Haggling for a taxi in Marrakesh

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The name Marrakech originates from the Berber and means "Land of God". Which is all nice and good but after three flights and many hours cooling my heels in airports I wasn't exactly in a religious mood when I finally arrived in Marrakech. My mood as I headed out of the airport might have also been primed by reading about how aggressive the taxi cab drivers of Marrakesh can be. Rip off artists was how one guidebook labeled them. I headed out the door into the sea of cabbies prepared not to be taken. I would hold my own.

The most recent guidebook had suggested that 50-70 dirhams should be the proper fare for a cab into the city but that cabbies would charge whatever they could get (Now let me be frank 50 -70 dirhams is only $8-11 Cdn, but there was a principle at stake here) Like airport cabs everywhere they do not go on meters but on what they can get. I wasn't 20 feet out the door when a cabbie rushed forward with his hand extended to take my rolling suitcase, literally trying to take it from my hand. When I insisted to know what the fare would be he finally related the fare would be 110dh. I walked away to his protestations, game on!

A second cabbie approached having watched the encounter with cabbie 1. He sheepishly quoted me 100dh as I brushed past him. My "Non Merci" brought him down to 80 dh in a flash but I kept walking as he gave chase.

Now the closer approached. He was a bear of a man. At least 6' 3" and 240 lbs. He asked what I wanted to pay to get to the my riad. As I kept walking towards the public roundabout where I could find metered cabs I calmly told him I would pay 50 dh for the fare. He went red in the face and told me no one would do it for less than 75 dh. Unfortunately at this stage of the haggling game I snorted in humor. This was getting quite funny but he didn't think so. His voice got louder by several decibels and his body language took on an aggressive tone. He was insulted, how could he put food on the table for his family? How could he keep his taxi running? That wouldn't even pay for gas!! In short he tried to intimidate me into going with him. This exchange was watched by at least 2 dozen interested cabbies. I started walking again towards the roundabout. I got about 10m away when the "Bear" came down to 70 dh. I kept walking as he grumbled louder and louder.

Finally a young man in his 20's stepped forward, ignored the "Bear" and told me he would find me someone for 50 dh. So I followed him as he went from cabbie to cabbie asking them in Arabic if they would take me. They all asked to look at the address then quoted a price that was above what I was determined to pay. I was just about to start my walk to the public road once more when the young cabbie said he would take me himself. Finally satisfied that I was on my way, we loaded my luggage into his cab and I settled in off for the ride to town (maybe 15 minutes). All the while the "Bear" stood about 5 m away yelling at the young man in Arabic.

I was smiled on the way into the Medina as I drank in my first sights of Africa and knowing that I had won my initial haggling challenge

In the end I gave him 60 dh even though a tip is not expected in Morocco. He had been polite and had genuinely tried to be helpful. At the Riad, Jerome, the owner asked how was the cab ride was. I related my haggling triumph with pride, feeling like an experienced traveller. He burst out laughing saying that since the dh had fallen in value a year ago the going rate was 70-80 dh. Had I won or had I just undercut a cabbie trying to make a living? Not sure of the answer but I know I wish I had researched the situation a little more.

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