Being Ripped off

[mfc]

A couple of my friends from Beijing were ripped off today, they were charged $140 for a taxi ride from Tsim Tsa Tsui to Causeway Bay. It was their first time in Hong Kong so they wasn't certain about the charges, apparently the taxi meter was showing $45 but the taxi driver told them they had to pay the taxes and tunnel charges.

The later on in the day while I was in a taxi with them talking a mixture of Mandarin and English, another Taxi driver insisted I gave them a $20 dollar note when I gave him a $50. He started laughing and apologised when he realised I spoke Cantonese.

It seems speaking Mandarin in this place is a license to be ripped off.

Whats the best way to get their licenses revoked? Would a receipt be enough?

[PDLM]

You'll probably find that the receipts has been cut in such a way that the taxi's licence number is missing. I had a gwailo friend visiting who got ripped off on a similar scam being picked up at the Peak Tram station (I guess that makes it pretty likely you're a tourist not a local) and being charged about $80 for a ride down into Wanchai somewhere.

The $50/20 one is quite common (well, two taxi drivers have tried that one on me in 8 years, so not that common). I make it a point now of saying "fifty" when I hand a $50 note to a taxi driver.

[Pekkerhead]

Just make sure that for journeys in future use a discount taxi. Mind you only worth using for trips of more than say $80 or so. Discount taxis (and home delivery vans which you can book to take you, and your luggage, to the airport for a fee much less than a standard taxi fare - assuming the distance makes it worthwhile) are the bane of normal taxi drivers in HK.

[adam65]

Sorry to hear this.

I get at least 6 taxis a day, and have never had any problems. Indeed when I first arrived I didn't have my glasses and misread $26.0 as $260 HKD and handed over 3 $100 notes - the driver pointed to the display and did his best to explain my mistake. Blindingly obvious I was new to HK and really appreciated his honesty.

Then again my understanding on tipping was to round to the nearest $ - most cabs I get they auto round up and don't give me the exact change (eg charge $27 for a $26.40 ride), but as I'd give it back anyway doesn't really bother me.