The holiday season is upon us and most of us are getting ready to jet off. I am badly in need of a holiday; a break from the real world, so I have a few holidays planned for the rest of the year, and I shall be sharing more on that soon. I have not done as much travelling in the last few years, but I am hoping to make up for that in the coming months.
Speaking of holidays, one of my most memorable trips was my first trip to Dubai a few years ago. I have been to Dubai twice now, and I think it is a great holiday destination for everyone. There is so much to do and see in Dubai; it is a country I don’t think I would ever get tired of visiting.
Having said that, I remember my first time in Dubai, and the first few hours not being as amazing as I imagined it would be. After the incredibly long wait at the airport to get through immigration, we quickly grabbed our luggage and got a taxi to our hotel. We got into a taxi that ended up being a nightmare. The taxi driver informed us that he was charging us separately for the ride to our hotel. I found this weird, and deep down, I knew he was trying to play a fast one, but it was late at night in a country we have never been to, and I was too tired to argue, so we agreed.
I insisted he gave us receipts to confirm payments, which he reluctantly did, After speaking with the concierge at the hotel, it was confirmed that the taxi driver cheated us by charging us twice the amount for our trip. We later spoke with the taxi company and the police even got involved at some point. To cut the very long story short, we got our money back and the driver was giving a warning from the police.
I recently came across this infographic by The Taxi Centre, and I saw the funny side to it. It got me thinking of how expensive taxi rides can be, and how the fares quickly add up when you are on holiday. Especially if you are unlucky enough to get scammed like we were.
Most of us are usually left at the mercy of taxi drivers on holiday, especially when travelling with young children or when your hotel is not close to any other means of transport. We are left hopping from one taxi to the other, and it can leave a massive hole in our holiday money purse.
The cost of the taxi fares on this infographic are exorbitant, but I do get the message. If taxi rides are expensive for people like us, I can only imagine what the footballers and their managers have to pay out.
The figures on this infographic made me laugh. I am very aware of how much money goes on taxi rides, so I am very observant when I am in a taxi, especially in a foreign country. I check the meters, if any, to make sure I am paying the right amount, and not an amount the driver thinks I should pay. And I will never be made to pay a taxi fare twice ever again.
Do you struggle to keep up with the cost of taxi fares when on holiday? Do you have any tips or horror taxi stories to share?
*Collaborative post.
Wow, that is so cheeky! What a chancer. Very smart of you to ask for a receipt.
Yea good we did or he would have denied it.
We don’t usually need to use taxis as where we go we would use the flight operator transfer bus.
When we go abroad to 2 places we wouldn’t use package holidays for them as our adult children pick us up. We have 2 of our living abroad.
I do agree that taxis are a minefield and you need to be very careful. I have heard some nightmare stories like yours before.
Though not taxi related back in 2005 we got ripped off by the hotel/apartments we were stopping in, in Zante.
On the last day it was claimed all our towels weren’t in our room and we had to pay for 4 missing ones. We knew it was a ruse.
We ended up having to pay as the police station was 2 minutes away and our bus transfer home was due.
We weren’t in a position to risk what could have happened so paid up £40 euros for towels. We weren’t the only family they did it too either.
You certainly have to be on the look out abroad as there are unscrupulous people everywhere.
Hopefully your experience has stopped him doing it to anyone again. We hsve used in resort taxis abroad g9wever always agreed the price beforehand and found out from others there and locals what the rates should be
Oh wow! Them ripping you with the towels is so scary, never heard of that.
Hopefully the cheeky taxi man would never try that again..
That is crazy that the guy did that to you. I too have been ripped off in foreign countries by taxi drivers. Glad you got your money back!
Yea good we did. Thanks Angela.
Such a nice infographic. I’m completely impressed by it. It is as good as your blog 🙂
Thanks Stephanie.
I can’t believe that Taxi driver did that to you! What a cheek! Glad it got sorted for you in the end. I know all too much about expensive Taxi rates! We live in a tiny village off the beaten track so we always start with a ‘village rate’ on the clock of £15 before the journey because they know they won’t get a return trip. X
So cheeky. Oh wow! That is expensive.
Not a great experience while going on holidays but at least you got the money back! It was very common in India a few years ago where you would even pay 10 times higher if you are a stranger to that place but has been lot controlled now especially at Airports where you get pre-paid taxis. You just have to be aware of the place you want to go!
Yea. I had to learn the hard way but good we got the money back.
God they really chance their luck don’t they!!!
oh my what an experience. Uber is always a saving grace where they work….
Yea. It was an ordeal..
What a cheek! I’m glad to hear that you got your money back! x
Yea. So cheeky x
Good for you on standing your ground and getting that receipt, without that you wouldn’t have been able to get back your money. Well done you !!
Thank you..
My first taxi trip in a new place is, I swear, the most stressful part of any trip I go on. I always research how much it should be, what to expect, how to get a legit taxi, etc. etc. etc. before I go because I’m so nervous about it.
Yea me too. Too many scammers about.
Wow I can’t believe the cheek! You’ll always get people wanting to rip you off, especially abroad, but how do these people sleep at night!
I wonder myself..
I haven’t taken a taxi in years! I know the cost always seems extortionate 10 years ago!
Yea very.