I agree !

I've heard so many negative stories about Rome taxi drivers that I choose public transportation instead ( and risk the pickpockets )

In Athens its " Taxi roulette " as one FT said in another thread. You get good ones and bad ones.

Sydney is also a toss-up It was $26 from airport to hotel then, $ 34 from hotel to airport. ??
In Boston the credit card machine didn't work. A month or so later I read where the cabbies disable it so you will pay in cash.
Why am I not surprised!

BW