Travel Advisory - Mumbai

This is a neat trick which the taxi drivers in Mumbai have mastered. If you are new to Mumbai or travelling to Mumbai be careful about this trick. I know, when you are landing in Mumbai you are totally disoriented and exhausted by your travel. So here's how the trick works,

1. You are getting out of your bus or airport or railway station or bus stand. A group of taxi drivers throng you and start shouting were you want to go. If you decide to go with one of these guys, you have made your first mistake my friend. - Never take the taxi from taxi drivers who are waiting outside the place were you are getting down. Walk for some distance and take one.

2. Now that you have decided to go with this guy to his taxi, he will take you to his taxi and you will find another driver in the taxi waiting for you. This is another mistake. - Never take a taxi which has 2 drivers and if there is one don't take it or insist that the other guy get down immediately. If you don't , its going to be the crucial mistake.

3. From the place where you are heading to, the driver and other guy would have figured out whether you are a native or an outsider.

4. Time to get down and you hand over the money and you are about to leave the taxi. The trick starts now, the driver will say the notes that you gave him are torn. (TIME TO GET ALERT!!!)

5. Chances are high that he won't give the note back to you and he will have it in his hand or on the seat. - WAKE UP MY FRIEND, GET THE NOTES IMMEDIATELY, ELSE YOU ARE IN DEEEP DEEP SH***.

6. Now you are caught unaware, new place don't know where to get new notes from.

7. The driver now starts manipulating you and as you are about to give him fresh notes he will start juggling notes between you and him, saying the notes that you are giving him are torn too.

8. Now you will be looking carefully at your wallet, while the other guy is closely looking at your wallet and how much money you have. He will start insisting that you haven't paid the driver yet or you have paid only part of it. This guy is just there to manipulate the situation. IGNORE HIM AND DON'T TALK TO HIM.

9. As you are looking at your wallet for fresh notes, the driver would have slipped two or three notes somewhere. If you have lost count of the notes that were juggled, sorry my friend you have fallen for this trick and the money is gone.

So remember the above things if you are travelling to Mumbai and be careful with the taxi drivers. It is just not Mumbai, it can happen to you anywhere.

Now that you are in a situation like this what can you do
1. Get all the torn notes from the driver <- Most Important step
2. Make a note of his taxi number and ask for his name -> This is enough to scare them
3. If a lonely taxi driver does this to you, say that you are going to your place to get some money and leave him. Don't get him the money and let him come to you. When he comes to you, insist that you paid him. He'll create a ruckus, you shout equally and pay him later after making a note of his name and taxi number or better don't pay him and ask him to come with you the police station or say you are calling the police.
4. After getting the notes, if you find a traffic constable goto him immediately and explain him and he'll deal with the taxi driver easily.

One final note, you are not the only one who is a victim to this trick, there have been hundreds and thousands of people out there even natives of Mumbai have been victims. Key to handling a situation like this is staying alert and calm, even after a tiring journey which is a difficult thing.

Happy Journey Amigos and pleasant stay in Mumbai.

-/\/ishanth