A shameful taxi system

Cheekybeek · Post by **Cheekybeek** » Sat, 13 May 2006 9:36 am

A few weeks ago after dropping someone off at the airport, I took a cab from the drop off point- not the cab stand. I realised as we were driving away the signs said no taxi pick-ups. I wondered why the cabbie gave me a strange look when I jumped in. He took my home, and I didn't have to pay the extra tariff for coming from the airport.

Worked for me!

Vaucluse · Post by **Vaucluse** » Sat, 13 May 2006 9:43 am

Cheekybeek wrote:A few weeks ago after dropping someone off at the airport, I took a cab from the drop off point- not the cab stand. I realised as we were driving away the signs said no taxi pick-ups. I wondered why the cabbie gave me a strange look when I jumped in. He took my home, and I didn't have to pay the extra tariff for coming from the airport. Worked for me!

That's because of your nice tail feathers . . .

Cheekybeek · Post by **Cheekybeek** » Sat, 13 May 2006 9:45 am

OOps he did NOT take MY home that was a typo! Taxi fares aren't that expensive, even from the airport to way out West.

tiki · Post by **tiki** » Sat, 13 May 2006 10:03 am

Cheekybeek wrote:OOps he did NOT take MY home that was a typo! Taxi fares aren't that expensive, even from the airport to way out West.

The surcharges from the airport is basically to cover for the time they had to queue for passengers. It is not expensive if you take into consideration the comfort and all.

I took a cab from a hotel in river valley road to home and the mercedes cabbie wanted to charge me a flat rate of $35. Apparently it's a 'limo' fare.

One of the hotel staff who was there told the cabbie I was a regular as it was the hotel where the teams from the Singapore Sevens event was staying in when they were here ( so sorry no juicy dodgy details eh

). So I only had to pay $8 on top of the meter.

Was fair as I didn't have to join the snaking queue.

So another tip, if you get stuck waiting for a cab and there are mercedes ones available at the hotel, inform the bellhop. Make sure you do not get charge $35, just say you often use the service from hotels.

It's $8 on top of the meter fare.

Darn...

I should work for cab companies, SIA or even plastic surgeons at this rate!

Post by **jpatokal** » Sat, 13 May 2006 4:22 pm

Mercedes cabs at hotels are running a racket and deserve to be bitchslapped for it -- they have absolutely no right to charge anything extra over a normal cab unless you explicitly book them.

I took a Merc once from Grand Copthorne to the airport (straight from the queue, where it was in line with a bunch of blue Comforts), and the cabbie sneaks a S$5 charge onto the meter. I ask him what it's for, he says it's a limo surcharge. I tell him there is no limo surcharge, he changes his mind and says it's an airport surcharge. I tell him there's no airport surcharge when going to the airport, he asks me how long I've been in Singapore and then asks me if he should take off the charge. I tell him to keep it, get the receipt with "airport surcharge" printed on it, and then filed a complaint with SMRT -- they told me the cabbie had been reprimanded and gave me S$17 of free vouchers.

I do happily use the S$35 limos from the airport after midnight though, as the cost difference is minimal (they can actually be cheaper than a regular taxi if going all the way to Jurong!) and they provide a real service as you can skip the huge queues.

riversandlakes · Post by **riversandlakes** » Sun, 14 May 2006 3:52 am

Wowee he did shoot himself in the foot, didn't he?

Matney · Post by **Matney** » Sun, 14 May 2006 11:42 pm

First you have to be able to get into their cab to be taken for a ride!

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A shameful taxi system

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