Taxi
 

The Goa taxi drivers have a new trick if you have your own vehicle like me and park up in a busy area (Candolim) they let one of your tires down by putting a stone in the dust cap to let the air out so when you return you need a taxi or help from them
This is now becoming a common thing according to the people that I use to repair my flat tyre
This just shows how bad things are getting for them

Re: Taxi
 

They are desperate one taxi driver told us he had not taken one rupee in three days. Another was very rude and said "Why you English come here with no money, monkeys are all you are, go home! That's nice I thought and you expect business from us I would rather walk.

The BHI commissioner asked if we had faced any racism here, I told him the story as it had happened the day before, my friend was there to back me up. He was appalled.

Re: Taxi
 

there are plenty of big spending indian tourists in goa

why are these taxi divers not getting good business from them?

Re: Taxi
 

Because Indian tourists almost never use the Goan taxi drivers!

Read IndiaMike on the subject, and you will find they approach Goa well informed on this issue and will avoid these ars*holes at all costs....

The best you can say about these layabouts is they do not make any attempt to disguise their intentions.......

Here we are, we wish to seriously overcharge you, please just pay us whatever we ask.

SCUM.

Re: Taxi
 

Taxi prices have "officially" been increased this week. If we pay the "official" prices we would be paying at least half price.

Re: Taxi
 

Having read your opinionated postings for some time now I had to reply to this one. I am usually a reader (or lurker as you would say).
Yes some taxi drivers may be as you describe but mine certainly is not and would be appalled to read your rant as he is a hard working man who does not sit on his back side all day waiting for business but works other jobs as well. Do not tar them all with the same brush.
If you hate Goa and the Goans why do you bother staying in Goa and go and spend you cash elsewhere.

Re: Taxi
 

Did I say ALL taxi drivers?

I also know hard working ones, but the vast majority sit around waiting for the work to come to them.

Thank you for the lifestyle advice, however, you are a bit late with that, and Happy Christmas........

Oh, and welcome to BritishExpats, of course!


.

Re: Taxi
 

Hi nokiauser - Welcome to BE glad you have come in from the cold and joined us. (or are you in the warm in Goa)

I agree not all taxi drivers are the same, but this year they are really feeling the pinch, and the one I wrote about, we had known him for 18 years his rant about the English was totalled uncalled for. For once I was speechless.

Re: Taxi
 

I thought you knew Goans well enough to know that it doesn't matter how many years you have known them they will still crap on you...not all of course but the vast majority.

Re: Taxi
 

I totally agree with you. What we have done for some families WELL !!!!
But I am really a soft touch when I see a family member so ill etc. Don't want anything in return just not to be (as you say) crapped on. Have a good Christmas.

Re: Taxi
 

Auto ride to cost 30% more

HERALD REPORTER

PANJIM, DEC 15


The State government through a fresh notification on Monday hiked the fare rates by almost 30 per cent, which has been implemented since December 13.

As per the new rates, people travelling by private motorcycles will have to shell out Rs 12 for the first kilometre as against earlier Rs 10 for the first three kilometres. Further Rs 4 will be added for per kilometre. At the same time, the pilots will ask for waiting charges of Rs 10 per hour or Rs 2 for each ten minutes.

In case of autorickshaw, people will have to pay Rs 13 for first one kilometre and Rs 10 for each additional kilometre. Not just this, luggage above 15 kg will be charged Rs 5 each along with waiting charges of Rs 15 per hour.

The government has also hiked fare rates for Yellow/black taxis, which will now charge Rs 14 for the first kilometre. With every additional kilometre, Rs 12 will be added along with waiting charges of Rs 25 and luggage charges of Rs 10 (above 15 kg).

Similarly, taxis with and above 1500 cc engine will charge Rs 16 and Rs 18 respectively. The additional kilometres will help them to fetch Rs 10 and Rs 15 each per kilometre, whereas; super luxury taxis will charge Rs 28 for first one kilometre, with additional Rs 22 per kilometre.

The fare rates of Maxi cabs have also been revised.

