Anyone else go to Turkey on holiday and find taxi drivers etc a total rip off!!?

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Believe me taxi drivers in Istanbul, 90% of them are totally miserable rude people... they tell you to get out if the distance is short, they open a night meter in the morning... they swear to other drivers when there is a customer in the taxi..... they are so very rude in istanbul.. i agree with you..how many times they told me to get out coz the distance wasnt long enough.. one of them didnt turn the taximeter on and told me he forgot and charged me loads of money.. ..

joeluw1977

Its not just in Turkey. Taxi drivers all over the world are crooks, just accept that. Some are more honest than others, but generally they drive slow when they know you are a tourist, take the wrong street, or decide to follow every traffic law when you are in the car. However if the car is empty, they go the wrong way on one way streets, run red lights, ect... I try to avoid taxis when possible.

YabanciKiz

Yes, you're right. Thank you Pearl for admitting this. Most Istanbul taxi drivers are sleazebags, and will try every trick in the book to cheat passengers, especially tourists--taking the most indirect route possible, running the night meter during the day, which makes the fare 50% higher, claiming not to have change--you name it, they'll try it. Also, some of them are just plain pervy--trying to proposition single women and such.

Next time you go to Turkey, remember to make a note of the license plate number, which is painted on the side of every registered taxi. You can then fax the plate number and your complaint to the Istanbul Taxi Drivers' Association, and your cabbie will be that much closer to getting his license revoked.

False arguments along the lines of "they're bad everywhere" renders no excuse for the nasty cab drivers in Turkey. Some of you start threads of which the general gist is "Why is Turkey the best country in the world?" Here's a chance to prove it. Perhaps instead of planting tulips on the side of the road, the government can put money toward an initiative to clean up this industry.

Oh, and BTW, at least in many US cities, cabbies do face stiff penalities for acting capricious. In Minneapolis, drivers refusing to take passengers over short distances or who are carrying dogs or alcohol have to go to the back of the taxi queue.In Chicago, there's a plaque in several languages posted inside every cab detailing the driver, his name, and a hotline to call if you fail to get satisfactory service; and in NYC, to eliminate rogue drivers cheating tourists, all rides from JFK Airport to Manhattan are a flat $45 fare, plus tip and bridge/tunnel tolls. Voila. A proactive solution to a perennial problem.

Earthling

Are you kidding :)

Taxis are rip off everywhere you go as a tourist. My friend was locked in a taxi because she refused to pay the ultra high fare the taxi driver demanded when we were in Poland.

HFC

All taxis every wher keep low tire pressure in their tires. So that way the meter runs faster. More revolutions per mile.

h a

Sam K,

In the cities, taxis are actually quite cheap. But if you go to a touristy spot, like one of the beach towns in southern or western Turkey, the taxis are quite expensive. Don't feel too bad though because they don't just charge extra to tourists, the locals pay the same (sometimes outrageous) prices as well. You can always negotiate before taking the trip, but it may not work during the high season.

I hope you enjoyed your time there.

hello

yes yes and yes

Claudia

It´s not only in Turkey,that happens all over the world.They all want to make the fast money,so please don`t be to mad at them.

Trotsky vs Kerensky- НекIо!

If your holiday has been so expensive only due to taxi fares, I urgently suggest you to reconsider your transportation choices. Use public transportation instead. Or you can pretend to be Turkish to prevent yourself from being ripped off =p

This happens all around the world unfortunately, they charge you more because you're a tourist. I remember that we've been heavily ripped off by a taxi driver in Serbia.

In Ayvalik (Aegean coast) the seller tried to sell olive oil to my dad and attempted to charge him the *tourist price* then my dad started to speak in Turkish.

"aaa pardon abicim yaa" lol

The best solution is to pretend you are a native! (Well as far as your appearance allows you)

luckyman

it s everywhere the same in any country.d you think it s different in europe or us.if i find dorks like you i d ripp you off too.next time rent a car or take the bus lousy tourist.

Haskan

I suppose you used taxıs to go toılet too. There are many ways to travel ın Turkey. Dolmus at many resorts are one tenth of taxıs. And also taxıs ın Turkey are 80% cheaper than any where ın Europe. Inc Spaın. Dıd you use taxıs or a whıte lımo. Dıd you use taxıs from your hotel to sea at 20 yards away. All taxıs use meter. So how could you get a rıp-off. You can get rıpped off once but entıre holıday. Only a fool and completly fool can do that. Whıch one were you?
Have ever used taxı ın London or Parıs. For a same money you can travel 90% more ın Turkey.

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