From taxi hyenas charging significantly higher rates than the set tariffs to driving without a driver’s license and under the influence of drugs, here’s what the Budapest police uncovered during its inspection of taxicabs on the first weekend of April.
From minor transgressions to the truly shocking
Collaborating on 6-7 April, the Budapest police and the taxi inspectors from the Budapest Transport Centre diligently monitored the city’s taxi drivers, as reported by police.hu. Out of the 166 drivers and vehicles inspected, numerous irregularities were found.
The officers imposed on-the-spot fines on seven drivers who crossed barrier lines on the roads. Additionally, nine drivers failed to provide a valid license for their services. In one instance, an uncertified fare meter was discovered in the car. Moreover, improper turns were made by one driver, while two others were found to possess expired medical certificates.
Furthermore, four drivers neglected to give priority at designated pedestrian crossings, had expired technical permits or lacked insurance. An administrative fine was imposed on a transporter for failing to use seat belts.
However, these violations are dwarfed by the most mind-blowing catches of the weekend.
A driver was arrested for driving without a valid license, having previously been banned from driving on two occasions. Moreover, they were found to be under the influence of drugs.
Shockingly, another driver continued to provide services despite being barred from the roads. Additionally, traces of drug residue were detected on their clothing. Upon testing, the residue returned positive for narcotics.
“This truly beggars belief!”
– remarked police.hu on its website
Taxi hyenas caught in the city
Several cabbies were caught overcharging passengers well beyond the agreed tariffs. These shameless drivers, often called taxi hyenas, employ predatory tactics, targeting unsuspecting tourists and billing absurdly high amounts for even short journeys.
The police apprehended three taxi hyenas who, during the course of the journey, manipulated the taxi meter without the passengers’ knowledge, resulting in inflated fares at the end.
Two taxi hyenas charged 880 forints (EUR 2.25) per kilometre instead of the standard 440 forints/kilometre (EUR 1.12/kilometre), while another driver manipulated the meter to show 3,500 and then 5,500 HUF (EUR 8.94 and 14.05) per kilometre during the journey.
Watch out when taking taxis in Budapest – Beware of this scam
Earlier this year, we reported on a new tactic employed by some taxi hyenas in Budapest after a TikTok video went viral, showing an unsuspecting Irish tourist who was charged ten times the correct amount – EUR 110 instead of EUR 11.
The method these scammers use is startlingly simple, which is why the Irish woman failed to realise what had happened at first. She paid with her credit card and only later discovered the exorbitant fare when attempting to settle her bill at a bar.
People in the comments shared their own unfortunate experiences with some taxis in the city, with one person recounting being charged EUR 111 for a two-minute ride. When they refused to pay the outrageous sum, the driver locked the doors and would not let them leave.
What happens in these cases is that the drivers manipulate the POD terminals in their cars, adding an extra zero to the final sum (this is how 11 EUR becomes a staggering 110 EUR). Unwary tourists may overlook this discrepancy, unwittingly paying the doctored amount.
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