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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not want to inform taxi co (another moral dilemma sorry)

19 replies

CatKisser · 02/08/2014 01:17

I live 5 miles from town.
A taxi home after 11pm generally costs £18

One company, we have found, is confusing the name of my tiny hamlet with the name of a road in an estate near town.
The chap tonight got me home (including a drop off) and asked for £7.50!
I had £15 in my hand and gave him this which he was obv grateful for... This has happened once before but I was hammered.

But do I tell them, or do I just ensure I always get this company home?

OP posts:
Cirsium · 02/08/2014 01:26

Definitely tell them. Taxi fares may seem expensive but DH is a taxi driver in a rural area and makes less than minimum wage. It is hard work, dealing with sometimes unpleasant clients, working unsociable hours with very little reward.

AgentZigzag · 02/08/2014 01:26

It's not up to you to police whether they're charging the right price, you pay what they ask for don't you?

If he took the £15 the cat's out of the bag isn't it, you won't have to tell them?

FloatIsRechargedNow · 02/08/2014 01:30

Tell them - as you said the driver was grateful and morally - if you were the driver or company how would you feel? Also for your own benefit - the self-serving side of altruism (moral dilemmas, etc) - is that you will get a good reputation with the company and drivers, you never know when you might need a favour yourself, what comes round goes around...Coz it's good Karma, innit?...

ICanSeeTheSun · 02/08/2014 01:30

Would you pay more for a meal or haircut. If you are told the taxi is £7.50 then apart from tip I would pay the price.

Original poster
CatKisser · 02/08/2014 01:38

Just rung my friend who was dropped off en route he says to chill out and that this must be the right price as it's happened twice. I'm not sure. In fairness, maybe the time I paid nineteen fucking quid was the wrong time!?

OP posts:
AgentZigzag · 02/08/2014 01:42

Did the driver take the £15 tonight then?

Did he think it was a tip or did you explain why you were giving so much?

Original poster
CatKisser · 02/08/2014 01:44

Yeah he took the fifteen quid - I am pissed so while he was looking at what I'd given him, I was saying "it's fine, fine, goodnight, nice to meet you" and other twatty things.

I wish I wasn't such a bellend when drunk.

OP posts:
HerRoyalNotness · 02/08/2014 01:52

Don't they have a meter? How many miles was the trip approx?

Original poster
CatKisser · 02/08/2014 01:57

No, meter wasn't on, which I commented on! He indicated this wouldn't be an issue (it was a racist comment, cant get round that - not acceptable but in terms of his job I knew where he was coming from)

I'm an idiot for having given fifteen - he really did only want half that much. Ah well - maybe I will never get drunk in town again and need a cab home...

OP posts:
Cirsium · 02/08/2014 02:02

Some rural taxi firms charge a set fee for set journeys rather than using a meter. No idea of the legality of it, but common where I live.

KoalaDownUnder · 02/08/2014 02:04

I'm so confused.

Why would he choose not to turn the meter on? And even if he had your address mixed up with somewhere see, he's presumably got an idea how far he's just driven, and what it's worth? Did the driver who charged you 18 quid have the meter on, or not?

I am clearly not understanding the system, as all cabs are metered around here! (And if a driver didn't turn the meter on, I'd be highly suspicious as there'd be no good reason).

KoalaDownUnder · 02/08/2014 02:04

Cross-posted with Cirsium.

Cirsium · 02/08/2014 02:10

I agree it does seem odd that he wouldn't charge for the journey driven, if DH did this the difference would come out of his percentage of the takings. Maybe it is just a remarkably cheap company, or he thought he should honour the price as the dispatcher had got it wrong.

AgentZigzag · 02/08/2014 02:18

'He indicated this wouldn't be an issue (it was a racist comment, cant get round that - not acceptable but in terms of his job I knew where he was coming from)'

Can't quite understand what this bit means, racist how?

Some taxis will charge a standard fee from X town to Y town, and £7.50 sounds more like what it would cost to me than £18, but didn't you agree a price when you booked it?

Suefla62 · 02/08/2014 02:39

If he's driving for a Company, if the meters not on, the driver gets all the money because the Comoany takes the info from the meter to get their cut.

Bellossom · 02/08/2014 08:03

Here the prices don't change till 12, I live 3 miles from town - it takes about 15 mins and pay about £6.50 before 12 and about £8-9 after I think you got ripped off the £15 time. The driver would know what a £15 journey felt like.

chipsandpeas · 02/08/2014 09:48

we have some fixed rate taxis round here now so meters arent on - in fact a few of the older taxi companies have moved to fixed rate due to the populatity of them

PuppyMonkey · 02/08/2014 09:55

wtf I don't understand this thread at all Confused

You were clearly very pissed Wink

Phoenix2014 · 02/08/2014 11:35

What was the racist comment?
How many times have you been charged £18/19?

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