daylight robbery - mumbai airport

anar

i have heard this kind of thing here and elsewhere so often - perhaps it ought to be a sticky! (many apologies if it already is... )

an italian friend, visiting india for the first time, was returning from mumbai to italy after two weeks in the north. he landed from delhi at mumbai's domestic airport and thought he had found a 'proper' taxi to take him to the international airport. they ended up 'robbing' him by charging 100 euros (and rupees 500 in indian money) for a very short journey! they were very aggressive - he had no time to report them as he was anxious about not missing his connecting flight to italy.

this is totally outrageous - and (i think) easily avoidable - take the shuttle bus or a pre-paid taxi. please. and save yourself from being ripped off!

Familyonthemove

..... don't get me started on Mumbai taxi drivers

I've managed to boycot them for 6 months now.

Trains, autos, motorbike, private cars, elephant .... anything except those black and yellow Fiats with no brakes, suspension, lights or an ounce of honesty. And you need to be a 4th dan black belt at yoga to get out of the damn things. Anyone over 5 ft and not able to wrap their leg around the back of their neck needs to roll out onto the road to get out.

And what's with the low headroom in the back?

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mairangi_vice

damn that low headroom! so many uncomfortable hours spent sitting in those things!

But despite that, Ive never, ever, had any problems with the drivers. In fact Mumbai taxis are prob some of the easiest ive used in India! You just go by the meter, if they refuse to turn it on, you get out, at the end of the journey you pay by the tariff card. They always have a tariff card, even if they claim not to.
All you need is a general idea of where you are going and how long it should take to get there so they dont take you on the 'scenic route'

anar

the same italian friend was talking of how when in naples, he has to switch to the napolitan dialect to save himself from being taken for an 'outsider' and subjected to the 'scenic route'!

Rama

I would like to point out that 100 Euro is actually around 5,500 INR (Rupee). Now that is one expensive taxi ride!

But as a posts such as this suggest, not every taxi/rickshaw driver is dishonest.

PeakXV

WTF was driving Sanjay Dutt (he's out now isn't he?) reprising his role from Jodi #1. I'd be doing a tap dance on their front hood while screaming Help Police! Chor! Police! Chor!

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Don't go to India ~ Pre-trip Warnings & Misconceptions?

New-South-Welshman

Haha. Some Mumbai drivers are absolutely hilarious. I stayed in the south and had some shocking ones. Like one picking his ear and wiping it off on the ceiling of the cab right infront of me. The funniest one to me was that I was right outside JW Marriott in Juhu and needed to get back to my hotel in Colaba, so I started shopping around for a taxi that'd take me there for for under 300 Rs. All these taxis at the side were being arrogant and saying stuff like "Sir, you are not from here, please understand that I can't take you down for that price!" They demanded over 1000 Rs. They were yelling at me, so I said "Fine, I'll keep looking." All his friends gathered around me and tried to explain to me to take him, because I wouldn't find any better. I gave myself an annoyed looked on my face and they stepped away. Still looking, the previous drivers kept pointing at me and making jokes, etc, just when a cab pulled up and told me 250 Rs. I got in, gave the now angry drivers the finger, and we drove off. The driver who took me south though was such a nice driver though, very cool.

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