I dislike vulnerable people such as tourists getting ripped off. It is very frequent in France.
I also remember getting ripped off when I was very young during a trip to Paris. The waitress doubled the price of the meal. As my French was poor plus I was so young, I just paid up. It certainly would never happen today !!! I stick up for myself as life has taught me to do so.
Paris is an awful place due to pick pockets and criminals using knifes to rob tourists. Spain and especially Barcelona is the worst place in Europe for crime. When I used to work, we mainly received calls from clients in Barcelona stating that they had been either robbed or
that were tricked by getting out of their car only to be robbed of all of their possessions. One tip is to never, ever get out
of your car if someone suggests you to do so.
I found the attitude of the taxi driver appalling and thought that the tourist managed very well.
He was quite calm and said the right things. Moreover and happily his English was very good. It's a shame that he paid up but I think that due to
the aggressive manner of the driver, he may have been frightened and wanted to protect his girlfriend.
I really hope that the police find the driver but I think there is very little chance. I really would like him off the streets ! Such an appalling criminal !
I always take public transport or private hire vans when travelling to and from an airport/station. In London, I take a black cab and have always felt safe. I always check the fare beforehand and ask the driver to quote the price before getting into the taxi.
Europe's worst countries for tourist scams