“The operators will have to go as per the government rates. The violators will be strictly punished,” transport director Arun Dessai said.



Someone on HT recently posted they were very happy to pay a haggled 220R/- for a tuk tuk from Santana Resort (at Acron Arcade, Sinquerim) to Calangute. Even at these new rates, I am not convinced this is a distance of 21.5 km (more like 5km max), but it's only 3 quid, innit!

Short term tourists indiscriminately throwing dosh around with some kind of post colonial guilt or false sense of financial superiority only causes inflation for all, local population included, and stimulates greed, envy and resentment amongst those fighting amongst the catch of big, medium and small tourist fish.

Re: Taxi
 

Can't wait for them to use the meters, we would not need our own vehicle t Prices are a laugh!!! Can you believe that the taxi driver who insulted me and my friend, actually stopped taffic to let us pass to-day and called to say hello - what was he on!

Re: Taxi
 

because the indians don´t like goans,they prefer pay a proper indian chauffeur in goa than giving it to goans.above all,the goans,call them self goans and not indians.that make me laugh.

Re: Taxi
 

nothing new,did happen to me 8 years ago,front of taxi point,CSM HOTEL,back from KC´S BAR,flat tyre,i called the ones i know by face,showed 100 rupees,and the job was done,but never parked there again.

Re: Taxi
 

Same thing happened to us 2 yesrs ago at Hillside. Left the jeep parked and came out to find all tyres out of air and very keen taxi drivers waiting in hope. Again, never parked there in that spot another time. Always went a bit further on and walked back.

Re: Taxi
 

after going to goa for the past ten years and buying a house there 5 years ago. we have decided to sell up and never return. the place we once loved has deteriated beyond repair in our eyes. the crime rate has shot through the roof and the police cover it all up. the number of handbag snatches is unknown but it happens every night. the taxi drivers have got beyond greedy, i used to be a cab driver so i know all the tricks. they are now just thugs who want to rip everyone off big time. this is why they want 2 weekers only. im afraid that soon its going to be like kashmire. a beautiful country with a tourist industry set up but no tourist!!!
we have got to know a lot of goans and kashmirires, and like us there are some bad ones. unfortunatly it does seem like its there way of life to rip off anyone else. i now make sure when going into a shop in uk to walk out if there is an indian behind the counter. i will no longer employ a indian or support in any way. if its illegal for us to own a house there but they are encoraging us to input money it shows what theyre like.
have just returned for the last time and am appalled at how expensive everything is now compared to just a few years ago. we have been having 3 to 4 holidays out there every year for the past 5 year. just spent 4 months out there. have now worked out that now we have sold our house and will now be needing hotels, it will be just as expensive to go to the carabian all inclusive! wow let me think now! nice clean beaches, property with no bars on the windows,no garbage around your feet, no one spitting, no beggars, cab drivers who just add a little, um.
over the years of going to goa, we have met up with many uk people who have also bought and see them every year. this time no one. they have also seen the light and moved on.
i will now choose somewhere else in the world to holiday and spend my money. GOA ? IVE GONE

Re: Taxi
 

1. There is crime every night in our UK town.
2. Kashmir, Jammu-kashmir is a 'state', there will always be tourists because
of the unbelievable beauty, spoilt by government, territory fights and
insurgents from Pakistan.
3. So blame every Indian person (they are actually human beings like us).
4. It is illegal for an Indian national to buy a house in UK without investing a
sizeable amount of money. (Those who settle as citizens, different)
5. Haven't prices gone up in UK?
6. Caribbean, which island do you mean? Jamaican crime rate very high,
murder etc.
7. There never was this amazing paradise in Goa, just rose-tinted
glasses from some (only some) tourists wanting to turn it into a 'sunny
UK.' There have always been criminals and those willing to rip-off'
'innocents abroad.'

As 'Gregit' has said in another 'Christmas' thread India is 'Magic' for those
who can appreciate it. Thank you Gregit.

Re: Taxi
 

Utter rubbish.

