Beware of SYDNEY Taxi Drivers

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Today at lunchtime I caught a Taxi from Central Station to the Sydney domestic terminal which cost $22 which is normal . I then had to go back to Central station . The driver of the 2nd cab decided to take me via the scenic route which involved a charge of $32- .

I then used the GPS on the phone to work out a better way to go which appeared to upset him . I then paid him the $32- to keep the peace and went to the boot to get my bag . The Taxi driver then drove off with my bag in the car . His actions were deliberate . The bag contained $4000- worth of camera equipment with my air ticket back to Melbourne after the football .

I threatened the cab company with the police and reminded them that I had a well known media personality as a contact which I was happy to use . After 30 minutes my bag was returned as I was quick enough to write down the taxi details . The taxi driver was not concerned which confirmed his actions were intentional .

I would be happy to discuss the above matter with anyone so they can avoid the same problem .

Brian McGinley EMAIL brian@ultrafine.com.au
 

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mattys123

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#2
We had a similar problem mate, we had three of us going to the airport tonight (well last night now) and we caught a cab from Liverpool street near Hyde Park, and ended up paying $37 for the trip, when the hotel we stayed at said it would cost around $25 (guessing they were right now).

Going to solve this problem next year with a hire bus and a group of Pies fans going to Sydney or Adelaide instead if we make a final there. Your situation does sound more "dodgy" than ours though.
 

Temploar

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#4
OFF topic: BRIAN! :O Where have you been dude? missed your photos.

ON Topic: Sad to see that happen to you, the well known media personality would have been me right?, right? Haha.
Taxis are useless, i try to avoid them when possible.
 

76woodenspooners

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#5
Taxi drivers everywhere can be dodgy (did I tell you about the time when a taxi driver I once had got into a drag race down Dandenong road?)

But yes, the ones here in Sydney are particularly bad.

Brian, if you ever need to do that trip again, just go to the station under the airport and jump on a train. It's a mega expensive train ride ($15) but it's still cheaper than a taxi. Trains are very frequent, and will get you to Central quicker than a taxi. And best of all you don't need to deal with a taxi driver.
 

thecig

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#6
Taxi drivers everywhere can be dodgy (did I tell you about the time when a taxi driver I once had got into a drag race down Dandenong road?)

But yes, the ones here in Sydney are particularly bad.

Brian, if you ever need to do that trip again, just go to the station under the airport and jump on a train. It's a mega expensive train ride ($15) but it's still cheaper than a taxi. Trains are very frequent, and will get you to Central quicker than a taxi. And best of all you don't need to deal with a taxi driver.
Yep, this is what I did last time I was in Sydney. Except I trained to Circular Key (spelling?) and ferried to Kirribilli (spelling again?) where my sister use to live. You often have to pay a levy for using the Sydney Harbour Bridge too i think?

It's a much better way to do it. The Sydney road system is stressful (even as a passenger!).
 

Quicky

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#7
The last taxi I took in Sydney I got an absolute legend of a Maori bloke. I guess it's luck. I would say the sharks are more likely to be out at a time there is an event that will bring out of towners into the city.

On the drivers I found them pretty good. Except in the city with all the one way roads. Drivers seem to think that means it's their own personal drag strip and **** the pedestrians.
 

vjknight

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Brian, if you ever need to do that trip again, just go to the station under the airport and jump on a train. It's a mega expensive train ride ($15) but it's still cheaper than a taxi.
funnily enough its the cost that turns some people off.

"$15 for a train ride, you kidding ? no way."

well its far better value, far quicker and gets you to the centre of the city or whereever.

it is the only choice for me when in sydney.
 

76woodenspooners

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#9
funnily enough its the cost that turns some people off.

"$15 for a train ride, you kidding ? no way."

well its far better value, far quicker and gets you to the centre of the city or whereever.

it is the only choice for me when in sydney.
The $15 thing makes my blood boil.

It was a surcharge that helped pay for the line. All stations on that line had a surcharge - but nothing like the $15 of the airport stations. Anyway, the last act of the previous State Government was to lift the surcharge off all the stations - except for the airport ones.

For many visitors to Sydney, both domestically and from overseas, their first impression of Sydney / Australia is to pay $15 for a train ticket to go 4 stops. The Internationals are already battling against a strong Aussie dollar. I've seen them totally freak out at that ticket booth. Welcome to Australia folks!

One of the reasons why the ticket price is so high is to protect an important revenue stream for the taxi industry. Seriously WTF???

Joe from out in the suburbs can never get a taxi because they're all out at the airport waiting for their easy fare.

Our arterial roads between the airport and the city are always clogged up with taxis (and would continue to be if the train price were cheaper - but every little bit helps)

I'm a regular user of taxis and the taxi industry can burn for all I care.

That might sound cruel towards the nice drivers, and there are a few good ones. But when you pay a taxi fare, where is that money going? Not much of it goes towards the beat up old vehicle. Some goes to the driver, who often has got no friggen idea where they're going (or pretend not to know, to test you out, so they can figure out whether they can take you the scenic route or not - the OP's experience happens all the time here). Some of it goes to the corporates who own the license plates and lobby government to put up protective barriers to support their industry.

And the politicians are too gutless to reform the industry. They all use taxis and the last thing they want to do is to be trapped in a moving vehicle with a taxi driver who is pissed off at them.

[/rant]
 
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#11
Accordingly if it's not raining, you have plenty of time and no luggage, the go is to walk from Sydney Domestic Terminal to Mascot Station ~ about a 10 to 12 minute walk where a return train ticket from there to the City will cost you less than $5.00
 

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