Taxi rip off BOM
 

After 4 fabulous days in Nagpur, we arrived at the domestic terminal needing a cab to a hotel to eat before our flight back to LHR. We followed the signs etc and were approached by a chap and walked a long way to a black cab with yellow roof. We asked repeatedly about price but got the answer I will show you rate in a minute. We were heading to the Airport Sheraton. We were driven for about 3 minutes to a dark street, got hemmed in by 2 other cars and asked for 1600 rupees. There were 2 guys in the front of the " Black Beauty Cab" who were really not for letting us out. I felt we had no choice but to pay up as we had no idea where we were. We got transfered to another taxi who took us where we wanted to go. I think had we not paid things could have got worse.

A shocking experience, and I thought we were not daft enough to be caught by something like this, but we were tired after a days travel etc.

We went to the Peshawari Restaurant, and I thougfht the hotel was loveley but the food no better than anything we had in Nagpur for about 1/20 th of the price.

Loved India, will go back, but will be even more wary the next time!

A terrifying experience, and I'm glad you came out fine, except for the loss of a little money.

With all due respect, however, you did two things wrong:

1. NEVER go with a tout. This is true anywhere in the world. I've not been to BOM, but at the other Indian airports I've seen, the taxis are all parked in a designated area and the drivers tend to know each other.

2. NEVER go anywhere in a taxi that won't provide a rate quote, even if it's approximate.

I'm sure you know these rules but your exhaustion got in the way of your better judgment. Anyway, you did the right thing by cooperating with the robbery (and that's what it was).

And in BOM at least if the taxi driver doesnt turn the meter on right at the start of the trip .. ignore him and move to the next taxi.

Or book your taxi online at www.merucabs.com - renault logan type aircon sedans at INR 15 per kilometer, metered.

For future reference, there is a "pre-paid" taxi counter on the arrivals concourse area.

I looked for pre paid counter, but couldn't see one, it was the domestic terminal. I'll know better next time.

I know it's no consolation but a woman I met in India got taken for a 400 EURO ride in DEL.. so for INR 1600 I'd consider myself lucky in a situation like this

You walk out and there is a taxi rank basically, with a cop nearby. And that is a bit of a walk away from the terminal, signs are clearly posted.

You will find lots of taxi drivers trying to cut you off before you reach the taxi rank and offering you a ride - generally they will name some random figure that is INR 150..200 higher, and try not to turn on the meter. Instead just walk to the taxi rank, or as I said book online at www.merucabs.com

The domestic terminal in BOM has been notorious for these types of scams. If I recall correctly, BOM domestic does not have a prepaid counter.

I was there in October and made sure I paid close attention to official cabs standing in the designated area. Even then, you are at risk.

Though it probably would be quite a bit more expensive, the safest mode of transportation would be for you to arrange it with your hotel.

Can also recommend http://www.savaari.com/user/step1.php - we used them for five airport-hotel transfers during our trip in May 2008 and all went without a hitch. We always took the Toyota Qualis - nice high vehicle so you get good sightseeing on the way in.

Don't know if this has changed but in 2008 you could only book from the airport to the city, you had to either email them or let the driver know when you wanted the return (this was always very easy).

Rates are very cheap - from USD15 upwards for the whole transfer (depending on city etc).

It really is fantastic to have this (or any other) company wait with a sign with your name on it!

To the OP - really sorry to hear about your experience.

Regards

lme ff

Or -

http://www.carzonrent.com -- hertz franchisee in india

http://www.avis.co.in - avis in india

You can even earn FF points this way. :)

I am glad that you were unharmed. In the mid 70's I remember reading that in some cases passengers arriving at international aiports were robbed by the cab driver. Delhi buses and cabbies have been bad since the late sixties. When I was a kid growing up in Delhi in the early 60's cab scams were infrequent. Bombay buses and cabs used to be reliable. It's unfortunate that Bombay cabbies have also been corrupted.

Couldn't disagree with anything you said. Sometimes, even when we know the rules, we don't follow them, either because the cabbie wears us down or we think, that since we are not going far, the damage has a limit. Cardinal rule for taking a cab is to agree to a price before you get in the cab or o using the meter. Sometimes the meter is tampered. A pre-paid taxi is one wayto avoid a rip off.

i think dealing with crook taxi drivers is allot safer than attempting to drive in india, especially if you are not used to it....and parking a car in the wrong place will surely earn you a a few cinder blocks. lynch mobs form pretty easily in the event of an accident where people get hurt.

the rule of thumb with almost everything in india is this:

if someone is proactive about helping you or providing a service, it is a scam.

if they want to help you but you never asked for help, its a scam.

if they dont have a reason to help you (they dont work for a restaurant or hotel that you are a guest in) yet they are still helping you it is probably a scam...

dont even give them the benefit of he doubt, since 99% of the time, the scam assumption is correct...

always grab taxis from taxi stands or a radio taxi co, even generic unmarked taxis are fine provided you get one from a stand...always get food and services from a tangible fixed location, never give in to strangers off the street or people with easy to move setups. always always always make sure your taxi rides begin with you talking to some guy in a fixed kiosk or stand.

if you want a guide, find a legit company. if you need a bottle of whiskey, find a shop, any whiskey you get on the street is tea water, even if its sealed. if you want shoes, find a shoe store. if you need to eat, dont buy food from roaming vendors, fixed locations have more to lose so they maintain higher standards...auto rickshaws are cheap and fine, but i would only use them for short hops, unless you can tolerate the beggars who can get more in your face when there is no glass between them and you...

as far as the taxis rates, always negotiate or find out the per km rate...and take note of the odometer since most unmarked cabs charge by the kilometer... 1600 for a single point a to b ride in the city is a little steep...in delhi we hired an unmarked taxi from a stand for about 1700 (35-40 canadian) a day!!!...he took as all over delhi for 13 hours!!!...several stops, plus he stayed with the car, even if we went somewhere for 2 hours. afterwards he whiped out a sheet from his cab co showing the odometer reading from the start of our trip plus the reading after and the total.

if you had a good experience with a taxi driver/stand (safe driver with ac and a stereo that has not been stolen) its always good to ask him to turn up the next time you have plans, and jot his mobile/stands number down aswell ...its also handy when the driver knows where to drop you off, since you might forget where your own lodging is...

There was a prepaid counter but it was closed when we arrived. We did get into what we thought was a cab in a designated area but have to say that we paid a bit more than we should have and were not happy when someone else jumped into the front of the cab- found it intimidating. I have made up my mind that the next time we go to BOM we will get the hotel car. We have travelled all over the world and its the first time we have been scammed by a taxi( apart from the usual antics of course)- thought we were too well travelled to fall for anything. How wrong was I:rolleyes:

next time call a radio taxi...always catch a cab from a fixed local...even if it involves asking some shopkeeper in the airport to get you one...he may get a cut from the driver...but they wont screw around since you will know where to find them...

good tip. Thanks^