KEY POINTS
- The Licensed Taxi Drivers Affiliation and Met Police say they obtain common experiences of vacationers being scammed.
- The Conservatives launched new guidelines permitting TfL to begin regulating drivers who benefit from passengers in London.
In the event you’ve visited Central London at evening, you will have observed the colorful, half-bike, half-chariot tuk-tuks, often known as rickshaws, meandering via the streets. Whereas they might appear to be a enjoyable method to expertise the capital, these rides are more and more changing into a hotbed for scams, with unsuspecting vacationers being charged exorbitant charges for brief journeys.
Rickshaw Scams in London: A Rising Concern
Vacationers have fallen sufferer to dishonest rickshaw drivers who manipulate bank card machines, altering fares by shifting decimal factors or charging them twice for brief rides in garishly embellished pedicabs. This more and more frequent rip-off has drawn the eye of each vacationers and authorities alike.
The Telegraph’s current Freedom of Info request revealed a surge in complaints to Transport for London (TfL). Vacationers’ makes an attempt to take pleasure in landmark excursions usually flip into monetary nightmares. One vacationer reported being charged £1,278.96 ($1,700) for a brief journey between Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace. Shocked, she contacted TfL, recounting how the rickshaw experience lasted only some minutes but value her greater than a luxurious automotive rental.
One other lady shared an identical story: she believed she was being charged £33.60 for a experience from Mayfair to Excessive Road Kensington however later came upon she had been billed £336. She expressed frustration, suspecting the motive force took benefit of her and her pal as a result of they had been girls. “He was having fun with it,” she added.
Vacationers Share Their Nightmarish Experiences
One couple hoping to see Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella within the West Finish flagged down a rickshaw for what they thought can be a easy £9.40 experience. To their dismay, they later found that they had been charged £94.40. “It wasn’t till the interval after I checked my on-line banking app and noticed that I had been charged £94.40,” the theatregoer stated. The rip-off seemingly concerned shifting the decimal level, a typical tactic utilized by dishonest drivers.
For some, the experience was not simply overpriced however harmful. A mom reported to TfL that not solely did the motive force try to cost her £130 for a short journey, however the rickshaw additionally crashed within the cycle lane on Bermondsey Street. After the incident, she described the motive force as “aggressive.”
Legendary Joyful Days actor Henry Winkler, visiting London in July, additionally fell sufferer to the rip-off. Winkler, higher often known as “The Fonz,” shared his expertise on social media: “Don’t take a type of bicycle taxis with out completely negotiating the worth first. This individual in London rode us round in circles, then lastly to our vacation spot seven blocks away for $170!”
Belgian vacationer April Argenau had a equally harrowing expertise. She was charged over £450 for a seven-minute experience from Oxford Road to the Royal Lancaster Resort. Feeling threatened, Argenau paid the motive force however was left traumatised by the expertise. “I felt so threatened, and my youngsters felt scared,” she stated. Argenau’s scenario highlights how vacationers are sometimes intimidated into paying exorbitant charges.
Regulation and Regulation: The Want for Change
Till lately, pedicab legal guidelines in London had not been up to date since 1869. The archaic rules labeled pedicabs as stage carriages, which means virtually anybody might buy one and start charging vacationers with out oversight or security rules.
The Licensed Taxi Drivers Affiliation (LTDA) and the Metropolitan Police obtain frequent experiences of vacationers being swindled by these operators. LTDA Chair Steve McNamara known as the scenario a “nationwide shame,” stating that the dearth of regulation has allowed scammers to thrive.
In response to the rising variety of complaints, the federal government launched the Pedicabs (London) Act 2024, giving Transport for London (TfL) the authority to manage the trade. A TfL spokesperson stated the brand new guidelines are designed to make sure pedicab drivers function safely and pretty: “We’re participating with the pedicab trade and different events to assist form proposals forward of a public session, together with finishing up an influence evaluation.” These proposals are anticipated to be finalised and applied in 2025.
Different Vacationer Scams to Be Conscious Of in London
Whereas rickshaw scams have gotten notorious in London, they are not the one trick focusing on guests. You need to be conscious of three extra frequent scams when visiting the capital.
1. Shopping for Tickets on the Road
Are you determined to see a present or go to a well-liked attraction? Be cautious of people promoting tickets on the road. Scammers steadily function in busy areas like Leicester Sq. and Piccadilly Circus, providing pretend tickets to unsuspecting vacationers. Stick to purchasing tickets from respected distributors, such because the official venue web site or cubicles like TKTS in Leicester Sq..
2. Paying for Free Points of interest
A lot of London’s well-known landmarks and sights, such because the Altering of the Guard, are free to attend. Nevertheless, scammers could strategy vacationers and try to promote them “tickets” for these occasions. If somebody provides to promote you tickets to a supposedly free attraction, it is seemingly a rip-off. Examine on-line prematurely for details about free occasions.
3. The Cup-and-Ball Recreation
The cup-and-ball recreation is a basic road rip-off relationship again centuries and sometimes attracts in curious vacationers. Scammers disguise a ball underneath one among three cups, shuffle them round, and problem passersby to guess which cup hides the ball. A planted “winner” could entice others to play, however the ball mysteriously disappears when you place a guess. Keep away from this “recreation” in any respect prices, as it is a recognized trick to steal your cash.
As London attracts hundreds of thousands of vacationers yearly, scams focusing on guests are frequent. Whether or not hopping on a rickshaw for a brief journey or buying tickets for a must-see present, at all times be vigilant and conscious of frequent vacationer traps. Negotiate costs upfront, keep away from road distributors, and solely purchase from trusted sources.