Cyprus-Forum.com

[cyprusgeoff]

I can't understand the mentality of these taxi drivers.

They seem to work under the idea that it doesn't matter if they over charge people as they might just as well fleece those tourists while they are here.

What their tiny brains don't understand is that for every tourist that they have ripped off, goes home to whatever country they came from, three people don't come to Cyprus because of the attitude they take.

Bad news travels fast and for every unhappy tourist that returns home with a tale to tell and a warning for all his/her friends about over charging many people will cross Cyprus off their list of a possible holiday destination.

What will the taxi drivers do when year on year the tourist numbers drop by 11-12% and the number of likely suckers are less.

[Free Spirit]

But surely the local rules and regulations as well as UE say that they should be using ministry calibrated fee metres.

[cyprusgeoff]

This is Cyprus, rules don't apply.

If you jump in a taxi and the driver doesn't turn the meter on and you are unaware of the regulations then you are, or most of us are, going to pay the fare when asked.

Like every trade, if they continue to trick customers into paying more and then people find out, how many folk will continue to use taxis?

I pick up all my visitors at whichever airport they fly into rather than put them at the mercy of these 21st century highway robbers.

[Free Spirit]

This is Cyprus, rules don't apply.

If you jump in a taxi and the driver doesn't turn the meter on and you are unaware of the regulations then you are, or most of us are, going to pay the fare when asked.

Like every trade, if they continue to trick customers into paying more and then people find out, how many folk will continue to use taxis?

I pick up all my visitors at whichever airport they fly into rather than put them at the mercy of these 21st century highway robbers.

Yes that was alright before EU entry but if people went beyond local corrupt government and direct to the EU things would soon start to happen.