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From today's Inside Costa Rica:

So if anybody happens to hail one of the 5 taxis in CR that does not have a fast meter, they may benefit from this.

So true, Orange. OTOH, those cabbies with fast meters will now have to crank them up even more then they already were in order to get the same high fares that they've been getting. I can't see how this would be a bad move for us. It WILL mean that you start out at a lower amount. So those short hauls of 1km or less, like between the SL and the BM, shouldn't ever go over that base amount. For longer hauls, if you think the meter might be rigged it may not be such a bad idea to count the number of blocks you drive before the meter amount starts to rise. One block equals ~100m so it should be around 10 blocks before the meter changes (+/- 1 blk to allow for shorter or longer blocks and wait time). If the meter is just off by a little, its hard to prove its rigged, and who really cares that much either. If its blatantly off by a large amount, like starting to rise from its base within the 1st 5 blocks, then I'd say something and consider getting out to take a different cab if it was going to be a particularly long cab ride (such as to Gringozu). Alternatively, if you know what the correct (new) fare should be, you might propose that instead of chancing it with the meters. It may be just a difference of an extra buck or two, but should we really be supporting petty theivery or at least not allowing them to think they're pulling something over on us?

If last Wednesday was any indication I hate to see what will happen if they do drop the rates. Two lanes of the autopista from the Mall de San Pedro to the other side of the Zapote exit and up on the street over the exit and including the exit itself were completely blocked all day with about 400 taxis protesting the possibility of a drop in rates. In many areas of San Jose it was almost impossible to get a taxi all day. A couple of taxistas have said to me that if the new rates go into effect, 90% of them will shut down till the rates go back to what they are now. They actually are wanting more, not less.

I was in David Panama this past weekend and found that the rates there had doubled since I was last there (about 9 months ago). Bad thing there is they do not have meters and you are at the mercy of the individual driver. BUT the rates in David are still about half what they are here in CR. But then almost everything except P4P is much cheaper there than here!

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Old and retired but still bang, and bang, and bang!!!

Are they planning on getting real jobs, other than hustling gringos for commissions from places we don't want to go to?

If that were to happen, I see gringos paying pirates ¢3,000-4,000 for a ride from HDR to SL at night.

I really do not see the need to lower prices.It is really not that expensive for gringos to get anywhere.It would cost you 5x as much for a cab in Vegas and at least 6x as much in NYC. As for the ticos, it seems they as a rule limit thier cab use to weekend bar trips and grocery runs.The rest of the time it is the bus. A very cheap way to get around.

Not the ones I know...

they're always in a freakin cab... I keep wanting to walk, and the whiners keep wanting to cab it...

I think you guys are right in some ways and wrong in others.

First of all, MrLV, lets STOP using the "it costs so much more in the US (or Las Vegas)" argument. Hopefully, you wouldn't use that line of reasoning for chica prices so why should you use it for cabs? After all, P4P prices in Las Vegas are also 5-6 times what it even costs us gringos at the BM. If you figure what ticos pay for P4P at their brothels and what the chicas get from that the multiple is even more. Using your own observation, ask yourself why if it is so cheap do locals limit their taxi use so drastically. As has been pointed out earlier, cab fares are actually cheaper in neighboring countries. It would be AT LEAST as fair if not MUCH MORE so to use those countries as your basis of comparison.

Secondly, QBF, keep in mind that most of the "tico whiners you know" that are taking cabs are BM and SL working girls. These ticas make more money than most ticos and in many cases are getting their cab fare from the proceeds of the money we just gave them (sometimes specifically for cabfare on top of what we just paid). Besides, if it was late at night and I was a chica dressed like they normally are and had a thick wad of cash that a gringo just paid me, then I'd be taking a cab too rather than risk getting mugged and raped out on the street. Also keep in mind that buses stop running later at night when you see these girls getting into cabs. Sure they'll whine about taking a cab even during the day AS LONG AS you're the one paying, but I'd be willing to bet that most of them would opt for the bus if you weren't there. Of course, you ALSO see PLENTY of "regular" ticos taking taxis during the day but you see a LOT MORE walking and taking buses and I'd venture to say that for the AVERAGE tico taking cabs is a luxury and not an everyday option.

NO, most of the TICOS I'm talking about are NOT pros... nor, for that matter are most of the TICAS I was talking about...

yes, I agree, if we're talking pros with money and cash, then it makes sense to take a cab.

I was talking about average ticos/ticas who would rather take a cab from pharmacia biblica to Morazan area than walk...

And NO, they knew I wasn't going to pay for the cab... it was THEIR idea to take it, THEY paid... I would have walked...