New taxi thread

[Brah]

The title is a bit of a pun

New in that it's Yet Another Taxi Rant thread, new in that it relates to new taxis.

Now there is such a variety of types of cars and prices it's become a bit ridiculous.

There are still Crowns at $3.00, Sonatas at $3.20, Chevys at $3.40 or $3.60, Mercedes at I have no idea as I don't take those, and Peugeot or some other car at $3.70, and another car at $3.90 (!!!). The Chryslers are something like $5.00.

Note at the airport how the guys managing the queue see a Westerner and try to pawn off the Chryslers, Mercedes and other expensive ones, and when they do, they hear it from me about being racist.

I prefer the Crowns, as they're the most roomy and easy to get in and out, and good trunk space if needed. I am ok with Sonatas. I refuse to take the others unless I'm in dire need.

Am I stingy? Maybe. But maybe I just don't like being taken advantage of - having said that, this appears to be a ploy to get riders used to the climbing prices, somehow trying to justify that with different types of cars. For that reason I think it won't be long before the Sonatas go the way of the Crowns.

[zzm9980]

All things being equal I'll take the cheaper option if I'm alone. But I personally have no problem taking even the Chrysler if it means I will wait a few minutes less.

[Strong Eagle]

I'll take the Mercedes every time if they are on the meter. It's only 50 to 90 cents more on the flag down and the per kilometer charge is the same as other taxis. I avoid the Chrysler taxis because they are half as much again per kilometer in addition to the $5.00 flag down charge.

Comfort wise the Mercedes win hands down. Quiet, comfortable, with a good ride. The old Toyota Crowns had lots of room and a good ride but also had a low rumble/drone at expressway speeds that made it hard to hear or talk on the phone.

I find the Sonatas to be OK but they have a somewhat sharp ride, including a tendency to a sharp oscillation when going over a bump in a turn at speed. I've taken the Chrysler once when my travel mate was going to pay for it. Also a very nice and quiet ride.

I've not tried the others... except for the ancient Nissan Cedrics... I think they are pretty much all gone now.

[Max Headroom]

Frankly, all I want when I hail a cab is for the chap to take me from A to B. A simple sedan will do.

I suspect these bigger and more upmarket models serve a special-request purpose for people in larger groups, or carrying a ton of equipmentS, or perhaps when there's a wheelchair involved.

Of course, there's not enough of these call-in jobs to make a decent living, so these special-taxi drivers try their luck driving around. Me, I prefer not to subsidize their apparently unsustainable choice of taxi, so I wave them on.

Now, speaking of taxis, I wish that they would do their job, i.e. pick me up unconditionally, rather than roll by to ask if my destination meets with their approval. This used to happen every now and again but now is totally rampant.

Just this morning, as in, pre-dawn, I saw these two ladies get rejected by a cab after he pulled over to ask where they're going. He drove off, sans passengers, towards Katong. I wonder what riches he's expecting to reap in Katong.

By the way, I doubt that it's simply a "changing shift" thing, because it happens way too frequently for just that. I reckon it's got something to do with surcharges. I think they're aiming to maximize their takings by doing more shorter trips during (impending) rush-hour, i.e. copping the surcharge several times over, as opposed to doing, say, a Chua Chu Kang to Pasir Ris slog, which would eat up a good half hour of the rush-hour for just the one surcharge bonus.

I can't really blame them, but ideal it's not.

[rajagainstthemachine]

If I am paying for the taxi, I'd prefer a crown, even an old black crown taxi.
If I am travelling for work, I like them smrt Toyota hybrids that they have, they are super comfortable.

[QRM]

Has anyone tried uber singapore, This summer holidays I was introduced to it by a chum in London and was very impressed, I noticed Singapore also has uber, All I can say any "outside" competition to the local market might kick it into shape?

[JR8]

The Crown's tend to lurch around a lot more, in a 'stop'/'go' kind of fashion, as the driver takes his foot off and back onto the pedal. It's makes for an uncomfortable ride.

For that reason the Hyundai Sonata is about the ideal choice for me.

I've been in a big Chrysler one a couple of times. Great in the front, but not much room in the back (as I recall).

Makes you appreciate the beauty of flat-rate flag-fall and mileage system in other places (London, NYC, Tokyo etc). The system here seems almost designed to confuse. Pity the budget tourists who get pointed to the premium vehicles, who know no better. As Brah observes, I too have had the taxi uncle at Changi point me 'the tourist' at a Chrysler taxi, and I had to tell him I wanted a regular one.

