Hi everybody,
Just want to share my experience in Jeddah just today afternoon, while I'm taking a Taxi going from my place to point B, a Cab stop in front of me and asked where will i go, and told him I'm going to your direction and I'll give 5 riyal for it as it is just near only,he has an Indian passenger already sitting beside him (Yemeni driver).
As we are going, a few meters away the indian stop the taxi and pay having 100 bill and the driver ask me if I have a change and told him that I don't have, so the indian passenger went out on the taxi and I'm thinking that he will look for a change.
Suddenly the driver told me that the indian guy left some amount of money in the passenger sit(it is folded and binded with rubber band), the Yemini Driver hide the money on his sit and told me not to tell the indian guy for the money, when the Indian Guy back after a few seconds his looking for his money if we found it, first he search the wallet of the driver and second to my wallet and told me if that is only my money in my wallet)SR 1,200 (I'm not suspecting him at that moment), after that he ask me to go out from the taxi as he will search the money, while I go down on the taxi my wallet is still with him, and he went out also(that was the time he remove my money on my wallet), in the outside he told me that the yemeni took his money, so he give me my wallet and he went back to the taxi immediately, and they run the taxi. As I see my wallet, the money is not there anymore.
I'm sharing this ordeal to everyone here in the forum, to give them warning about this modus of taxi here in jeddah, I'm not telling all the taxi drivers are like that, but as a passenger we must take care of ourselves also and advise to everyone not to go out alone and not to take any taxi that has passenger already. I've learned my lesson and shared this to everybody for them to be aware and cautious.
I lost SR1,200 for that experience, I just don't want to happen this one again to any of us here in KSA especially here in Jeddah.
Thanks.
Taxi Modus in Jeddah(Hold-Up)
Thanks for sharing, but really, grown men do not give their wallets to other people for inspection, unless under the threat of a weapon.
Why in the world would you give your wallet to a stranger to inspect??? 
Why you give the wallet? A cab with a passenger already then you take a ride with them, cab is scarce there in Jeddah? Oh boy
Thanx for sharing! I never take a cab with a passenger already
NEVER EVER GET INTO CAN WITHOUT AGREEING TO THE FINAL FARE.
Always try to have a few small bills.
SHARING A CAB.? Don't.
The most to pay a cab is 50 SAR from AIRPORT to Balad area. Expats have been screwed time and time again for fares ranging between 150-300 SAR WITH SUCH BS excuses of airport tax etc... Whatever....in town fares 10-30 SAR for your trip.... Western expat women are accustomed to pay 50 SAR per ride no matter how near or far- such a rip off... Do yourself a favor and learn arabic terms regarding giving cabbie directions. Street names are often useless, buildings don't all have numbers... Major streets here have nicknames , so learn them. You've gotta know points of reference otherwise in general- the less than helpful cabbies won't know where u want to go.
Also, once you get into the cab and close the door , get into the habit to reopen and close again quickly so your not locked in by their drivers dear control...
And please please please keep your wallet to yourself. Take care and watch your back. There are opportunists everywhere no matter where you are in the world.
God Bless!
pajaoflor; you make it sound like the wild west! you must have had some really bad experiences.
Dont get in the taxi when someone (beside driver) is riding it, dont hand over your wallet to a stranger.
Stop another one there are plenty of taxis out there.
Perhaps it was also clear from your body language that you are holding cash and handing over your wallet quietly gace them some encouragement. You handover your wallet only to the guy in uniform, police, jawazat etc..
Not at all- people need to be more street smart. On the contrary, I'm quite well adjusted after 5 years of travel to and through Jeddah and now living here for more extended periods of time. I've taken cabs in NYC, DC, Madrid, Barcelona,Guatemala City, Paris, Manila, San Salvador, Prague , Amman, Beirut, Istanbul, just to name a few... My parents raised me to be weary and be on alert! I grew up and did the sand for my family!!! Common sense anywhere in the world is a good thing when it comes to taking a taxi... Sorry to come across rather no nonsense... Jeddah IS like the Wild Wild West at times but it also has it's finer points... But deep pockets and another thread would be in order. Cheers!
Sorry to hear that bro. This is not a new incidence for jeddah. There are 100s of such cases experienced by innocent/newbee expats in jeddah. I am hearing such incidences since last 10 years. So be carefull expats, dont try to hire a private taxi to save some bucks.
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