Trike driver recommendations...

Walk around in the city is the best way to learn Dumaguete to know. I agree with the Dude and if it about saves money it's much cheaper take a trike from one point to another, instead of hire trike all day. Le Plaza to Bacong cost 100 pesos if they want more go to the next and mostly the call you back and say okay. If they drive me without any problems, trying selling their mother or sister to me, I always give a tip. If you go from a point to another outside a route like Le plaza to Robinson, always ask the price first. Kelly Acosta give me little more details, when will you arrive? You want to use the trike all day and how many days a week? When I use Tata, very common nickname here, he had some regular customers but it was early morning and late afternoon, no problem to me

 

I'm too cheap to do this. I'll take the pedicab from Lee Plaza to Robinson's, have it drop me off in front of the bakery instead of going in Robinson's and then get another pedicab to Bacong for 8 pesos. Sometimes they give me the "how much" challenge and I'll offer them up to 30 if it's getting late and a pedicab is difficult to catch out that direction.

Another option is to jump on a multicab, but in the evening most of them are full.

 

Haha I like your way of thinking, I was injured that time and bring a lot of groceries but later on, I took jeepney close to market 10 pesos to Bacong. Today I have a car and a bike, like the freedom, go where I want when I want, but in my own way enjoy my time standing behind the jeepney. You come in contact with the locals and 10 pesos, feel like a free ride

 

Anyone who has tried to catch a trike of jeep on the road between 4 and 6 will understand that part. I try and stay out of that rush hour traffic but it's nice to know I have wheels if I need to do it.

 

I am curious about the "tip". Is it to tell them to ask first the person's sexual orientation?

 

Thanks for your insight...I 'll keep your suggestions in mind. Sounds like fun.

 

Might be a bit high depending on where in Sibulan he had to take you. Sibulan is really quite large. But if you didn't get far off the highway or much past Sibulan proper, 600 might be steep. It's best to negotiate the price ahead of time. If they give you their: "It' up to you, sir." semi-standard answer, then they are hoping you will overpay (as many foreigners tend to do.) I usually respond to that with a comically low-ball amount, like 20 pesos for a ride from Valencia to Dumaguete. Then I laugh and ask again. If he will not give a price, I usually move on (assuming there is another tricycle around to move on to.)

 

I was staying at the Coco Grandi and walked the 4 blocks to Lee Plaza. When I came out it was raining so took a tricycle back to my hotel. I had already pulled a 20 out for the ride. At the hotel I ask how much and he replied 50. I knew that it was only a 7 peso ride. He must have assumed that I just g0t off the plane. I said NO way, he said "It's up to you, sir." I said 5 centavos. He than said 7 pesos sir. I say I knew what the fare was and handed him the 20 and ask for the change. He says no change sir. This all happened in 2009 and at that time I had been to Dumaguete about 20 times and was well aware of that GAME. I got the 20 back and started walking to the Hotel entrance. He started hollering, SIR SIR come back I have change!
He got 7 pesos and lost a 12 peso tip. I have gotten out of a moving cab in Manila because the driver refused to drop the flag on the meter. I refuse to deal with people that try to cheat me.

 

Agree, it isn 't the money in question, that's even less than peanuts, but the way some local trike tricycle drivers do think they can get away with. That's why I have my own hassle free two and four wheels to get around.

 

Similar experience when three of us got a trike for 30 pesos from Dumaguete Port to Sibulan airport. When we arrived at the airport the driver asked for 100, to which my wife replied "You told us 30" - after a small amount of arguing, she gave him the 30 and told him if he didn't like it to go fetch the police. He took the 30 and rode off (to try to con someone else perhaps). As in your story, he lost the tip which would have given him the 100 anyway.

But while we can all recount these stories, we must give positive balance to the majority (IMO) of drivers who do a good job for low pay and are not looking to fiddle anyone.