Pesos people, pesos!

Unfortunately the actual rate hikes are only available to the taxi and bus drivers so far, not the general public. I'll see what I can do to obtain an official copy and publish the rates here as soon as possible.

If driving me to a location that is clogged by events beyond the driver's control, I will tip far more generously, mainly because the are not compensated for that time. In Canada, it is unnecessary because the meter constantly spins away every minute. Ironically, the more we watch it spin due to seconds rather than distance, the harder any tip becomes.

Might those drivers have gotten more fares if they weren't stuck with me? maybe yes, maybe no. The meter is the mediator in most jurisdictions. Here, it lies in the kindness of the people in the back seat.

Reading news headlines, at least for me, helps. Mexico is dealing with government challenges and cartels, the U.S. is more divided than it has been since...well...OK I got nothin...but a really long time. Way up in Canada, we're freezing our snowballs off dreaming of...of...oh yah...Zihua.

My most beautiful lady, Julie finds the humidity really hard to handle here, so we came up with a compromise, cause that's what we do in Canada! We promise not to complain about the warmth. We promise to say it's really really really...not cold.

For me, corrupt is corrupt. Changing rates illegally qualifies but we, as visitors set the tone. Whether we are American, Canadian OR Mexican Nationals. For every family that relies on taxis, I want them to feel they have reliable fares that help them to budget and make sure their basic needs are covered. When there is an official rate change, then they will need to rebudget, as do we all.

Tourists are dealing with hotels and condos charging in U.S. dollars so as rates fluctuate, only landlords benefit. But still we come. We are as driven to the southern sun as the monarch butterfly that will take three generations to do a single migration (and if you want to learn more check out my podcast).

We Can't change the beliefs and opinions of others, but we DO control how we react. When I think I might do the wrong thing, I'll just stay quiet and watch.

Is Uber taking fares at the airport in Maz ? Last year it was 350 MP to the golden zone ! Same this year ??

380 and Uber is about half that and yes Uber does the airport here. Uber is 100% legal and not part of any union. MC has it too.

Foreigners tipping for no reason is what causes the taxi unions to seek rate hikes just before the tourist season. If they unload your groceries it's one thing. If they just drive you from point A to point B it's another.

Point A was Papa Loca, point B was home on La Madera. A trip that would normally take about 5 minutes, with normal traffic, took about 45 minutes. Hence the generous tip, since he could have had several other trips, rather than being stuck in and around the mess at Plaza Kyoto.

Wow, you seem awfully angry for someone packing for his 23rd visit to paradise. We have been visiting for almost the same time and have come to know many taxi drivers very well. They all work a second job in order to support their families and they all say that the fare is the same for residents and tourists. None of them would resort to bank robbery, drug sales or street robbery to supplement their inadequate income. Your remark about throwing away the envelope of glasses strikes me as a childish remark a temper tantrum throwing 4 year old would make and must embarrass you in retrospect and the sarcastic reference to Lupita totally uncalled for. She has no dog in this race and doesn't deserve your mean spirited comment.

Well this will be my 27 year and I am just as mad at the person packing for 23years.....

Simple math and consequences escape people. This persons condoning and paying 20% more for a taxi ride in town might only cost them 5 pesos......HOWEVER it is this that causes me to pay 20% more for my taxis, and that number can go from 40 to 60 pesos more. How about someone that has to go from Z to Troncones or La Barra......are you going to condone that for them too? So now I am mad at Ingrid too.........Add that up over a four month period!

D

Why are you mad at me? I didn't comment on your cab fare to Troncones or
Barra. My comment was to the petulant tone of the post and not so much the content. Seems to me that you people who have been coming for 20 plus years are getting crusty and prickly and not realizing how fortunate you are. You are wasting a lot of energy being mad and not celebrating good enough health to travel and finances comfortable enough to support the journey. It may not always be so. If you are into the egg nog, slow down and if you aren't into the egg nog, please do.

Well this will be my 27 year and I am just as mad at the person packing for 23years.....

Simple math and consequences escape people. This persons condoning and paying 20% more for a taxi ride in town might only cost them 5 pesos......HOWEVER it is this that causes me to pay 20% more for my taxis, and that number can go from 40 to 60 pesos more. How about someone that has to go from Z to Troncones or La Barra......are you going to condone that for them too? So now I am mad at Ingrid too.........Add that up over a four month period!

D

Mad at Ingrid? Are you sure you read her comments correctly?

Wow, you seem awfully angry for someone packing for his 23rd visit to paradise. We have been visiting for almost the same time and have come to know many taxi drivers very well. They all work a second job in order to support their families and they all say that the fare is the same for residents and tourists. None of them would resort to bank robbery, drug sales or street robbery to supplement their inadequate income. Your remark about throwing away the envelope of glasses strikes me as a childish remark a temper tantrum throwing 4 year old would make and must embarrass you in retrospect and the sarcastic reference to Lupita totally uncalled for. She has no dog in this race and doesn't deserve your mean spirited comment.

