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A few days ago, I picked up a passenger (note that I don't call him a customer) who just needed a ride about a half mile away... but he didn't have any money with him, "maybe my girlfriend has something, I dunno." Well... 
once in a while I'll drive someone for free, but that's MY decision, not the passenger's. (Mostly, I drove the guy because I had a feeling it would be faster to do so, rather than try to get him out without the ride.)
So I drove him, and when I dropped him off he said he'd be back in a bit with payment, to which I basically said, "Don't worry about it." (Translation: getting another call will make me more money than twiddling my thumbs waiting for you to come back.) Distance traveled: 0.4 miles. Meter when I dropped him off: $4.45. Total time wasted: 14 minutes.
I left to handle another call, which turned out to be a no-show. (In fact, a completely bogus address, but that's another story.) I get another call, and hey, it's back to the same extended-stay inn I dropped the first guy off at.
No, wait, it was the first guy, calling for a new ride... but this time, it wasn't just a half mile he wanted to go, it was THREE CITIES OVER. (For those keeping score: pickup in Tolleson, past Laveen, through Phoenix, destination: Tempe. Approximate distance: 21+ miles... and he didn't have an exact address; "I'll know it when I see it.")
Now let's bear in mind that this idiot had just told me less than half an hour earlier that he had no money. I remind him of that detail and tell him that he needs to prepay or GTFO of my cab.
He pulls out no less than three corporate credit cards, all in the name of PREFERRED CUSTOMER (seriously). I shrug and run the first one through... denied (shocker), but with a message that I have never seen outside of movies:
Not wanting to get involved (my bad, I know, civic duty or whatever) I keep that little detail to myself and hand the card back to him with my patented "Sorry, declined, have another form of payment?" speech. Rather than try another card (which I'm pretty sure would've also been declined) he then changes tactics, asking for another free ride, this time "only" 3 miles away (=~$10) to a bus stop. Ignoring the fact that HE HAS NO MONEY FOR THE BUS EITHER, I feel that I've wasted enough time with this idiot...
Me: No. If you want a ride anywhere, it's cash, and only cash, up front. Since you don't have any, it's time for you to get out of my cab.
Scammer: But what am I going to do?
Me: I suggest returning to your room. Get out.
Scammer: But my mom can pay you...
Me: Unless your mom is here, now, with cash in hand, no! Get! Out!
Bear in mind, people tell me that I am somewhat intimidating in person, and flat out scary when I'm angry. Exit scammer, stage right, pretty damn fast. Distance traveled: 0 (not including what it took me to get there from the bogus call). Meter: never turned on. Time wasted: HALF AN HOUR.
As soon as he was out of my cab, I locked the doors, pulled around the corner, and then called dispatch and let them know what happened, including the part about the previous free ride. End result: the dispatcher I spoke with kept an eye on that property for a few hours and, as far as I know, prevented Señor Scammer from wasting anybody else's time (or worse). Added bonus: his cell phone number got flagged as owing me money ($4.45) and added to Big Green Cab Co's blacklist. (Won't do much, really, except prevent him from getting a Big Green Cab from that phone, unless he coughs up the cash. In person, at the yard, 9 miles from where he's staying. No, he's never going to pay, are you kidding me?)
once in a while I'll drive someone for free, but that's MY decision, not the passenger's. (Mostly, I drove the guy because I had a feeling it would be faster to do so, rather than try to get him out without the ride.)So I drove him, and when I dropped him off he said he'd be back in a bit with payment, to which I basically said, "Don't worry about it." (Translation: getting another call will make me more money than twiddling my thumbs waiting for you to come back.) Distance traveled: 0.4 miles. Meter when I dropped him off: $4.45. Total time wasted: 14 minutes.
I left to handle another call, which turned out to be a no-show. (In fact, a completely bogus address, but that's another story.) I get another call, and hey, it's back to the same extended-stay inn I dropped the first guy off at.
No, wait, it was the first guy, calling for a new ride... but this time, it wasn't just a half mile he wanted to go, it was THREE CITIES OVER. (For those keeping score: pickup in Tolleson, past Laveen, through Phoenix, destination: Tempe. Approximate distance: 21+ miles... and he didn't have an exact address; "I'll know it when I see it.")
Now let's bear in mind that this idiot had just told me less than half an hour earlier that he had no money. I remind him of that detail and tell him that he needs to prepay or GTFO of my cab.
He pulls out no less than three corporate credit cards, all in the name of PREFERRED CUSTOMER (seriously). I shrug and run the first one through... denied (shocker), but with a message that I have never seen outside of movies:
DECLINED
KEEP CARD
KEEP CARD
Not wanting to get involved (my bad, I know, civic duty or whatever) I keep that little detail to myself and hand the card back to him with my patented "Sorry, declined, have another form of payment?" speech. Rather than try another card (which I'm pretty sure would've also been declined) he then changes tactics, asking for another free ride, this time "only" 3 miles away (=~$10) to a bus stop. Ignoring the fact that HE HAS NO MONEY FOR THE BUS EITHER, I feel that I've wasted enough time with this idiot...Me: No. If you want a ride anywhere, it's cash, and only cash, up front. Since you don't have any, it's time for you to get out of my cab.
Scammer: But what am I going to do?
Me: I suggest returning to your room. Get out.
Scammer: But my mom can pay you...
Me: Unless your mom is here, now, with cash in hand, no! Get! Out!
Bear in mind, people tell me that I am somewhat intimidating in person, and flat out scary when I'm angry. Exit scammer, stage right, pretty damn fast. Distance traveled: 0 (not including what it took me to get there from the bogus call). Meter: never turned on. Time wasted: HALF AN HOUR.
As soon as he was out of my cab, I locked the doors, pulled around the corner, and then called dispatch and let them know what happened, including the part about the previous free ride. End result: the dispatcher I spoke with kept an eye on that property for a few hours and, as far as I know, prevented Señor Scammer from wasting anybody else's time (or worse). Added bonus: his cell phone number got flagged as owing me money ($4.45) and added to Big Green Cab Co's blacklist. (Won't do much, really, except prevent him from getting a Big Green Cab from that phone, unless he coughs up the cash. In person, at the yard, 9 miles from where he's staying. No, he's never going to pay, are you kidding me?)
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