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"long hauling" method I hadn't seen before

Discussion in 'Getting There & Getting Around' started by bswim, Jan 13, 2015.

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  1. bswim

    bswim High-Roller

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    While this didn't happen in Vegas I figured everyone loves a good taxi story LOL

    Pull up to the stop light to get on the freeway last night and there's a cab stopped about a full car length from the stop line. I can see the fare meter ticking away as he's sitting there well short of the sensors to change the light.
    After a couple minutes of this I honk the horn and turn on my high beams. He creeps forward about 6". After about a minute of this I get out and walk up and have to yell at him through the window. He plays dumb and before I can get back in my rig he's pulled ahead, the lights changed and off he goes.
    Interesting way of racking up that meter
     
  2. captainron62

    captainron62 VIP Whale

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    I can't say I am surprised. Some of them are just plain thieves.
     
  3. Valgal

    Valgal VIP Whale

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    On eight trips to vegas over last 4 years no problems with long hauling. Last December long hauled tunnel and freeway to Luxor -- I don't know if things are getting better
     
  4. Dicehawg

    Dicehawg Low-Roller

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    Last year I had a cabbie tell me to watch out for this trick. He called it short stopping. He also said some cabbies will slow down if they are approaching an intersection to make sure they get the red light.
     
  5. TheNewUnion

    TheNewUnion Tourist

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    I've started telling the cabbie the route I want to take now, if I get held up because it's busy then it's my own responsibility. Last year from the airport to the Riv we just asked him to take us to the Riv then said via Swenson and Paradise. Got so sick of them taking the mick, ended up on the free-way going to Sahara one year - called the cabbie out on it and she reduced the fare.

    Glad you've highlighted this trick though, thought we had them sussed by telling them the way to go but this little trick is waaaay sneakier than tunnelling you.

    /edited because spelling
     
  6. captainron62

    captainron62 VIP Whale

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    They got us last year this month. Same thing on way to Luxor. I launched holy hell on the cabbie and he actually got out of the cab and ran and got security. They told me I had the option to call and report him and go thru all that, which they said takes quite awhile or just get our stuff and go on with the vacation. We got our bags and I gave him one more good cussing and went on with our trip.
     
  7. bdautch

    bdautch VIP Whale

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    I've come to appreciate cities that have standard cab rates. In New Orleans, for example, it's $33 to anywhere in the French Quarter or Central Business District. So I'm in for 40 bucks with tip no matter what. My trips to Vegas have been so varied, that I wish it were just (for example) $12 South Strip, $16 Center Strip, $20 North Strip, and $30 downtown, with separate rates for off-Strip/non-downtown locales.

    (Well, I admit that people might quibble with my specific math, but you get the idea.)
     
  8. phade

    phade Keeping tabs on LV while not there...

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    I got long hauled for the first time this past August. From freaking downtown to SLS of all places. Looped onto the freeway. I immediately let him know he took the long route. Interestingly, We took a cab from SLS to the same drop off downtown just about 6 hours earlier. I told him this is how much I am willing to pay. He agreed without a fight. Sucker got that meter up more than $6 more than the ride into DT.
     
  9. Bigcash12000

    Bigcash12000 Tourist

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    I got long hauled two trips ago to Bally's and it took forever and the taxi guy just kept blaming it on the traffic and that he was going the fastest way there. Makes me want to use the shuttle again even though they forgot to pick me up on one of my trips and I had to scramble to get to the airport on time.
     
  10. pleepleus

    pleepleus 2016 - The monkey is back

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    Never be afraid to call cabbies out on their BS.

    I did have an interesting encounter at the convention center this past CES. The guy didn't hit the meter until we were about half a mile down out of the convention center. He probably saved us a good $10 on the fare. By the time we got to Aria, the meter showed $11 and we gave him $25 for being awesome and he tried to give some back saying it was too much. This was probably the first and only time a Las Vegas cabbie has ever done that.
     
    Last edited: Jan 13, 2015
  11. Casinoqueen

    Casinoqueen Low-Roller

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    I got tired of being long hauled in Vegas so now do things a bit different when I use a cab.

    Before entering the cab I'll ask the approx price of the trip to where I'm going. They give me a price of say $17, then I get in and say well I have a $20 in my hand and that will include your tip and thats all I'm spending on this ride so the cheaper you get me there the higher your tip. Have had no problem with that approach, also works if there is big line ups waiting for cabs and have no time to ask before entering the cab the approx price. I get in and tell him/her that I want an approx price before pulling away.

    Have also asked a few cabbies if they would mind turning off their meter at around the $5 mark and take the $20 for the fare keeping $15 as a tip if i know the original fare was going to be high. That has also worked many times. I had only one cabbie verbally reprimand me for suggesting that.
     
  12. bswim

    bswim High-Roller

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    Haven't been long hauled yet but I like to make it very clear that I come to town 3 times a year and I split it between cabs and rental cars and know my way around town.
     
  13. boxofbirds

    boxofbirds Royally Flushed

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    Got longhauled for the first time this weekend. It looked like the cabbie was heading towards the freeway so I said very loudly "No highway, right?!" He took the highway anyway and so I kept my mouth shut and after we arrived and we got our bags out of the trunk I gave him the usual fare to Aria instead of the $27 on the meter and said "I told you no highway," and calmly walked into the hotel.

    Thanks to the OP for this tip! VMB was where I first learned about longhauling and what to do, saved me some money!
     
  14. rscpa

    rscpa Low-Roller

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    Was long hauled last June to Aria from airport. Told him no tunnel and he went anyway, was $29. Got the bags out of the trunk and gave him $15. He started screaming at me. I had taken a picture of his cab id on the dash and told him was calling the cab company. He said sorry and left quickly.
     
  15. RockyBalboa

    RockyBalboa Front Line Winner

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    I have never been tunneled but have had them take circuitous routes to various places. Last time I went out I hit up one of the cabbies I follow on twitter and had him pick me up. Helluva nice guy and I respect them for doing it the right way and networking on social media.

    On our second or third trip my girlfriend and I were leaving NYNY heading to Mirage. Cabbie gets out to the intersection where you should hang a right to ride the freeway down to Mirage but yet he's in the LEFT turning lane. He was going to take us on a loooooooooong ride. All the while he's trying to distract me by showing me videos of hot chicks on his phone. I mentioned he was going the wrong way and he got real quiet after that. Jerkoff.
     
  16. user3657

    user3657 VIP Whale

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    Strange...
    Most of my taxi rides I am holding on for dear life as the driver is taking turns and intersections like we are in the indy 500. Its this same reason I tell everyone I swear that hitting high rpms effects the meter..if you think about it...higher rpms=more gas used. who knows.
     
  17. bardolator

    bardolator Lifelong Low Roller

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    Short stopping- a clever stall and a catchy name for it. Another reason we rent a car, although that can also be a scam.
     
  18. The Stig

    The Stig VIP Whale

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    Might of been the cabbie I had in October from Rio to TI, he was either flat out on the gas or hard on the brake.
     
  19. Electroguy563

    Electroguy563 Vegas Joker

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    On our 2013 trip we got long hauled to the Orleans from the airport to the tune of $38.00 and some change. I gave the cabbie exactly $39.00. I was pissed.

    On our 2014 trip to the Orleans the cabbie took the short route and we arrived at the property with a fare of $21.00 and some change. He was such a nice and polite guy that I gave him $40.00 and thanked him for not long hauling us. The look on his face was priceless. Nothing but endless thank you's and I thought he was gonna cry.
     
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