ORANGE COUNTY, Fla — “I didn’t know what to do, so I paid the guy,” said Tyler Coburn of Brevard County.
Coburn claims he got taken for a ride when he was charged an outrageous price for a short pedicab ride outside the Orange County Convention Center after originally getting quoted a lower fare. He told Action 9 Consumer Investigator Jeff Deal the driver initially told him it would be $30 for the ride, but once it ended, the driver informed him it would be more than $250. Action 9 has since learned this isn’t the first time the driver has been accused of trying to inflate the price for his riders.
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MEGACON Orlando at the Orange County Convention Center is always a great time for Tyler Coburn and his sister.
Coburn said, “You can do whatever you want and just talk to everybody. It’s such a cool event.”
But after a long day of walking the convention floor in March, what he claims happened outside the convention center was not cool. Pedicabs lined up. He said one of the drivers quoted him $15 each for a ride to his car.
“So, $30 for me and my sister. I’m like, ‘Aright, let’s go hop on. That’s fine,’” he said.
It was only at the end of the ride, he claims the driver informed him he owed $255 for what was about an eight minute ride. He estimates the distance was maybe a mile. Coburn showed Action 9 the receipt for VIP Pedicab with a total charge of $265 after he said the driver even pressured him into leaving a tip.
Coburn told Action 9, “What I should have done is walked away, but I’m not that type of guy to just, you know, leave the guy hanging.”
Searching through public records, Consumer Investigator Jeff Deal learned the only driver registered with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office to operate in the I-Drive District for VIP Pedicab Company LLC is Carlos Mejia Gonzalez, who goes by Carlos Mejia.
This is not the first time, he’s been accused of inflating the price at the end of a ride. In October last year in Jacksonville, following the Jaguars game against the Chiefs, a father and son claim Mejia Gonzalez quoted them $20 a person, then at the end of the ride informed them the charge was $250.
When they refused to pay, records show they claim Mejia Gonzalez pushed the father in his lower back, stole his cell phone and tried to run away, then bit the son on the arm when he stepped in to stop him.
Carlos Mejia Gonzalez was arrested for robbery and battery.
WFTV Legal Analyst Bill Sheaffer said, “This is not only a local problem. This is an international problem.”
Sheaffer explained he had a pedicab driver in France inflate the price for him at the end of the ride earlier this year. In Florida, he said he said changing the price like that would fall under the state’s deceptive and unfair trade practices act because it misrepresents the price of the service.
“The problem is, how are you going to prove it? And it’s he said, she said,” Sheaffer said.
Sheaffer said unscrupulous drivers likely know this which is why that kind of thing can happen.
An Orange County ordinance requires pedicab drivers and companies to be registered and they must clearly display the county decal number and the rate schedule on their cab. The ordinance specifically states, “No driver of any non-motorized vehicle-for-hire may charge a fee which is not so posted.”
Action 9 tried to track Carlos Mejia Gonzalez down at the VIP Pedicab business address in downtown Orlando, by phone and by email. He responded by email with the following message:
Regarding the March 21st ride, the fare was clearly communicated and agreed upon before the ride began. I do not change pricing after a ride is completed. The payment, including any tip, was made voluntarily by the customer.
I have not received any complaint directly from this individual, nor any dispute through the payment provider.
With respect to the incident in Jacksonville, that matter is currently pending legal review. On advice of counsel, I am not able to comment on those allegations at this time. I will say that I look forward to the facts being fully reviewed through the proper process.
Still, Tyler Coburn said he has disputed the charge with his bank and believes Mejia Gonzalez should refund his money.
Jeff Deal asked, “Do you think you would ever take a pedicab again?”
Coburn answered, “No, I will walk or find somewhere closer to park.”
Before you ride make sure you check for the rate card that they’re supposed to have displayed. You could also consider asking to pay upfront for the ride. If you find yourself in a similar situation and want to avoid conflict, it’s better to pay by credit card than a debit card because you have more protections if you need to dispute the charge.