Living in Peru : your everyday companion

But please read on and learn from my mistakes, and lets hope that ‘nearly robbed’ doesn’t become ‘actually robbed’ for you in Lima!

So, to make a short story shorter, I flagged down my dodgy taxi beside Larcomar shopping centre, Lima’s premier shopping centre. I followed the third rule of getting a taxi in Lima, (pick one that looks half decent and the driver doesn’t look like he wants to rob you - looks can be deceiving you know), and I told the driver I wanted to go to the Migrations office in downtown Lima, but I didn’t know the exact address, and asked if he did. He said no problem, he knew the address and it would cost ten soles. Fine I thought, so I followed the second rule of taking taxis in Lima, (always get in the back seat, and preferably behind the driver), a rule I must admit, I didn’t actually know about, until my beautiful Peruvian girlfriend told me about it! So I was about to get into the back seat, when the driver waived his finger at me to tell me the back door was broken/didn’t open (he wanted me to sit in the front seat so he could rob me), and duly opened the front door for me. This made me a little suspicious at this stage (which meant I should have just got into one of the three taxis lining up behind the one I was about to get into), but instead, I gave him the benefit of the doubt and got into it anyway, thus breaking the first rule of getting a taxi in Lima, or anywhere for that matter - if you are suspicious, for whatever reason, justified or not, don’t get into the taxi!

So after I broke the rule and got into the car, the driver took a left turn and immediately pulled into the side of the street, he said I had to put on my seatbelt. This made me even more suspicious but something made me feel safer. That was the fact that there was a security guard right beside the spot where we had stopped. So I thought, well, if he was going to rob me, he wouldn’t have stopped beside a security guard, right? Then he leaned over me to ‘help’ me with my seatbelt (which was wrapped around the buckle that holds it in place).  At this stage I put my hand in my pocket, in case he was trying to pick it, but, in hindsight, he was probably just using this ploy to have a good look at where my bag was, if I looked alert, if I had a wallet in my trouser pockets etc… So after we managed to ‘free’ up the seatbelt and I had buckled it, off we went again.

5 seconds later, he asked me where we were going again, and if I had the exact address. I said no I didn’t, and that you knew that already (in my terrible Spanish). He said, don’t worry, I have a good idea, but the exact address is probably in a stamp in your passport, why don’t you check that! I thought about my passport sitting in my bag at my feet and felt a little nauseous at this stage and said I didn’t have my passport with me. He said, that was ok, he knew where the offices were, but now he had to stop for petrol. I looked at the needle and it was indeed almost at the bottom, so we duly stopped at a station, and he asked for the 10 soles first. Fair enough I thought and gave him 2 x 5 soles coins. He had a quick look at them and gave them back to me and said they were counterfeit, and if I had any notes. Uh-oh I thought, (again). I said no I didn’t have anything else, and he said, that’s ok, let’s go to a bank machine, and I can get notes there! I said no chance, and asked what was wrong with my coins anyway. He then took out a coin of his own, as if it was an example of a counterfeit coin, rubbed his finger on it, and said “see, counterfeit… you see…. counterfeit.” 

At this stage, at least 5 alarm bells were ringing in my head and finally I had had enough and opened the door to get out. He started to pull off and I shouted “Señor, pare! (stop!).” (I pronounced it see´nior, I still can’t get it right and say say’nior, and that’s after a year here!) So I opened the door of the moving taxi, finally he stopped and I jumped out of it, glad he didn’t get to rob me, and a little shaken too I must admit.

After I thought about all the suspicious tricks he had used (I think he used every trick he had in his book really) I just can’t understand why I stayed in the taxi. I think I just wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, but looking back on it, it was stupid really. In a city like Lima, where taxis are twenty to a person, there´s absolutely no problem in getting one. So to this day I still can't figure out why I didn’t just ask him to stop as soon as I became suspicious. Still, at least I did get out in the end, albeit, much later than I should have.

Editor's Note: Here's a recomendation for a safe taxi service.  They're a little more expensive than a street taxi (although still reasonable), but the price is worth it for the peace of mind.