Well this will be my 27 year and I am just as mad at the person packing for 23years.....

Simple math and consequences escape people. This persons condoning and paying 20% more for a taxi ride in town might only cost them 5 pesos......HOWEVER it is this that causes me to pay 20% more for my taxis, and that number can go from 40 to 60 pesos more. How about someone that has to go from Z to Troncones or La Barra......are you going to condone that for them too? So now I am mad at Ingrid too.........Add that up over a four month period!

D

Wow, you seem awfully angry for someone packing for his 23rd visit to paradise. We have been visiting for almost the same time and have come to know many taxi drivers very well. They all work a second job in order to support their families and they all say that the fare is the same for residents and tourists. None of them would resort to bank robbery, drug sales or street robbery to supplement their inadequate income. Your remark about throwing away the envelope of glasses strikes me as a childish remark a temper tantrum throwing 4 year old would make and must embarrass you in retrospect and the sarcastic reference to Lupita totally uncalled for. She has no dog in this race and doesn't deserve your mean spirited comment.

Exactly! Most taxi drivers are decent folks who often hold 2 or 3 jobs. I try to help as many folks as I can and many of them have been my friends for decades. Some I even used to work with back in the old Sheraton hotel. Some used to run errands for Lupita and me as youngsters. Others were students of mine.

I love the folks in my community, and I feel like we are all family. Not like in the USA where too many city folks (and even some small town folks) tend to see everyone as adversaries. Here if we aren't actually related by blood we're often related in other ways that matter to us, sometimes even including a gringo like me. Imagine that!

There was recently an indescribably horrific incident involving a group of narco punk thugs and a taxi driver that still has the entire local community extremely upset. While we may criticize rate hikes and overcharging and blocking vehicles by the taxi unions, the drivers are part of our community and we care very much for them. Criticizing someone's behaviour or actions doesn't mean we are enemies, just like it shouldn't here when folks disagree.

No se descarta la llegada de Uber a Zihuatanejo

"You folks are a drop in the bucket among the local population, and I'm surprised I should have to point that out to you, old timer that you are."
Read Below:

"The most important economic activity for the municipality is tourism, with the major attractions being the beaches. Most international visitors come between November and December and most Mexican tourists come in December, April, July and August. Seventy-one percent of the municipality's population is engaged in the commercial and tourism sector of the economy.[1] Outside of Zihuatanejo Bay, some of most important beaches include Quieta Beach, Majahua Beach, Playa Larga and others.[1][22] Prior to the 1970s, economic activity was based on fishing and agriculture.[2] At that time, the federal government decided to make a planned resort at Ixtapa, just north of the municipal seat of Zihuatanejo, constructed on what was once a coconut plantation and mangrove estuary.[13] It is a complete tourist center with a hotel strip three kilometers (1.9 mi) long, white sands, shopping centers, restaurants, nightclubs, golf courses, residences.[2][6]"

Apparently you totally missed the point that your entire website is for the benefit of the tourism trade. Go thru it and take out all the restaurants and hotels and what you have left is "squat"! Now it becomes a local rag for which most locals don't need any way!

And I am sure the only reason you have your site in Spanish is to capture Mexican TOURISTS!

Do you honestly believe there isn't a double standard on taxi fares? One for touristas and one for locals?

As I said earlier I don't bite for ludicrous false taxi rates either but 5 pesos is 5 pesos and it still doesn't buy much! Beats sticking up banks, street robberies, burglaries and drug sales.

So, now I'll finish packing for my 23rd visit to Zihua, also putting a couple of rolls of quarters in, to exhange for 5 pesos coins so I can pay the excessive exorbitant taxi fares. I think I will also throw away the big brown envelope full of eyeglasses we were going to drop off to your Saintly wife...........perish the thought that we might hamper the ophthalmology trade in Zihuatanejo.

Of course they will get dropped off, but you get the idea!

Really sorry that 5 pesos can crawl so deeply under some peoples skin!

Wow! All I can say politely is that you don't know 1/10th of what you think you know.

One price for tourists and one for locals? Not since I began making the official rates available to the public over 15 years ago. The taxi drivers who try such things we locals consider to be unethical and even their bosses say we should report them. Sorry to see your moral compass is akilter.

Uh, yes, we are a tourist based economy of over a hundred thousand people trying to make do with fewer jobs while more all-included and time-share lodgings are ruining the local economy, and tourists with less spending power than ever are coming. We locals spend much more in the local economy than all the tourists do. Especially now that so many tourists stay at time-share and all-included lodgings. You don't actually think all those big Ixtapa hotels also spend all their money here, do you? They barely pay their workers.

Hey, if you're going to be an ass and threaten NOT to bring donations then please keep them. Either give from the heart or don't bother. Your call. But don't act like a baby because I criticize your flawed logic. Grow up.

And you'd be surprised what locals say about my "flawed rag". I actually speak their language just like they do, same accent and all! Really, what sadness you display with such comments.

Now you just go right ahead and have a super peachy keen day now, ya hear?