How to Not Get Screwed by Taxi Drivers

In many countries in the world there is wonderful application we call Uber. In more countries however, Uber does not exist. Sometimes you’re forced to take a taxi unless you want to walk a crazy distance with a 15 kg pack on your back. One rule exists universally: taxi drivers will take you for whatever they can. Not all of course, but taxis are a notoriously easy way of ending up broke without having any idea how it happened. Here are some easy ways to make sure that does not happen!

Know your route and have a map!

If you have a map with you, (or a GPS, though it’s harder when you’re traveling and have an expensive paperweight with Wi-Fi capabilities) you can yell at a cabbie without being able to speak his language. Pointing at a map and making it clear you know he/she took a roundabout route is a much better option than rabbling at them in a tongue they don’t understand.  If you don’t want to carry around an actual map, use Google Maps and take a screen shot.

Know the exchange rate of whatever currency you’re using!

Download an app on your expensive paperweight machine. There are plenty of free ones that don’t need the Internet to function. I specifically recommend GlobeConvert (just search currency converter in any app store). It's free and updates itself every time you have Wi-Fi so you always have the current exchange rate, which these days is important because currencies are very volatile. It is fast and easy to use and has every currency I’ve ever looked for and more. If you don’t know the exchange rate, you will screw yourself over. Tanya (my girlfriend) told me a horrific tale of her friend spending $100 on a cab ride that should have been less than $20. Don’t let that happen to you!

Download GlobeConvert! It makes life easier.

Negotiate the price BEFORE you get into the cab!

In most countries where you will travel outside of Western Europe (and the states/Canada), you can usually negotiate the price before you get inside. They actually expect you to do this and when you don’t they will turn on that meter and drive you all over town, or if there is no meter, they will tell you some ludicrous price upon arrival.

The cab you are looking at is NOT the only cab!

When the guy is not giving you the price the hostel worker told you it should be, move on. The guy is trying to scam you. The hostel workers know the price… that’s why they still work at the hostel. Sometimes, when it’s 4 AM and you’re desperate, you have to do what you have to do, but in most cases, you can move on and find another, or the original will give in and give you the correct price.

Try not to put your stuff into the trunk.

This is pretty simple. If your stuff is in the trunk, the cabbie has the power. If your stuff is with you, there is not much he/she can do. If they try to screw you on the price, hand them the correct amount, grab your stuff, and walk away. Don’t put up with any shenanigans!

Don’t get into a cab with other people already in it!

In some places in the world, this can be unavoidable. However, in most places, it is not. Just wait for another cab to come by. This is a classic scam. They can either mug you this way, or if it is crowded this is a pretty easy way to pickpocket somebody. If you are in a place where sometimes this is just an inevitability like, let’s say, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, keep a firm hold on your crap.

Know the direction you want to go.

In places where you aren’t running a meter, cab drivers will upcharge you if they have to turn around or if they have to make numerous turns. Figure out where you’re going and which direction it is, and stand on the proper side of the street. If you are a street away from a shorter route, don’t be lazy. It will save you a bunch of money.

That's all there is to it! Always be cautious when it comes to cab drivers. If you are tourist, whether domestic or abroad, there is a good chance they will try to get what they can from you. Good luck and just keep traveling!