Awesome additional info Lola. You filled in a lot of the little blanks. Thank you!
Awesome additional info Lola. You filled in a lot of the little blanks. Thank you!
Lola is correct in regards to replying with a NO or No Thanks.the more correct etiquette (if u want to call it that) is to say" I'm (mi) not ready" or "waiting for someone..".Saying as we foreigners normally would No or No thanks-is taken as a slight by some drivers..And Yes, they're plenty of drivers (red or white) that i will not take a ride from-either they're personal attitude and/or the driving habits...No, i just wave my hand and let them go on their way.
" Ones destination is never a place, but rather a new way of looking at things." (Henry Miller)
Lola brings up some interesting information, but I am not sure how really useful it is for most visitors to Jamaica.
The situation she is talking about, especially for Jamaican women, refers to residents (person living in the area) choosing which taxi to take. These people LIVE in the area and have thousands of daily experiences with drivers. They have their favorite drivers that they regularly use. They have drivers that they do not like and will not get in their vehicles. Visitors to the island do not fall into this category, as they dont live here and they dont have years of daily experience with the various drivers. They are here for their vacation, and there is no chance that driver will not pick them up if they say "no thanks" instead of "mi not ready yet". A simple "no thanks" will work just fine.
As for taking a route taxi off their route - the fact she requested the diversion, the driver asks permission from the other passengers and then she paid an additional amount does essentially change the route taxi definition. They are no longer on their route and she is no longer paying just the route taxi rate. Thus is has become a charter by definition, albeit a short charter.
As for the bus park experience going to another town, once again, this is something that the vast majority of visitors to Jamaica would never need to worry about.
The red plate taxi is ALWAYS the way to go for visitors to the island.
Negril.com - For the vacation that never ends!
Suzen,Originally Posted by suzengrace
If a simple "no thanks" by a tourist is taken as a slight to some drivers, how would you suppose your "wave my hand" gesture be taken should a tourist take your advice and just "wave their hand"? For a visitor to the island, where is the logic in that statement for them to understand?
To all,
It seems some people are trying to make this simple concept more confusing than necessary. There is no reason not to say "no" or "no thanks" to any legal taxi. They will not take it as a slight. They hear it every single day.
There was a crazy thread a month or two ago where a few people were claiming that Jamaica vendors would be confused by "no thanks". As was pointed out in that thread - THESE PEOPLE WORK IN THE TOURIST INDUSTRY. They deal with tourists every single day. There is no possible way that they will be confused or slighted by a visitor to Jamaica should the visitor say "no thanks".
Negril.com - For the vacation that never ends!
Any legal red plate taxi that stops and asks if you need a ride is perfectly fine to take. They have the space and the time (otherwise they wouldnt have stopped) so there is no reason not to take them. As always, determine the fare before getting in the vehicle.
Negril.com - For the vacation that never ends!
looks like someone is going to start having to make some more phone calls and interviews to check this stuff out lmao.
"I beseech thee, my lord , let this venture be mine..."
-Sir Gawain
Route Taxi 100J from beach to downtown, 100J from downtown to cliffs per person plus tip. Very simple, safe...nuff said!
Praise Jah
I'm posting again on this subject because it sounds like a couple of folks don't really believe you can get a charter cab from the beach to deep west for 500 J, which is about 6 north american dollars, give or take.
It's not just for one persosn. Linda and I have really never paid more than this! (plus a tip of usually 100 J. I'm not cheap)
Let me point out; this is in the daytime, not late at night and not at busy times.
Drivers are quite happy to carry us for this amount of money.
We also take route taxi's on a regular basis, and we do wait for a cab with at least one other person in it so there is absolutely no confusion about what kind of taxi ride we are seeking. We also always pay 3 fares when we ride in a route taxi because we're larger people and want to be as fair as possible.
well I like what people are starting to say about how the different taxis in jamaica fell out to serve different kinds of clients.
many people complain about jamaica's crazy roads and drivers, then think it's cool to use route cabs...when those are sort of a driver of the problem they also complain about. pardon the pun.
i also like what a few people seem to have started to conclude about using route cabs vs charter...generally you can negotiate a pretty approximate price all things considered, at least within a few bucks, and just run charter. not saying i am one of the people who are adamantly opposed to tourists or visitors using route cabs, but in general and especially during shift changes it just seems to make a lot more sense to support charters when people can...
"I beseech thee, my lord , let this venture be mine..."
-Sir Gawain
"Saying as we foreigners normally would No or No thanks-is taken as a slight by some drivers"
That has never been my experience. If I do not want something, be it a bracelet a ride or a piece of fruit I say "no thank you" with a smile and I've never been on the receiving end of hostility. Ever. "Mi not ready" or anything similar to that has not ever come out of my mouth. And this is most definitely NOT my first rodeo, lol.
Melody - I've always been of the opinion that as a first-timer one should hook up with a "regular" driver to show them around/the ropes/the lay of the land before jumping into route taxis or anything more local like that. But that's only my opinion - that's what worked for me and others I know. The cheapest mode of transportation is to WALK - Negril is a very easily walked town for the most part and I heartily disagree with Rhodes comment about walking West End Road as being "unsafe". During the day, with your wits about you and paying attention its a lovely walk to any point on that road. How else are you going to be able to discover stuff for yourself if not walking by and deciding to stop in somewhere? Zipping around in a taxi, on a scooter or in a bus doesn't allow for that spontaneous exploration - the world goes by too fast. Plus - the excersize factor is always great, I always lose weight when I'm here. So your first line of attack is good ol' "Fred and Ethel" (feet) - then you can make your own decisions based on your research and more importantly your GUT.
Look - I don't much care who takes a route taxi or doesn't or for what reasons they do or don't. My concern in posting this is about safety - that's all. I've shared my personal knowledge and experience as well as the fruits of discussion I've had with my neighbors and friends on the matter over the past week.
As the Dalai Lama says - you can take it to heart - or leave it alone.
PS: They caught the guy that robbed and beat that couple I mentioned that I'd met. The guy remembered the license plate.
Posting Permissions
