Nasty St Thomas cabbie experience- anyone else?

[PatrickMcc]

We returned from 12 great days on St. John yesterday but had a bad experience with a St Thomas cabbie. We arrived at Red Hook from St John looking for a cab to take us to our guest house -we had a flight the next day. Neither the inn owner on St John where we spent our last two nights or a couple of locals had heard of the guest house. The taxi scene at Red Hook was somewhat chaotic with the dispatcher yelling and cab drivers yelling and when he told us to go with one cabbie I asked him if he knew the guest house- I got a quick distracted nod then as we were walking to his cab another driver told us to go with him and then the original driver took us back- by us I mean about 8 or 9 people- so I asked the driver again if he knew the guest house- another quick nod. After the cab got going he began to berate me for asking him agin if he knew the guest house- I am not an aggressive person and tried to pleasantly explain that I was worried it wasn't well known and there was a lot of confusion in Red Hook- he began yelling that I shouldn't listen to people on another island-very angry saying he was an adult and didn't need to be asked twice. As we approached the airport to drop off other passengers he pointed to the top of a hill and said that was where the guest house was and why did I stay there-again very angry- I said that I had read good reviews- he pointed at Emerald Beach hotel and some others and said I should have stayed at those hotels. At the airport he told me to get in the front seat so the lady next to me could get out- I said she was with me-my wife- he accused me of saying that I was alone- obviously I never said that. At the guest house I gave him 40 dollars for a $30 fare and said just give me ten back- I wasn't going to give a tip- he again started yelling saying he wan't going to steal my money. Wow- my wife was really frightened- we were the last two in the cab- I was feeling threatened myself. Now at first I thought this was a unique experience- we have been going to St john since 1983. I told the woman who registered us at the guest house and her response was - so you got one of those drivers-later in the afternoon I told the owner of the guest house and he said some of those drivers are weird and they don't like to come up to the guest house- I guess because it is up the hill- which wasn't that bad a hill after St John's hills. I am wondering if anyone else has had bad experiences with cabbies- the people at the guest house made me think this wasn't all that unique.
By the way the Island View Guest House was a terrific place- I will review it later and they called us a cab for the airport the next morning- a very nice guy and I got his card. In the future I will use him or maybe Rachel who is praised lot on this board.

[PA Girl]

Not on the same level as you described but we were totally ripped off by a STT cabbie when we stayed there for a night prior to a STJ trip.

We took the same trip twice (two different cabs) and then for the 3rd trip, the cabbie charged us double what we paid the prior two times. When questioned, he mumbled some excuse. My husband paid (no tip) and exchanged some words with him. (I had exited the cab with our son by this point.)

[alw1977]

Sorry you had that experience. I have not had that happen on St. Thomas, but you can get a crazy cabbie anywhere. Once, when I was leaving Grand Bahama after a girls' weekend, I got in a cab by myself from our large resort to the airport. The cab was hot, only 1/4 of the window was rolled down, and when the cabbie realized I was from the US, he started berating me about George Bush (this was back in 2006). He was getting so angry I could barely understand him, and all I kept saying was "yes, a lot of Americans feel that way," "I didn't vote for him," etc., etc.

It can happen anywhere. Sorry about that.

[liamsaunt]

It really seems to be luck of the draw with those taxi drivers. 90% of the time I have had a fine experience, but it only takes one time to leave a bad taste in your mouth. John and I had a similar experience to yours a couple of trips ago--the being shunted back and forth between different cabs at Red Hook while drivers argued over whose turn it was for fares, the angry, yelling driver berating people in the taxi, the attempt to overcharge, etc. It was a nasty ending to a great trip, and it made such a negative impression on me that the next time we came down I booked a private land/water taxi service to avoid the possibility of a similar situation happening to the newbies that were with us.

I'm sorry that happened to you. I hope the rest of your trip was great!

[melmd]

Our experince was not as bad, but it did upset me.

When we went to STJ in Oct. our cab driver changed the price on us when we got to Redhook. He wanted $20.00 per person plus $5.00 a bag plus tip. So we are talking about $30.00. When one of the people was a local from STJ and started arguing with him it started to get nasty. I gave him $20.00 and got the heck out of there.

[Pia]

Yes I have had a few bad experiences Sorry it happened to you.

Pia

[hugo]

Actually, I tend to assume a St Thomas cabbie will be rude and dishonest until it proves otherwise-a pleasant surprise is better than a vexing one. As a group, they have improved considerably over the years.

