"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.