我還記得第一次真正覺得「台灣計程車司機也會坑殺人」的時候。幾年前有個上海的朋友來找我玩，我想帶她去看看花蓮的風景。人生地不熟，加上行程比較分散，於是我們決定找當地的計程車司機包車。價格談好是一天六千元。

第一天的經驗非常美好。那位司機不僅熱心，把該跑的景點都跑完了，行程結束時還很主動地說要帶我們去夜市逛逛，而且分文不收。那一刻我甚至覺得這筆錢花得很值得。然而第二天完全是另一個世界。司機一開始就顯得心不在焉，有些景點根本就漏掉不帶我們去。等到朋友說想去大魯閣裡面的一些付費景點走走時，下車之前他突然開口要再額外收我們六千元。我整個人愣住了，覺得這根本就是遇到黑車。那天的行程也只跑了一半，司機大多時間乾脆把車停在馬路旁，等我們自己走完再出來找他。我心裡其實很不甘願，試著跟他討價還價，但對方態度非常強硬。想到我的朋友還在一旁等著，只好乖乖掏錢。事後回想起來，如果當下冷靜一點，我應該直接叫他開去警察局處理。

不只是花蓮，我在台北和高雄也碰過不少糟糕的經驗。有一次回家的路，明明跳錶只要一百塊，司機卻拼命推銷說走快速道路比較快。結果繞了一大圈，車資飆到快四百元。付錢的時候看到他臉上那種詭異的笑容，心裡真的是五味雜陳。去高雄更是誇張，遇過直接說「這段沒有跳錶」的司機，明明走路五分鐘就能到的地方，硬是給你繞來繞去。

幸好現在有Uber，價格都是事先標明的固定費用，接單前能看清楚，事後還有評分制度，如果出現爭議，也有平台可以申訴。跟傳統計程車比起來，至少讓人心裡有個底。所以我現在總結出一個教訓：下次要去花蓮或其他地方旅行，千萬不要再包計程車。看似方便，實際上不但貴，還很容易遇到騙子。最好的方式就是自己租車，想去哪裡就去哪裡，至少不用再擔心被司機牽著鼻子走。

That year, I truly realized that taxis in Taiwan could become the most unexpected “surprises” of a trip. A friend from Shanghai came to visit me, and I planned to take her to Hualien to see the scenic spots in eastern Taiwan. Since I was unfamiliar with the area and the attractions were scattered, we decided to hire a local driver for the whole day, agreeing on a price of 6,000 TWD.

The first day, the driver was like a travel angel. The itinerary was perfectly organized, and we visited all the planned spots. After finishing, he even offered to take us to the night market without charging extra. I silently praised him, thinking the 6,000 TWD was well spent, even imagining that the sun itself would smile on our trip.

But the second day completely shattered that impression. The driver was clearly distracted and skipped several attractions on the schedule. My friend suggested visiting a paid attraction inside Taroko Park. When we got off, he unexpectedly demanded an additional 6,000 TWD. I was dumbfounded. That day, we only completed about half of the itinerary, and he spent most of the time parked on the road waiting for us to finish exploring. I tried to negotiate, but he was immovable. With my friend waiting, I had no choice but to pay. At that moment, I silently swore that next time, I would just have him drive straight to the police station.

It wasn’t just Hualien; taxis in Taipei and Kaohsiung also left their marks. Once, on my way home, a trip that should have cost 100 TWD turned into nearly 400 TWD because the driver convinced me to take a “faster route,” which ended up being a huge detour. Other times, places just a five-minute walk away were deliberately taken in loops. Seeing his strange grin made me feel like I had stepped onto the set of an absurd comedy.

Thankfully, now there’s Uber. Prices are fixed, you know the cost before you book, and there’s a rating and complaint system. Compared to traditional taxis, at least I have peace of mind—I don’t have to worry about being taken on a detour or being scammed.

This experience taught me that no matter how beautiful a trip is, you can’t completely rely on others. Next time I go to Hualien or anywhere else, I’d rather rent a car and take full control of my itinerary. I can go wherever I want, avoid being scammed, and not waste my energy on unexpected “surprises.” Traveling should be about relaxing and enjoying yourself, not a test of patience and nerves.