# paying taxi driver when he doesn't know where he's going **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 3, 2012, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paying-taxi-driver-when-he-doesnt-know-where-hes-going/617717 "2012-04-03T18:46:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paying-taxi-driver-when-he-doesnt-know-where-hes-going/617717/21 "2012-04-04T16:51:05Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > Several years ago when leaving Las Vegas my wife got a cabbie who decided to take her on the “scenic” route to the airport. (From what I understand this is a pretty common scam in Vegas.) The fare was close to double what it should have been, and she refused to pay him any more than what she paid for her cab ride in. We heard this too, and were super cautious, but no one even tried to scam us. On the contrary, every taxi driver was wonderfully nice and friendly and made a point of asking us “Do you want me to just drive down the Strip? Do you want me to take X route?” I was very pleased. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paying-taxi-driver-when-he-doesnt-know-where-hes-going/617717/22 "2012-04-04T18:05:21Z")
It just depends on the situation. I’ve had cabbies who got lost and lowered the fare themselves. Others seemed to be deliberately racking up the meter, but I wouldn’t quibble over a few bucks. I’ve never had a gross overcharge, but I always tip, and if the fare seems high, the tip is going to seem low. It hasn’t been that much of a problem because when I take cabs it’s mostly been expensed. I would suggest not causing too much of a fuss unless there’s clear gouging. The local police won’t take kindly to the idea of someone refusing to pay the fare, which is what it may sound like even if you’re just disputing the amount. ---
**Author:** ![LurkerInNJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ed655f/32.png) [@LurkerInNJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkerInNJ)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paying-taxi-driver-when-he-doesnt-know-where-hes-going/617717/23 "2012-04-04T19:32:56Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Actually you are incorrect. You do have to pay and you are fortunate he didn’t just drive you to a police station. > > It is a flat fee from NY to NJ. It’s negotiable but $44 plus toll to what I presume is Weehawken or Jersey City is standard. > > Also, these are NYC Yellow Cabs. The reason the trip to NJ is so expensive (compared to $20 or so to go the same distance to Brooklyn) is that they are legally forbidden to pick up passengers outside of the Five Boroughs. So you are basically paying for the cost of a round trip. > > They also sometimes don’t know NJ all that well. > The correct action when a cab driver is lost is to tell him to turn off the meter until he either figures out where he’s going or to just stop it at roughly the amount you know the trip to cost. New Jersey, with the exception of Newark Airport, is a negotiated fee and the driver has the right to refuse the trip. Most drivers I’ve had agree to double the meter plus return toll or a reasonable flat fee. Newark Airport is the only flat fee in New Jersey in a medallion cab. Meter plus $15 surcharge and return toll. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paying-taxi-driver-when-he-doesnt-know-where-hes-going/617717.md?page=1)