The next decade....what's in store?

HAT 5891

In Trinidad, they have Route taxis, just like in Jamaica.

On the Friday after the course, a group of us took one into downtown Port of Spain. A nice old man. Quite coincidentally, he was at the taxi stand when we were ready a couple hours later. The 3 others were staying at the Normandie Hotel, so he dropped them there first, then dropped me up to the house in Cascade where I was staying. The normal fare for stops along the route is TT$3. So when we got up the hill to my house, I asked him how much extra it was for me and he said TT$10. So I thought that was $13, but he said no.....TT$10 in total for my trip.

Not having bought enough fabric on Friday, on Saturday morning I went back into town (got a ride with landlady). Coming back now, I see an available taxi. I ask him how much to go to Springbank Avenue in Cascade. He said how much you normally pay. I say $10. He said "can you give me $15?". I said no (because I didnt have that much TT and since I had paid $10 the previous day). He said ok, he would take me.

So after he drops off some other passengers, he turns off and then we drive. When we turn on to Springbank and start going up the hill, he said is supposed to be $20 because it is off the route. I told him I didnt have that much, and that was precisely the reason I asked him BEFORE I got into the taxi, how much the ride was. He said I didnt tell him we had to go "inside" (that means off the main road). I told him I was a visitor, and didn't know that that there was a term like that, and that I had to tell him. I told him that I told him the name of the road before I got into the taxi.

Well he start to take me on and say he travel all over and whatever the fare is, you have to pay it. I told him that in all of them places, they would know where the destination is, and tell you the proper fare. He started to shout at me and say he know what I trying.

All this time we going round some steep corners. Well, when we reached a particular one, he stopped and said he wasnt dropping me any further up. He didnt know that was fine by me, because with his attitude and temper, I didnt particularly want him knowing where I was staying.

I slowly got out of the taxi (an old piece of junk), slowly took my bags (many of them), listened to him rant and rave "fine, you get what you want", and then said thank you and proceeded to walk the 30 seconds up the hill to the house.

Before I walked up, I turned to look at the licence plate of the vehicle I would ensure not to take again.

HAT 5891.

So if you go to Trinidad, there is a route taxi for you to avoid folks.

Posted by yamfoot at June 21, 2005 11:50 AM