www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I like walking as much as the next guy but I would rather get robbed by a taxi driver for what amounts to $2-$4 than to end up in some sort of conflict in the park. I have taken many taxis from DL to SL and usually they cost next to nothing. The last time I was there I took a taxi I had the driver use the meter (by the way I do speak some spanish) and upon arrival he still demanded a different amount than reflected by the meter. I considered getting into a debate over this and then common sense told me that I'm in a foriegn country getting into a dispute over 2-3 dollars wasn't worth it. Ya it pissed me off a little but its such a tiny amount especially for what I pay cabs in the good old USA before tip. I quickly realized it just wasn't worth ruining my good time.

I picked up a girl at the DL around 3 P.M. on a wet afternoon and wanted to take her to the La Amistad Hotel. We came out through the side door from the hotel lobby and there were two taxis parked without the drivers in them.

We stood near one of them and the driver came hurrying up from the door where he had been talking to the security guard I think. We got in and I told him to take us to the La Amistad. I started looking around from the back seat for his 'maria' and then asked him where it was. He said 'no maria' so I said 'how much ?' in english ( my spanish is BAD ).

He said 1000 colones and then changed it to 1100 colones. I sat back relieved. At the La Amistad I gave him 1000 colones note and a 500c coin expecting 400c back but he said okay and left.

My lesson from this is to carry lots of small change to pay exact fare. Look for the 'maria' before getting in. I think he did not intend to screw me but just could not see giving me back any change as I looked like a tourista who could easly afford to give him a 'propina'.

_________________
Softbob

There is nothing either good or bad
but thinking makes it so.
HAMLET

This is the kind of thing that you shouldn't give in to. If you get in without asking and there's no meter, you're in a tight spot and will have to pay their exorbitant fare. But if they have a meter and it says one thing, and the guy demands a higher fare, he's NOT going to get it from me, foreign country or US. If he has a problem, let's call the police and let's wait. But knowing the efficiency of San Jose's Worst, by the time they got there, the fucken thing would be up to $40.

I did the walk from the SL to the DR plenty of times, and its not bad, but never it night. As far as how it goes with the cabs at the DR, I usually just go out the side entrance by the bar, past those jokers, and hail a cab thats coming up the hill. Or, if I'm stuck with the cabs parked out front, while I'm getting in I just ask how much to the SL in spanish, and if he says 2000, I say 1000, and since I'm already in, they just kinda look disappointed, but then they know that I know the drill and what it should cost.

But like others have said, you're in a foreign land, the cabs are way cheaper than the US, its safer, and in the grand scheme of things, $20 over the course of your trip isnt gonna break you. Besides, we're on vacation, the drivers are just scraping by a living, so think of that as well.