Taxi Dispute

[Pete]

Karen. If you really want a good laugh, look at the Kalkan Taxi web site. The link in Fidimax posting did not connect but dial it direct at www.kalkantaxi.com .

I would like to quote from it.

"Up to now, the guests who have come firstly as clients to our organisation returned to their countries as our friends. This is a result of our service''s good quality and our sincere service understanding."   !!!!!!!!

Our Mission - "To create value for our clients and to be higher than your expectations with a good quality, timing and sincerity"  !!!!!!!!

I think that they must have had Alister Campbell write this.

It also tells you who the owners are. All I can say is that they must be greatly respected in the local community, for the good works that they are doing on behalf of Kalkan.

[sally]

I''ve just had another post I made (about 5 minutes ago) not appear? Here goes again:

Thank you for a very sensible post, John.

I don''t own a property in Kalkan but if I did & was letting it out I would want to get together with others & try to see the mayor and/or police to try to put my point of view. The words ''goose'' & ''golden egg'' come to mind.

If I were in Kalkan as part of a package I would definitely be bringing it to the attention of my rep.

I hardly ever use taxis in Kalkan - except to/from Kalamar beach club & when I have I''ve been met with nothing but courtesy & friendliness from the drivers.

[sally]

Karen. If you really want a good laugh, look at the Kalkan Taxi web site. The link in Fidimax posting did not connect but dial it direct at www.kalkantaxi.com .

Have a look at the price list as well!!!  Bet it''s not current!

[kalkan4eva]

Pete, did you click on the KTT link on the transfers page...it takes you to Kalkan Tourism Transfers...which I thought would explain how they can actually carry out airport transfers as I understood Kalkan taxis were not allowed to collect you from Dalaman, only drop you off...but instead it takes you to another site which you have to view whilst listening to Richard Marks singing " Now and Forever" Bizarre choice of song for the content
It appears to have been set up by a co-operative as a self regulating body and the Kalkan Taxi company appear to be a member of this association - perhaps we should lobby these guys?

John from the Feds, is this organisation a bit of a toothless tiger, do you know? If you''ve ever heard of them? We could e-mail them individually with our concerns - in a rational manner, naturally - the site is entirely in English.

[kevincat99]

John
If these guys haven''t got the message by now they never will - whatever you tell them

[routemaster]

The taxi drivers run a co-operative. Some work, they all get paid. When the boat owners co-operative broke down, we were getting boat at trips at £5 a head.

You can get a taxi from Eminonu to the Otogar in Istanbul for 20YTL. It costs 8YTL to get a taxi the otogar from the first roundabout.

These people think we are stupid.

[kevsimo]

Hi to you all,

Myself and my partner have been fairly frequent vistors to Kalkan over the last three years and like most people on this forum are in love with the place.

We stay at Paradise apartments high on the hillside directly overlooking the middle of the bay next to kalkantepe villas. The outstanding setting, a way out of town means that reliable transport is essential. Our friends Hilary and Kemal have been providing a regular free shuttle bus for Paradise guests  for sometime now. Unfortunately this Summer (we have just recently returned), we  also fell foul of the “taxi dispute” which I feel strongly if not resolved will have a detrimental long term effect on out of town villa owners and businesses.

While we were there, against all threats, Paradise managed to offer a skeleton shuttle service to and from town. Although, in common with earlier posts, on one occasion we were met with aggression and threats when trying to leave town. At least five or six taxi drivers surrounded the front of the bus arguing with our driver and generally being intimidating.

I really just wanted to add weight to the obvious points that have already been made in this thread. Whilst we were staying, each evening Paradise were dropping maybe half a dozen families in town to enjoy the nightlife, eat out, shop etc …. in short spend money in the town!. Some people I spoke to said that without a regular shuttle they might only come into town maybe one night in every three.

Can I urge the regulars to the forum who have friends and contacts in Kalkan to explain to them that the taxi drivers’ actions are likely to drive business away from town. Even though Kalkan seemed to buzzing whilst we were there, some bar and restaurant owners still complained that to us that too many people “stay in their villa” Let’s make them aware that currently the taxi drivers are contributing to this situation.

I don’t want to get embroiled in local politics, or arguments about whether the taxi prices are fair – I don’t think they are. I certainly don’t want to be told to bring extra money to cover it, or hire a car for two weeks etc. I would like the option to use a complimentary shuttle service throughout the main part of the day and evening as provided by any considerate and enterprising business. I may then choose to use the taxi service at other times as I have done regularly in the past. However, in common with others I will refuse to use them whilst ever they try to apply restrictive practices, hassle you whenever you are within 20 yards of the rank or supermarket and charge extortionate prices for even a very short journey, especially after midnight.

Sorry if my first post on the forum is a bit of a rant, but I/we love Kalkan,  our friends Hilary and Kemal at Paradise, in common with many other owners and businesses, are working very hard to provide a fantastic all round holiday experience. Please use any influence you can to help resolve the “taxi issue as” soon as possible and certainly before next season. 

