Sure Rob, if they don't want that driver to ever stop for them again - !
Sure Rob, if they don't want that driver to ever stop for them again - !
Lola,
What? Do you think a driver would not ever stop for someone again if they say "no thanks"?
You must be joking! There is no mysterious gesture or keyword needed. A simple "no thanks" will never offend a legit taxi operator...
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Unfortunately, I have tried to decline white plates on several occasions and every time, I've been yelled at by not only the driver but others around. When I see they are white plate, I simply say, no thank you, I'm waiting for a red plate. Immediately I've been screamed at, harrassed, once to the point of actually being scared (the only time I have ever been truly scared in Negril). If I started walking away to get out of the situation, they were still screaming, calling me names. All because I want to take a red plate because I know THAT'S the one that's legal. Even leaving a restaurant once (I won't name the establishment), it was dark and one of the workers (not sure if it was the owner or not) asked if I needed a taxi and I said yes. He flagged a car and it was a white plate. I politely said, no, I would prefer to use a red plate. Again he starts into the rant of It's OK It's OK, he's legal, blah blah. It is frustrating when you can't trust anyone and they try to shove you into an illegal car doing everything they can to convince you it's legal when you know otherwise.
Bren-that is frustrating. But hold your ground, especially if you do not know the person hailing the cab for you.
I say "no thanks" to taxis all the while I'm here. I've never had a problem flagging one down, even if I've refused a ride from one previously for one reason or another. With the white plated taxis I also say no thank you but don't go into explanations as to why I'm declining the ride...the most "hostile" it ever got for me was leaving the donkey races last year when one practically ran me over to try to get me to take a ride - and I already had my driver coming to pick me up!
OK, so here is my question...
As a solo traveler, I most often walk or use route taxis. If I need to charter a taxi, are there some recommendations from people here of who to use? I have the names/numbers of tour drivers for long trips, but I dont have a trusted day or night driver to charter in Negril. If I am going to a bar on the west end from the beach, I would probably just charter someone (red plate) who pulled up on the road, but if going to exchange money, I would prefer to use someone trusted on this board. Names/numbers? Thanks!
Is it a secret hand shake sort of thing? Pointing to the ground? Since you brought it up you might as well share.Originally Posted by Lola
GOOD POINTS MADE ABOUT SAFETY. When you pack your bags to travel, DON'T leave your common sense at home. This applies to the transportation, whether you plan to ride route cab or charter. It if is not a RED plate, it is not LEGIT! You would not jump into a stranger's car back home in the states, why in the world would you do so in another country.
Another thought, the presence of another Jamaican in the car does NOT guarantee that there will be "no shenanigans." It could be a tandem operation. Once when I was coming out of Sun Beach to go back home to Hanover, a car stopped like a taxi with a lovely young woman in the front seat. My first clue was when the young woman was the one who asked me "you need a ride sweetie?" That turned me off even before I noted that the plate was white. I refused and waited for a legal route cab. My Jamaican friends assured me that it was very likely that this was a potential set up as it would put most people at ease to see a young woman in the front. Little do they know she could have been truly riding "shot gun." If you get into the front seat of a "white plate taxi" just because someone is in the back, you don't know if they are passenger or partner. It is not worth the risk.
"Another thought, the presence of another Jamaican in the car does NOT guarantee that there will be "no shenanigans." It could be a tandem operation."
Sweet Sue, sorry you misunderstood. This suggestion was regarding red plated taxis...where most likely shenanigans would not happen anyway. My post is advising people to NEVER get into a white plated car that claims to be a taxi.
Also, my suggestion was to not get into a taxi unless there was a Jamaican passenger sitting in the BACK seat. In the off chance the driver has badness on his mind, and has a partner, they will most likely be sitting in the front seat.
I just remembered that on my last trip the same thing happened when a "taxi" pulled up and asked if we needed a ride. We were walking but getting tired, so I thought about it, then peeked around the back of the car to check the plate....so he immediately starts getting all worked up about why am I checking the plate, blah blah blah...I just said no thanks, we are just going to walk. He was not happy but whatever. That is the ONLY time I can ever recall having any issue regarding something like that.
"Don't gain the world and lose your soul, wisdom is better than silver and gold" R.N.M
I have not yet been to Negril (1st visit in 1 week) so I have no experienced opinion, but am reading these threads carefully so as to learn what is appropriate.
I take it that for the most part I should charter a taxi (red plate of course) unless maybe I'm just going up the road a bit during mid day? Does that mean that I should stick either with my hotel's driver (even though it may be quite expensive, ie: $10 down the beach, $20 from beach to ciffs, one way) or else I'd need to find someone I can call?
If I'm walking and a red plate route taxi driver, with no passengers stops to ask if I want a ride, I should decline if I figure it's getting close to the end of the workday?
If it's the middle of the afternoon & there doesn't appear to be many locals requiring rides, I should never ask a route taxi driver if he's willing to provide a charter service for an agreed upon price? (say from Country Country to the Canoe Bar)?
I don't intend any attitude whatsoever, I'm just getting confused, I thought I'd just gotten the protocol down by reading others' advice & now it appears that I need to rethink all that. If I need to stick to the high end taxi prices, it is going to limit, by quite a bit, where I go while there, and how often. As mentioned in a thread I started here a few days ago, I don't have a lot of money so holidays are few and far between for me. I started that thread inquiring which restaurants offer complimentary pick up and some comments hinted that I shouldn't be so cheap as I can get anywhere for $5. I doubt that would be correct if I rely on using charter taxis priced similarly to the drivers at my hotel.
Not all tourists are well off. I don't own a house. I would not fall into the middle class category. If I had "money" I wouldn't have a problem throwing money around while there. Does that mean that I should stay home?
If route taxis are not for tourists, and the government can't afford a bus or shuttle system for tourists to use, is there no one who could start a legit, safe shuttle service that maybe runs every half hour or 20 minutes up & down, from long beach through to the west end, for perhaps $3-$4 pp? Is that not financially feasible?
As mentioned, I haven't yet been there, so perhaps I'm out to lunch and it's been tried & scrapped for some reason in the past...just trying to find a way for visitors of modest means to make visiting Negril and getting around while there, work.
And yes, if anyone has names & numbers of safe & reasonably priced red plated charter drivers, who don't mind being called out for a 5 minute (or less) drive, please share!
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