Inspectors of the Istanbul traffic police, disguised as wealthy Arab tourists, recorded and sanctioned the infractions committed by several taxis in central areas of the city such as Beyoğlu or Eminönü, where some taxi drivers wanted to charge more than 50 euros for a 2 km journey between Taksim and Nişantaşı. Many taxi drivers were caught negotiating the price instead of using the taximeter, or were fined for smoking in the vehicle, not wearing a seat belt, or using a cell phone while driving. “I did not understand what he was saying, so I charged him 50 euros. Others charge 100,” justified himself one of the taxi drivers, whose vehicle was confiscated due to the accumulation of infractions. During the month of July alone, the Istanbul city council had to withdraw the license of hundreds of taxi drivers for overcharging their customers. But tourists are not the only ones who suffer the consequences of the lack of professionalism of some taxi drivers in Istanbul: many Turks report that it is difficult for them to find a taxi for short trips, because taxi drivers make excuses (usually, that they have finished their shift) to be able to take another passenger with a more expensive route.
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Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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