Nice Taxis: Avoid the Rip-off
On this day of a national taxi riot, the price, availability and conduct of taxi drivers is being scrutinized, particularly here in Nice, the unhappy home of the world’s highest taxi fares. Furious at competition from Uber, taxi drivers are shown above at Nice Airport demanding papers from rental cars to prove that it’s a “legitimate” rental. Although the government has already declared Uber’s low-cost service, UberPop, illegal, French courts have yet to weigh in on the matter and the highly popular service exists now in a legal limbo. I’ll tell you a secret. Everyone but everyone living in Nice loathes the local taxi drivers and tries to avoid taking a taxi at all costs. Locals are well aware that €30 to go 8km from Nice Airport to the town center is absurd and only exists because the “taxi mafia”, as they are locally known, has insisted that the airport is in a special zone. Complaints of nastiness, overcharging, refusing short rides, refusing credit cards, refusing receipts and other shenanigans abound. So what do locals do about it? Take Uber if possible Be aware that there are two Uber services in France and only one is illegal. The Uber X service uses professional drivers and is legal. The price is slightly cheaper than a taxi, the drivers are pleasant and payment is through theapp. UberPop is much lower-priced and uses amateur or part-time drivers. Today’s taxi tantrum was directed at both but it is really only UberPop’s service that is … Continue reading →