To think if a taxi driver decides to take a 'short cut' that ends up taking even longer shouldn't charge the passenger the excess?

[Hammy02]

I got a taxi home from work last night as had a few large bags with me. Traffic was backed up - about 10 cars to the traffic lights that only let about 3 cars through at a time. Taxi driver said he would go a different route. Fair enough. But the other route was much worse and a journey that usually takes 10 minutes took at least 20.

When we arrived at my home the meter said £8. I asked him what he was going to charge me and he just nodded at the meter. I raised an eyebrow and he asked what I usually paid. I said £4 so he said 'OK, we'll make it £6. I just paid it and got out of the car. WIBU to think his short cut didn't work so why should I have to foot the bill?

But there was traffic so he was trying his best to get you there. And he split the difference.

Dunno, tough call to be honest. What would you have thought if he had stayed in the traffic and it turned out to be a wrong decision?? Woud you then be peed off because it cost more than usual and there was a short cut he could have taken.....I am not sure if you are BU or not.

Sounds like me in the supermarket, I always pick the wrong queue!

It was more that he expected me to pay double what I usually paid.

I think that as he was genuinely trying to help and even said he would make a detour before he did so then it was fair enough. If you had a problem then you should have said so. I have known occassions where taxi drivers do take the p* , especially when passengers have had a few drinks and will make a long detour to bump the price up, if that was the case then no, you don't have to pay it. You only have to pay what you think the journey was worth. (Same with a restaurant btw) In these circumstances I think it was reasonable to pay it and £8 for 20 minutes is a serious bargain - where do you live. Near here you would be paying at least £17 for 20 minutes (at a quiet time of the day)

If you had stayed stuck in the traffic on your usual route, it could also have been £10 too...

He split the difference, so I think he acted reasonably.

Yes, YABU, I think. Unless he's just taking the piss and clearly doesn't know the way or has elongated it for badness sake then I think the risk in these sorts of situation is with the passenger.

Lots of taxi drivers will "chip in" by turning off the meter towards the end of journey, and that's always nice, but I don't think they are obliged to.

Yabu

How much are Freddos, Outraged?

20p! That have doubled in price!

But I am reliably informed by other lovely MNers that they are available cheaper in bulk at Cosco and Iceland

20p!! That'll make me think twice about my next impulse buy Freddo.

yabu, if you didnt want him to take the short cut then you should have said so

It depends if the other route was much worse because of traffic, or much worse because it was a significantly longer distance imo (ie definitely not shorter under any circs). If the former then yabu, if latter then yanbu.