First of all--- is it a rule to tip taxies---?

Question

And second--- would you tip him or her if you knew they took the long way to get to your destination. It happened to me the other day, the nerve. I still was nice and gave them like a dollar and change... I hope karma pays me good in my next life xD

Answer 1

It's more a business etiquette than a rule, and applies mainly to whether you feel a service provider provided you with satisfying service. But if they didn't....and in your case it seems that's the case....a tip may have been not given.

Coincidentally I saw on TV last week a program that included taxi cab service, and in particular taxi 'scams' and how it sometimes works. It was centered in Las Vegas and the filming company used their own people to be the taxi drivers and they picked up people from the airport who wanted to go to the 'strip'. Then they proceeded to drive hugely add-on miles, even out towards the desert and clearly past the gambling strip, then doubled back again and arrived at the destination. The customer, usually someone who has very little or no experience with cabs, and from out of town, usually paid the fee even though they thought something might be wrong. But like you they were polite, trusting, and unsure. Then they interviewed on camera the taxi driver - the film crew employee.

They did conclude the program however with a message that most cab drivers are not scamming, but for the few that might be....there are techniques they have to boost the fare level a bit.

I've experienced the same thing as you. You're in good company. Anyone who has ever take a cab very much will have a story to tell.

Answer 2

There is no rule or law that you have to tip anyone. What you should consider however, is that in professions where tipping is considered a normal and regular occurance, many employers pay reduced wages by what they think the tips will be on the average. So when you don't tip someone, you may actually be cutting their hourly wage to below the national minimum. Since the minimum wage is currently not high enough for a person to work full time and still maintain a standard of living above the poverty level, you might actually be taking food off their table by not tipping. I don't know if a cab driver makes a minimum wage or not, or if they depend heavily on their tips to suppliment a small paycheck. I do know that in the restaurant business, tipping is expected, and in some restaurants is even added to the check as a minimum gratuity of 15%. The same holds true for delivered food, pizza drivers make minimum wage and depend on their tips to suppliment their paychecks. However, I don't believe poor service deserves a tip no matter what the hourly wage is they receive. I tip fair when I get good service, and I over- tip when I get excellent service, but I never don't tip at all. At the worst, I will leave a few pennies for a really bad server to give them the message that their service needs improvement. I think this says a lot more to the server than no tip at all. It tells them I was not satisfied with their service, and leaves no question as to whether or not I intended to tip them. So I probably would have undertipped the cab driver, then possibly contacted his dispatcher to inquire about the route he chose to take and perhaps make a complaint about gouging you for the longer route.

Answer 3

When i take a cab to my office, it is a little bit away from the main road and thus the cab doesn't expect anybody for the return journey till he reaches that main road. Normally it is 9 bucks for travelling to my destination and i give 10 buck and don't expect that 1 buck in return. This is my way of giving tip, but nothing more than that and beware i am not talking about dollars. I am talking about our currency.

Answer 4

If you know he is ripping you off I would not tip them. As a rule it is a good idea to have a city map of the city you are going to and then you can suggest routes you believe to be direct. Anymore in any major city that I have been to there is a language barrier. I drove cab in Illinois and received very few tips. If you get good service I would say to tip.

Answer 5

NO!!!!! There is no rule saying you have to tip someone. (there are a few exceptions where a tip is included in your bill.) A tip is a GRATUITY, given out of GRATITUDE for the service that is given U. If the service is not good, don't tip. If I get poor service at a restaurant, I leave what I think is a proper tip that I believe the waitress will notice and unless she is ignorant, she should get the hint. ONE PENNY.

Answer 6

It is not a "rule" no. But typically taxi drivers do make quite a bit of their money from tips. So generally you tip your taxi driver like you do your waitress. (10%) However keep in mind if you know the way you want to go from A to B, just tell your driver that way, you are their source of income so they almost always go the way their fares tell them to.

Answer 7

TIP=To Insure Prompt service. It is not a rule but normal courtesy. If the cab man is deliberately taking a long route you could object. . Cab man`s karma may penalise him in next birth.

Answer 8

IF they are screwing you, then no tip (they get that money that you are paying them after they pay for the car for the day). I've gotten into cabs knowing my trip and tell the driver, "I only have 7 bucks on me, get there fast that what you get, get me there slow, that's what you get, or you drop me off as close as you can for that." Ya know, they've always gotten me there with a good tip.

Answer 9

I never Tip unless I receive service above and beyond what the person is being paid to do!

Answer 10

not if they delibertly take u the long way ,,and u can just say,, that was a long trip,,, and give them some change because the extra fare is a tip in itself