The Post has the story today. It happened back on June 14 when the three women (first time here – welcome!) traveled the 2.9 miles from Times Square to First Avenue's home of boobs, denim shorts and beer. And shots.
And when they arrived?
The driver initially demanded $163.60. Jennifer’s friend, Mary Simons, 40, was stunned by the fee, but said she would pay and then fight it when she got back home.
After Simons paid, Halladay said the driver snapped that it was that much per person, not for the three of them.
“We couldn’t believe it,” Halladay said. “We were standing with our mouths hanging open.”
Good for a $500.80 tab! (Good thing the beers are cheap at CU!)
Long story, but the women paid the tab and figured to fight it later. If I read the piece correctly (possibly not), then two of the three women received a refund from their banks ... and they tracked down the pedicab driver (Ibraiym Denizov) ... and filed a complaint with the city Department of Consumer Affairs.
And what's the lesson here?
[Pic via]
Pfffft, that's nothing. Try taking a rickshaw in Beijing that careens head-on into traffic, drops you off on the completely opposite side of the city from where you wanted to go, and getting shaken down for 100 reminbi:
ReplyDeletehttp://dianepernet.typepad.com/diane/2011/10/tiananmen-square-a-wild-rickshaw-ride-to-taoranting-park-dinner-at-the-yunnan-provincial-government-.html
Moral of the story is 'use a horse-drawn cab' sucker.
ReplyDeleteUh, why not just call the cops & say that some dude is trying to exhort $500.
ReplyDeleteBut the question remains, did the NYPD help these drunken fools update their iPhones before they left Times Square?
ReplyDeleteI'd have laughed at the guy. bu tthen I'd never take a ride in a flintstone car.
ReplyDeleteAlways check the rates before you get in. Goes for any form of transport. Sure, $500 and change is a ripoff, but it could have been easily avoided. And this has nothing to do with being a dumb tourist. You should check the rates no matter where you are whether its NYC or Lincoln Nebraska.
ReplyDeleteMessage?: Stay home. You're out of your depth.
ReplyDeleteEnough already with the tourists!
Lesson #1: Take a real cab (the yellow kind with four wheels).
ReplyDeleteLesson #2: Never go to Coyote Ugly.
I believe pedicab fares are completely unregulated, so as outrageous as it is, they can charge whatever they want and the police can't do a thing.
ReplyDelete10:46AM, not to mention it isn't a police matter anyway. It's a civil complaint as soon as they make the business transaction/agreement. It's not theft as in he didn't steal their purse.
ReplyDeleteAre we seriously feeling bad for these dummies? Whatever happened to looking out for yourself. If they are the kind of tourist herbs who frequent coyote, screw em anyway. Good for that poor pedicab guy for taking a good.opportunity to seperate a fool From Their coin.
ReplyDelete