KS

[jayne]

kevsimo, you are so right but unfortunatley I think it may be a case of the green-eyed monster being at work here. The taxi drivers see the restaurants. beach clubs, hotels ect making money from tourists and want a larger piece of the cake. They cannot see the bigger picture, only that they are losing out whilst others are gaining. They have no interest in how others businesses will suffer, it''s their own self interest at stake here, however short sighted that is.

[Blue Lizard]

last year was the first year in 23 years in Turkey i didn''t use one taxi.....i shall continue like it

[bluefudge11]

Hi kevsimo
Good points well made - again
I have  just booked Red Sea for next year , Ha! Mr Taxi drivers no more of your abuse for me!
(and overall cheaper than the "paradise" that is Kalkan)
I will still visit this site in occasions because I will never say never and there are a lot of great people here .
Thanks
BF

[kevincat99]

Whilst collecting a friend from Dalaman airport yesterday I noticed that the taxi fare to Kalkan was £85
On the basis that companies such as ABI and ADDA do it for £50 [and they have to provide the same resources as a taxi i.e. a car - driver - fuel and it is the same distance] and I assume they make some profit on the deal do the taxi drivers therefore make a further £35 profit
No wonder they want all the business !!

[kalcamp]

I was out for dinner the other night with a group of holidayers, who''d made the mistake of not checking just how far their villa was,[a little further than the 10 mins quoted], and were so enraged by the unexpected added expense of the high taxi fare home, they said they did not need this kind of outrage whilst trying to relax on holiday, arguments and unpleasantness, and that they would not be returning to Kalkan in future. They said there are plenty of other nicer more facilitating places to go in Turkey.

[Cosetta]

The sad facts are ...

1) The shop and restaurant owners don''t seem to be able to unite to exert pressure on the taxi drivers, yet they are or will be losing business and are the ONLY ONES who can maybe change this situation through a united front against the abusive drivers. Hotel owners and shopkeepers are intimated by the taxi drivers'' threats.
2) The Mayor grants the taxi licenses and could care less about this situation
3) The Mayor does not speak English and the only time we tried to see him, he refused
4) He does not read this Forum, no interest because in his view, for every tourist who never returns, new people come, even if only once. There are more people of other European nationalities now coming to Kalkan.
6) There are no police in Kalkan, only Jandarm.  The Jandarm has zero authority over prices and taxi drivers, unless they attack someone.
7) These physical attacks have been going on for a number of years.  A well-known Kalkan electrician was savagely beaten up a few years ago because he dared write a negative article about certain things going on in Kalkan.

As so many have said, vote with your feet!

[sally]

As so many have said, vote with your feet!

I fully intend to explore Kas when I''m out in September - I have a feeling this could be my last visit to Kalkan.

Most interesting & informative post (as ever), Cosetta.

[Chris18648]

  I can clearly remember having a panic attack three years ago (not a person who usually suffers panic attacks !!) because a taxi driver was so rude to us,and made me feel very vulnerable.As we were in Kalamar Bay staying a taxi home was necessary.
Each year since I have had to swallow the fear when using taxis,not realising that it was a widespread problem.
It was worse this year than before....... Cosetta,your post was really interesting.Chris.

[Blue Lizard]

Chris thats terrible....why not stay near the village ..make the taxi drivers have a panic attack when they get no fares!! they get diddly squat from us

[holidayfever]

Is a small part of the problem they have just far too many taxi''s. If at the end of a night you had to wait 10 min or so as you would in England then that wouldnt be a problem, seems to me far too many taxi''s for such a small area, after all not many peoples taxi ride would be more than 10 min. Still think like other towns they should have a dolmus for the kalamar road area. No Chance.

[felicity]

Vote with your feet - for those that know Kalkan - stay within walking distance and (like me) NEVER go near a taxi - unfortunately for the first timers - they will not be so lucky to have that advance knowledge - but for those seasoned kalkanites - that has GOT to be the answer.. (at least until somebody comes up with a solution to this terrible problem) I can''t begin to understand how frightening that experience must have been for chris 

[Chris18648]

I am hoping sincerely that I can come back to Kalkan in October. It is in balance.If we do it will be the first time in Kalkan that we have not stayed at the Kulube.
This decision has been made solely on the fact that I no longer wish to endure the need for a taxi at the end of a blissful evening.
I wish that I was fit enough to walk,but it will be the Meldi for us in October ,which is not a bridge to far to walk ,and I know that it will be as beautiful as being at the Kulube because nothing changes what we love about Kalkan.
  These guys must not win.

[felicity]

Hi Chris - rest assured that Kalkan awaits you - and the Meldi is a VERY special place - you will be completely smitten with it and the staff  - and you will be better off for not needing to use the taxis!!

Enjoy!