Post: #176

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But really, what differentiates uber from the yellow taxis? Can't the uber guys be criminals, too?

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Well, Uber is an international company as you know, they have track of your trips, who was the driver, the time, the route, etc. you can also keep the information. I always use it.

You can ask for the car and wait inside the building until it is very close. If a yellow cab ask you if you need ride just tell him " Estoy esperando a mi amigo" .
Then you seat next to the driver when it comes.

In addition if you setup your card in the system, you don't have to bring cash with you.

And the other reason is that if you are foreigner, most of the time, with yellow cabs, you need to negotiate the price before you jump in the car, otherwise, they will rape your wallet. With Uber the driver has nothing to do with the money.

Post: #177

The worst experience I've ever had getting a ride was an Uber in Bogota last year with a couple of RVF dudes, we ended up far away from where we were going, the guy got lost which, in a city like Bogota can be terrible if you go into a rough barrio you may not come out. Finally I told him to pull the fuck over, called him an asshole and got into a yellow taxi.

The yellow taxis in the cities are metered (except on the coast) so there's no need to negotiate although they do add on an extra 100 pesos after a certain time (8pm I think) and on Sundays. I've taken yellow taxis in the street hundreds of times all over the country and only once did I have a problem, a Medellin driver gave me fake bills, many of them get pissed if you pay with a 50.000 note so try to carry smaller ones.

Also, like many other places, taxis hate Uber. I wouldn't want to be in an Uber if a gang of taxis ran it off the road or worse, they're kinda crazy down there haha.

Post: #178

I had a terrible experience with a Uber driver while I was in Bogota. It started at about 12:30 am on a Tuesday morning. I was staying on Calle 87 near Zona Rosa. I ordered a Uber and a 1980s looking Nissan pulled up (I thought only newer model cars could be driven). I get in and I have the most shadiest looking Uber driver dressed in typical Colombian shady guy clothes (Adidas track jacket). He begins to tell me in spanish how the internet on his phone has all of a sudden stopped working, but he will take me without starting the trip.

For some reason this didnt click in my head as a red flag. So we start the trip, and I quickly notice that he's staring at me in the rear view. A few minutes later he begins to send whatsapp voice messages to someone, telling where he was and where he was going. At this moment the "Robbed in Cali" thread immediately popped up in my head, and I'm extremely on guard. So we are driving towards the OXXO and we ride slowly past a parked motorcycle which begins to follows up. At this moment I tell him to Park in the nearest populated area with light, and I didnt leave his car until my new Uber had arrived.

I consider myself lucky that I wasnt drunk or It couldve been much worse. I never left my place with more than my Iphone and all the Pesos I needed for the night though. From now on I will be cautious with Ubers as well.

This is the driver. I would avoid him.

Post: #179

(10-07-2016 06:07 PM)scotian Wrote:  The yellow taxis in the cities are metered (except on the coast) so there's no need to negotiate although they do add on an extra 100 pesos after a certain time (8pm I think) and on Sundays. I've taken yellow taxis in the street hundreds of times all over the country and only once did I have a problem, a Medellin driver gave me fake bills, many of them get pissed if you pay with a 50.000 note so try to carry smaller ones.

Taxi drivers are the worst fucking cunts in the whole of Bogotá. Maybe the whole of Colombia.

Current Bogotá prices are 82 pesos/unit, 28 units flag fall, 2k more 8pm-5am, Sundays, or puentes (holidays) (not cumulative!) Extra charges for coming to your place or leaving a CC with an internal rank (700?) or to/from the airport (3k?) or bus station (?). Minimum fare somewhere around 5k.

o Make sure the fucker resets his meter when you get in.
o Make sure you sit where you can see the meter and that is goes up about 1 click every 4/5/6 seconds (60/50/40 km/h), or 1 click every 30 seconds if you're stationary.
o Make sure you pay with the exact change. This will not only stop him whining like a stuck pig because he doesn't have any change, which I don't give a fuck about, but more importantly for you he won't be able to pass you back any fake or torn notes.
o Don't even think of tipping the cunt. If he seems ok, round the fare up the the next 1k if you insist.

