A British tourist has vowed never to return to an Egyptian holiday hotspot after being scammed during a taxi ride. Scott, from Cheshire, had visited Hurghada twice before, but a journey back from a nightclub on his last trip has put him off returning for good.
Despite warnings from holiday reps to agree a total fare before getting in, Scott and his friends ended up paying well over the odds by the end of the ride. The incident unfolded after an evening out in the beach resort city on Egypt's Red Sea coast.
Driver changed the price
"It was the strangest taxi journey I've ever experienced. We'd been told to always agree on a total price before getting in, so that's what we did. But partway back, the driver pulled over and went off to get himself some food," Scott explained.
When they returned to the hotel, the driver announced a different, much higher price than expected. "When we finally got back to the hotel, he suddenly wanted us to pay per person. It felt like, these are tourists, we're going to rinse them," Scott said.
Threat to call police
The situation escalated when the driver mentioned calling the police. Unable to speak the local language and unsure whose side the police would take, Scott focused on keeping things calm, and the group ended up paying more than agreed just to end the dispute.
"Honestly, it left me feeling really uneasy and quite vulnerable. We'd done everything we were told to do and agreed a total price before getting in, so when the driver suddenly demanded we pay per person, it felt like we were being taken advantage of just because we were tourists," he said.
Impact on future travel
"It ruined the whole holiday. You forget all the good bits, and that's the part that stays with you. Now I'd use Uber or a local app wherever I can, because you know the price before you get in," Scott told the Mirror.
Experiences like Scott's led Confused.com to create an interactive global taxi guide. Travellers can search any destination to see which apps to use, what a typical fare looks like and local tips worth knowing before they set off.
