But I think there's a difference knowing you're going to get scammed and can't do anything about it and the ways that things work.
It's not a scam, but while I was in Seoul, the tour guide warned us(as we were going clubbing in Hong Dae??) that taxis in Seoul were evil at night and they will ask you where you are going before you get in the taxi. If the taxi driver doesn't think the distance is far enough, he will refuse to let you get on. You must offer at least 2000 won over the going rate(if you knew it). Getting to the club, it was around 8000 won, so we offered 10000 won going back, but the meter said it was only 6000won(and the rates were more expensive at the time we left the club) I always wondered if the first guy jipped us(since I was the one that said 8000 won wasn't enough to tempt the taxi driver, of course I was puking all over the place as well)
Man, I've never fell for ANY scam(other than this one taxi in mainland china, I was so mad and sad at the same time since I was so pissed at the driver and I wanted to get out, I dropped my new ipod in the taxi). Then after coming back from Asia, I get scammed right in front of where I work. A guy on a really hot day, now where near the airport, lugging a huge luggage. He offers a sob story of how his car got towed and he really needs money to get to the loop to make appointments. He offers his cell phone and double my money, takes down my phone number(I never understood this, I was already walking away), and fakes yelling "TAXI" For some reason, I gave him 70 when he only asked for 50. I was only going to give him 56, but then he was like can't you just give me the 20, I'm just going to double it. My younger brother was just shaking his head the entire time he forked over the 20 since I didn't have any, just the 50. Of course he never calls.
My mom tells me the later tonight when I tell her, some guy tried the same trick and the customers exiting the restaurant gave it to him. Don't know if it's the same guy, but after traveling in shady Guangzhou that was a complete let-down.
The taxis in Australia were okay I felt, one guy fare was about 10 dollars less the other guy(but the other taxi didn't go through the toll, although I think he was thinking about ripping us off, then my mom yelled at me(I was whining the shuttle was cheaper), and he changed something on his meter thinking she was cursing at him)he gave me $3.00 when I gave him too much instead of keeping it as tip.
Basically every time I step in a taxi, I always feel like I'll get scammed(especially in Guangzhou, but I think I've never ever actually did get scammed, in fact the taxi drivers got really offended when I mentioned why were in the wrong lane(we weren't it's all one direction), but it's really cheap enough that it doesn't matter sometimes....
As to the second post of this thread, $2 yuan for a short tour doesn't seem so bad a price. I've paid $6 yuan for a poor rickshaw/bicycle thing to take me to my hotel in boondocks, China and I felt bad for him since my suitcase was at least 50 lbs not including me and my uncle. I was even thinking about tipping him, but my uncle was like what are you doing...
