tipping your cabbie?

[AltaPowderDaze]

a question for the big city guys/gals:

so, assuming your cab driver gets you where you want to go on time and doesn't try to run the meter up, what % is an acceptable tip? do you go by time, cost or something else?

[Benny Profane]

20%. If it seems too much, consider the cheap bastards who stiffed him or gave loose change. (benny = NYC cabbie, many moons ago)

[wicked_sick]

I appreciate the jobs that cabbies do. I usually tip around 15%, or whatever it takes to make it all in bills.

I remember a time where I only had $10, so I told the cabbie to get me as far as $7 would take me. when I gave him a ten, he took me the rest of the way home. $14 or $15. Ever since then I came to my senses and realized that cabbies are people too, gas ain't cheap, and there are some real nickletipper assholes out there.

[iceman]

Whatever silver there is and a buck up to $5.00, the silver and 2 bucks up to $10.00, etc. Throw an extra buck or two in in if the dude is particularly friendly or helpful.

[CUBUCK]

I usually tip about 15-20%. most often its a buck and whatever is leftover from my ride. On a longer ride I usually tip about the same unless the the ride is substantially longer such as going to the airports etc.

[Barnballs]

unless you're in L.A., those fukkers will take all damn day to get you there (unless of course it's a flat-rate fare).

I'm 1.5 mile from LAX, and no matter how bad/good traffic is......fare is always near $20 (w/o tip). I've mentioned easier routes back from the airport...they don't give a shit.

[Tippster]

I ride in cabs every day for work. I tip 20%, but for that you'd better help me load my shit in the trunk, unless you're not charging me the luggage surcharge.

[iceman]

I ride in cabs every day for work. I tip 20%, but for that you'd better help me load my shit in the trunk, unless you're not charging me the luggage surcharge.

Listen to him, he is the tippster after all.

[Monique]

20 percent pretty much unless the cab driver's been flat-out rude, in which case I still tip 15 percent because I'm a commie pinko knee jerk liberal and can't stop myself from thinking about the fact that tips are mainstream to the driver's income, not really "extras."

[CUBUCK]

unless you're in L.A., those fukkers will take all damn day to get you there (unless of course it's a flat-rate fare).

I'm 1.5 mile from LAX, and no matter how bad/good traffic is......fare is always near $20 (w/o tip). I've mentioned easier routes back from the airport...they don't give a shit.

Never been to LA but assuming the cabbies are similar to those in New York, they probably are listening but they don't understand because they don't speak english

[Xdog]

10% or so for acceptable service (a rarity). Less, or nothing if I have to give the ESL bastard directions.

[truth]

Listen to him, he is the tippster after all.

AKA Tippy

[DougW]

In Oman its a negative tip. There are no meters so if you didn't get agree to at start what the fare was going to be, the price will be high so you haggle when you get there. I was quoted 7 rial coming in from airport the other night. He was pretty happy when I gave him 6.5. Probably a local won't have paid more than 5.

One of the other guys in the office took a cab and cab driver first asked him how often he had taken cabs in Oman in order to gauge what price he should start at.

[Dexter Rutecki]

Usually around 15%, the percent is sometimes higher if it's a very low fare or they do a great job, but if they jerk you around they should get nothing.
I hate cabbies because they're the worst drivers in the world, and I virtually never take cabs. Anytime I can do something to screw a cabdriver, I almost always do (I drive in the city, which makes cabbies my natural enemies).
A friend of mine took a cab a long way uptown last week, and the guy got him there in record time. He told the cabby, "You know, you're probably the best cab driver I've ever had,", and the guy replied, "Yeah, I hear that a lot."
But I bet Benny was better.

[Blurred]

I drove cab in Vail at night for a couple of Winters. Drove lots of famous people around, but it's the locals that tip huge. We'd average around $200 dollars a night in tips alone. Drunks throw the money at you, it's rediculous.

My best tip came one night though when I had two middle aged guys jump in, and asked if they could get a ride to the Marriot. (which was like a block away)
They asked me what the last people that rode with me gave me. I said "20 bucks". The guy in the back goes "THAT AIN'T SHIT"!! I was like, well, 20 dollars
is a pretty good tip. We drove around the corner, and the meter read $3.20.
The guy handed me a bunch of bills and said "keep it". When I drove off to see how much the guy had given me, I was more than surprised to see $420 dollars!

[Greydon Clark]

10-20% depending on how many drinks I’ve consumed. More if you’re wearing a headband, run red lights, and talk about “really digging on the drummer in AC/DC” (true story, but not as cool as a $400 tip).

[Tippster]

AKA Tippy

I'm pinching your head....I'm pinching your head....I'm pinching your head....I'm pinching your head....I'm pinching your head....I'm pinching your head....I'm pinching your head....I'm pinching your head....I'm pinching your head....I'm pinching your head....I'm pinching your head....I'm pinching your head....I'm pinching your head....I'm pinching your head....I'm pinching your head....

[Nate Dogg]

What about if it is just a short ride, how much is appropriate? A 5min. ride from downtown (2.25 miles) and ~$6 cab fee...whats an appropriate tip?

[fridge]

The only time I ever take a cab is to/from the bar. I tip depending on how much the fare is. If it's around a $7 ride, I'll give him a $10. It's normally around $11, so I give $15.

If the ride is over $20, I just yell "hey look, someone's attractive cousin!" and ditch the cab when he's distracted.

[Tippster]

What about if it is just a short ride, how much is appropriate? A 5min. ride from downtown (2.25 miles) and ~$6 cab fee...whats an appropriate tip?

A dollar. Welcome to Math 101.

[bad_roo]

Anytime I can do something to screw a cabdriver, I almost always do

I like this uncompromising attitude.

[Blurred]

Anytime I can do something to screw a cabdriver, I almost always do

So, do you start by putting your hand on their leg?

[Dexter Rutecki]

I like this uncompromising attitude.

It depends on what your definition of the word 'is' is...I mean 'screw' is.


but it's true, I just hate those fuckers running into people trying to get a fare--the only good part is when they hit each other, and then you get to watch cabbie fights complete with poorly used foreign sounding English language obscenities.

[Benny Profane]

Hey Dex, be careful this winter a day or two after one of those wet snowstorms. You know, when the drains get clogged and those huge slush puddles form all around the city. Boy, are they fun to play with when driving around in a cab and you spy a few bad tipping cabbie haters. hmmmm...let's just see how large of a wave I can send towards the yuppies over there.....

[truth]

I'm pinching your head....I'm pinching your head....I'm pinching your head....I'm pinching your head....I'm pinching your head....I'm pinching your head....I'm pinching your head....I'm pinching your head....I'm pinching your head....I'm pinching your head....I'm pinching your head....I'm pinching your head....I'm pinching your head....I'm pinching your head....I'm pinching your head....

The correct term is "crushing".