12 years plus ago, Goa was great, it is only during the last few years that the drugs/corruption/violent crime have become so dominant, largely concurrent with the upsurge in arrivals by the Russians and Nigerians.
At least the Isrealis had the decency to keep it among them and their druggie clients and not involve the whole of society.
Of course there were local criminals and rip-off merchants, but very few and not "in your face" all the time, in fact even as a "true" foreigner, you sort of knew who they were in your village/area. No chance of that now!

Items 1-6, standard responses to any criticism of India/Indians, as Monty Python said;
"Do you you want the £5 or the £10 arguement?"


.

Re: Taxi
 

J5 I was answering the previous post which apparently described locals not foreigners, indicated by the response of 'walking out of any UK shop with an Indian behind the counter'.
Certainly North Goa has changed beyond recognition this will always happen with mass tourism and usually not for the better.
Very few local criminals??!! not like you or your recent posts to praise Goans, what happened to you?
My opinion based on a great deal longer than 12 + years is that Goans are just like any other group -- good, bad, saintly, evil but mostly just ordinary with the same number of 'get rich quick if you can' as any others.

Re: Taxi
 

Clarifying, not praising, God forbid!

Maybe a dozen years ago the Goans concealed their true nature better?

My experience of Goa also goes back a lot further, but "in my opinion" nothing changed very much until quite recently.

One good thing from Steveandpaulines post, we now have an unintentional alternative name for Goa.........Cash-mire

And its shorter to type than Zimbabwe on Sea


.

Re: Taxi
 

To Steve and Pauline,please enlighten me as to the location of this 'carabian all inclusive'. I've been living on various Caribbean islands for the past 16 years and none come close to fitting your utopian description.

Re: Taxi
 

If you re-read the post in question (as should Bipat) there was no reference made to an Utopia, low crime rates etc, they simply referred to the "joys" of an all inclusive holiday there, and that it was comparable in price. And that is certainly true if the prices of a holiday in Goa BEFORE the prices were slashed by a massive amount before Christmas.

Perhaps you should enlighten us all as to why the Carribean is such a bad place, before hoardes of ExGoaExpats invade the place?


.

Re: Taxi
 

I knew J5's Goa 12 years ago and well before then - typed tears ago instead of years ago - hit the wrong up key by mistake and had to change the t for a y but should have left it - honestly as I could not have made that up - look where the 2 letter are - how ironic.

Have a look at this

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/ar...ic-island.html


Hopefully the destination name does not have to change.

Re: Taxi
 

Google - 'We were virtually hacked to death with a machete in Tobago"
and you will see the story - tried to post a link but will not let me.

Re: Taxi
 

Lets put this record straight 'Gregit' thinks of Goans, as greedy and lazy, cheating even their own blood line, with no respect for people who try to help them. The advantage of Goa to Brits is the diet ie. able to get what we miss,bacon breakfast but what price, always I have said Goa is the easy India, language is not a problem, if you can tolerate the filth, spitting,urinating and hey folks defacating in public, this idea that OUTSIDE FOREIGNERS are stupid, the racism,the blaming all outsiders for the crime, sex trade and drugs. The rest of India is so rich in diversity all the rubbish is in Goa, I've not given up on India, but Goa is no place, even the bribes are cheaper elswhere :eek:

Re: Taxi
 

Now that hits a nerve!

I have shed far too many tears for the Goa that used to be, especially over the last two Christmases, happy memories, hopes destroyed, loved ones lost, and so so much more......

Fair enough, life moves on, but I strongly suspect that tiny little ex-Portuguese enclave on the coast of India has, in recent years, destroyed more lives than it has enhanced?





Hey Gregit!
How are you doing?
Loved your reply above, when I saw you being quoted in the earlier post it was like seeing him from Simply Red quoted in an article on sexual abstinence, or Mr A Hitler (common first name for Goan boys....why?) quoted in support of communism, or Denis Roussos on dieting, or even dafter, any official in Goa commenting on "justice".....
Would love to know how you are doing, PM me?


.

Re: Taxi
 

The holiday Indians are too smart with their money and will not spend a rupee more than absolutely necessary..why?? Because they do not keep comparing the rupee with the pound and saying..thats cheap..only one pound fifty!!!

