Regarding the route taxi incident that happened to Hussyband....

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Originally Posted by smith744

Now,
with all that said,
in the rural areas
ALL bets are off that any of what i typed (above) is valid.

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* sigh *
here it is 3 o'clock in the morning
and i'm recalling one of my '..charter..' taxi experience IN-a-RURAL-area

( not sure, but i *think* i posted this in one of my trip reports )


'twas one of those visits,
to my Ja-play-dawta's family-yard.

not far from Negril,
in rural-suburbia/ex-urbs

her mother & some neighbors
invited me to accompany them to an evening church service,
in an area, just off the SavRoad,
just below SpringValley

we were waiting for the '..charter..',
which was to-be a van,
to carry the 9-of-we

driver showed-up (late) with a 4-door, hatched-back thing-y

:-(

there was a *problem* securing the van

* sigh *

long-story shortened-version

in-front ---- 2 people (including driver)
back-seat ---- 4-ladies
in-trunk ---- me, two boy-pickneys, and an older really-nice gentleman

The first-plan was to go to church
via the main-road,
pass/drive thru Negril,
and over-to the church along the SavRoad

but 'cause the car was so full-up,
the driver-SAY::::>> ".. can't do that ..... Negril police blah blah raaa raaa ...... we'll have to go the back-way.."

'twas a nice *drive*...... cool-cool A/C
....we got there ok....

.....but at a reduced-rate,

.....'cause the promised vehicle wasn't used

Smith, thats quite a visual, all piled up in the hatchback. :-)

That hatchback packing beats my most crammed ride in Negril... well over 20 years ago. Had been up in the West End at a venue for some live reggae & was headed back to the beach. The driver kept picking up & dropping off people along the way. At one point, while still in the West End... in front: driver & 3 passengers (one on the laps of the 2 on the seat); in back: 4 seated & 3 on the laps of the seated passengers. Shifting was done at times to put the smaller, lighter weight passengers on laps. Oh, the stories from back in the day.

I've always used Rob's advice and have mostly used Taxi's\drivers recommend by either the establishment I'm at or those that advertise on this board. If you liked their service get their number and keep it handy and give them a call whenever your looking for a ride. Keep a couple of numbers in case your first choice is not available. You will find that as you use the same driver(s) again and again you will be spared the hassle of negotiating a price each time. You will eventually come to an understanding. Call your favorite driver and let them know your in town each trip. Many will remain pretty much "on call" for you for the duration of your trip. I've found most will cater to you as much as possible once you established that relationship and you won't likely find yourself having the issues discussed above. Not only will you be using trusted drivers but those drivers have much more to gain from the ongoing business relationship then they ever would in breaking that relationship.

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Originally Posted by Kevin, PA

I've always used Rob's advice and have mostly used Taxi's\drivers recommend by either the establishment I'm at or those that advertise on this board. If you liked their service get their number and keep it handy and give them a call whenever your looking for a ride. Keep a couple of numbers in case your first choice is not available. You will find that as you use the same driver(s) again and again you will be spared the hassle of negotiating a price each time. You will eventually come to an understanding. Call your favorite driver and let them know your in town each trip. Many will remain pretty much "on call" for you for the duration of your trip. I've found most will cater to you as much as possible once you established that relationship and you won't likely find yourself having the issues discussed above. Not only will you be using trusted drivers but those drivers have much more to gain from the ongoing business relationship then they ever would in breaking that relationship.

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This is one of my favorite post ever. Big ups to Rob for keeping it real. A tourist needs to understand what to look out for. I can honestly say that these incidents are few and far between, at least in my experience.

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Originally Posted by Rob

Fred,

Apparently you are not getting much of anything. The entire route taxi system was not designed with visitors to the island in mind. It was designed to allow the local populace in the rural areas to have transit. The New York City taxis were designed with all traffic in mind, locals and visitors alike. Jamaica had about 2 million visitors to the island last year, NYC had 52 million. You are comparing oranges with big apples....