[JJShaw]

We had trouble in 07 with a cabbie. We had came back on the Ferry to STT one evening to try and catch one of the camera shops open. The cab guy ended up over charging us by about 40.00 and dumped us out at Havensite. We were the only ones that got out (2 of us). I didnt realize it til it was too late ..I tried calling the cab company when we got back to STJ and described his cab in detail even down to the broken window..but.. no luck...however...when we ferried back over to STT as we were leaving for the airport..There he sat...I had no problem walking up to him telling he had over charged us by 40 bucks..he promtly took the money from his pocket and gave it back...he also said he thought we were paying for everyone..Yeah right..Since then I have made sure BEFORE we get in to ask "how much" I honestly think he thought maybe we were only there for a day and just visiting from a ship that was in Port...and he would never see us again...he was wrong...

[toni]

We had a very pleasant experience on STT once when we took a cab from downtown up to Mafolie. We asked the price ahead of time and assumed when we were quoted that it was per person since we are usually quoted that way. When we arrived my husband gave him what we thought was the right amount plus tip and he told us we overpaid him and gave it back, he had quoted us a total, not per person. We ended up using him more than once that trip I believe as a result

But we have had some grumpy drivers too; I often think that they should have a training class on how to be more "tourist friendly". Last time down we had a cabbie who was really nice and had a great conversation with from downtown to Red Hook. He talked all about how STT could be improved and how much cabbies needed to realize the $ tourism brought in.

Especially for first timers, I know from the airport to Red hook that many drivers rarely say anything, and yet they are often the first people newbies will see. They could make a great impression given a chance.

But unfortunately this is often true other places as well.

[nascarfan59]

I have to plug one for the good guys.

After a day of delays on our last trip we arrived late on STJ. We caught a taxi to our villa since we couldn't pickup our rental till the next day. We wanted to have a few drinks when we got to the villa to chill out so he dropped the guys off at the market and took the girls up to the villa. He helped the girls get the bags in the the villa then returned to the market to pick up the guys and help load up the supplies and take us back to the villa. Worth every penny of the the $35.
Ask for: Abba Meade Cell:340-643-6246

[lazylane]

Sorry you had a bad experience, there are bad people everywhere! BUT, there are great ones, too! A few years ago my brother wanted VI Fire Dept T-shirt for his son who was soon to become a fireman, and the cabbie showed us the way to the FD and waited for us with our luggage. And last year, the driver stored our luggage for us while we walked around town. We have had drivers who were completely silent on the trip to the airport and then those that you wish would just shut up!!! Takes all kinds in this crazy world I guess. Not everyone is happy, even in paradise I guess!

[sapphirecat]

Many, many years ago for some reason we had to take a taxi one time in STT. It was a horrible experience. The guy didn't seem to know where anything was and he grumbled, shouted at us and acted insane the entire time. I hear now and again how car renting will be/should be abolished on STT due to congestion blah, blah, blah. In that case I would never return.

[wishiwasinthevi]

I love St Thomas! But we stay on St John because we don't want to rent a car and drive on St Thomas and are willing to do so on St John, and the alternative of dealing with St Thomas cabbies does not make for the best vacation. We've had some less than pleasant experiences with cab drivers on St Thomas which is why now we use Rachel anytime we need to be hauled around STT.

[chicagoans]

My latest 'bad taxi' experience was due to 2 passengers, not the driver.

On my recent trip to STJ, we had a van with 9 people going to Red Hook and a couple going to an out of the way B&B. Well the driver went to the B&B first and couldn't find it. After driving around for a while he said he'd bring the rest of us to the ferry and then try to find the B&B, and the woman going to the B&B pitched a fit. We all had to sit there and listen to her yelling the address more loudly each time, as if that helped. The husband finally said he had the phone number of the place and gave it to the driver. (Hello, why didn't he do that earlier, or better yet get some directions before getting in the van?!)

We missed the ferry by minutes and the extra hour at Red Hook meant I had to find my house in the dark (alone) while miss grumpy at the B&B was probably already sipping rum drinks.

The dispatchers at the airport and the ferry docks should group people going to hotels and B&Bs with each other, and people going to the ferry (or airport) in other vans. This especially makes sense when there are plenty of people waiting for vans.

[mindehankins]

If you get in a taxi with a Pakistani looking guy with a Pakistan flag in the front of his van, you might not be in for a happy ride. He was very brusque, drove like a maniac. Charged us 30 each to get to the Green House and another 30 each to get from Green House to the airport. Plus. Tips.
VERY unpleasant man. I wouldn't again get into a car with him.
That was our only unpleasant trip. We've never had to drop anyone off. We've had friendly chats with drivers and passengers alike.
What we liked best was what we did last year: Rented at Amalie and took our time tooling around St. Thomas happily seeing some sites, scoring some cheap groceries, and then heading to the barge. Island time starts when you close the car door :0) :O)