paying tip to taxi drivers, is it really necessary?

[Dear Summer]

I take the taxi often during the weekday and when I try to pay with my credit card, they try to tack on 20%-25%.
The rate is already pretty steep along with extra fees added for baggage, so how much should a person tip a cabbie?

 

[dealmaster00]

if i need to tip it's 15%.

 

[her209]

Cabbies are such a ripoff. I took one to the train station one time and the cabbie intentionally took the long way just to squeeze a few more dollars out.

 

[amdhunter]

The whole point of paying with a CC is so you DON'T have to tip. That's why they hate taking CC so much.

Screw that. I didn't even know they had the ability to add on a tip.

 

[Cogman]

They shouldn't be tipped. Their rates are freaking high anyways.

 

[tooriski]

every city is diff. i know in nyc they can't add a tip(yellow cab), only the passanger can.

 

[vbuggy]

I always carry enough cash. I tip. Varies on country / service.

 

[ABitTooSpicy]

When I'm in NYC I always tell Cabbies which way to go... otherwise there is a 50/50 chance they will try to rip you off by taking a longer route.

I usually tip 15% normally, but I'll jack it up to 20 to 25% if I end up having a good conversation with the guy... hahaha kind of stupid but whatever!

 

[OBLAMA2009]

i always tip at least 15% but i wouldnt criticize someone who didnt tip at all because their rates are a total ripoff, even 6 blocks costs $10 around here

 

[sjwaste]

I tip, usually fairly well if the cabbie seems like a nice guy.

Most of my rides are in the $15-20 range, so I usually just give the guy a 20 or 25, depending on the fare. Since many times, its to go to the airport or something, I don't want to be on some shit list where they don't come to my house on time.

 

[spacejamz]

If you hate tipping cab drivers, rent a car and see which is cheaper and/or more convenient.

Or ride the bus. Or stop complaining.

 

[rh71]

if you want to talk about should or shouldn't have to, then I'd say no. You're already paying a fare and he's not usually doing anything extra than what you paid for. Yesterday my car dealer had a free shuttle guy who drove me 13 miles back to my house after I dropped off my car. That's when I gladly tip.

Cable guy hooks you up with extras or worked hard to hide wires, tip. He just does his normal job, no tip necessary.

Simple. Doesn't anyone know what the meaning of tip is anymore?

 

[sonicdrummer20]

I take the taxi often during the weekday and when I try to pay with my credit card, they try to tack on 20%-25%.
The rate is already pretty steep along with extra fees added for baggage, so how much should a person tip a cabbie?

None, when i was in colorado the price for a ten mile ride was around $28. thats about a 1/3 of a gallon of gas, so no, no tip is necessary nor should any thought be given, they provided a service and that's it. In a restaurant its a little different when they are constantly serving you, but with a taxi ride its simply sit back and wait, no entertainment, no food, no nothing.

 

[Vic Vega]

I don't give train drivers a tip... or bus drivers... or pilots... no reason to tip a cap driver unless he/she performs some kind of miracle for me.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

In the United States, yes, I tip them. Normally 20%.

 

[HumblePie]

Nope, I don't tip and rarely take a cab in the first place. I can count the number of times I took one on a single hand.

Last time I took a cab was in Colorado as well. I was flying from there to Texas to visit family for the holidays. I didn't have a ride like normal so I called a cab. I was picked up from the dorm at Peterson AFB and driven literally around the outside of the base to the airport. It's about a 10 mile trip at most since the airport and the airforce base there share the same tarmacs. I did my own baggage in loading and unloading. Still, when I get there I was charged $32 for the trip. I was like WTF? I only had two twenties on me. I hand the cab driver the $40 and was hoping to get change back. He drove off.

Never taken a cab drive after that.

 

[KMFJD]

Tips are never required, useless tradition that should be banished, everyone knows this

 

[meltdown75]

you have to be flippin kiddin me.

SHENS. shens on every old debate posted here. it's just bored trolls, firing up stupid debates that can never be settled.

 

[BoomerD]

I know it may be different in each city and even by cab company, but some cab drivers make pretty good money. My daughter's ex drives cab in the SF bay area. He pays his "gate" which covers the car and the cab license...all the rest of what he brings in belongs to him. Fares, tips, etc...and it's all unreported income and since it never passes through the company, none of it gets taxed. In essence, he rents the car from them and is self-employed.

(My daughter has had a tough time trying to get child support out of him...and proving how much he makes)

 

[James Bond]

The most annoying thing is that 75% of cabbies will always use the line "cash only, machine broken", trying to imply that their credit card machine is currently not working.

The funny part about this is that 99% of the cabs around here use the old school swiping method - they make a carbon copy of your credit card.

I heard from a friend that it is illegal to turn down a fare if they have money, whether it be cash or card, and I will argue with the cabby until I get my way. I have never lost.

I think they do this so that they don't have to declare tips, but that is just my theory.

Last weekend I had a cabby who said his machine was broken. We got in the cab anyway (miscommunication between friends... none of us had cash). Once we arrive we realize we have no cash and the guy FLIPS out. He says he has to take us to an ATM. After a few minutes of arguing we finally say fine, fuck it, lets go to the ATM. We get about 3 blocks down, him bitching the entire time, then finally he pulls over and pulls out his fully functioning credit card swiper.

I made him take me back home. Jackass.