Seeing the advice in the new Airport Guides about taxis gave me the idea for this thread - what have been your experiences around the world in licensed taxis ?
I've been pretty fortunate. I may have been overcharged by a small amount from my (but perhaps not a local!) perspective from time to time - irritating but part of the normal costs of travel as I see it - but never burnt badly so far. My most recent experience was in Changsha, Hunan Province, China last month. I jumped into a licensed taxi at the airport and ended up being asked to pay double what I should have - an additional RMB 100 (about US$12) so not the end of the world. With the benefit of hindsight, I should have noticed the warning signs - an official at the taxi rank at the airport handed me through the window a leaflet (probably setting out the prices etc) which the taxi driver grabbed after saying it was for him; the meter was on the floor and not visible; and the driver stopped on the road outside my hotel rather than driving inside.
My other experiences in China have on the whole been positive - I've taken many taxis in Beijing and Shanghai with no problems. The meter is started, an automated voice announces this and a receipt is printed by computer and given to you at the end.
Living in London, the black cabs are perfectly fine and can be trusted, all of whom having passed the Knowledge of London test (which can take 3 years to pass!), having been checked out for any criminal record and subject to continual supervision by the Public Carriage Office. I would never take any of the unlicensed cabs (which may be uninsured and/or driven by people with a criminal record) which hang around clubs etc at night nor accept any offer of a taxi at a train station/airport other than from the official taxi rank.
I also spent a few months living and working in Athens a number of years ago and unless it's changed for the better, found a not insignificant number of the taxi drivers there to be somewhat devious. Luckily, I was warned by colleagues and told the amounts which I should pay to/from the airport etc. I had a number of occasions where I had to argue with the driver (albeit for a few hundred Drachma at times - less than a pound - but it was for the principle!) and even, once or twice after arguing, gave what I thought was reasonable and simply walked out!
From my very limited experiences on holiday, the city with the most scrupulous taxi drivers appears to be - no surprise - Tokyo. I had one experience where the driver circled around the streets several times trying to find a restaurant, phoned up himself to ask and finally refused to accept the full amount shown on the meter which I offered!
The only memorable thing about Singapore taxis which I can think of was my bewilderment the first time I heard an occasional chime whilst we were motoring from the airport towards town!
I've been pretty fortunate. I may have been overcharged by a small amount from my (but perhaps not a local!) perspective from time to time - irritating but part of the normal costs of travel as I see it - but never burnt badly so far. My most recent experience was in Changsha, Hunan Province, China last month. I jumped into a licensed taxi at the airport and ended up being asked to pay double what I should have - an additional RMB 100 (about US$12) so not the end of the world. With the benefit of hindsight, I should have noticed the warning signs - an official at the taxi rank at the airport handed me through the window a leaflet (probably setting out the prices etc) which the taxi driver grabbed after saying it was for him; the meter was on the floor and not visible; and the driver stopped on the road outside my hotel rather than driving inside.
My other experiences in China have on the whole been positive - I've taken many taxis in Beijing and Shanghai with no problems. The meter is started, an automated voice announces this and a receipt is printed by computer and given to you at the end.
Living in London, the black cabs are perfectly fine and can be trusted, all of whom having passed the Knowledge of London test (which can take 3 years to pass!), having been checked out for any criminal record and subject to continual supervision by the Public Carriage Office. I would never take any of the unlicensed cabs (which may be uninsured and/or driven by people with a criminal record) which hang around clubs etc at night nor accept any offer of a taxi at a train station/airport other than from the official taxi rank.
I also spent a few months living and working in Athens a number of years ago and unless it's changed for the better, found a not insignificant number of the taxi drivers there to be somewhat devious. Luckily, I was warned by colleagues and told the amounts which I should pay to/from the airport etc. I had a number of occasions where I had to argue with the driver (albeit for a few hundred Drachma at times - less than a pound - but it was for the principle!) and even, once or twice after arguing, gave what I thought was reasonable and simply walked out!
From my very limited experiences on holiday, the city with the most scrupulous taxi drivers appears to be - no surprise - Tokyo. I had one experience where the driver circled around the streets several times trying to find a restaurant, phoned up himself to ask and finally refused to accept the full amount shown on the meter which I offered!
The only memorable thing about Singapore taxis which I can think of was my bewilderment the first time I heard an occasional chime whilst we were motoring from the airport towards town!
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