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Taxi experience

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Ask4me
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Taxi experience

Post by Ask4me » Mon, 24 Jan 2011 12:25 am

As a recent arrival from UK, I just wanted to share a couple of experiences regarding Singapore taxis. They must be the most polite cabbies I've come across any where. The other day, this lady driver was a bit unsure of the address I gave and ended up circling the neighbourhood a couple of times before finding the right place. Later she apologised and insisted that I paid her less than the metered fare. Then on a different occasion, I returned from shopping in Ikea and discovered an a hour or so later that I had left my briefcase (containing cash, mobile and passport) in the back of the taxi! Rang the company without really holding much hope of a positive outcome but within the hour my taxi driver called at the front door with briefcase and all its contents intact. I am simply speechless with admiration.

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Post by gravida » Mon, 24 Jan 2011 12:31 pm

Yes, it happens here.
Together with the fact than on # of occasions taxi drivers did not help me with the pram while I was traveling with my baby, some of them honked on me and expected to walk towards them instead of driving to the pick up point highlighted in the booking, they burp, fart and pick up their noses + dig out the wax from their ears, they don't admit they have no idea where is the place I'm asking them to go and then just drive towards the area, they refuse to pick you up suddenly informing that they have a shift change or are on call (when your destination doesn't suit their plans or is not popular, where they can have another pick up after you)...

At the same time there are lovely people here and I agree - most likely this is very unique and who knows if it does not happen only here, but you can get back your stuff left in the taxi. I've left my video camera with very important video (work related) and got it back within couple of hours.

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Post by ev-disinfection » Mon, 24 Jan 2011 1:08 pm

Hi Ask4me: Generally the locals are friendly, and if you smile and ask, they will go out of their way to help and assist. But be aware of some locals who will take advantage and over charge...
As for the taxi's.... it will depend on luck to get your stuff back, and if you do, give the driver something for his effort to return, and then more will return stuff than less, in future.

(Local Guy) :D

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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Mon, 24 Jan 2011 1:30 pm

ev-disinfection wrote:give the driver something for his effort to return, and then more will return stuff than less, in future.
Wanna bet! That's exactly what the gahmen thought when they gave out $20K baby bonuses. BBZZZZZZ! :P

That's the problem here, social morals here are only practiced when there is a monetary reward attached to them. Or a monetary penalty attached to them if they don't. (littering) Otherwise, pfft!
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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Post by ev-disinfection » Mon, 24 Jan 2011 1:40 pm

sundaymorningstaple wrote:
ev-disinfection wrote:give the driver something for his effort to return, and then more will return stuff than less, in future.
Wanna bet! That's exactly what the gahmen thought when they gave out $20K baby bonuses. BBZZZZZZ! :P
Well, 20 k for more babies, is not a good incentive, cause it will clash with their careers (happening all over the world), remember the days when men worked and women took care of the homes, the reason for the low birth rate is women working.

That's the problem here, social morals here are only practiced when there is a monetary reward attached to them. Or a monetary penalty attached to them if they don't. (littering) Otherwise, pfft!
Well, didn't say that it was not a problem, don't you think that by giving them something for their effort, it will help to slowing change things? I agreed that all humans should be naturally gracious, but most are not

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Post by ksl » Mon, 24 Jan 2011 1:48 pm

ev-disinfection wrote:
sundaymorningstaple wrote:
ev-disinfection wrote:give the driver something for his effort to return, and then more will return stuff than less, in future.
Wanna bet! That's exactly what the gahmen thought when they gave out $20K baby bonuses. BBZZZZZZ! :P
Well, 20 k for more babies, is not a good incentive, cause it will clash with their careers (happening all over the world), remember the days when men worked and women took care of the homes, the reason for the low birth rate is women working.

That's the problem here, social morals here are only practiced when there is a monetary reward attached to them. Or a monetary penalty attached to them if they don't. (littering) Otherwise, pfft!
Well, didn't say that it was not a problem, don't you think that by giving them something for their effort, it will help to slowing change things? I agreed that all humans should be naturally gracious, but most are not
You are right! Though I wish someone would return my leather bag that i left behind someplace in Orchard area, the night i had tooo many :oops: I would gladly give 50$ to get it back, and there was nothing in it only my business cards with telephone number!

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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Mon, 24 Jan 2011 2:22 pm

ev-disinfection wrote:
sundaymorningstaple wrote:
ev-disinfection wrote:give the driver something for his effort to return, and then more will return stuff than less, in future.
Wanna bet! That's exactly what the gahmen thought when they gave out $20K baby bonuses. BBZZZZZZ! :P
Well, 20 k for more babies, is not a good incentive, cause it will clash with their careers (happening all over the world), remember the days when men worked and women took care of the homes, the reason for the low birth rate is women working.

Is that what you are trying to blame the low fertility rate on? BS! Most families in the US have both parents working and the fertility rate is 2.3. Go figure! Actually I don't remember those days and my memory goes back 6 decades. Though, I do remember the days when both my parents worked, (the whole time I was a child until well after I left home) and my mother kept house, cleaned, cooked and took care of us kids as well. All without "hired" help. I think the guys here are afraid of the women and can no longer get it up. Heck, you hear 'em crying all the time how having to NS will "let the women get ahead of us in business" yadda, yadda, yadda. If they get much more emasculated, we'll not be able to tell if they are men or eunuchs. So much for the patriarchal society. :P

That's the problem here, social morals here are only practiced when there is a monetary reward attached to them. Or a monetary penalty attached to them if they don't. (littering) Otherwise, pfft!
Well, didn't say that it was not a problem, don't you think that by giving them something for their effort, it will help to slowing change things?

