Evening Karwa RIdes and Off-Meter Fare
So I have not lived in Doha a very long time, but long enough to suspect that there is something suspicious going on. I am well aware taxis must use the meter, or it is free if it does not work. Until searching around QL, I was not aware there are three types of drivers (blue badge, red badge, etc.). The first time was going to Umm Salal Mohammed, so I was understanding that time; it was a very far trip and he obviously was not a border area cab. I was going to screw him with such a long trip where he would not have a return trip. Tonight, it was Soug Wagif to Gharafa. The driver said he was "off-duty" and similarly complained the trip was "really far." I know it is not bad, but I am clearly foreign and they try to rip with this gag. I know life is not fun for them, so I do not plan on f**king them and calling the company with their badge/license number. I want legitimate answers.
- Is this considered acceptable in/out of Doha?
- What times are considered off-meter times in the opinion of those here?
- What percentage of a metered fare do these guys deserve before they are just ripping me off?
I understand they need to make a living, and I understand they are doing so in a way that is outside company policy. Both times, it has been late (11:00 PM to 12:00 AM) and I really just needed to go somewhere. So, now that it has been twice, I do want to know if they are playing the dumb foreigner card or I should refuse and get out immediately. I would refuse, but I get the impression I will not get cab rides home at a certain time of night if I do *not* pay them off meter. One also complained of a 30QR penalty he was inevitably going to pay for leaving Doha? Is this all empty talk or is there truth to it?
@treydad Thanks for the response. I was aware of the official fees, but not the night-time 21:00-5:00 increase of 50%. Still, I know these drivers pull this nonsense because they are pocketing the money themselves. This is why I look the other way. I guess I will have to be rude next time and let them know at the end of the ride we can "agree" on a fair price or I can report the incident. I really do not want to do that, but very few of them know how to haggle properly, and insist I pay like 150% markup for a taxi. I guess we should stick to private ones.
I must say, they have miserably ruthless and rude service!
Here is the official tariff rates for all Karwa taxi services (company taxi, VIP and Limousine) from their website:
http://eng.mowasalat.com/site/topics/static.asp?cu_no=1&lng=0&template_id=285&temp_type=42&parent_id=284
Hey admins, I did not notice I double-posted because of a slow internet connection. Can one of them get erased? Thanks.