Taxi lovers must keep in mind that some people are taxiphobes because of the "no control over where I'm really going" factor -- an especially powerful phobia in an unknown city. Taxiphobes will put up with quite a bit of extra discomfort in order to navigate by rail or bus on a carefully planned path. Cheapskates will also put up with a lot of inconvenience for symbolic savings.

I am both a taxiphobe and a cheapskate, yet I take taxis from time to time. I personally do not trust many Paris taxi drivers because I know what they do to increase the fares. But since I know Paris as well as a taxi driver, I can get them to take the correct path with no problem. The other cities where I do not trust taxi drivers are New York and Bangkok.

Cities where I trust the taxi drivers (perhaps foolishly) are Hong Kong, Cairo, Singapore, Saigon and Havana.

>> do not trust many Paris taxi drivers because I know what they do to increase the fares. <<

Would you share this knowledge with us, apart from the known Shangai route ?

I've been living in Paris for 24 years, out of these 24 years, let's say that I have practiced taxi drivers for 6 years, and I have witnessed only once a taxi trying (unsuccessfully) to take a long route.

Re your comment on the DCCRF : it's rather the Préfecture de Police, Bureau de Réglementation des Voitures Publiques, that has authority over Paris taxis.

In November we took a taxi to Gare de L'Est from our hotel on Blvd. St. Michel near rue des Ecoles. It was just 8 Euro and was basically a straight shot to the station. Gare du Nord is very close to Gare de L'Est. Definitely take a cab. You never know how many stairs you'll encounter on the Metro. It's just not worth the hassle with luggage. The waiting lines move fast at the stations with a person at the front directing the cabs and customers.
We never had a problem with French taxi drivers, it's the Rome cabbies who would take the long way, even with our protests. And my husband speaks the language!

I don't like fooling around with public transport to save a few euro, but even I would take the metro between gare du Nord and that location -- IF I were just on a weekend trip and had a small suitcase of about 20 inches or so. It's hard to say what medium-sized is to others, but if that is 25" or more, I would probably take a cab. I also would if the weather were really bad or rainy. After all, between two people, the taxi cost doesn't amount to much. Although I will admit that the line at Gare du Nord is about the worst of anywhere I've been for a taxi, which is why I'd go by metro if the weather were fine and I didn't have much. It's still not that terrible, I think I've gotten a cab there in about 10-15 minutes wait. I trust Paris cab drivers, but don't trust NY ones that much or those in the city where I live (Wash DC), which I think are about the worst of anywhere.

Superheterodyne, it might be the Préfecture that makes the rules, but it is the DCCRF that has all of the taxi rules on its website, because that is where you make complaints.

I have only been living in Paris for 34 years, if that is the criterium for authority.

>> because that is where you make complaints. <<

Well, you can make complaints -also- (and dare I say, primarily) to the Bureau de Réglementation des Voitures Publiques of the Préfecture de Police. It's even written on the rear left window of the cars, just below their registration number and the fare calculator table.



http://www.prefecture-police-paris.i...pecial/pup.htm

<i>Taxis

01 55 76 20 11

En cas de r&eacute;clamation, contactez &agrave; ce num&eacute;ro le Bureau de r&eacute;glementation g&eacute;n&eacute;rale des voitures publiques. </i>




See also:

http://www.taxis-bleus.com/html/reglementation.html


&gt;&gt; I have only been living in Paris for 34 years, if that is the criterium for authority. &lt;&lt;

Don't take things so personnally :-)

So, what are those things Parisian taxi drivers do to increase the fares, apart from dthe A3/A86/A4 trick from CDG ?

Cheers !

Recently, a taxi driver on the Champs Elys&eacute;es tried to take me to Barb&egrave;s via Ch&acirc;telet rather than turning back to follow Wagram/Courcelles/Batignolles/Clichy/Rochechouart. Another one tried to go out to the Mar&eacute;chaux for no good reason. I have noted that usually it is French drivers who do this. Immigrant drivers are more honest.

Well then... I must have had only &quot;immigrant&quot; drivers. I think it's wise to let this argument go down, at least, Fodorites in search of the Parisian equivalent of the TLC will have an accurate answer ...

Cheers !

I would add London to the list of honest taxi drivers. One of my bads was in Germany.

Always write down the name of your destination and ask the driver to write the estimated cost. It helps if you have a fair idea of how much it should cost before you do this. If the cabbie's estimate is out of line then ask another cabbie.

I did this with the German driver and when the meter went over the estimate with my destination not in sight I asked him what's happening. He said he was taking &quot;the fast route,&quot; as we sat in traffic. I asked him to turn off the meter, and he did.