Have you ever been scammed?

[Amandistan]

I have for the first time by a taxi driver. I was charged 3 times more outside the Warsaw Chopin airport.
Someone came up to me and asked if i needed a taxi. He was very nice but when i arrived 8 km, I realized i was charged Norway prices and  Poland is a cheaper country.

It gives you a "Palm of hand to face" sort of moment... when you say to yourself "Oh, Shit, I thought I was too street smart for this crap." 

Oh well, I guess this will be a lesson to not get in a car of a driver who approaches me.
It won't ruin central europe for me.  With these beautiful buildings,nice people and cheap everything. 

[Heno]

i was speaking at an event in sofia a few years ago

i knew about the whole idea of official v. rip off taxi services

bloke walks up asking if i need a taxi. he even had the official jacket and badge

chatted about football and poverty

got to the hotel - trip should cost 17 euro. bloke said 70 euro. i said no way. he started giving out to me. i went into the hotel and asked for a manager. i explained the situation. manager advised me to pay. i started to protest and asked "how can you let this happen?" and then stopped. and thought......."whats the point?"

lesson learned

[Sheena]

Taxi from Marrakech airport to the old town in 1991, middle of the night, on my own. At that time you couldn't buy Dirhams outside of Morocco, so I had to go via a cash machine to pay for my fare.  Ripped off blind by the taxi driver and I knew it was happening.  I was so relieved to be at my hotel, alive and relatively unrobbed that I just didn't care.

[Shush]

Don't think taxi's in the East are regulated as much as they are in the West. I am sure I heard recently there is a greater number  of Taxi  drivers per head of population in Prague than in Manhattan !!
  Last time I stayed in Prague my hotel was some distance from the centre. I got charged vastly different amounts each time going back.  In Poland a few years back when I was on the coast I hired a driver as a kind of driver / tour guide for the day, he did not need to check in with anyone he was just glad to do it.
   I would advise if you are in a pub of whatever, ask a member of staff to call you a taxi, therefore from a legitimate firm will be used. Ask at the  roughly what it would cost to get to where you are going based on their experience. If out and about ask the driver roughly what a ride will cost before you get in.

[Amandistan]

To be fair, the price of food and accommodation in the east makes up for the scams.
Two nights in a hostel is the same price in Poland as one in Germany.
2.50 PLZ for icecream (.59 euros)    4 for a beer!   15 for a meal (3.59 euros) 22 euros for two nights in a nice hostel.
7  euro for a train from Warsaw to Krakow.  30 euro for a sleeper train the Ukraine!

Why do people even take holidays in western Europe?    Why one earth to people go to Sweden when Poland or Ukraine are  friendly, have beautiful scenery and do not charge too much for food and other basic needs?

Eastern Europe is ******* awesome.

[Shush]

Do go to Krakow if you get chance, its one of the nicest cities in the World

[Amandistan]

I am going very soon actually

[ldopas]

Why do people even take holidays in western Europe?    Why one earth to people go to Sweden when Poland or Ukraine are  friendly, have beautiful scenery and do not charge too much for food and other basic needs?

Eastern Europe is ******* awesome.

It is.

But why do you feel the need to constantly denigrate other countries like western European countries which are great also, and your own country with reference to ones you have visited? There are lots of great and interesting countries on this planet, it is a fantastic world we live in.

[Amandistan]

True but I can afford the Eastern European countries more. Therefore can afford to enjoy all the things that costs.

[Ava Enturin]

Norwegians go to Sweden for cheap holidays. It's all a matter of perspective ;-)

And for the record, Sweden is an awesome country. Beautiful to lie down and cry, vast and wild. Tame and cultivated. Very diverse. Huge, with very little people. Which are usually friendly, accommodating, and open minded. There is also a sense of beauty underlying man-made things. Swedish summer, where basically the whole country is on holiday to enjoy the few weeks of summer. The outburst of vegetation when winter finally looses it's grip. Swimming in the lakes. Blueberries and mushrooms. The snow in winter, all the lights in the dark season. Northern lights, icy winds in your face and the warmth of the candle lit little cafe with self baked cakes for fika.

Oh dear, an Ode to Sweden ☺ a country where I wasn't born, but very much enjoy to live in ☺

[Pol]

Apart from not getting stuff I have ordered on ebay, I cant think of anything else.and of course I eventually got my money back after a couple of weeks.

[Master Ray]

I have to say, a bit worried about these 'contactless' cards... ripe for corruption and most people, when they ask for a new debit / credit card, seem to get one of them, like I did... 

[BlackCountryMaggiD]

Why do people even take holidays in western Europe?    Why one earth to people go to Sweden when Poland or Ukraine are  friendly, have beautiful scenery and do not charge too much for food and other basic needs?

Because not everybody's experience is limited to the countries borders they're in at anyone time!
It was only 2 weeks ago you were celebrating being in Germany and a few weeks before that The Netherlands and before that The Republic of Ireland!

Perspective

[Amandistan]

Why do people even take holidays in western Europe?    Why one earth to people go to Sweden when Poland or Ukraine are  friendly, have beautiful scenery and do not charge too much for food and other basic needs?

Because not everybody's experience is limited to the countries borders they're in at anyone time!
It was only 2 weeks ago you were celebrating being in Germany and a few weeks before that The Netherlands and before that The Republic of Ireland!

Perspective

Yes but when I see the prices, of food,beds and transportation being actually affordable, I get excited. A 4 star hotel is the same price of a 16 bed hostel in Any English city.

[BlackCountryMaggiD]

Yes but when I see the prices, of food,beds and transportation being actually affordable, I get excited. A 4 star hotel is the same price of a 16 bed hostel in Any English city.

So it has nothing to do with the people or the culture or the history, just the price of stuff!
Interesting criteria, but if it works for you.