Procedure for reporting a taxi rip-off in Paris
Apr 30th, 2013, 08:00 AM
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Procedure for reporting a taxi rip-off in Paris
I saw a report on another Forum of a lady traveller getting ripped off by a Parisian taxi driver. Seems she accepted an offer from the driver of a flat fee of €30 from Gare du Nord to her apartment on rue Durantin because she was tired and just wanted to get to her flat. She seemed to indicate it was a "regular" cab. I looked it up, and that is a distance of 1.7 kilometers, and should take about six minutes.
That sort of blatant scam surprised me, in that I thought that cabbies would be reluctant to pull such scams due to the high cost of a taxi license and the fear of losing it. In any case I assumed it would be a rare thing. I drove cab in San Francisco during my school days, and if we got caught not throwing the meter we got raked over the coals and/or got fired. Not worth the risk, IME.
Anyway, I asked on that Forum what the procedures are to report a taxi scam in Paris, and what happens to the taxi driver if he gets caught. I got no response, so I thought I would ask here. I recall there is driver information/cab number, etc., in each of the regular Parisian taxis, so one would note those down if a scam was suspected, but what do you do then?
That sort of blatant scam surprised me, in that I thought that cabbies would be reluctant to pull such scams due to the high cost of a taxi license and the fear of losing it. In any case I assumed it would be a rare thing. I drove cab in San Francisco during my school days, and if we got caught not throwing the meter we got raked over the coals and/or got fired. Not worth the risk, IME.
Anyway, I asked on that Forum what the procedures are to report a taxi scam in Paris, and what happens to the taxi driver if he gets caught. I got no response, so I thought I would ask here. I recall there is driver information/cab number, etc., in each of the regular Parisian taxis, so one would note those down if a scam was suspected, but what do you do then?
Apr 30th, 2013, 08:08 AM
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<<Pour toute réclamation, contacter : La Préfecture de Police de Paris - 36 rue des Morillons 75015 Paris - Tél. : 01 55 76 20 00 Pour que votre plainte soit enregistrée, il faut obligatoirement indiquer le numéro d'immatriculation du véhicule. Ce numéro est inscrit sur l'affichette préfectorale de l'espace passager et les bulletins de voiture. La réclamation ne dispense pas le client de s'acquitter du montant de la course. La commission de discipline des taxis se réunit toutes les semaines et requiert des sanctions pouvant entraîner jusqu'à la radiation.
Sources :
http://www.pariscapitaletaxis.com/lesavi…
Sources :
http://www.pariscapitaletaxis.com/lesavi…
Apr 30th, 2013, 08:32 AM
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Thank you for your quick response, St. Cirq.
The passage you quoted makes me smile, however, in that it says the Taxi Disciplinary Committee meets weekly, and can issue sanctions that lead to "radiation". Being a nuclear safety type, that would certainly give me pause, if I were driving cab in Paris!
What does that mean in this context, though? My dictionaries (as well as Google) all translate radiation, as radiation.
The passage you quoted makes me smile, however, in that it says the Taxi Disciplinary Committee meets weekly, and can issue sanctions that lead to "radiation". Being a nuclear safety type, that would certainly give me pause, if I were driving cab in Paris!
What does that mean in this context, though? My dictionaries (as well as Google) all translate radiation, as radiation.
May 1st, 2013, 04:25 AM
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"Was it a cab from the regular cab rank or did she go with one of the people who approach tired travelers in the station and offer a taxi?"
May not be obvious at Gare du Nord.
Not only do pesterers sometimes work the queues, but there's a cluster of cab-looking cars hanging around close to the queue of arriving taxis (which, last time I saw them, I assumed were for special needs, like more than three passengers). If you're used to taxi queues in stations , easy to tell the difference: I wonder how easy it is if you're tired, confused and not necessarily that used to railway stations or standing in taxi queues.
And there's a limit to how much a police force with real criminals to deter can devote to making life safe for the easily gulled.
May not be obvious at Gare du Nord.
Not only do pesterers sometimes work the queues, but there's a cluster of cab-looking cars hanging around close to the queue of arriving taxis (which, last time I saw them, I assumed were for special needs, like more than three passengers). If you're used to taxi queues in stations , easy to tell the difference: I wonder how easy it is if you're tired, confused and not necessarily that used to railway stations or standing in taxi queues.
And there's a limit to how much a police force with real criminals to deter can devote to making life safe for the easily gulled.
