"beating the system": last tip: the best strategy for dealing with unmetered cabs
 

Contrary to what you might think, where taxis are unmetered, as is the case in most developing countries, it's best to get into the cab without discussing the price ahead of time. If the driver wants to bargain, you'll be in a much better position after he's given you the trip - plus, when you reach your destination, you're likely to be at a place (such as your hotel, the office of business associates or the home of friends) where you can get independent advice and the taxi driver will not find a lot of support.

When you get to your destination, before the driver can say what the fare was, pay him what you know from your earlier research to be the rate (or if you couldn't find out, then what you think is a fair rate), get out of the cab and walk away. If you were just guessing at the fair rate and the guy follows you down the sidewalk waving his arms at you and screaming unintelligible obscenities, consider upping your payements a few pennies.

from the Airline Passenger's Guerilla Handboo ISBN 0-924922-04-3, sold out,

Why did you have to call this "last tip?" Now you have us all in tears again, Rudi.
I'm glad you mentioned that unmetered cabs are common in developing countries, since that description also fits Washington, DC, where cabs use a "zone" system. A map of the zones and the fares (which depend on how many zones the trip touches) is posted in the back seat of each cab, but I dare anyone who's not a native or regular visitor (and many who are) to figure out what any fare should be. That's especially true when the driver doesn't necessarily take the shortest route from point A to point B, thus managing to cross into an extra zone or two on the way (all it takes is a block to add an extra zone to the legitimate fare). I'll take a meter any day. Of course, there was the time I came out of Penn Station in Manhattan, climbed in a cab and asked to take me to my hotel (I think it was the Omni at the time). He put down the flag, did a U-turn, stopped, let me out and collected the minimum fare. The hotel was right across the street.

Phil,

Ha ha! The same thing happened to me in Frankfurt. I arrived by ICE train from Munich, jumped into a taxi and asked for the Hotel Monopol. The driver started screaming and pulling out his hair (really!) He said it was on the other side of the train station but since he already drove out of the taxi stand, he had to take me and would have to go back and wait in the long taxi queue again. I told him I felt really bad and gave him something like a 300% tip.

When completely in the dark about taxis & fares, it is a good idea to ask someone who lives at your destination or travels there frequently (eg the flight attendants) how much you should expect to pay. Also, before jumping in a cab & asking to be taken to your hotel, take a minute or two to go to the information counter at the airport/station and find out where your hotel is while picking up a free map or two - I always did this on my overnight trips, just so that I'd be able to fit in at least some entertainment/sightseeing/be spared the often-horrible hotel food.

I think the best taxi-service I ever had was in Dar es Salaam. Most people who live there speak only Swahili, with a word or two of English, but the BA staff in Dar es Salaam arranged a taxi for me (undoubtedly somebody's cousin or brother...) & told me how much it would cost. When we got to the hotel the driver refused payment, saying he would collect me for my return flight the following day, and I could pay him then.

He did quite well out of this too, as he ended up getting all my extra (unconvertable) Tanzanian shillings as a tip!

I have also heard of horror stories from people who took a taxi or ate dinner without knowing the price that was going to be charged(conned). In Hungary I believe it was, it has been reported that people have been extorted for hundreds of dollars after eating a meal. Many of the reports I have read have been taxi/restaurant abuses from the former Eastern block countries.

Hungarian taxis generally have at least eight different tariff settings, ranging from dirt cheap to phenomenally expensive - make certain that you know which one applies before getting in! It helps to speak some German/carry a German phrasebook in the Eastern bloc countries, as, if any western tongue is spoken, it will be German. Hungary is particularly difficult as the Hungarian tongue is entirely unrelated to other European languages (unless you happen to speak fluent Finnish) I ended up eating entrails at a restaurant in Budapest because the waitress (and the menu) spoke nothing but Hungarian...

The only consolation about being bilked by a taxi-driver is that Hungarian food is rich, good, plentiful and (usually) cheap.

Here's something to add to your collection
of travel stuff: Salk International's Airport
Transit Guide. It costs about 13 dollars U-S. You can get it through Magellan's (I'll
pass on number if anyone needs it.)

This is a terrific book and gets "two paws
up" from Catman and Rudi (he had the book when I saw him in NYC at our "board meeting.") The book lists several tranportation sources to get from the airport
to downtown, etc.

When I went to Prague and Budapest last year,
my travel agent arranged pickup and return service to the airports. I knew about the chances of being taken. I would say in any strange country to talk with a travel agent
or the hotel or your representative about
a pickup service (I even got this in Sydney
and Melbourne and Cairns, PBarett... nice
Rolls ROyces and teh funniest Aussie drivers!)

BaoBab's tip is also great.... which I did not consider.

PhilForest, I think the Omni hotel is now
owned by the Reverend Sung Young Moon. Next
time you come to NYC (anyone else here) ask
me about if a cab or subway is needed to your hotel. Or I'll even escort you... free!
CATMAN