Re: Taxi
 

Hi, Hope you had a good Christmas.

Point No. 4 - Indians can buy property in the UK - just as long as they can obtain a mortgage, and put down the deposit, and have the courtesy on exchange not to say to the Solicitor, let me practice my "brothers" signature.
Now we definately lost that sale.

Re: Taxi
 

Hi, Noni my post did say legally.
Thank you we had a wonderful Christmas in spite of the snow. Spent some time planning the return to India/Goa in March.
Was actually pleased when I saw Gregit's post on Boxing day, someone who could actually have a good word about India (how foolish could I be!!). Of course all the above posts went back to the usual vitriol.
Could I suggest that there is more to Goa than the North Goan coastal area, and most Indians deplore the criminal types you describe.

Re: Taxi
 

Sun, sea, beach seemed like paradise when first discovered by those from outside but it always was a myth. Life is the 'shit'.

Re: Taxi
 

So How do the billionaire Indian citizens (non-resident in the UK) like Tata get away with buying up half of London then?

Maybe they pay big bribes? No of course not, that would make them criminals and then they would be deplored by most of their countrymen.

If you read Noni's property purchase scenario properly, you will see she is referring to a perfectly legal transaction that came to a grinding halt when it became evident that the purchaser was indulging in the popular Indian pastime of "signature sharing"

You choose to constantly muddle property ownership with residency. As far as I can ascertain from considerable research, an Indian citizen can quite legally purchase residential property in the UK provided they can prove identity and have the ability to pay, but not proof of residency....it is irrelevant.
They can then occupy that property as and when they obtain a valid visa to visit the UK, but the fact they own property is irrelevant to the granting of the visa.

(a situation most British in Goa would be quite happy with, I'm sure)


A very predominant scam in the Midlands (and I'm sure elsewhere in the UK) is for wealthy Asians to buy property, put the ownership in the name of a relative in their home country, and rent it out. Any charges incurred on that property that are not the tenants liability, but those of the landlord are not paid, and because of the near impossibility of pursuing an outstanding bill with the "true" owner 5000 miles away, the debt is allowed to drop. Of course, the work is always commissioned by a family representative in the UK who infers (or clearly states!) that the owner is a UK resident/citizen. Due to tenant protection laws, it is very difficult to secure the property against the (comparatively small) debt.

Off you go then........
I'll take the £10 argument this time, but check your facts first!


.

Re: Taxi
 

Read my post J5: I said 'without investing a considerable amount of money' obviously billionaires can do this.
'Half' of London is that accurate?
Re Noni's 'scenario': a transaction is either legal or not legal if the hypothetical person had a mortgage in his/her own name then why forge a signature?
My post was obviously not clear: with money to buy outright, property can be bought as I said above. With the exchange rate this applies only to the very wealthy. To get a mortgage a credit history is required this implies residency.
Visas: yes property ownership is irrelevent but would the British in Goa really be happy to go through the 'hoops' that non-Europeans need to visit UK??
Your last point (the most important) could you provide figures and evidence (facts) and I will certainly look into this.
Finally what has any of this to do with 'taxis'?

Re: Taxi
 

The Scenario is 100% true - I stood there when it was said, and when the sale was lost.

A mortgage had been arranged in his name, passports etc. but the guy must have handed his brothers visa, passport, wage slips in to the mortgage lender.
We are talking here of just an ordinary indian, not one with pots of money.

I should know as my desk was called "Indian Desk" as I attracted them all, I nearly had a sari made in the company colours. One day 32 turned up for one viewing of this huge house. I had to count them in, and count them out.

Re: Taxi
 

Noni I do believe you. Yes the whole thing was illegal, If he had pots of money wouldn't have needed the mortgage. Would be interested to know where you were working. Also interested to find out the extent of J5s reported scam You could PM.

Re: Taxi
 

I agree that tby now this thread has nothing to do with taxis. It is symptomatic of the frustration and anger felt by many participants on this site about the treatment they find themselves subject to here in Goa as a result of property purchase. Many threads lead to this type of discussion for this reason.

