The outsides were once black and yellow but can now only be described as: Rusty. When deciding on a fee for the cab it is not done by person but by how far, you MUST agree on a price before getting in the cab. Since you're white they'll try to rip you off. Haggling is tough though, sometimes the drivers don't speak much french so we make do. Also there aren't really any addresses here, so you have to say the neighborhood and a landmark. so to get to school it's "point E, derriere la police de Point E" sometimes they pretend they know where that is, usually they manage to find it eventually.
So it's funny how you go from haggling with the driver who is clearly trying to get the best of you to being amicable. I've heard (though have yet to experience this) that when taking a taxi alone, the questions get rather personal. "oh you're american! where?" or even more so: "you married?" etc.
While deciding on a price can be a challenge, finding an available cab never is. In fact, for us, we are never short of cabbies ready to overcharge us.
Racial profiling is something that I can say I've experienced a lot since I've been here. When the cabbies see a "toubab" (whitie) they assume that because I am white I am a tourist; because i am a white tourist I am (most likely) American; because I am a white, American tourist, I am rich; because I am a rich, white american tourist I am lost and in desperate need of a taxi, and will most likely over pay for it.
But with the streets full of taxis how is a silly american like myself supposed to know which ones are available? Oh that's easy. They honk, slow down and stare at you. Usually ignoring them is enough for them to understand that you don't want a taxi, but thanks anyway. I have lost track of how many times i get honked at on my walk between home and school (and i've only done the walk 3 times!!)
