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HK$8,000 taxi!!

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  1. #1

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    HK$8,000 taxi!!

    Taken for a ride: Swiss tourist charged HK$8,000 for taxi journey from Hong Kong airport to hotel in Kowloon | South China Morning Post

    Story goes Swiss tourist took a taxi from airport to a hotel in Hung Hom. Didn't notice anything until he got to reception. Told hotel staff who immediately contacted police. Police are following up, even though tourist has not made a compliant as he claims he's leaving soon. Didn't get taxi licence number or anything else. He is 22 years old. That's over US$1,000.

    Unless proven otherwise, Personally I think something is a bit fishy with this story. For starters when you get a taxi from the airport these days don't they give you little piece of paper with the taxi details (obviously this may have already been discarded).

  2. #2

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    How naive you've to be to pay USD 1000 for a cab ride, seriously!!!


  3. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by pin:
    For starters when you get a taxi from the airport these days don't they give you little piece of paper with the taxi details
    Exactly.

    Have the taxi meters changed recently, I thought they didn't go beyond $XXX.xx.

  4. #4

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    I saw the story yesterday and I'm having a real hard time believing it. In fact, I'd bet $8000 that it was BS.

    1) I dont believe that a taxi driver with balls that big exists
    2) I dont believe a tourist that is that dumb exists

    I can believe $1000-$2000 (A few hundred USD) because that is not uncommon for a airport to home taxi rides in big cities around the world. I cannnot fathom how someone would be happy to fork over $1000USD for a taxi ride without questioning it.

    This one smells and I trust my nose more than the story.

    Stu79, East_coast and HK_Katherine like this.

  5. #5

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    Maybe he was confused on conversation rates of the HK dollar? Traveling to places like Thailand & Vietnam can make you think 8000 is not a lot of money.

    Obviously no one would knowingly fork over $1000 USD worth of currency.

    it does seem a bit greedy for a taxi driver to exploit that much, but I've caught them "playing games" on a smaller scale many times


  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by Open Casket:
    it does seem a bit greedy for a taxi driver to exploit that much, but I've caught them "playing games" on a smaller scale many times
    I agree. Asking for a bit more, a few hundred more, is not at all unusual. But $8000 - I cannot fathom any driver being brazen enough to ask for it.

    Could it be that the guy was sleepy and handed it over without being asked, by mistake? I'd believe that before I would believe a taxi driver asking for $8000

  7. #7

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    The tourist had been delayed by the typhoon and the airline had arranged for him to stay at the hotel. I assume he could "claim" the taxi fare back from the airline...just doesn't ring true at that scale of overcharging.

    East_coast likes this.

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by HowardCoombs:
    1) I dont believe that a taxi driver with balls that big exists
    2) I dont believe a tourist that is that dumb exists
    Agree with you 100% on number 1, on number 2 however there definitely is somebody that dumb out there. Might not be this guy, but he/she is out there.

  9. #9

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    Taxi driver probably fed him the line that during typhoons the fare is higher.


  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Flat Hunter:
    I assume he could "claim" the taxi fare back from the airline....
    Not without a receipt

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