Suzen,
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".