China Taxi guides

This is not meant as an advertisement, just a “I thought this might be useful”. A friend of mine has written Taxi guides for Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou. I use the Hong Kong one all the time and have used the Beijing and Shanghai ones. They allow you a little freedom while traveling in China.

If you are interested the web site is http://www.thetaxiguide.com/

Hope you find this useful.

These look pretty good, though I wonder if they have special sections which cover the cussing and foul language that seems to spill from Chinese cab drivers mouths… :smiling_imp:

Sounds like a good read, will take a look before the next trip over.

My experience with cabs in China (HK was much better)…

There will be an agreed price at the beginning of the ride. Get it written on paper.

Then, there will be a hissy-fit at the end of the ride, demanding over twice what you paid. Pounding on the steering wheel, yelling. Just pay the agreed price, open the door and walk away.

Happened to me several times.

Asian taxis are an absolute joke, they get absurd when they can’t rip you off. Same goes for haggling at stalls etc., they can’t deal with the idea they haven’t ripped you off enough.

But as the saying goes, when in Rome.

I would agree. Taxis have attempted to rip me off in many countries and at much higher rates.

I think in general cab drivers all over the world are in general just scum-bags who will gladly expoit you if they think they can.

I’ve had a Mexican cab driver try and drive me and some friends past our hotel and into the middle of nowhere probably to have us robbed.

I’ve had a NYC cab driver try and drive us in circles around Penn Station because one of my friends was drunk.

Even local cabbies have tried to scam me. They’re just trained to look for some kind of weakness (are you a tourist? Don’t speak the language? drunk? on a date?)