Taxis from the airport are the worst. Ever since they got rid of authorised taxi dispatchers the cunts feel free to set their own fares. Even if you insist on going by the published tariffs. I've got out with my luggage in the middle of the 26th in the middle of the night before now and hailed another cab. Not advised.

My advice would be get a hotel car to pick you up or pay the Uber excess: these cunts will put a bad taste in your mouth from the get go.

Post: #180

dupe-ignore

Post: #181

^Seems like a lot of stress to save a buck or two but good advice nonetheless.

Post: #182

Scotian I agree with you,,,,saving a few bucks for that much stress isn't worth it. However, nobody likes to be taken advantage of. The problem starts off small in this case and it gets bigger to buying property for example. They see you're a foreigner and want to take advantage of you. The culture of taking advantage of others (foreigners) in this case will hopefully decrease once we use the UBERs
etc.

Post: #183

If it was only a few bucks I might let it pass. But for long trips it can be a lot more. One guy got charged the equivalent of USD 300 for a trip from his hotel to the airport.

And, frankly, it's become the principle of the thing. I'm well over being fucked over by these cunts.

(12-06-2016 04:13 PM)tomtud Wrote:  Scotian I agree with you,,,,saving a few bucks for that much stress isn't worth it. However, nobody likes to be taken advantage of. The problem starts off small in this case and it gets bigger to buying property for example. They see you're a foreigner and want to take advantage of you. The culture of taking advantage of others (foreigners) in this case will hopefully decrease once we use the UBERs
etc.

I'm happy to report that Colombians are equal-opportunity cunts in that respect. They're just as happy to fuck over a fellow countryman as a gringo.

Amazingly, I had no hassles buying my apartment here. Did my research, knew what the price should be, and that's what I paid. The only surprise was that the lawyer didn't conduct searches or write a contract about what came with the purchase and what didn't.

Post: #184

Can you tell us more about the process of buying real estate in Colombia? You could even start a new thread so it doesn't get lost in the bigger ones.

Post: #185

(12-07-2016 07:10 AM)scotian Wrote:  Can you tell us more about the process of buying real estate in Colombia? You could even start a new thread so it doesn't get lost in the bigger ones.

Someone has already covered this, although it's for Medellin: /thread-45164.html .

Post: #186

ExpatinColombia, how much do these fucks charge now from El Dorado to say Centro? When I was there the authorized taxis charged 22k If I remember correctly.

Post: #187

(12-07-2016 06:14 PM)Sidney Crosby Wrote:  ExpatinColombia, how much do these fucks charge now from El Dorado to say Centro? When I was there the authorized taxis charged 22k If I remember correctly.

That's like 15km depending on where in El CEntro. It's still one click per 100m so that should be like 12-13k plus 82 pesos/24 seconds stationary time. If you get it for twice that plus airport charge you're doing well.

Post: #188

(12-07-2016 11:22 AM)newgame Wrote:  

(12-07-2016 07:10 AM)scotian Wrote:  Can you tell us more about the process of buying real estate in Colombia? You could even start a new thread so it doesn't get lost in the bigger ones.

Someone has already covered this, although it's for Medellin: /thread-45164.html .

Yeah, best refer to that: I'm no expert.

Be warned though that the market here is historically cyclic and Colombians would rather sit on an empty property until its value depreciates than reduce the sticker price. Go figure. We're currently well into a up cycle. I dunno if it's a bubble or not.

Post: #189

taking an Uber in Colombia as a gringo deserves a big LOL .. taxis are cheap as dirt, always available, will very rarely try to rip you off, and if they do it might be like $2k pesos (less than a dollar).

taking a random Uber from some drugged out Colombian dude from a sketchy barrio trying to make a few bucks.. all so you can save 75 cents on your ride in the rare case a taxi tries to overcharge you. I'm cool on that.

