine! Sort of.

My last night there (Thursday, last week), a lady came from the SL to the Dunn Inn to see me. I went outside to meet her and the taxi driver said 2000. I told him I knew she came from the SL and he's not going to get 2000. I gave him 1000 and told him that was too much. If I would have had 600 in coins, that's what I would have given him just because he tried to be a rip-off.

Good for you and attaboy!!! We need more guys standing up for principles. Unfortunately it is like the ol' Cien Rule. The chicas always ask for that at first, not because they expect every guy to fall for it but because it only takes one and it never hurts them to try. Same thing with these cabbies, for every guy like John who says "Don't give me any of that Bullshit" there will always be other gringos who either don't realize they're being scammed or who realize it but meekly go along. I wish I could say that action's like John's teaches these guys some sort of lesson, that not all gringos are so easily conned or cowed, and that would lead to them not trying to pull this sort of thing on others but unfortunately that will never be the case. It would be great if not only would every gringo who realizes they're being ripped off would refuse to pay it but that there were also some sort of EFFECTIVE enforcement agency that these guys could be reported to, so that there WOULD be some sort of REAL penalty they would pay for trying to pull this shit. But alas this is CR, where screwing the gringo is some sort of national sport.

get to where you want to go .... If you think you got hosed the doorman might help you out... At the worst you got to where you wanted to be....
Have at least some idea what direction you are going.... took me a few trips to get my sense of direction in San Jose

It's best to argue over the difference, if at least you will have their respect. Paying more than the going rate and being nice does not gain you respect here. On the contrary, it gains you contempt.

Actually, I think you're screwed either way.

While it is true that you will be viewed with contempt if you meekly allow yourself to be scammed, it is also may be true that you will simply be viewed as a cheap gringo bastard if you DON'T go along. The thing is, in the view of some (many?) ticos, ALL gringos have more money than they really need or know what to do with and, since those ticos feel so undeservedly poor and full of personal problems that could easily be solved with gringo cash, they think they're somehow ENTITLED to a piece of that gringo cash (never mind actually working harder to really EARN it). After all they need it much more than those rich and foolish gringos, who come to their country and rub their extravagant wealth in the locals' faces with their lavish spending when those same locals struggle so hard just to get by. Maybe, they rationalize their cheating by figuring they're only rigging the meter to the level they think it should fairly be any way. Or maybe the chica rationalizes overcharging one gringo and then underdelivering him on service because she felt underpaid by some OTHER gringo immediately before him. Whatever their thinking might be, in THEIR mind its not lying and cheating if they can rationalize it some way (however twisted the logic) and therefore they'll convince themselves that the gringo who doesn't go along is really the bad guy.

I suggest always get out of the cab and walk around to the drivers window to pay. Have small bills and coins. If you are staying somewhere like the Dunn Inn just pay what is right and make sure the security guard is standing there. The cabbie will drive off. If you are going somewhere and you do not know the typicall meter amount, ask for a fixed price or ask someone what the amount should be beforehand.

I do not however recommend a physical confrontatyion with the cabbies, you are still in a foreign country and many cabbies pack pistols and are know to call for other cabbies for help.


BKTUNA/Boyd
I am never going home

_________________
BKTUNA/Boyd
I am never going home

Well, I had a rip-off cab ride this afternoon and should have known better.

I got in a cab downtown, and the guy punched the maria. The start up charge of c510 appeared on the right-hand side of the display, on the left where it says "tarifa" the number "2" appeared. Tarifa 2 is no longer in use. It used to be the late night rate, but ARESEP changed that a number of years ago. For any trip of more than a kilometer or so it ends up being almost double the correct fare. I knew that and told the guy that I had been overcharged once in the past this way, and he assured me that he was honest and I wouldn't be overcharged.

We changed the topic of conversation and about half way home I noticed that, sure enough, the fare was double what it should have been. I was pretty ticked off after having made things clear when I got in the cab, so I ended up getting out there, not paying him and calling him a ladrón. He ended up following me for a block shouting "Gringo cerdo."

Maybe I should have paid him what the correct fare was up to that half-way point; but I felt, after our initial conversation, that he knew he was trying to rip me off right from the start.

Moral number 1: If you get in a cab and see "tarifa 2", get out immediately and find another cab.
Moral number 2: I need to remember that I chose ''El Tranquilo" as my CRT handle.

_________________
It's faster horses, younger women, older whiskey, and more money--Tom T. Hall
No man is a failure who is enjoying life--William Faulkner

No way! You did the right thing. He tried to rip you off and got caught. He played the game and lost and has to suffer the cost of defeat just as much as had he won he would have savored the extra cash.

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