The Lilliput route taxis are designated to run their routes in Lilliput which is approximately two hours from Negril. They are not expected to be operating in Negril. And once again, being a route taxi, they were designed with the local populace in mind, not the visiting tourists as has been stated.

Jamaicans are very aware of what happens in their local communities, and seeing Lilliput route taxi with a broken windscreen racing through their town is something they would remember, especially when that town is no where near Lilliput.

I am not sure why you are being sarcastic and wasting other's time over something like this.

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Brilliant explanation, Even though you'd made it extremely clear in your original post. I think some people like to just moan and have an argument.
This post and the post by hussyband taught me a lot and I am grateful that people like you and hussyband are on forums like this. Priceless information! Thank you (we go in 8 days for 2 weeks and are getting married - very excited)

You couldn't be more right SazO. Even though useful information is being given to both newcomers to Jamaica, as well as seasoned travelers, some people find this information to be an affront to their own sensibilities. Personally, I have used route taxis in the past and haven't had any problems. However, I never flagged one down. They were always alone and looking for fares. After negotiations on price I felt as comfortable with them as with most other drivers. A couple of times if a driver gave me the wrong vibe, I simply told them that I would just walk and went on my way until I found a driver I was comfortable with. I will definitely keep my guard up higher on all of my future trips, but I am sure that I will have occasions where I will use a route taxi again.

Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials, and I hope you guys have an excellent time!! Jah Bless!!

My guard is always up no matter where I am (I'm a big ol' chicken) but after reading about this incident I will think twice before getting in any car that I flag down.

While I tend to only use drivers I know or drivers that security flags down, I've only had one incident that spooked me. Myself along with my dad who is a Jamaican got into a taxi that was parked across the road from NBCC to take us to Hi Lo. This is a driver whom I've never used and never met but I have seen him parked in the same place for many trips. By time we made it to the roundabout there was something about him that made my skin crawl and really spooked me. We made it to the Hi Lo with out incident but I told my dad to please just send him on his way that I didn't want to ride back with him.

He could have been pure as an angel but there was something and I had to go with my gut instinct. I consider myself a seasoned traveler to Jamaica so these posts just remind me that nobody is immune to danger no matter where you are.

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Originally Posted by Rob

Johia

Locals in Negril do not just jump into just any taxi. They typically wait for a driver and vehicle they recognize. This becomes second nature when you have been using route taxis your whole life.

But as a tourist visiting the island, you do not have the luxury of years of experience of knowing who the good drivers are, who the not so good drivers are, who is just a bad driver (although the dents in the car tends to point them out) and who may up to no good.
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This is great information lessons to be learned and its funny you mentioned the "locals" pass up certain taxis as well this is so tru...when me and my "JA friend" lookn for a taxi he often pass up taxis and I always think to myself why are we letting 2-3 taxi go by...Now mi nuh! And Im happy kno he was looking out for our safety and after this thread I feel I know just enough to get to point A to point B safely.

Thanks so much ROB for this info and this forum!

Yes,I am not politically correct,yes I have NO patience for Punk thieves who put knives to ladies throats....Remember folks,,mail your "get well " cards and thats that.Guess what,,,Forever they will now be traumatized,forever they will never have those rings......I know,,,,I saw Thousands of victims as an inner city,Ghetto cop.....I chased,caught and locked up these punks....I saw all the victims.....I was Pro-Active...

Fred Fred Fred...you stirrin the pot again. :) Sometimes contraversial and even provocative but never afraid to speak your mind.

The board would be a little less interesting without you man.

RESPECT :)

Thank you so much

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Originally Posted by Fred Stripe

Yes,I am not politically correct,yes I have NO patience for Punk thieves who put knives to ladies throats....Remember folks,,mail your "get well " cards and thats that.Guess what,,,Forever they will now be traumatized,forever they will never have those rings......I know,,,,I saw Thousands of victims as an inner city,Ghetto cop.....I chased,caught and locked up these punks....I saw all the victims.....I was Pro-Active...