Johnny Five and Bipat both have a point of view which they have every right to express. It is also very predictable and understandable. Someone here vents their frustration caused by the current situation in Goa for British ex pats and someone else defends the Indian perspective by citing what happens to Indians in the UK.

Both sides refer to the difficulties outsiders have in processing the often complicated immigration or entry processes which both countries have in place. Neither country makes it easy.

However to my mind there is one significant difference as follows: those who manage to navigate the uk processes and gain entry generally speaking are allowed to live their lives like other citizens, invest their money, buy property or cars as they wish. I have never heard of whole groups being under the threat of having their properties confiscated or risking the loss of all their investments/lifetime savings. If there were such a group within the UK they would no doubt scream from every rooftop and would find the means of legal redress within the British justice system.

Maybe there is an India ex pats website on which they do just that. I don't know.

For Brits seeking to navigate the stormy waters of living in India and buying a home there is first of all no means to officially immigrate into the country ( as far as I know ) and great risk in investing in a country which has been eager to let you transfer your money inwards but puts great barriers in place when it comes to taking it out again.

For as long as this situation continues in India without being resolved in a civilised and fair manner ( which is looking increasingly unlikely) this bitter disagreement will continue in many threads and many posts and it is no surprise that we see such a polaristion of views and will continue to see it. Feelings run deep in such matters.

On a related note about Goa being a paradise turned sour, I don't think paradise exists anywhere on earth. Not Goa, not the Carribean either. When I lived and worked in Germany I spent many holidays of the all inclusive variety there, mainly Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Barbados. The German ex pats I met living in the Dominican Republic were all very keen to say how they were all careful not to leave thier compounds at night due to the criminality and drug related activities. The days may well have been paradise ( well they seemed to be when staying in a five star resort) but the nights told a different story. Good luck to anyone thinking of relocating there. It would not be my choice but we are all different.

Re: Taxi
 

Hi, I very much take your point. I also find these arguments irritating. The Indians you mention though are not actually expats they are 'British' for the most part Indian 'expats' are wealthy and can protect themselves. The visitor visa problems are not serious just time consuming.
My arguments are usually protests at the very understandable frustration of Goan expats being diverted towards anyone Indian in UK, the entire Indian population, anyone connected to India, anyone explaining India or shock/horror actually liking India etc. etc.
Paradoxically, I think (he will surely correct me if wrong), J5 no longer lives in India whereas I (British) still have a home there (42 years) and am certainly aware of property problems, the corruption etc. Just object strongly to inaccuracy and blanket insults to 'Indians', which seem to invade every thread.


Hopefully we can go back to 'Taxis' which have some sort of problem all over India.
Mumbai: many drivers now apparently don't know any location more than a km away! Likewise in Bangalore you have to direct them. Delhi railway station! husband too scared to get in a taxi ever again there! (Long story).
B.

Re: Taxi
 

[QUOTE=johnny five;9062978]Now that hits a nerve!

I have shed far too many tears for the Goa that used to be, especially over the last two Christmases, happy memories, hopes destroyed, loved ones lost, and so so much more.

Yes J5 - feeling the same and had a little weep at your posting - hope it will be a better New Year for you - onward and upward kid.

Re: Taxi
 

We found the same - but they will also know a few main landmarks like CST, Taj Hotel, Marine Drive etc. so you can navigate that way and we were amazed on our last visit to find that they now use the meter + look-up card. Seems there has been a substantial increase in official fares (long overdue) coupled with a big crackdown by police. Bring it on in Goa!

AndyD 8-)#

Re: Taxi
 

An excellent post.

Re: Taxi
 

Noni: I tried to get the thread back on to 'taxis' obviously failed. Yes it was a good post but I think you must not have read my following post pointing out that the polarisation of views between myself and J5 on which erinsgirl (understandably) based her opinion had nothing to do with property problems, as I do have property problems in India, J5 does not.
Are you saying that it is OK to take your frustration out on 'Indians' in general?