March 8, 2007
Taxi tried to Long haul me.
This is kind of long… useful info burried within.
Just back from Vegas and I would like to explain how I handled my Long Haul attempt.
Arrived Vegas from C. Springs and picked up the baggage from baggage claim, Ms SmitRock and I then proceeded to door 5 at McCarran Airport to catch the taxi. Lines were moving pretty fast, only a three – five minute wait to get to the taxi line attendant. Taxi attendant assigned us taxi stand # 14. So after a few seconds of listening to the guy in the middle of the street with the orange reflective vest cuss out every taxi cab which did not follow his instructions and go to the taxi stand # he directed them to, it was our turn to get in out taxi.
Taxi pulls up, driver gets out, comes around and opens up the trunk and I lift both of our bags in the trunk. Cabbie closes trunk and I proceed to open back door for Ms SmitRock and we enter the back seat. I inform cabbie “Flamingo please” Cab pulls out… not much traffic to worry about this trip… its all good, start too settle in and just as we exit the airport off ramp Cabbie starts conversation “So where you guys from” We answer Colorado Springs, he has a Jamaican accent and he starts rambling about something and as the ramble continues for about 10 – 15 seconds I notice the lane the cab is in and expect him to jump over to the right and take the usual direct route. I see it… he continues to the TUNNEL. I interrupt Cabbie and I say Man, YOU ARE NOT TAKING THE TUNNEL ARE YOU! He says something which we did not understand and immediately says OH… I AM TRYING TO SAVE YOU SOME MONEY! I tell Ms SmitRock, we are being Long Hauled. As he exits the tunnel cabbie immediately jumps in the right lane and take the first exit which put us on the road where the Welcome to Las Vegas sign stands. We pass the Las Vegas sign and proceed north strip. Traffic was a nightmare on the strip, bumper to bumper moving mighty slowly.
As the Long Hauled continued we had no choice but to look out the window and reacquaint ourselves with the south strip landmarks. I commented to Ms SmitRock that if we were driven direct the taxi fare should be about $12 - $13… glanced at meter and it already showed $12.00 and some change and we are only at the Trop/MGM intersection and stuck in traffic.
So here is what happened.
I wrote down the NEVADA TAXI CAB AUTHORITY telephone # from the back of the driver’s headrest (702) 668-4000, I wrote down the date and noted our Long Haul time. I knew what the price from the airport should have been as I frequented this site in the past… http://taxi.state.nv.us/FaresFees.htm.
When we finally turned into the Flamingo from the strip, the meter showed $17.90 and the cabbie swerved into the Flamingo taxi line and stopped very short of the drop-off point, we stopped well short of the bell captain greeting point or where the bell captains could even see us arrive, cabbie jumped out… opened the trunk and as I approached him I said we’ve been Long Hauled. He was really mad by then and said…SO HOW MUCH SHOULD IT HAVE BEEN? And I calmly said $12.00. He yelled at me… IT WAS BUSY; I AM TRYING TO SAYE YOU MONEY! I said to him $12.00 if you would have avoided the tunnel… so I handed him $12 he took it and said something else which I did not understand, he jumped in his cab and lit the tires up as he sped away. At that exact moment a bell captain ran over and I said “Attempted Long Haul” bell captain asked me what did you pay, did you pay what was on the meter, I said No, I gave him $12.00 what it should have been. He said good job! Bell captain asked if I had his taxi information and the # to the Taxi Cab Authority. Yes I did and as soon as I got to the room I called the Taxi Cab Authority and reported him. Was told by the TA his supervisor would be notified immediately.
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Comments on Taxi tried to Long haul me. »
I always laugh when people bitch and complain about an extra couple of dollars on the taxi meter and then they'll go and pay $6 for a bottled water and loose thousands playing games with horrible horrible odds.
The fact of the matter is, you were long-hauled. Big whoop. Had their been no traffic on the strip that same route would have cost you about $2 more than the regular fair. What that guy should have done was continued on to I-15,made a $20 ride out of it but that at least you would have gotten their in ten minutes. Why that guy would want to cruise the entire strip like that I have no idea. Contrary to popular belief, I cab is actually losing money being stuck in traffic.
The first long-haul happened shortly after the first cab starting picking people up…it's a part of the industry. get over it. The time you took to write that letter was a waste. The TA knows that long-hauling happens. They could easily stop it if they wanted to. They could park a unit right at the tunnel entrance and write hundreds of tickets a day…. but they don't. Why? Because the TA will always act in the best interest of the taxi company. The taxi companies have the TA in their back pocket. It's in the Taxi companies best interest that their drivers tunnel. Less wear and tear on the cars and more $$ on the meter at the same time. I assure you that this driver never heard about this incident again….that supervisor that the TA was gonna notify for you??? IF indeed he did, I got news for you, that supervisor is a cab driver too and does the same fucking thing as the guy you're complaining about, what makes you think he's gonna give a shit? That driver is acting on the companies best interest by long-hauling so for you to try and rat on him is the same as telling the company that they have a great employee in that particular person. I suppose TA could issue a citiation based on your complaint, but it would never hold up in court if the guy was smart enough to fight it .Now if you would have called TA to the scene (flamingo) they probably would have cited him right there for future reference.
Ultimately you played the game correctly though. And it is indeed a game….I am a cab driver and take cabs myself all the time. I never let on that I am a cabbie though. I let the guy take me whichever way he wants to and then I'll just pay him what it should have cost, w/o a tip. If he does take me the proper way I make sure to tip very very well. Pretty much what you did only minus the crying.