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A non PC inner city ghetto cop!.
I hadn't guessed

can someone direct me to the original post from hussyband??

also as a 40 plus year negril traveler would like to comment on the route taxi deal. thru the last few years it seems that the board has suggested travelers use the route taxi. believe smith has been a big proponent. perhaps for him it works as he appears to spend long periods of time there.
my opinion has always been that the route taxis are for jamaicans. if we end up on a route taxi we would be expected to pay more thatn the jamaicans pay.
we should just be taking a regular cab and negotiate a good rate that is fair to you and the driver.

Yeah Saz,,all cops suk,right..Trust me pal,,,You will WISH I was there if you got robbed,trust me....Bash the cop but UMM SHHH don't sany anything bad about the Punk thief..... Weak....

Rob and Lisa definitely have NOT encouraged tourists to use the Route Taxis in the limited amount of time I have been reading the boards. And share your opinion.

Yes,True Flip...Sorry Rob.... Just don't wont to be in a "defensive" state in my utopia of Negril.

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Originally Posted by Fred Stripe

Yeah Saz,,all cops suk,right..Trust me pal,,,You will WISH I was there if you got robbed,trust me....Bash the cop but UMM SHHH don't sany anything bad about the Punk thief..... Weak....

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Fred,
I didn't once state, cops suk!. Thank you for regarding me as your pal!. I trust you as far as I'd trust some stranger on the tinterweb!. Thieves are punks - that's my opinion!. And weak??? I am not!.

Assumptions are the mutha of all F*c* ups.

Peace!!

It's called 'we made it to the rock'.

And, from what I've noticed when travelling in route taxis with my JA friends, never tell them where you are going. If they ask just say 'down the road' and when you get there, say "right here" and try not to get out exactly where you are going. Unfortunately, talking about the "weather" seems most appropriate in these circumstances, or saying nothing at all. I always say "bless" when I get in and "thank you so much" when I get out and that's about it .. unless of course you know them :-) and let's hope you do !! Have a great evening.

Oh....OK let's face it ....Although the route taxi system was set up for locals, it obviously is used by the route taxi operators to make money. That means offering rides to tourists. You can't reasonably expect tourists to refuse the constant .....I mean CONSTANT offers for rides from route taxis. Are there risks? Of course there are. Although I would hesitate to "dis" Rob, it's clear that he has an obligation to support those who support him. That's simply smart commerce. We all should understand that. Some...although not myself, might suggest a conflict of interest. Despite what some might think about that, he makes very valid points. Taxi drivers can be awesome and can be an absolute highlight of a trip. Case in point ...Alfred Barrett (Jah bless his soul) or Kinglsey James, among many others...some of whom advertise on this site. The point is that taxi operators can and often do provide value far far beyond the fair they charge. I will use a taxi most often, but I will will also use the route taxi system on occasion (with some caution).

Respect.

Good point, and as said before, many of the drivers who provide tours and airport transfers are not local to Negril, as many who work in Negril. However, Rob has to take into travelers of all skill level and if it was me I would take a similar stance. Newbies do not know the runnings and are potential marks, more than the seasoned Jamaica traveler.

With that said I will continue to leverage the route taxi system. I am selective with my rides and appreciate it when a lady is already in the vehicle as the local ladies screen their rides out of necessity. If you use them enough you will start to recognize some of the drivers and they will recognize you too. I usually negotiate a private ride and tell the driver to pick up ladies along the way so he can make extra dough and so the ladies do not have to wait.

great attitude booger.....

what happened with the incident. i have not been able top locate the original post
thanks

Spanky, its in Hussybands trip report. ' on the rock"? I think was the name of the thread

thank you Lady Jane for directing me to the original post and thank you Hussyband for telling the story. i am sorry this happened to you and hope these thieves will get their punishment . i also think by telling the story you will save some of us from a similar fate . i can tell you if the driver has to take someone off the road i am out of there. thanks

unfortunate situation and a rarity for sure in Negril......

