Athens taxis

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Wed 4 Jun 2008 11:56
Athens taxis - barney100
When in Athens a short while ago we got a taxi to the Acropolis fo the usual touristy bit and it wasquite reasonable. The taxi back however was 10 time more expensive and we had no time to argue as we had to rush to get back on the boat. Apparently this is a common scam over there and if this happens we were told afterwards you should refuse to pay and demand the immediate presence of the loal constabulary.
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Wed 4 Jun 2008 15:23
Athens taxis - Bill Payer
Standard practice Europe wide, in my experience.

I generally use public transport for airport runs, or get the hotel to organise a taxi. If all else fails, agree the charge with the driver before you get in the taxi. Once in, and you see the meter isn't running or is blanked out, there's not a lot you can do. Who knows how a foreign police force would react.
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Wed 4 Jun 2008 16:49
Athens taxis - Galad
Took a taxi with a colleague from the airport and he refused to drive off until he could find two more punters; we sat there like stewed prunes for 8 minutes with the meter running and the doors locked and we were just about to disembark when 2 more guys climbed in.

He was able to charge 2 sets of full fares and threatened to call plod when we refused to pay up. We now know that he took a detour to leave off the second fare. And he charged us extra for the privilege of having luggage. It was like Death Race 2000 for the short hop into the city centre and no rear seatbelts!

Public transport for me next time.
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Wed 4 Jun 2008 16:53
Athens taxis - Lud
Standard practice Europe wide in my experience.


Tee hee. Not just in Europe either. The town of Abeokuta in Western Nigeria is dominated by an interesting pile of rock. Smiling guides regularly lead unwary visitors up one of the tortuous routes to the top and then vanish, leaving the strangers in a rather frighteningly precipitous place that doesn't seem to have an obvious, non-terrifying way down.

The guides' reassuring voices can then be heard calling from below the rate for a trip back down to the ground.

(No, it didn't happen to me. I was friendly with a son of the town who told me, giggling the while).
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Wed 4 Jun 2008 21:46
Athens taxis - corblimeyguvnar
Dont get me started on Athens taxis, honeymooned there and stayed just outside of town in Glyfada, all in all did about ten taxi trips, only one was bang on what it said on the meter, a pleasant young chap who was obviously new, he got a big tip.
One driver tried to charge us five times what was on the meter, sent the wife out of the cab into hotel, I ranted for what seemed like a very long time, he was having none of it, so I threw what it said on the meter at him and exited the cab.
Must have worked as he just drove off.
Athens has been the worst place I have experienced for rip off taxis and I have travelled on business all over Turkey, Italy, Spain and numerous places in the Far East where I was expecting to be ripped off terribly, never had anything even near the hassle I had in Athens.

Hang on now I think about it, Heathrow black cabs can be complete horrors.

Rant over.


CBG

Edited by corblimeyguvnar{P} on 04/06/2008 at 21:47

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