www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I read of lots of taxi cab complaints.
How about every person that reads this, never take the taxi unless the meter goes on. Enough of us vistors do this and eventually the bullshit will stop. Of the 71 total days I have spent in SJ, I never once taken a taxi that would not use the meter; if they say it is broken, I say no problem, get out and take another taxi or if they say I have no meter I get out and take a different taxi; most times the meter appears and is no longer broken.
Remember the person that has the gold makes the rules.

Mas Chicas

That's a good idea. I will attempt this myself next trip. I have actually thought about doing this before I read this thread.

I follow that rule exclusively.It isn't hard to find one most places even at 3 or 4 AM.One place I have noticed a bit of a problem is Pantera Rosa as the street is one way coming in to town and all seem to be occupied late at night.You can still catch one just takes a little while somtime.Ones in front of clubs often aren't metered and over charge.I just feel safer in a metered taxi than a pirate taxi from a club.It is fairly easy most outher places I go.rbc100

Mas chicas wrote:



Good thought but is an "Alice in Wonderland" reality.

Visitors are a small minority of taxi riders. When the demonstrations against the so called "monopoly" of the vehicle inspections by the Spanish firm basically paralyzed the country the government caved in. They removed the check for accuracy of taxi meters as part of the bi-annual inspection. Previous inspections had resulted in an over 30% rejection rate of the taxis due to fast meters.

So your influenced is very limited and the use of a meter, unless you know about how much the fare should be, is no guarantee.

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

In my travels to CR, I have found the MOST rip-off cabs to be in front of the Presidente. They will always give a price that is way too much. Once I asked a cabbie there if he could give me a ride to Sabana Norte. He said yes, for 3000 colones. I said no thanks.

On my last trip, I figured I would try again. Asked a cabbie for a ride to Sportsmen's Lodge. He said okay, for $5. Again I said no.

I will never take a cab from in front of the Pres or Del Rey. They must think we are all ignorant gringos. Just go to the closest corner and flag one down. Even without a maria, they will quote a price better than those theives.

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Tunaman

They are looking for the occasional drunken good-time charlie. If I'm going south or east, I walk one block east to flag a cab. If I'm going north or west, I walk one block north. Don't bother with them, except to ask the doorman not to allow them to solicit hotel guests in the doorway. Many times I've accompanied a temporary guest to the south/east location and helped her flag a cab.

I need to learn how to say "turn on your meter" in spanish! Oddly coming out of the delrey one night with a friend, I went to the SL and the driver said when we got there it was 3000 colones. My friend, a bartender in the gulch about ripped him a new @ss! just going off on him like mad. The price dropped to 600 c. very quickly. I gave her 1500 to get to where she was going. had it not been for her, id have prolly argued a bit and given him maybe 2000. After that I am strict on asking the $ before we go anywhere. It is ridiculus what they try and pull down there. then again...my spanish is bad at its best. I have found the cabbies at the SL are honest. They will take you where you need to go for the correct fare.

"ponga la maria por favor"

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