Champaign, IL - Land of the truly whacked attacks

[Caliga]

The student told police that a man at the airport had convinced him to skip his charter bus ride by offering to drive him to Urbana for $1,000.

[merithyn]

The student told police that a man at the airport had convinced him to skip his charter bus ride by offering to drive him to Urbana for $1,000.

What does he know? He's a complete stranger to this part of the world, and our money is probably a lot like Monopoly money.

[garbon]

Generally wise to know something about potential prices before traveling somewhere.

[Ideologue]

As a frame of reference, a bus ticket from O'Hare to Champaign/Urbana is ~$30.

An 18-year-old U. of I. student from China reported at 11 a.m. Tuesday that a man who had given him a ride to campus from O'Hare International Airport in Chicago had significantly overcharged him. The student told police that a man at the airport had convinced him to skip his charter bus ride by offering to drive him to Urbana for $1,000. The student paid the money, but the driver demanded another $3,800 when they arrived in Urbana.  The student only had $4,200 in cash and said he paid the man out of fear of losing his luggage. The student said he also left his phone, valued at $650, inside the vehicle. The student provided a description of the man and the vehicle to U. of I. Police and officers have contacted the Chicago Police Department as part of their theft investigation.

Also, apparently there were six armed robberies on campus last night, one right after the other. Three with guns, three with.. something else.

Dumb people get greedy.  A $1000 for a ride is obviously preposterous, but contract = contract.

[Admiral Yi]

What does he know? He's a complete stranger to this part of the world, and our money is probably a lot like Monopoly money.

He still knows that this one ride is costing him around a fifth of his entire grub stake.