[JR8]

Has anyone tried uber singapore, This summer holidays I was introduced to it by a chum in London and was very impressed, I noticed Singapore also has uber, All I can say any "outside" competition to the local market might kick it into shape?

I asked the wife. She said she hadn't realised it existed here. She said she has used a taxi booking facility called Grab. Apparently it shows a location map with indicators for each taxi in your area with driver name/plate etc. But she only tried it once as she couldn't get a taxi that time.

Do these kind of sites involve drivers bidding for a fare? Just curious.

[Brah]

I haven't tried Uber yet but am keen to hear more, a friend has and had good things to say.

Another taxi-related topic or rant I have is something that doesn't happen often, but happened recently.

Coming back from the airport, luggage in car, the driver stood there as if it was going to load itself. I always help the driver but wait for him to make the first move, otherwise quite often they will let you do it. I always tip per bag.

When he watched me waiting for him to help and just stood there, I said something like "whose job is this anyway", and he said that they weren't supposed to load the luggage.

So I'd like to hear what others have to say about that. Then I'll tell you what kind of tip they get for this approach.

[sundaymorningstaple]

As heavy as I travel, particularly on the return journey back to Singapore, I don't expect a taxi driver to lift my bags. He a driver, not a baggage ape. Baggage apes are found in the airports around the runways and baggage travelators. Wonder who would pay for a taxi driver's slipped disc should that happen?

[GSM8]

Makes you appreciate the beauty of flat-rate flag-fall and mileage system in other places (London, NYC, Tokyo etc). The system here seems almost designed to confuse. Pity the budget tourists who get pointed to the premium vehicles, who know no better. As Brah observes, I too have had the taxi uncle at Changi point me 'the tourist' at a Chrysler taxi, and I had to tell him I wanted a regular one.

Its still 1/4 the price of a taxi in London, NYC or Tokyo

[JR8]

As heavy as I travel, particularly on the return journey back to Singapore, I don't expect a taxi driver to lift my bags. He a driver, not a baggage ape.

They never seem to here. It's all up to you.
And yet then you get to other countries, and you're almost embargoed from touching your own luggage, as drivers take it upon themselves to manhandle it (a very US thing actually, come to think of it, then they want a tip, even when you REALLY didn't want their ''''help''''...!

Its still 1/4 the price of a taxi in London, NYC or Tokyo

You get 'cost of living index' yah? Or do you think a taxi here in Hicksvilleapore should cost the same as in Oslo or Zurich?

[ecureilx]

. Wonder who would pay for a taxi driver's slipped disc should that happen?

exactly

and back home, when a passenger complained about the inhuman treatment she had seen her luggage receiving, when they were unloading the plane, the Customer service innocently asked the lady is it easy to carry a 30 kilo one piece luggage or does the pax carry ever tried lifting it!!!

[zzm9980]

Has anyone tried uber singapore, This summer holidays I was introduced to it by a chum in London and was very impressed, I noticed Singapore also has uber, All I can say any "outside" competition to the local market might kick it into shape?

I tried to try Uber numerous times at launch but could never find a car. Every time the local cars were all unavailable, so was Uber.

Also, Uber's price in Singapore is orders of magnitude higher than anything else. Uber has multiple 'tiers' of service, and at the time they only had UberExec. Not sure if thats changed. At the time, it was almost twice a Chrysler 300M, and I think it actually was the same 300Ms.

[zzm9980]

I haven't tried Uber yet but am keen to hear more, a friend has and had good things to say.

Another taxi-related topic or rant I have is something that doesn't happen often, but happened recently.

Coming back from the airport, luggage in car, the driver stood there as if it was going to load itself. I always help the driver but wait for him to make the first move, otherwise quite often they will let you do it. I always tip per bag.

When he watched me waiting for him to help and just stood there, I said something like "whose job is this anyway", and he said that they weren't supposed to load the luggage.

So I'd like to hear what others have to say about that. Then I'll tell you what kind of tip they get for this approach.

I always load my own and didn't mind. Sometimes I'd see near-ancient uncles trying to help me with my bags, and other times guys younger than me just standing there jaw agape. If they're not going to help though, I prefer them to stay in the car and not get out to just "supervise" wasting both of our time.