www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I posted this on another board, and decided to stick it here too, where the real Costa Rica experts hang out.

How would you have handled this real life experience that I had a few months ago?

You're late for a flight. You're on the west side of San Jose, and the trip FROM the airport to your hotel cost 7000 colones ($13.50) a week before. You flag down a taxi, and load your luggage. The guy takes off and refuses to turn on the meter. You tell him to stop and let you out. But you're a little worried, because your suitcase is in the trunk. He doesn't stop, and says he'll take you to the airport for US$20. You tell him that's B.S., that you paid 7000 coming. He says O.K., what will you pay. You tell him, O.K., 8000 colones. He agrees. Now for the next 20 minutes you have to listen to him gripe and moan and complain about how he hasn't got any money, how the traffic is going to suck on the way back, how he can't pick up a fare at the airport, etc., etc. He wants $20. You stand firm. Then he says he hates you and he likes to kick peoples asses for fun. You tell him O.K., I'll pay you $17. That's 8800 colones. He asks for $18. Finally he drops you off, but instead of going to the departure area he dumps you off on the main road, which, considering you've got a large suitcase is a pain in the rear. To be fair, he did say he didn't have a permit to drop people off at the airport shortly before he dumped you.

Tiny,

Personally, I would have just paid him the $20.00, especially under the circumstances. If he could get you to the airport on time, it's worth it. Besides, you had already offered him 8000 colones [$16.00].....what's $4.00 more?

Zebra

This story is almost as funny as the guy who wouldn't pay an extra 3,000¢ at ZB because he forgot his VIP card.

I don't wanna break balls, but c'mon dude, you're going to eat that much shit to save $4?

Way to stick to your principles.

What's the deal Orange, can't you read English? It ended up being $3.00 less than what he wanted, not $4.00. And that and another $9.00 is enough for some poontang at Camelot. You must not have very much appreciation for the value of a buck.

Seriously, you're right, it's not worth arguing over. I generally tend to overtip taxi drivers, but this guy made me mad. I suspect the $20 was about 100% more than what the meter would have run -- it was pretty close to the airport. And after he agreed to 8000 he shouldn't have spent the next 20 minutes whining, not to mention threatening me. Which was a joke. "Tiny" is a misnomer.

Yeah Orange what the hell's wrong with you?
Tiny you could have told him nicely to shut up and drive. Not much else possible in the position you were in at the time. The fare is now 18.00 to & from the airport so maybe it went up during your stay?
The lesson here is always negotiate the deal before getting into the cab, loading luggage and hitting the road, or bringing that "10" Colombiana back to our room.

_________________

Living well is the best revenge
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwUtj_YnNoY

PacoLoco, this was from Rohrmoser, close to the Panamericana. And I am sure the cost to the hotel, paying the cashier at the airport, was right around $14. Based on the distance, if the driver were using the meter I think it would be less.

If there is a set fee to the airport then I probably did give the guy a hard time. But he made no attempt to explain that to me. And you're 100% right, I guess the solution is ask the price first, or at least verify whether he's going to use the maria.

$3...$4...$5...$6 more.......not worth arguing over. Pay it and get to the airport.

When I left the Hotel Castillo on February 8, the hotel arranged the cab for me for $18. I gave the guy a twenty and told him to keep the change.

Zebra

The rate from the airport in the orange cabs ( ) may have gone up but the red cabs haven't, in my experience. I know the fares have increased in the red cabs too but I still pay $12.

This is what I do, and I think it's a good idea. The day before I leave I get the card/number of a driver who's good (safe, friendly, chatty (free Español practice), etc). I arrange for him to pick me up and drive me to the airport departure level (NOT in front of the airport ) for 6,000-6,500¢ (about $12) usually, including Feb 11, 2007. I have NEVER used the meter to/from the airport, always just an agreed upon fare.

The hotels that set up your taxis are making a nice profit.

Tiny,

One part of your story really caught my attnetion.

He dropped you off on the main road because "he didn't have a permit to drop people off at the airport." WTF??

There is no permit required to drop people off if the taxi is otherwise licensed (yellow triangle sticker with license number, red car) , nor is a permit required to pick people up at arrivals, if the driver is a private chauffeur. A permit is required to solicit/accept random passengers arriving.

Forget the money; although $4.00 wouldn't break the bank for most of us, it's a significant amount. Still, you'll get over it.

But I think the taxista just fu*ked you because of the price disagreement, and he should have dropped you right off at departures, not on the street.

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Pura Vulva! Wandering through the dark, I am El Ciego.

El Ciego, what was going through my mind was he was planning to dump me and take off before I could get my luggage out of the trunk. But I think either there was a problem with the sticker, or as you say he was just pissed off and wanted to make me walk.

BTW, a couple of good ideas in general for situations like this that Prolijo came up with on another forum -- travel with your luggage in the backseat instead of the trunk, and if the cab driver starts giving you problems, quote his name back to him from the placard in the taxi, so he'll know you can follow up with the police if he harms you or steals from you.

Tiny,

Problem with sticker? No way.

If he was a pirata ("Gypsy hack" in New York speak), he couldn't have been ideentified as a taxista. Even if his sticker had expired, it wouldn't have been a problem to drop you off at the Departures area.

No, the guy was just being a jizz-bubble. And yes, if he was licensed, I'd report him to the police, but also to his cooperative.

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Pura Vulva! Wandering through the dark, I am El Ciego.

Hopfully he will not be familiar with the old term:



Dead Men tell no tales (Los muertos no dicen ningunos cuentos)

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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

here lies a man dead,who if alive would remember his taxi drivers name

Gentlemen- In January, I paid $18 to get from SJO to SJ. I paid $12 to get from SJ to SJO. In 3 days I am paying $6 to get from SJO to SJ (w/Interbus).

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Why Chicas Come to CostaRica:

"Predators gather where prey abounds"

Scuba......I like that idea too, but I'm just a little leary of giving them credit card info. Other than that it seems like a good deal.......Zebra