Crafting the art of bartering

Upon approaching any main road, I am immediately greeted by a plethora of taxis and their frequent and quick use of the horn, awaiting a wave of the hand or any signal of confirmation for the need of a driver.   When I am not in need of one, this is usually accompanied by a look of utter disbelief combined with a hand-wrist flick combo. When in need, however, taxis in Ghana do not use a meter to determine the fare of the journey but rather only unwritten "standard" fares between destinations which can of course be easily inflated.   Thus, agreeing on a reasonable fare requires the help of those familiar with the territory, trial & error and ultimately skillful bartering.

My first week in Accra was a good week for the taxi drivers of the city that cashed in on my lack of knowledge of the local fares.  As with most things, learning the rates and bartering took a little practice and while the taxi drivers may have enjoyed my first week, I can say it hasn’t been so easy for them since. 

Typically, the driver will tell you to simply get into the taxi, however, it is best to first establish the fare of the journey.  Being an obroni, the taxi driver will usually give an absurdly high fare.  I tend to greet this ridiculous amount with a little laugh and shoot back with a fare of at least half or approximately 2 to 3 cedis below the typical fare depending on distance of journey.  This allows for a little wiggle room and even the potential to grab a bargain. It also lets the driver know that I am familiar with the rates.  If the taxi driver doesn’t come down to an acceptable fare, not a problem I simply move on to the next taxi.  This is also beneficial because the second taxi driver will likely have seen me decline the first and offer a more reasonable amount. 

Nevertheless, while the initial bartering may at times be a bit intense and slightly heated, it is simply business.  I like to approach my style of bartering with a sense of humour and respect, which has worked pretty well thus far.  Once the fare is agreed, the journey is underway and is often a very pleasant ride – one taxi driver even offered me a few plantain chips (my favourite!!).