Taxi Dispute

[kalcamp]

Hi Kevincat
Well I think that''''s where they''''ve got us. Villa owners are unlikely to abandon there villas even if they could afford to, and if they sell, it''''ll be to another villa owner. Villa owners will do everything in there power to keep a happy smiling Kalkan image because they want the rental income from the foreign tourists of which there are a potentially infinite number.
  I think that local politics may go something like  ''''If you vote for me I will guarantee xy&z for you'''' and ''''the newly found wealth from the tourist trade will be divided amongst ourselves thus'''', I don''''t think it''''s quite the free for all it appears, it''''s probably much more organised, This is a small town, outside business isn''''t welcome because it upsets the agreed cakesharing already in place
 Shuttles cut into the taxis business so they feel agrieved, without them there''''s more cake
 What we do as tourists without a vote is up to us, but if you don''''t get in a taxi someone else will

[foreverkalkan]

I don''t care about taxis disputes, burglary''s, or any of the other negatives things,I LOVE KALKAN and cant wait until 18th August and have just booked the New Year there too  

[Enjoy Kalkan]

Do we think its time to lock this ?

Welcome your opinions

[itstime]

personal opinion is that it shouldn''t be locked. In the feint hope that anyone with any influence in Kalkan is reading this then locking the subject may make them think that tourists don''t care about the subject. It seems that it''s pretty obvious that many people do care and are angry at the current situation. Only my opinion of course and others are entitled to disagree.

[Enjoy Kalkan]

More than happy not to lock it if there is still new viewpoints or comments to be added 

[sally]

Agree with itstime - can''t see the need to lock this thread.

[foreverkalkan]

I didn''t mean literally ''I don''t care'' I do care, but it won''t stop me going, I was just feeling excited about going and thought ''What the hell I don''t care about these things''. 

[kevincat99]

Jon
Keep it open as this is a serious topic that effects everyone here - whether it be tourists or residents
It seems symptomatic of some Turks views be it taxi drivers - restaurants or builders - that foreigners are only here to be exploited
It really needs to be sorted out otherwise it will be to the detriment of everyone - including the Turks themselves
Kalkan is already the most expensive place in Turkey and people will go elsewhere

[slodge]

The whole ''taxi dispute'' will not stop me going to Kalkan but i will make sure that i stay within walking distance of the Town.  I just feel very sorry for those individuals who own business either up on the top road towards Kas or far out in Kalamar bar.  If the situation continues surely visitors will just hire cars and the taxi drivers will still get no business

[Mustafa Raki]

I have just heard from a Taxi driver who tells me that business is very bad!! This must mean that the boycott of taxi''s and people walking is starting to have an effect.  If we all keep walking something must eventually give.  I know this is difficult when your villa is way up the hill, but you could always get a taxi just half way and walk the rest.  It''s worth giving it a try and tell the taxi that you can''t afford the whole journey.  I take the taxi up from the harbour to the taxi rank and then walk the flat part along the Kalamar Road-they don''t like it but I always tell them the fare is too much for the whole journey.

[bluefudge11]

Jon
I would like to see the thread remain open, at least for a little while. the taxi debate was locked last time and i don''t understand why ? the level of contribution to this thread demonstrates the passion for improving Kalkan and getting it back to what it once was. To lock it would be to "brush it under the carpet" as has been remarked upon
There are many more pages /threads on say restaurant reviews so to lock for reasons of repetitiveness does not stack up.
The rules of the forum should of course be respected at all times.

I think that the taxi drivers should try and find ways of optimising their business - look for opportunities, such as offering villa owners a competitive discount if their guests use a particular driver, doing a deal with the supermarkets and beach clubs and restaurants to encourage the use of taxis. Campaign to be allowed to operate at a rank in the harbour area to give guests a cheap way up the steep (albeit short) hill etc etc.

if it comes down to politics and the voting of the locals, then surely even the taxi drivers who are eventually forced out of work will think twice on where they place their X on election day along with all the other locals whose businesses have failed due to decline rather than expansion.

If this forum can make a difference due to the continued concerns of visitors and villa owners then maybe, just maybe someone will listen.

[alantj]

A side effect of the high taxi fares will be a change in the make up of visitors to Kalkan.

We have a large villa that in the past was let out to large families or two families traveling together. Over the past five years, we had built up a number of regular visitors, but after last year when they arrived to find taxi fares doubled and our arrangement with the Samira Deluxe for them to use the hotel shuttle cancelled, all decided to holiday elsewhere this year.

