Gran Alacant and Area Forum

It would be very useful if there was a taxi rank at the Commercial Centre due to new properties there are more people living here.

There is a covered taxi rank in the car park next to the library/clinic building.  I have never seen a taxi waiting there.  I have my doubts whether having one at the GA Centre will be any different.

If I ran my own taxi, it would be more profitable to wait at the airport or station or, to be more parochial, somewhere in Santa Pola.

Keith

I know that we've had this discussion several times on the benifit of getting a legal taxi.  But some people are staying at one of my friends houses and were getting a taxi from the airport.  The taxi driver didn't know where Ave Escandinavia was and the people had to call me on their English phone for me to direct the taxi driver.  I know that many streets don't have names and that it can be a bit difficult at times, but come on this guy drives them around GA to the turn of 32€. He'll then leave GA in a second and back to the airport for his next pick up, not a chance he'll stay around here to pick up a fare.

Just an observation....

Regards,

Mark.

There are so many free street maps of GA.  Why don't people send a copy to their friends with their property marked?  Why aren't their friends sent a set of directions like 'straight on at the roundabout and up the hill, left at the next roundabout, take the second right...'?  Why don't their friends look it up on Google Maps or similar before setting out?

Sometimes I despair.

Keith

Hi Keith, yes they were sent directions, but come on they are holiday makers and Spanish is not something we teach in the main in our schools, though I did speak to the driver in Spanish and gave him directions....His knowledge of GA was none existant.  How can a taxi driver working out of Alicante airport not know the main tourist areas....That's my point.

If you went to London and needed to go to Tower Bridge....Would you expect to have to give the cabbie directions?

Regards,

Mark.

C'mon, you reckon that Ave Escandinavia is as well known and prominent location as Tower Bridge.
Go to any city in UK (some might get upset so say USA) and ask for a small street some 10Km away and see how many drivers could take you there.
Recently at an airport, I asked to be taken to quite a busy street in the city (but off the main street and a new development just 2 years old), just a few miles away and I had to give a landmark first. Even satnav is no good in some instances.
Asking for Tower Bridge in London is similar to asking for the bullring in Alicante.

Good point.

I do see taxi'x using sat navs at lot in GA.

I think the main streets are fairly well mapped now.

What we do when we have people come over is send them a map with full directions on.

They can if need be show the taxi driver where to go.

X marks the spot.

Missing the point....Taxi drivers in the UK do the knowledge and in most instances know the main streets at least.

Avenida Escandinavia is a well known street that has been street signed for as long as I've been here (6 years). The problem I have is that the driver continues to charge whist doing the rounds in GA and what should be an €18 - €20 fee becomes €32. Please god don't tell me Tony that wherever you go in the world you print out maps on the off chance that taxi drivers don't know where to take you?

Unfortunately taxi drivers all over the world pray on tourists.
Not all by a few do.

The rate from airport to ga should be around 16-18.

It is wise to check rate before getting into taxi, check the meter is at zero at start & that it is NOT switched off and cleared at destination.

Markr1506 wrote:The problem I have is that the driver continues to charge whist doing the rounds in GA and what should be an €18 - €20 fee becomes €32.

So is that any different to the 'short route' cabbie, when in London?

Markr1506 wrote:Please god don't tell me Tony that wherever you go in the world you print out maps

No, certainly not considered a requirement. But if I know in advance, certainly make sure I have full address and postcodes.