Originally Posted by
wrtiii
Smith, I totally enjoy reading about your experiences in Jamaica, and find them both entertaining and educational. So I'm not just trying to be argumentative, but find this an interesting discussion.
I do take route taxis when I'm alone, but usually do a charter if my wife is with me. Just a difference in comfort level. This is a habit that I probably developed because when we started going to Negril, the route taxis were often pretty beat up. You have pointed out that now they usually are in good condition.
I would say that half the time when I use a route cab, the driver asks me for something extra. This is usually money, but in one case the driver admired my sneakers and asked me if I would leave them with him when I went back to the states! They are polite, and it's a request not a demand, but they do ask.
Is it the difference between my appearance and yours that determines this? Or just a difference in demeanor where you look like you know the runnings and I seem a little uncertain and they think (or hope) that I do not? I am curious about it, but have no way of telling (and it's not a big deal either way).
But giving the driver an extra couple of dollars and telling him to give someone who needs it a ride feels right to me, so I do it.