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10 Comments

# David N says :
2 July, 2009 [ 06:37 ]

You've been here a year and still don't know how to treat these people?  Next time just call him a c holo and knock him in the head.  That's all they understand.

# Herbert says :
2 July, 2009 [ 08:12 ]

I don't think David's comment is pretty smart. All I could probably tell you is enjoy being in Perú. Just take good care of you. For more security you may like to call one of those tAXI COMPANIES.

# marina u. says :
2 July, 2009 [ 08:16 ]

I am an American citizen born in Peru.  Whenever I go back, I only take taxis provided by private companies.  They are well kept, have better trained drivers and the passenger's safety is guaranteed.  They are more expensive, but worth it.  

# richard says :
6 July, 2009 [ 11:03 ]

When will Living in Peru ban David N?

# angel p says :
8 July, 2009 [ 04:08 ]

 Here's a better idea regarding David N. IGNORE him and his comments and perhaps he and his comments will wither and die.

# Paul says :
15 July, 2009 [ 11:54 ]

Declan...

Your first tell tale was the price.  You will not get a 15 km journey for 10 soles anywhere in Lima,  especially leaving Larco Mar where the prices are hiked and moreover heading to migraciones.

A handy trick.. is once you get in the car.. tell the driver you wife is paranoid after being robbed once..and she always wants you to call her with the taxis reg no.  Telling him no offence intended.  Make a fake call and let him hear you say the numbers of his reg in spanish.

Finally, be firm.  If they start getting wishy washy.. call a spade a spade.   If you are ever confronted with a gun in Peru.. never put up any resistence. Smile and be accomodating.   Life is cheap here.. not too many thieves will distinguish between 1 year for robbery and 25 for life. 

As you say, trust your instincts, and dont be afraid to offend.  Remembering that for the most part folks are not out to rob you directly..other than with hiked fares of course. 

# Illary says :
16 July, 2009 [ 10:26 ]

Just one advise more, Declan. I'm peruvian and I think that a foreigner will be a much more atractive victim to a robber than the average peruvian citizen. So, if you are going to a place that don't know, like in this case, your are endanger yourself taking a taxi in the street. The best option in this case is to call for a taxi from a private company. Those are more cheaper than taxis in USA or Europe, anyway.

# Hanny E Maisonette says :
20 July, 2009 [ 06:59 ]

I have cell phone numbers of three "private" taxi drivers, two of them employed by hotels where I've stayed and the third recommended to me by a personal friend.  All three know me personally and one of them is always available.  Their cars are unmarked, their prices fair and, yes, I've been quoted 10 soles from Larcomar to central Lima.  I sit in front with them and inquire about their families and I always give a decent tip.
But if for some unforseen reason none of them are available, I will enlist a person from a restaurant or hotel to flag a taxi down for me, then I'll tell that person I will call them when I get to my destination.  They usually nod in silent agreement even if they've never seen me before.  Here, too, be generous with your tip.

# Ame says :
21 July, 2009 [ 02:04 ]

Declan,
I am sorry and shameful that those things happen in Peru.
I've been out of Peru for 43 years and visit home, annualy.
Although born and raised in Lima, I feel like a foreigner when visiting. Unfortunately, crooks smell you a mile away and they know whether you are a local or a visitor, so we should protect ourselves using those private taxi companies when going alone, to an unknown place, long distances or to a shady part of the city.
As other writers, I do have numbers that I call at different times of the day. I also have "My" driver to and from the airport.
Thanks for your comments and alerts, which I find very helpful.

# italo borletti says :
18 October, 2009 [ 11:04 ]

 Italo Borletti TEACHER
I was robed in Peru after my fifth visit.It happen in TRUJILLO PERU
Trujillo is not more a safer place to be. I am living in Primavera, that supossed to be a safer area.Nearly all the areas have the same problem.I used to have a Restaurant were you meet a lot of different people.Always there are cases of robery from the streets and the taxis
will robed you al paso Foreign or not foreign.My friend is English and I will now advice here to go by here own anywere.
Peru is not a safe place to live any more.Is full of crooks.
My advice is to hire a taxi from a company and try to used more or less the same driver. I born in Peru and this is really sad.Iam going back to England were I spent most of y life.For my is imposible to live in my own country.

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