Taxi rip-off?

Jimmy Mook

Registered User
Messages
160
I was in Dublin over the weekend and got a taxi from Camden St. to take four of us to a niteclub on Mount St. The lady cabbie proceeded to drive all the way up Georges St., down Dame St., up Westmoreland St. and eventually got to Mount St. This cost us €12. Were we led a merry dance or would this be the shortest route? I felt we would have been quicker going on pushbikes. And no, I didnt complain cos I wasnt sure I was in the right!
 
It sounds like a reasonable route to me.

The cost doesn't sound excessive for 4 people to go from Camden St. to Mount St.
 
CCOVICH said:
It sounds like a reasonable route to me.

The cost doesn't sound excessive for 4 people to go from Camden St. to Mount St.

It's about 2 miles from Camden st down the canal to Lower Mount St., what's the rate per mile these days? €12 seems high for a short trip like that.
 
Would you not have to make a u-turn on Camden St. to get to the Canal (if you were picked up facing Dame St.)-that's why I would say that the other route seems reasonable (I'm not sure about going via The Green).

On costs:

In Ireland, the hiring charge varies from €0.90 to €3.75, and mileage is charged between €0.73 and €1.25. Furthermore, the length of the distance allowance, as well as the rate at which it is charged, varies significantly. Some areas include an allowance for a second person to travel free within the minimum fare.

Some taximeter areas, usually those with a high minimum fare, do not charge for extra passengers; but most do. In almost all cases, the charge is 50c per extra adult passenger, with two children counting as one adult.

(From [broken link removed])

Say €3.75 hiring charge, extra charge for 3 passengers, and a 4km journey and the cost comes to €10.75.
 
it's about a 2km walk:

[broken link removed]

Whatever happened to walking?
 
CCOVICH said:
Would you not have to make a u-turn on Camden St. to get to the Canal?
Yes, no big deal though - I assume it was late at night if they were on the way to a club?


So, let's say they spin around: 3.75 + (1.50) + 3.2(km)*1.25 (worst case) = 9.25!

Call Eddie Hobbs!
 
bankrupt said:
Yes, no big deal though - I assume it was late at night if they were on the way to a club?

Hardly-have you seen Camden St. at night?

anseo said:
Whatever happened to walking?

Camden St. to Mount St. after a few jars is a long walk.
 
Two weeks ago I paid €23 to get from the Quill pub (on the Quays) to Blanchardstown Shopping Centre.
 
If you drive down Camden Street there are very few right turns that you can make. There is one turn opposite the College of Commerce Rathmines near Wexford Street that brings you back around St. Stephens Green. The problem there is that you have to go all the way around the Green, down Dawson Street and on to Nassau Street where it is a straight run out to O'Dwyers Howl at the Moon. This way would have been quicker and most taxi drivers would have known this......even the female ones...
 
Always get a reciept, you can check exactly what you were charged for and then you have the details of the taxi if you find you were over charged. All taxis should be fitted with reciept printers.
 
Appreciate all the replies folks, I guess it was fair enough after all. Could have walked I suppose but 12am Sat nite eager to get to club, yes it was howl at the moon (o'dwyers i think it used to be) and it wasnt bad.
 
Taxi drivers never seem to miss an opportunity to drive along George's Street at night - it's a total traffic jam because the lights onto Dame St are quite short, so the meter can clock up loads extra as you sit in the traffic. Take a look some Friday or Saturday night - just about all the cars on that street are taxis, all crawling along bumper to bumper at midnight... It's an amusing sight (unless you're in one).

If I find myself in a taxi pointing that direction at night, I specifically suggest an alternative route to them.

The route Jimmy Mook's taxi took could be considered a perfectly reasonable one distance and one-way system wise, except for the fact that the taxi driver would have known for sure that George's St would have been stuffed with (taxi) traffic and dead slow.
 
Take a look some Friday or Saturday night - just about all the cars on that street are taxis, all crawling along bumper to bumper at midnight.

Is that lane (turning right on to dame street) not restricted to taxis and buses only? Ive taken the left a few times late at night and its moved quick enough.
I would have gone back up georges street/cambden street and down adelaide road to get to howl at the moon.
 
Yes, it is. That's what makes it even more amusing. They create their own traffic jam.
 
I really don't think a female cab driver would bother risking overcharging anyone, especially a group who've been out on the beer. Unless she was out of the league of gentlemen !