Quote:
Originally Posted by BFOMF5
when u ask u bacame the carrot in their eye.
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I have a precise opinion on all this.
1) First important thing: be INFORMED.
Don't go to a taxi (ok, this is not exactly a taxi, but the same concept applies) and try to "bargain", because you read here that bargaining is important,
without knowing WHAT IS THE CORRECT AMOUNT TO PAY. A newbie who tries to bargain a price but does not know what is the amount to pay is a small fish heading direct to jaws of the shark. The newbie MUST know what is the price and say straight "I pay this. Ok?".
2) Never ask "how much?" This shows you are not informed => carrot candidate.
3) Personally, I think that is even not good to bargain too much. Drivers sustain a family with their work. If I spend 500k on drinks in a pub, I should not be stingy giving 10k more to an ojek or taxi.
Said this, overpaying is "stupid" (in the Cipolla's definition) and wrong. It should be avoided at all cost.
When I take a taxi from Harbour Bay, I just tell him (to be sure) "lima puluh" (50k) and I never had a single problem or argument. Sometimes I don't even tell him that. I pay 50k when I arrive (standard fare including tip),
after getting off the taxi (when you are out, especially in front of your hotel, the driver has no more power on you to get more money).
Never try to pay when you are still inside. The driver may be encouraged to ask more money claiming you did not understand.
Taxi is more problematic when you want to go back to hotel from a disco with a girl (in most cases, she would not be happy to take an ojek,,,)
BEWARE of a gangster who works as "taxi driver" at Newton. Thug face, on a black car with small blue lights. I had a strong argument with him and I even had to shout at him loudly in front of everyone.
To go from Newton to Formosa he wanted me to pay 70k.
No way. The appropriate price should be 30k for such a short ride, but at night the standard fare is 50k. I told him 50k and he even became aggressive to me demanding "70k lah". I sent him to hell and I found another car for 50k.
My advice is just: don't be intimidated. If you know what is the price, pay that price and nothing more. The shark looks for small fishes. If the fish is not so passive, the shark will stop the attack and will chase another one.