Nope. Not in the least. Well, maybe after 3 generations. The courtesy campaign has been running now for 32 years. I've been here for 29 of them, Absolutely no change yet. That's 1.5 generations already!

I agreed that all humans should be naturally gracious, but most are not
Image
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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Post by ev-disinfection » Mon, 24 Jan 2011 2:38 pm

so what should be done? is it impossible or need a couple of more generations... Well, if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem,

Well, back then, we were the "help" and as SG prospered, we had to "keep up with the Jones" (US phrase)
I must admit that our guys right now are too pampered and wimpy... :(

The courtesy campaign worked, imagine without it, we would be worse off.

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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Mon, 24 Jan 2011 4:43 pm

ev-disinfection wrote:so what should be done? is it impossible or need a couple of more generations... Well, if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem,
My favourite saying! :cool:

It's what I've been telling my wife and kids as long as I've been here. At least they followed my lead and when somebody does something discourteous, my kids AND my local wife will tell 'em off "straight on their face" as my wife likes to put it. But, until you and every other Singaporean starts doing the same, it's never going to change. When you see somebody doing something wrong, if you DO NOT tell that person off, you are, in effect, giving tacit approval for the person to act that way. The problem isn't a cultural one as you don't see the rudeness that is so ingrained here, in other Asian countries. So until that happens, it's never going to change.

I think that the problem is immigration. You need to open it up and let in more foreigners. Otherwise, it isn't going to matter. The MNC's will be gone and this country will revert to the backwater it once was all because of the graying population due to too low of a birth rate. You all are so wrapped up in your mememem selves that you don't see the writing on the wall. Without foreigners, who's going to do the work and keep productivity up and ever increasing GDP that will be needed to keep attracting foreign businesses to locate here? All because of whining locals who cry over lost jobs, but want more money, but do less work. And expect foreigners, who they don't want, to continue to pick up their garbage that they are too lazy to throw into the bins provided right beside every HDB mailbox. :roll:
Last edited by sundaymorningstaple on Mon, 24 Jan 2011 4:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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Post by ev-disinfection » Mon, 24 Jan 2011 4:57 pm

sundaymorningstaple wrote:I think that the problem is immigration. You need to open it up and let in more foreigners. Otherwise, it isn't going to matter. The MNC's will be gone and this country will revert to the backwater it once was all because of the graying population due to too low of a birth rate. You all are so wrapped up in your mememem selves that you don't see the writing on the wall. Without foreigners, who's going to do the work and keep productivity up and ever increasing GDP that will be needed to keep attracting foreign businesses to locate here? All because of whining locals who cry over lost jobs, but want more money, but do less work. And expect foreigners, who they don't want, to continue to pick up their garbage that they are too lazy to throw into the bins provided right beside every HDB mailbox. :roll:
I am all for more foreign talent to come in, and mind you...not only the China, India, Indonesian and Malaysian people, to keep Singapore "Asian".
Do you agree that the expats should mix around more with the locals, to form a better Singapore?
If more FT come and eventully live here, but stick to their own enclaves, it will not help much.

Have you tried asking some of these FT out for a drink before? it is not easy ... :P

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Post by carlsum1986 » Mon, 24 Jan 2011 5:04 pm

ev-disinfection wrote:
sundaymorningstaple wrote:I think that the problem is immigration. You need to open it up and let in more foreigners. Otherwise, it isn't going to matter. The MNC's will be gone and this country will revert to the backwater it once was all because of the graying population due to too low of a birth rate. You all are so wrapped up in your mememem selves that you don't see the writing on the wall. Without foreigners, who's going to do the work and keep productivity up and ever increasing GDP that will be needed to keep attracting foreign businesses to locate here? All because of whining locals who cry over lost jobs, but want more money, but do less work. And expect foreigners, who they don't want, to continue to pick up their garbage that they are too lazy to throw into the bins provided right beside every HDB mailbox. :roll:
I am all for more foreign talent to come in, and mind you...not only the China, India, Indonesian and Malaysian people, to keep Singapore "Asian".
Do you agree that the expats should mix around more with the locals, to form a better Singapore?
If more FT come and eventully live here, but stick to their own enclaves, it will not help much.

Have you tried asking some of these FT out for a drink before? it is not easy ... :P

what are the difficulties that you face when asking a FT out for a drink??
I go out with a few locals and all are easy going and easy to approach individuals.....

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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Mon, 24 Jan 2011 5:08 pm

ev-disinfection wrote: I am all for more foreign talent to come in, and mind you...not only the China, India, Indonesian and Malaysian people, to keep Singapore "Asian".
Do you agree that the expats should mix around more with the locals, to form a better Singapore?

By all means. That's why I spent 6 hours Saturday morning & afternoon helping Minister Lim Hwee Hua hand out bursary awards to local school children. It's also the reason that I've been a member of our Executive Member of our RC for several years now. I, like a lot of other expats, live in HDB flats (but the citizens don't want us there either - claim we drive up the prices - damned if we do try to mix and damned if we don't.)


If more FT come and eventully live here, but stick to their own enclaves, it will not help much.

When the citizens don't welcome us into the heartlands, what to do? You also seem to forget that expats aren't all "white".

Have you tried asking some of these FT out for a drink before? it is not easy ... :P

Not all FT are heavy drinkers....
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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