One piece of news that catches my eyes today is about a taxi driver surnamed Zhang detained for fake meter. One passenger surnamed Wang took a taxi home. At result, he paid double the price for his frequent taxi ride from Beijing Capital Airport to home.
Later he reported the case to the police station at the airport. The police detained Zhang. Zhang confessed that he usually uses a real meter in the daytime, changing to a fake one at night to “make extra money.” The fake meter looks very much like a real one which he bought at RMB 1000. The fake can be controlled by a remote control to change the fare information on the sly.
It is said that fixed or fake metere are an open secret. The taxi drivers at Beijing Capital Airport are more likely to have a fake meter since many of the passengers are unfamiliar with the roads in Beijing.
The taxi drivers equipped with fake meters will be sacked or punished according to the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport. Passengers can make complaints to the commission or taxi companies if if they have the taxi’s license plate number and receipt (fapiao).
The Beijing Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision says that a real meter has a seal of authenticity on its body and passengers should keep close eyes on it.
Actually it is quite difficult to discern the real from the fake since they look much alike. It is important to know the rough distance for your taxi ride and the estmated taxi fare beforehand.
For more taxi tips, please check Beijing Taxi for more information.