well mi an expat and spend half mi time now in Negril......
and as a result use the route taxis on a somewhat daily basis......
though mi have a red plate route driver that will pick mi up anywhere in Negril....
and drive mi anywhere for the taxi route fares.....
mi and the neighborhood gives him so much business.....it's in his best interest to take care of us....
one day him dropped mi off at the end of the month Farmers Market by the Roundabout......
and mi did shopping der and around town.....and he came all da way down from the Westender......
just to pick mi up....talk about service...nice guy too..
and mi take care of him....cause him take care of mi...

Cool Runnings, Marko

Okay, just to clarify for myself and our friends joining us for their first time to Negril. It is no longer a good idea to look for a taxi with a red plate? Because that is what I was always told. So, from now on I should just always call the driver that we use when we need a ride, or use the free shuttle service that a lot of restaurants offer.

All Taxis have red license plates. Any other color plate means they are not a taxi at all.

But you should use the charter taxis like JUTA, JCal, Maxi and the other JTB certified drivers, and not the route taxi system that was designed with the local populace in mind, not visitors to the island.

Rob, you live their. How often do you hear of assaults on tourists by route taxis drivers? (excluding Hussyband). I used route taxis probably 15 times on my last trip. I'm confused. I never felt like I was in danger. I mean no disrespect.

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Originally Posted by TrempraleauJohn

Rob, you live their. How often do you hear of assaults on tourists by route taxis drivers? (excluding Hussyband). I used route taxis probably 15 times on my last trip. I'm confused. I never felt like I was in danger. I mean no disrespect.

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Originally Posted by TrempraleauJohn

I can only imagine that the drivers on negril.com transportation section are going to benefit greatly from this thread.

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While you say no disrespect is intended, it seems that your previous comment in this thread lends one to believe that I have an ulterior motive. Believe what you want and travel how you want. But to answer your question, I have heard of too many incidents around the island involving tourists, even though one is still too many.

Negril is a rather small town with a population hovering around 5000 and receives lesser numbers of visitors to the island than MoBay or Ocho Rios, so the number of incidents here are relatively small. But there have been incidents reported all around the island, in Hanover (not Negril), several in St James, a few more in the north coast areas and of course Kingston.

There are visitors to Negril who everyday rent scooters and feel perfectly safe and "in no danger" as you state you feel about the route taxis. There are scooter rentals all over Negril and tourists do rent them. But this month alone we have seen and talked to 4 sets of visitors who gotten serious cases of road rash which put an obvious damper on their vacation. All professed to have rented them in the past and knew the "runnings" and yet they ended up hurt. Bad things can happen to good people.

As I have stated, the majority of route taxi operators are hard working, honest and decent drivers trying to make a living. But you, as a visitor, do not have the years and years of daily experience with the route taxi system that all Jamaicans living here have - it is second nature to them. They instinctively know which taxis to use and not to get in, they were taught this as a child. There is no visitor to the island that has that same ability, and sometimes that even fails experienced Jamaicans.

So, by all means, go ahead and think you are in no danger at all using random route taxis. They are not allowed to refuse you, it is against the law. But would you have known not to get into the Lilliput route taxi? Would you have even noticed the Lilliput wording and known what it meant?

There is a system that has been put in place by the Jamaican government and JTB to directly serve the needs of those visitors to our beautiful island.

I can no more recommend that visitors use the route taxi system, which was designed with the local populace in mind than I can recommend walking through the unlit areas of the beach at night.

It is simply not wise advice.

Still no word as to whether these scumbags have been caught?

Rob-I'm a very cautious individual. Renting a scooter or even driving in Jamaica is something I would never do. I do not walk the beach at night, lit or unlit. You're right, I would have gotten in the cab Hussyband entered. I will be more careful which route taxis I enter after reading Hussybands thread. As far as assuming I thought you had an ulterior motive for this thread is absurd and embarrassing.