Post: #190

(12-12-2016 12:12 PM)gang Wrote:  taking an Uber in Colombia as a gringo deserves a big LOL .. taxis are cheap as dirt, always available, will very rarely try to rip you off, and if they do it might be like $2k pesos (less than a dollar).

taking a random Uber from some drugged out Colombian dude from a sketchy barrio trying to make a few bucks.. all so you can save 75 cents on your ride in the rare case a taxi tries to overcharge you. I'm cool on that.

You obviously have spent very little time in Colombia.

Let's see, I can pay a taxi that will be driving a shitty car with no A/C and is more likely to take advantage of me because I'm a foreigner by taking the long route, giving me false bills, resetting his meter on a drop off, setting me up to be robbed, etc... or, I can take an Uber in a newer car with A/C that tracks where they picked me up and dropped me off with it all being paid by my credit card and being disputable for poor service.

Even worse, many taxis will refuse to take you to your destination if they don't want to for whatever reason. The other day one left me on the side of the road because he didn't want to go the route I chose due to heavy traffic even though Waze said there was two accidents on the other route.

If you want to pay extra for worse service, enjoy your taxi.

Post: #191

(12-12-2016 12:12 PM)gang Wrote:  taking an Uber in Colombia as a gringo deserves a big LOL .. taxis are cheap as dirt, always available, will very rarely try to rip you off, and if they do it might be like $2k pesos (less than a dollar).

taking a random Uber from some drugged out Colombian dude from a sketchy barrio trying to make a few bucks.. all so you can save 75 cents on your ride in the rare case a taxi tries to overcharge you. I'm cool on that.

I assume you've never actually been to Colombia.

Also, congratulations: A full 100% of your statements are incorrect. You win today's Trump Wannabe prize.

Post: #192

Hey if anyone is in Bogota and wants to meet up, I will be living here for the next 4 to 6 months, traveling around Colombia but living in either Zona T or Chapinero,

always down to day game zona rosa or chapinero , universities, whatever,... and look for new unique gaming spots

PM me

Post: #193

(12-14-2016 01:47 PM)fvitterbi Wrote:  Hey if anyone is in Bogota and wants to meet up, I will be living here for the next 4 to 6 months, traveling around Colombia but living in either Zona T or Chapinero,

always down to day game zona rosa or chapinero , universities, whatever,... and look for new unique gaming spots

PM me

I'll be in Chapinero this Saturday afternoon, PM sent.

Post: #194

I've met a few Colombians in Miami....very rude people....the females are nothing to hit home about either.

Post: #195

(12-14-2016 04:09 PM)Befikre Wrote:  I've met a few Colombians in Miami....very rude people....the females are nothing to hit home about either.

Big difference between Colombians in Miami and actual Colombians in Colombia.

It's like saying people in Alabama are assholes because you went to Harlem once.

Post: #196

(12-14-2016 04:15 PM)LINUX Wrote:  

(12-14-2016 04:09 PM)Befikre Wrote:  I've met a few Colombians in Miami....very rude people....the females are nothing to hit home about either.

Big difference between Colombians in Miami and actual Colombians in Colombia.

It's like saying people in Alabama are assholes because you went to Harlem once.

The South Americans in Miami are the best of the best (ie. upper class), no? Including Colombians, Brazilians, Argentines, Venezuelans, etc.

Post: #197

Colombian girls are the sweetest out of any country I've ever visited. Give them 6 months in Miami and not only do they gain attitudes but they also gain 10-20 pounds. Blame the American white knights and fast food.

Post: #198

Bummed I can't make it out for the Christmas debauchery. Sounds like things are going to be wild in Cali.

Post: #199

(12-14-2016 09:03 PM)Shimmy Wrote:  Colombian girls are the sweetest out of any country I've ever visited. Give them 6 months in Miami and not only do they gain attitudes but they also gain 10-20 pounds. Blame the American white knights and fast food.

It's girls from any country that come to the US. Before long, there's some Gringa bitches in their ear telling them how not to put up with any shit from men. It taints their soul. There's too much taint in America. Lots of taint.

Post: #200

Hi,

Can anyone recommend a good hotel (or just area) to stay in Bogota? Most of all safe, close to nightlife and perhaps some day game locations.

Thanks!