118 CultureShock! Chile
like any Santiaguino. For routes and schedules, check out
http://www.transantiago.cl
The bus ride itself may prove interesting. Throughout
Chile, hawkers often board the bus selling ice cream,
candy, pencils, etc. (They request permission from the bus
driver first and do not pay.) Others may board with guitars
or other musical instruments and play and/or sing. Prior
to the performance many may tell you a sob story about
how they are former prisoners trying to stay on the right
side of the law. Most likely a few are telling the truth, but
some use it as a ploy. Following the performance they will
walk the length of the bus looking for tips. If you liked the
performance, pay accordingly. Occasionally a deaf person
may board and distribute plastic cards with calendars or
sayings to each passenger. Then, he goes back to collect the
money. You are expected to return the card if you don’t want
to make a donation. However, with the implementation of
Transantiago and its new rules, this may soon be a thing of
the past. Bus rides in other cities may still prove interesting,
though.Taxis
Taxis in Chile are black with yellow roofs and run on meters.
In general, you should not negotiate a fixed price beforehand.
There is an abundance of cabs and for the most part they are
very safe. In Santiago, taxis are no longer allowed to enter
a certain eight-block area in the centre without a passenger.
Thus, if you are looking for a taxi and are within this radius
you must find a taxi letting a passenger off. Of course, as
a result of Chilean ingenuity, some cab drivers actually pay
people to ride in the back of the taxi so that they can enter
the zone in order to pick up higher fare passengers.
If it is late at night or you need a taxi to pick you up at
someone’s home you should call a radiotaxi. You must pay a
small surcharge, but it is safe and prompt. Radiotaxi drivers
will even run errands for you, like picking up medicines from
the drugstore or make certain that children riding alone get
home safely. Tourist taxis are commonly found at major
hotels. The ride may be more luxurious, but the fare will be