We have managed to replace these bookings but mainly with groups of 8-10 young people (so far the villa is intact) fo whom the taxi fare is not such an issue as they either walk to and from Kalkan or split the taxi fare.   

[jayne]

From talking to our local friends, problems began because the Samira Deluxe offered not only a shuttle service to their guests but to all the local villas. Apparently the shuttle ran continually, taking people into town and back as well. I can understand how this would have caused huge resentment to the taxi drivers, who were obviously seeing a lot of potential custom taken away from them.

Of course, it has now got completely out of hand and unfortunatley their actions are going to harm local business in the long term. We usually spend several days of our holiday at the beach club at Kalamar but because this time we had to pay for taxis we only went once. The problem there is that the beach club paid the drivers a flat rate for a taxi ride regarless of where it came from in Kalkan and they now want the journeys metered.

The only way I see things being resolved is if a rival taxi company started up in kalkan or that some sort of compromise is made between the local businesses and taxi drivers.

[alantj]

Jayne,

Your friends are misinformed, the Samira Deluxe had been offering use of its facilities including the shuttle bus for many years (at least 6 to my knowledge). In fact many of the local villas were built by the owners of the Samira and use of the shuttle bus was part of the purchase agreement.

Regards

Alan

[jayne]

Hi Alan

I do not dispute that the service ran for many years, however what started as a shuttle operted solely for guests and a then a handful of villas, extended to everyone in the area, both into town and back.

Jayne

[bluefudge11]

whilst there last year (august) SD were operating shuttle bus for guests only (intermittently  between taxi abuse), and at set times of the day  not continually.
whilst I was there this year they tried operating the shuttle bus for guests only at set times  (only lasted one day before being closed down)

It appears the SD have tried to compromise

[headroom]

I''m sorry but I don''t quite understand what all these exchanges of grievances are going to achieve? We all know that the taxi drivers are out of order but what can anyone do about it by posting these stories? If the owners of the various apartments and hotels can''t or won''t do anything about the situation then what good is it doing when we all moan about it? What is needed is some of the more influential people of Kalkan to become involved, how this is done I am not too sure but a lot of us must know perhaps one person who could voice our concerns to the relevant authorities. Yes businesses are suffering but if they are complacent about it then the only thing to do is boycott the taxis. I know it is a matter of concern to a lot of people as to whether to drive or not to drive but to pick up a car at the airport and drive yourself instead of getting a transfer will cost as little as £135 per week, the current rate for transfers is around £90, yes the tank has to be filled and petrol is expensive but you would have a vehicle at your disposal for the duration of the holiday. Taxis are costing from £4 per trip, multiply that by 2 (round trip) and then by numbers of trips during your stay and a hire car soon becomes a much more attractive proposition. We always advise guests to hire and we have found a good company which we always recommend. Seeing surrounding areas is poor bonus and quite frankly I find driving in Turkey a pleasure, stay away from the bigger towns and the roads are a doddle and on the whole very quiet.

[bluefudge11]

I am not sure  what these exchanges will achieve other than keeping forum members informed about things that are going on in Kalkan (oh wait a minute isn''t that the point). What is the point of continually telling people that the restaurants are good in Kalkan or the people are friendly or the views are great. Are we suggesting that we should only continually discuss the good things?
I think the more the issues are highlighted and discussed then the more  likely something may  be done,

If i had booked through a travel company and sold a holiday that included a shuttle bus then i would be asking how I would be compensated for the extra cost of a Taxis - maybe the likes of Thomson have some influence.

Hiring a car is fine unless of course you fancy an Efes or  two with your meal and your transfer is not included as part of the price of the holiday

[Cosetta]

I was told but cannot confirm that some local gov folks are occasionally reading this forum, and I think they do know that people are disgruntled over the taxi issue.  However, taxi licenses are part of the spoils.  The few times we rented or lent our villa, we informed our guests they needed to rent a car and they did so with no complaints or problems.

I don''t see the point of closing the thread simply because it is the only outlet for foreign guests to highlight what needs to be improved and this issue is decidedly a problem.   If Kalkan gets a new local government in 2009, maybe a new solution will be found.

[kevincat99]

Headroom
I am not sure whether you live in Kalkan or not but your view that everyone should hire a car - wow !!
Have you tried to get into the centre recently or park - it''s a nightmare - we need less cars here, not more
As for you advising guests to hire - as bluefudge11 rightly says who wants to drink and drive here [or anywhere] so people don''t come into the village at all
It may be that your guests and other villa owners guests don''t want to hire a car - and don''t want to pay for expensive taxis and eventually don''t want to come