Cab-catching in Spanish cities can be a minefield for the unwary, with pitfalls ranging from being overcharged to having to listen to extended harangues on the sorry state of the nation whilst trapped in a decrepit 1994 Seat Toledo at a set of unchanging traffic lights in 42ºC of heat because your driver believes that using the air-con places an undue strain on the battery. There isn’t much you can do about the former, but a few simple tips can help make the experience the pleasure it should be. Try to avoid calling for a cab beforehand as they start charging when they receive the call, not when you get in. If taking a cab from the airport, make sure you see your taxista zero the meter, especially if you’re bleary-eyed after a long flight: I was once caught out like this after getting back to Madrid’s Barajas Airport from Buenos Aires at 6 a.m. (And be prepared to pay the airport and baggage surcharges.) If there seem to be a lot of road works in the area you’re trying to catch your cab, be prepared to walk a few yards and put them behind you, because taxi drivers understandably tend to avoid them. If you have to catch a cab late at night, when they are in short supply, be ready to be ruthless. It’s not unusual to wait for ten minutes and then suddenly find someone popping out in front of you to hail the approaching cab you had your eye on, so you should be the one doing the popping. If you have journey time to spare and good eyesight, it’s probably a good idea to quickly gauge whether you like the state of the oncoming cab and the look of the driver before flagging it down: the suspension of some older vehicles brings back childhood memories of the Flintstones. My experience is that women drivers, contrary to what many male taxistas will tell you, are often better – less pent-up rage. Taxi drivers are not expected to take you to your destination by the shortest or quickest route but by the route you tell them to, so a bit of homework with a local A-Z is not a bad idea – try to give the name not only of the destination, but of a major road en route - “por favor, a la Puerta del Sol por (via) la calle Alcalá” – to avoid an unnecessarily round-the-houses journey. And at the end of your trip, tip only if you’ve enjoyed the ride. But if you don’t tip, don’t expect a friendly goodbye.