exactly. this is the very reason i don't deal with charter taxi's.a traveler who doesn't want to have taking a cab seem more like dealing with a used car salesman.
It's not confusing to me, i just loathe higgling. Loathe it. i find the 'bargaining game' unpleasant and stressful, each person trying to dance around the other, to arrive at that intersection of supply and demand; especially when you know good and well, that said ride should not be costing 25.00 $USD - i don't even want to start with some a these drivers who automatically begin way high cause they know that's what some of the public will bear, and has borne. Also not interested in saying no to a too-high fare, and keep trying more cabs until i find one that will take 'my' price. ugh. what a prekka. i'm about keeping it simple: see the taxi, get in it, and go. I know some people do love the bargaining thing, but for me it's one giant PITA; the whole concept puts a damper on my energy and mood. And it's probably the ONE "local custom" i'm not interested in, anywhere i go, whether it be Jamaica, Trinidad, or Mexico.
So for me, if there's ANY simple system already in place with fixed rates, that's what i'm using. .... i get in the route taxi with $100J bill visible in hand, so they know that I know the system, and hand it over when I disembark; sometimes i don't even talk to the driver, esp. if he has a full car. imho, the purpose of a taxi is to provide a simple service - a ride from one location to the other; not a tiresome (and time-consuming as well) negotiation every time i step into a vehicle. ( did i mention i HATE higgling? lol)
now if there were some kind of fixed-rate charter system (or at least close to fixed-rate; maybe 'generally accepted' posted rates) I would use it. But until such time I'll be using the route system. Which seems quite a good business -- as SweetSue says, it may only be $J 100 per leg, but with the taxi full as much as possible, it adds up. So i can't say I feel that using them is in any way 'taking advantage' - it all adds to driver's income.
and btw i also utilize courtesy, i'm aware that local residents are priority passengers.
