How To Avoid Rip Offs While Using the Taxi Service in India
Traveling to India as well as within India is an idea which causes most westerners to feel ill at ease and not without reason too. Much of the discomfort arises due to the rip-off culture prevalent in many parts of the country and this is not just applicable to the tourists but to Indians as well. No-one actually minds being charged 20-50% higher than the actual cost while travelling but paying for something that does not exist or paying at least ten times more than the actual price is an experience which leaves behind a feeling of bitterness as also a bad experience.
While travelling in India even for a short duration, making use of the Indian taxi service is inevitable as it is one of the most common as also comfortable means of travel in the country. However, it is also one of the most unavoidable ways of getting ripped off especially if the passenger is not well informed and is new to the city. As most of the international flights are scheduled to land during the night or wee hours of the morning, foreign tourists often find themselves at the mercy of cab drivers and end up paying a lot more than the legitimate fare.
A typical case of a rip-off is when the tourist arrives in India and after having disembarked from the plane and dispensed with all the formalities is on a look out for a taxi to take him to his hotel. This is the time when people usually put their guard down and hence are particularly vulnerable than they might otherwise be normally. Bearing a few precautions in mind could go a long way in avoiding such experiences and having a good time and some of these measures are:
- Never take decisions in a rush. An essential tip in this regard is that if the person whom you are dealing with appears to be in a hurry and is trying to push you frantically then chances are high that he is attempting to rip you off and hence should be avoided.
- Asking the hotel to arrange for a pick-up from the airport is one of the safest ways of travelling. Although it may cost a little more, the hassle of hiring a taxi without being aware of the rates is circumvented completely.
- In case the hotel refuses to make transport arrangements, the next safest option is to opt for a prepaid taxi. Since these are monitored by the authorities and are required to abide by strict regulations, there is almost no opportunity of getting ripped off.
- While hiring a taxi on the road by yourself, you must never share the cab with any other person nor should you accept a free ride from a stranger who might be traveling to the same destination. It is also a good idea to insist in driving (and paying) in base of the taximeter.
- Following the locals is the best way to save yourself from getting ripped off while availing a taxi in India. So asking locals for guidance would be a good idea before hiring any taxi services so that even if you cannot bring the price down to the actual level at least you are still saved from paying an exorbitant amount.