May 1st, 2013, 05:39 AM
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99.999% of tourists ripped off for $10, $25 or even $50 dont spend the time to file a report even if they know the procedure. Its just not worth the time
And for the .001%, do you think they will follow up?
And its not just the non official taxis, taxi drivers will take advantage of the system and overcharge when they can
And for the .001%, do you think they will follow up?
And its not just the non official taxis, taxi drivers will take advantage of the system and overcharge when they can
May 1st, 2013, 10:23 AM
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Now you are trying to talk nice, Frank, but your bigoted statement really ticked me off. Classing all taxi drivers as dishonest is just as insensitive and wrong as saying, "All Irishmen are drunks", or "All gypsies are thieves", IMO.
May 1st, 2013, 10:53 AM
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I didnt call all taxi drivers dishonest. Its just an industry that gets is share of bad apples. To claim otherwise would make you a liar
For instance, this news came out this week
"Clark County taxicab drivers taking tourists on the scenic route to and from the airport overcharged their passengers an estimated $14.8 million last year, according to a legislative audit released Monday."
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/04/23...#ixzz2S4J9jU7k
For instance, this news came out this week
"Clark County taxicab drivers taking tourists on the scenic route to and from the airport overcharged their passengers an estimated $14.8 million last year, according to a legislative audit released Monday."
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/04/23...#ixzz2S4J9jU7k
May 1st, 2013, 11:19 AM
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Gretchen,
There is no reason to get upset about Parisian taxi overcharges. I dont fly 5000 miles to complain about 10-30E.
On business trips we would have fun with it. In Paris we would have a contest to see which taxi would charge the least to get from CDG to our hotel. Since we might have 20 people on the same flight, it would be like a horse race with 4-6 taxis...and I can assure you some(50%+) OVERCHARGE when they see nicely dressed Americans.
To make this sport more enjoyable, in Madrid the pool was which taxi would charge the MOST. That was fun! as we tried to get overcharged
There is no reason to get upset about Parisian taxi overcharges. I dont fly 5000 miles to complain about 10-30E.
On business trips we would have fun with it. In Paris we would have a contest to see which taxi would charge the least to get from CDG to our hotel. Since we might have 20 people on the same flight, it would be like a horse race with 4-6 taxis...and I can assure you some(50%+) OVERCHARGE when they see nicely dressed Americans.
To make this sport more enjoyable, in Madrid the pool was which taxi would charge the MOST. That was fun! as we tried to get overcharged
Jul 10th, 2018, 12:40 PM
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Rip off
I saw a report on another Forum of a lady traveller getting ripped off by a Parisian taxi driver. Seems she accepted an offer from the driver of a flat fee of €30 from Gare du Nord to her apartment on rue Durantin because she was tired and just wanted to get to her flat. She seemed to indicate it was a "regular" cab. I looked it up, and that is a distance of 1.7 kilometers, and should take about six minutes.
That sort of blatant scam surprised me, in that I thought that cabbies would be reluctant to pull such scams due to the high cost of a taxi license and the fear of losing it. In any case I assumed it would be a rare thing. I drove cab in San Francisco during my school days, and if we got caught not throwing the meter we got raked over the coals and/or got fired. Not worth the risk, IME.
Anyway, I asked on that Forum what the procedures are to report a taxi scam in Paris, and what happens to the taxi driver if he gets caught. I got no response, so I thought I would ask here. I recall there is driver information/cab number, etc., in each of the regular Parisian taxis, so one would note those down if a scam was suspected, but what do you do then?
That sort of blatant scam surprised me, in that I thought that cabbies would be reluctant to pull such scams due to the high cost of a taxi license and the fear of losing it. In any case I assumed it would be a rare thing. I drove cab in San Francisco during my school days, and if we got caught not throwing the meter we got raked over the coals and/or got fired. Not worth the risk, IME.
Anyway, I asked on that Forum what the procedures are to report a taxi scam in Paris, and what happens to the taxi driver if he gets caught. I got no response, so I thought I would ask here. I recall there is driver information/cab number, etc., in each of the regular Parisian taxis, so one would note those down if a scam was suspected, but what do you do then?
Once we had showered, eaten and calmed down, we realised what had happened??? It cost us less than £100 each return London to Paris. I couldn't believe that anyone would be so despicable and I didn't that nnight.The meter wasn't turned on and he said he had to go the long way round because of the strikes. We didn't note his number, etc. so there is no way we can report him. We looked forward to returning to Paris after many years but this has spoilt our holiday and we will never visit again.
