Taxi rates. Am I being scammed?

[elhombresinnombre]

Ubers are available but much more expensive than Didis in my experiences. Cabs have been honest with me, I never had an issue other than the taxis from the airport which do scam you every chance they get.

I normally use scheduled transport to and from airports or book my own remis but the only time recently that I've used a cab from an airport the driver was scrupulously honest with me and got a decent tip at the end of the journey for being so. When he discovered that I didn't have the taxi app (I don't even have a phone, ha!) he dug out his own phone and showed me the app price which is what he charged and which was still way lower than I had guessed it would be.

Not that it affects me, without app or phone but, what is the deal nowadays with Uber? Has it been regularised? Can people now pay using local financial services or are those transactions still blocked by Argentina? And how's the insurance cover in case of an incident with an Uber?

 

[Che1990]

If you don’t want to ger ripped and no the price before hand, use Uber, Cabify, and Didi. Compare all 3. At peak times, taxis can actually be cheaper.

 

[Ries]

Since when are taxis for socialist hippies! Sounds bourgeois to me.

A lot of the taxi drivers I get are also socialist hippies. We compare our favorite ramones songs. But then, I talk to a lot of them, and they are always interesting. I have gotten poets, retired professors, moonlighting emergency room physicians, shrinks, housewives, gofers for rock nacional stars, and many more.

 

[VincentKMcMahon]

I learned in my first year on this continent:

Talking:

1. As a foreigner, don't open your mouth and display your accent if you don't have to (even if it's a mild one). Combined with the way you dress and act, you will quickly be known as a target for getting scammed pricewise. You are lucky if 50% of people don't treat you this way.

They are taxi drivers not the Taliban. My advice is the complete opposite, talk to them, ask como va tu dia in your heaviest yankee accent. You might be surprised 99% of taxi drivers here are good people who will help you with anything. And this is based on my sample size of thousands of taxi rides. Spanish lessons are $30+ an hour back home. Here's your chance to have one included free in your taxi fare. If you are feeling brave ask what they think about Milei, Alberto, Cristina and the general political situation in Argentina.

They know as soon as they look at you in the rear view mirror and say the cross street that you are foreign. You aren't fooling anyone. They don't need to have a 20 minute coversation to say "hmm I think this person may not be from around here...."

If you notice them turn the complete wrong way (very rare, almost never happens) you simply ask if this is really the right way. If their answer isn't satisfactory you ask to be let out immediately. If they don't let you out you've got bigger problems than the fare

 

[Ries]

They are taxi drivers not the Taliban. My advice is the complete opposite, talk to them, ask como va tu dia in your heaviest yankee accent. You might be surprised 99% of taxi drivers here are good people who will help you with anything. And this is based on my sample size of thousands of taxi rides. Spanish lessons are $30+ an hour back home. Here's your chance to have one included free in your taxi fare. If you are feeling brave ask what they think about Milei, Alberto, Cristina and the general political situation in Argentina.

They know as soon as they look at you in the rear view mirror and say the cross street that you are foreign. You aren't fooling anyone. They don't need to have a 20 minute coversation to say "hmm I think this person may not be from around here...."

If you notice them turn the complete wrong way (very rare, almost never happens) you simply ask if this is really the right way. If their answer isn't satisfactory you ask to be let out immediately. If they don't let you out you've got bigger problems than the fare

totally agree. I have had hilarious, entertaining, educational, and totally unexpected conversations with taxi drivers for over a decade. Have become friends with a couple.
I once had a conversation with one where we talked about how TWO of the ramones had lived in BA (taxistas LOVE the Ramones) and then I said something about how one had married a porteña, and he said- OH, no, she was from Remidios de Escalada. This particular driver was 65 if he was a day. And he proceeded to play, from his usb, his favorite ramones songs for the next ten minutes. some I agreed with, some I didnt. I always thought they lapsed into self parody after about the 3rd album, myself.

 

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

Don’t get the same level of conversation out of a. U er driver

 

[VincentKMcMahon]

totally agree. I have had hilarious, entertaining, educational, and totally unexpected conversations with taxi drivers for over a decade. Have become friends with a couple.
I once had a conversation with one where we talked about how TWO of the ramones had lived in BA (taxistas LOVE the Ramones) and then I said something about how one had married a porteña, and he said- OH, no, she was from Remidios de Escalada. This particular driver was 65 if he was a day. And he proceeded to play, from his usb, his favorite ramones songs for the next ten minutes. some I agreed with, some I didnt. I always thought they lapsed into self parody after about the 3rd album, myself.

Love it, my favourite taxi driver story of all time also involve music. Driving on Corrientes at 3am on the way home from a club and the huge Beatles tribute band posters are everywhere. I asked the driver if he liked The Beatles and his eyes lit up, he started messing with his phone USB connected to the stereo then suddenly 'Because' by the Beatles starts blasting so loud the cab was shaking, i was pretty drunk and high and the lights on Corrientes were all lit up, neon and burry

 

[vfl]

18000 pesos ? How is that even possible is the meter just going crazy? Or if there is no meter either get out immediately or agree on a price upfront. Like others said I have been taking taxis daily for 20 years here and seen 1 rigged meter in this time, after we drove a few blocks I told the driver to let me out. You are having very bad luck

Yeah, I thought this was insane and tried contesting it, but the driver got extremely aggressive and it became a very volatile situation. It was also 1am and it was just not worth the fight. I’ve decided to never take a Taxi again for this reason. It’s too bad, and honestly it has tainted my experience in Argentina altogether. My impression of this country is now that the people are scammers obviously my naivety plays a big part here, but it’s a damn shame one even has to consider this sort of thing at all.

 

[sergio]

A lot of the taxi drivers I get are also socialist hippies. We compare our favorite ramones songs. But then, I talk to a lot of them, and they are always interesting. I have gotten poets, retired professors, moonlighting emergency room physicians, shrinks, housewives, gofers for rock nacional stars, and many more.

As a socialist you should be travelling with the proletariat in colectivos. Those socialist drivers are being cruelly exploited by the self-indulgent bourgoisie who think themselves too good to travel with the underclass.

 

[vfl]

How did this thread turn into socialist commentary... Is it because getting ripped off is a common underlying theme of socialism? If so, it fits in nicely.

In any case, I won’t stand idly by while folks speak lightly or positively of socialism. If you feel the need to comment on your proclivity for such a system of governance, please consider a venezuelan expat forum as an alternative.

If there’s any silver lining to my story, I’d say it’s that the conniving taxi driver acquired capital. Good for him. Unfortunately, he acquired it the same way all socialists acquire the capital they so desperately crave -by stealing it dishonestly from those who earn it honestly.

Alright, that’s the extent of the political commentary I’ll make on these forums.

Thanks for the helpful tips, everyone! I truly do appreciate the advice and commentary. I’ve learned a hard but valuable lesson