zona blue/ little havana cigar bar taxi scam

[Miss Sexy McTopheavy]

guys

the taxi scams seem to be running up on full hilt.. just got back from one of the best trips i have ever had in costa rica.. met up with bang bang and he is a true gentleman.

while having a drink at the del rey.. i left and ask the taxi .. please take me to zona blue. he said sorry its closed.. i said no sorry little havana hotel.. he said its closed.. to which i replied.. no its not.. he again replied.. it was closed down for washing money in his english.

i then replied.. listen.. i am staying there a s a guest.. so just please take me to zb.. he looked at me.. and asked me to get out of his cab.. :shock:

i then got into another cab and he would not take me to zb.. i mean.. whats with these people.. i actually had to walk up the street.. to a taxi to take me to zb.. crazy bastards.. just want comisions..

was it me or does this happen often??

Lorenzo

 

[cute-boots]

Always better off avoiding the pirates hanging outside of the entrances at the DR. Walk 20 feet down the street in any direction and get one moving. You will be much better off. Always be certain to ask "Tiene Maria" (Have a meter) before entering any taxi outside or near the Del Rey/Key Largo.

It should be a 500 colone cab ride frim Del Rey to Hotel Litttle Havana

 

[Acid09]

the taxi ass holes situated in front of the DR are looking to take you on a longer ride than to the ZB, SL or other places near by...they want the opportunity to ride you around in circles for a while and charge you 2 or 3 thousand colones

The same holds true for the shit heads parked in front of the SL and NF and ZB

when I first came here this really pissed me off and I would get in the cabs in front of DR or on the corner of the Presidente and once they got out of their parking place ask them to use the maria...if they balked for a second I would get out and be satisfied that they would have to drive around the block for nothing and lose their prime space for suckering someone else

 

[lolwut]

For newbies, this means that when leaving HDR or KL, NEVER get in a cab that is parked out front. These guys are priates. Rather, walk 20 feet to the corner and catch any orange cab that is coming up to the intersection. They have meters. Tell the driver to 'ponga la Maria for favor' (Start the meter please) and you are then likely to pay no more than a dollar or two for most anywhere in downtown SJ

 

[toon]

El Viego, I think you meant a "red" taxi. The "orange" taxis only are authorized to run back and forth to the airport.

 

[Aaron Thurstance]

very helpfull stuff 8)

 

[indian_cowboy]

NORMAL Taxi Scam:

They get 10colon or 10% of all the money the Clip Joints rip off of you.

Clip Joints: Hollywood, Elite, Atlantis, Tango India. ETC.

This is why you see 5 to 10 taxis parked outside of these place waiting to see how much they can rob the Gringo Inside for and what will their cut be. For fun try to get in one of these waiting taxis and he will tell you he is "waiting" for he boss".

I have had them tell me that The Grillion and Pantera Rosa are "closed" and I told them I am going close to there and only using it as a landmark or that my car is parked there. This always calms them down.

 

[stung4ever]

When we went to Paseo Colon on the walking tours I always had the taxista take us to KFC or Hotel de ORO. If I told him a paticular MP, when we got there he would park, go in, and try to get the owner to pay him extra for bring us there like it was his idea.

If you want to ride a taxi when leaving the REY, always walk to the other side of Av 1 (in front of the Monkey Bar) and hail a taxi moving up the street. If you are going to HLH, tell him you want to go to Soda Peru or Dunn Inn. Once you get to the area, tell him "no, quiero Zona Blue". Same with the Sportsman--tell him you want to go to La Amistad; when he gets there tell him, "no the Sportsman, a block down the street". AND ALWAYS MAKE THEM USE THE METER, and if they won't, get out and get another taxi. Has anyone besides me ever wondered why it is that the taxis that are PARKED in front of the REY almost always will tell you the place is closed if you want to go to any of the places that are in direct compatition with the REY (HLH, SL)??? :?: :idea: :roll:

 

[THE Cupid HATER]

It's always been my practice to give the driver what I think the metered fare would be if they don't use one. I don't know what would happen if a driver really tried to do anything about it. Any feedback from you guys?[/b]

 

[pokeroddsf]

d

mark

these taxi drivers are very networked with each other.. if you really piss one off.. you may find out of nowhere a baseball bat in the back of the head.. i have seen this..

please remember that we are all guests here in this country

 

[dpoxvdcl]

It's always been my practice to give the driver what I think the metered fare would be if they don't use one. I don't know what would happen if a driver really tried to do anything about it. Any feedback from you guys?[/b]

that it not a wise decision :idea: always asks if they have a meter, taxi driver could have gun :?: just be carefull life is too short to get in a altercation over a few dollars.

 

[Nycgirl92]

The reason they tell you it is closed is because before the taxi made a commission at Zona Blue and now they do not at Little Havana so they are getting even with the owners telling those not in the know that it is closed.

 

[Future?Artist]

If they tell you it is closed, tell them that it's enough for you to just see the building. :

 

[AY, cut the CRAP!]

It's always been my practice to give the driver what I think the metered fare would be if they don't use one. I don't know what would happen if a driver really tried to do anything about it. Any feedback from you guys?[/b]

it's not such a bad idea as long as you REALLY know the fare...also, always leave the cab entirely (with the door shut) before you discuss payment..at this point the ball is in your court and they know you know and will accept the correct fare

 

[cnyldajk]

It's always been my practice to give the driver what I think the metered fare would be if they don't use one. I don't know what would happen if a driver really tried to do anything about it. Any feedback from you guys?[/b]

Well, anything COULD happen... But one time I made the mistake of forgetting to check if the meter was running and it wasn't and the guy tried to charge me 3 mil colones for a 500c ride. I speak Spanish so I said, in Spanish, "I KNOW how much it costs to get here and so this is all I'm paying you!" I gave him 500 colones and he started yellling, saying I owed him 3 mil, etc.. I just got out of the cab. Nothing happened except he yelled at me.

I don't recommend this. It's better to just pay them than to risk going to jail or getting in a fight or both. Or at least try to reason with him into accepting the 500c or a compromise price.

BUT I was in no mood to take his sh*t and I gave him the 500c and got out of the cab.

Another time, a girl from the Del Rey who was a scam artist talked me into going to her attorney's office because he could help me get a residency through some kind of scam. I was dumb enough to go for it and that part of it turned out okay because the attorney simply said there wasn't anything he could do, as I suspected, but the girl was a scam artist and she had gotten some relative to take me there, not a real taxi. I had tried to insist on using a regular taxi but she convinced me to go with this guy so I gave in (dumb!). So when the guy brought us back he hit me up for something like 6 mil. I said "You're crazy, it was about a 2 mil ride, no more. I ended up compromising at 3 mil but knew I was being taken, but I didn't want trouble.

Moral of the story:
ALWAYS USE OFFICIAL TAXIS and
ALWAYS ASK IF THEY ARE USING THE MARIA AND SEE THAT THEY DO TURN IT ON.
("oo-say la maria?") or ("seer-vay la maria") either of these phrases will get the point across that you expect him to use the meter.