Getting ripped off by 2 taxi-drivers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

In December 2012, I was traveling in Kuala Lumpur for 8 days. Most parts of the trips were good and pleasant. Except my experience with the taxi drivers there.

For the first 6 nights, I was staying at a budget hotel called Beltif hotel. It was located near Times Square in Imbi. 

On the second last day of my trip, I needed to go to the Hilton hotel at KL Sentral because I wanted to end the trip at a 5-star hotel.

My First Taxi Rip-off

At Beltif hotel, there was an affiliated taxi counter. I asked for a quote for going to Hilton hotel from there. It was only 13km away. So I figured that the fare should be around 15 RM. But the counter gave me a quotation of 25 RM. I thought it was too expensive and so decided to take a regular taxi instead.

I stepped outside and waved my arm to stop an incoming taxi. I asked the Muslim taxi-driver how much it would take to go to Hilton hotel. He pointed at the meter and so I got in. 

Once inside that taxi, he pretended to not know the way to Hilton hotel. He acted like he had never heard of it in his life!!! While he pretended to be looking for the way, my GPS was showing I was moving away from the destination rather towards it! What the heck! I asked him to exit the highway at once. As soon as I saw another taxi queue, I ordered him to stop right there. The place happened to be somewhere near Jalan Robson, as my GPS showed.

After paying him 8 RM for taking me to nowhere, I stepped out angrily and took my luggage back from the trunk. I was too angry and uncool to record his license number.

That was my first taxi rip-off.

My Second Taxi Rip-off

There were a line of taxis waiting for their customers near where I got out of the first taxi.

I went to the head of the taxi line and an Indian taxi-driver approached me and said, "Taxi?". 

"Yes. How much is it going to cost to go to Hilton Hotel from here?", I asked.

"Roughly 5 Ringets", he answered. That made sense to me because Hilton Hotel was only 3 km away from that location, as my GPS showed.

Hilton Hotel (Point B) was only 3 km away!

I thought to myself, "Great, at least this driver speaks English and his quote is proportional to the distance". So, I put the luggage into the trunk and got into the taxi.

Before he started the engine, he said something to me in Malay that I didn't understand. After a few seconds, I said again: "Hilton Hotel". He then replied, "Oh you are from Singapore?". I thought that he was being friendly and wanted to start a conversation, and so I replied, "No, I am from Hong Kong."  In retrospect, it was the beginning of a bad journey. He was checking to see whether or not I was a tourist that he could rip off.

He then asked, "which way do you want to go?"

I said, "Take the shortest path."

"No way. You have to choose. Highway or local?"

I got a little bit skeptical. But then I thought perhaps there might be an even shorter path than the one shown in my GPS. So I said, "Highway."

"OK."

He then drove farther and farther away from the destination. I then realized it was another rip-off. The second one in a row. I said, "We are going away from the hotel! I am looking at my GPS!!!"

"I know you are looking at the GPS. But you said you wanted to take the highway! If you want I can take a U-turn.", he defended.

"TAKE A U-turn!". I became angry. The meter was already showing 10RM.

At that time, he seemed to know that I already realized his rip-off trick. After he took the U-turn, he was really going towards my destination, as my GPS showed.

Instead of stopping right in front of the hotel, he stopped at the road next to the hotel. I asked, "how much?". 

"Five."

As I gave him 5 RM, he said, "No way!  I said the meter plus 5!"

The meter was showing 22 RM already.

What the heck!!!!

I was very angry. But my luggage was still in the trunk and so I paid 27RM reluctantly for a ride that should have only cost 5RM.

But before I paid, I took a picture of this dishonest and rogue taxi-driver:

The dishonest and rogue taxi-driver who ripped me off

As soon as I obtained my luggage from the trunk, I also took a picture of his license plate:

The broken license plate showed HWD 218. The last digit was missing.

He stepped on the gas and dashed off as he knew I was taking a picture of his taxi.

Lesson Learned

In retrospect, I should have taken a picture of him and his license plate before I got in. If I had known his license plate was broken, I would have gotten skeptical and avoided it.

I should have also shown him my GPS as soon as I got in, and asked him to follow the route figured out by Google Maps. That should have scared him. 

Anyway, I will never take another taxi in Malaysia. Even if I will ever go there again.