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M$1 March 02, 2009 02:23 PM

How much do you tip cab drivers? More in bad weather (like this blizzard we are having)?

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March 02, 2009 02:42 PM
I usually tip the cab driver 15% (standard tip) to 20% (if it was a great cab driver) of the cab ride based on service, not on weather. If the driver helps carry a bag or open a door, is polite, or talks about something that does not disturb me, then they are worthy of a tip. I don't believe it's always necessary to tip a cab driver more just because of the weather, unless the weather was super bad (like the blizzard we are having), and you feel it's necessary. I know it will cheer up the cab driver, especially in this weather, as you know this is not their favorite day to drive.
Source(s):
http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/lists/tipping/
http://www.ehow.com/how_5133_tip-cab-driver.html

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March 02, 2009 02:42 PM
I usually give them 5 bucks unless there are extremes in length or weather. I tend to try to throw a few more dollars at them if it's an extremely long drive or the weather sucks...just because I know I hate driving in bad conditions and you KNOW he's having a bad day...

People in the Chicago area advised to tip 15%-20%
http://www.yelp.com/topic/chicago-tipping-cab-drivers

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March 02, 2009 02:43 PM
You should always tip based on service. If you feel the cabbie went out of his way then tip more. Otherwise tip as you normally would.

Out of his way I would say, helps you with your bags, helps you get in the cab, waits a longer than usual time for you,...

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March 02, 2009 02:44 PM
I'd say 15 to 20 percent of the fare should be a reasonable amount of tip for a cab driver who drives you in a blizzard.
Source(s):
http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2008/01/18/how-much-should-you-tip-a-cab-driv...
http://www.ehow.com/how_5133_tip-cab-driver.html


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March 02, 2009 02:46 PM
Oh no! Well I hope that a taxi driver in that situation drives as good as you do. As long as they're not overcharging you, %15- %20- and round up and down depending on how nice the driver is, and length of the ride. The last time I took a cab, was here where I live in Mankato, Minnesota, and he charged $8 for about a 2 mile ride. I gave him an extra 1
+ in change because I was in a hurry, and don't take very often, but otherwise, I don't care if that was the regular rate. Call me cheap, but I wouldn't have given any extra. He was likely takin me for a fool. People don't take taxis as much, so that contributed to higher rates, but still, come-on. We're talkin a quick express drive here with no traffic (5 minutes).

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March 02, 2009 02:46 PM
Minimum of $5 or so as long as the service is decent, and higher for larger fares. So probably $5 tip for fares under $20, and 25% or so for fares over $20.

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March 02, 2009 02:48 PM
I tip cab drivers the same as I would tip in any other circumstance where tipping is the norm. Tip based on service provided, courtesy, punctuality etc.
If the driver is driving aggressively or speeding excessively the tip drops dramatically.

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March 02, 2009 02:53 PM
18-20%. I tip a bit more during bad weather (like snow storms!) and that includes taxi drivers and delivery people like the pizza guy too :) Especially if they provide all the other kinds of good service you hope for - like being polite and helping you with bags (in the case of the taxi driver).

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March 02, 2009 02:58 PM
I'd be inclined to give them a little extra beyond the normal 15-20%. Driving in a snowstorm is a bear, and there are always people from areas that don't get regular snow, or any at all, who don't know how to drive in it and make a driver who does know extra-alert. He has to pay twice as much attention in a bad storm, because you never know who thinks they can still zip in and out of traffic, or drive aggressively on your tail. I recently witnessed someone with a warm-weather state plate driving on an expressway during a whiteout (almost a blizzard but not quite). Traffic was going 20 m.p.h. and people were leaving plenty of space to anticipate fishtailing, sliding, spinning out, etc. and otherwise loosing control of the car, and the snow plows had reduce five lanes to three. There was much lighter traffic than normal for the place and time, because there was a snow emergency declared.

So this guy comes zipping through the big gaps going around 60 m.p.h. He was in the farthest lane from me when he had to jam on his brakes. He went into a spin, came across all the lanes, bounced off the median and bounced back into another car, which then went into a very slow spin. But that person was only going 20, so they were able to stop without hitting anyone else. By the time both cars stopped they were behind me instead of in front of me.

I saw something very similar happen on a city street. Actually, almost every time it snows hard, that happens. It makes it terribly hard for cabbies to keep their car, and you, in one piece and on time. I think they're doing extra, and so deserve a little extra.

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March 02, 2009 03:43 PM
Huh. I guess I am cheap. I normally tip 10-15% based on how they do their job. Unless they are a door man or concierge. I tip them $40-$50 primarily because they know the lay of the land well and if someone comes looking for you they are going to be the first ones to warn you.

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March 02, 2009 04:01 PM
I usually make sure it is at least 15%, but now I remember that the worst tip I have ever given was right after a blizzard. The roads were mostly clean, but the driver simply didn't understand that you can't floor the gas on a Ford Crown Victoria taxi when the roadway is full of slush/salt/grime. The trip was right about one mile, and we spent most of it skidding all over the place. Worse, I was not in a hurry, we were riding to pick up my 4WD van so I would had been delighted if he took his time to make the drive safely.

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