I agree with you on the radio " white taxis" part.
[QUOTE=Sperto; 1267369]I can't see the need for the taxi having a radio or working for a company. On the contrary I would advice to avoid what they call "radio taxis". These "radio taxis", often white ones, usually charges more.
Personally I always settle for a price before I get into the taxi. A price that's good for me and fair to the driver. It always works very well. It could be because I use a simple Peak Performance bag instead of a Louis Vuitton bag. .[/QUOTE]Sperto,
I agree with you on the radio "white taxis" part and I would also echo to avoid them they will charge you a lot more I have NEVER took them in all my years going to Brazil.
The reason I have always liked to take a taxi in ANY country that I have gone to over the years that work for a company or have a radio in them is because when I was working on Shore Patrol overseas in many of the different countries I was station at when I was in the Navy the sailors that I would always run across that ended up getting their asses mugged or robbed in some cases killed was the ones that would hop into what we (The Navy) would call them " GYPSY" or " BOOT LEG" taxi drivers. That don't have to answer to anyone... hell you are taking a risk no matter what .. but getting in a Taxi with someone you never met before and you are handing your life to someone that have nothing to loose that don't have to answer to anyone.
How many times have we have seen reports of the "GYPSY" or some would called them " BOOT LEG" taxi drivers that use to park outside Club Help that would over charge guys double or more when they would try to take a girl back to their place? Or how many of us that been to the Del Rey Hotel in Costa Rica and had to almost push those " gypsy" " boot leg" Taxi drivers out of the way and walk across the street because they would over charge Tricks that would try to go back to their hotel after picking up a girl from the bar?
Well let's stay with Brazil I have posted and told guys on here over the years like " The Cane" that worked for him very well to NEVER take those taxis outside of Barbarella's Bar because those taxi drivers would over charge guys double or more $$ when they would bring out a girl from the bar and when you tell the girl IF you want to take one of these Taxis out front of the bar the cost will come out of your money that the driver have over charge me LOL you should see how fast they will walk across the street and grab another taxi.
The point I am making from saying I rather take a Taxi (a yellow one) that work for a company is from seeing people here in the states that have been injured from taking a Taxi were the diver didn't have insurance needed to cover the medical bills for a person that took a ride from a "freelancer" Taxi driver and not from a company owned one that have to be required by law to have insurance etc. You will be taking a chance.
To be honest I use to always take this service that was a limo / Taxi service that would pick me up at the Airport they used larger size Vans I needed that being as tall as I am with long ass legs a uniformed English speaking driver that would hold up a sign with my name on it, ( but I was unable to find their business card on this past trip )... And yes I make no apologies having some nice Louis Vuitton luggage and wanting to put them inside a safe company insured owned nice cleaned air condition taxi / Van and not wanting to put them inside of a trunk of some dirty, junkie, gasoline smelly bootleg gypsy driven taxi LOL LOL
You see I don't live in Brazil (because if I did I would have a steady driver I know and trust to pick me up and take me around) so when I travel going from the airport to the hotel that is the biggest risk any of us will take when we are on vacation no matter were we are because I can only speak for myself at that point I will have on me a lot of cash I mean a lot of cash $$ on me so having a driver that have to answer to a boss or have something to loose or in case something happen on the road (a wreck, a flat) etc. Or just knowing that I have radio contact with someone on the other end means a lot to me maybe other people this doesn't matter.
Kid Cisco