My Taxi Revenge

carteki · Post by **carteki** » Fri, 16 Dec 2011 3:46 pm

Now most of you will know that I don't have much sympathy for taxi drivers - or the system - in Singapore and the recent fare increases "in order to incentivise them to work" have done nothing to change my opinion of them.

So when last night during the train disruption (funny not much mention of that here) a friend of mine was quoted $50 by a taxi to go from CBD to Newton I came up with a perfectly legal revenge idea ...

Next time I'm quoted some insane rate by the driver (or illegal surcharges) I'm going to agree to pay and get in the cab. Then I'm going to turn on my audio recorder on my phone and ask the driver if he'll give me a receipt or ask why he hasn't turned on the meter (if that is the case). Should that not do the trick I'll just send the audio file to the authorities with my complaint...

Mad Scientist · Post by **Mad Scientist** » Fri, 16 Dec 2011 4:36 pm

Yup that will do trick

Burn them in hell !!

nutnut · Post by **nutnut** » Fri, 16 Dec 2011 7:33 pm

Mad Scientist wrote:Yup that will do trick

Burn them in hell !!

Don't you think that's just a little harsh?

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Fri, 16 Dec 2011 8:37 pm

Nope!

Post by **x9200** » Sat, 17 Dec 2011 6:57 am

me also nope

BillyB · Post by **BillyB** » Sat, 17 Dec 2011 11:06 am

+1

There seems to be a lot of overcharging, and the subsequent acting stupid bullsh*t when pulled on it, happening recently.

I had one guy add a Changi airport charge for a journey from suntec to raffles and argue and argue even though the receipt said changi on it. And last sunday I had some geezer try and charge me peak hour fare - likely because we were going to a hotel from orchard with bags of shopping.

Whjat always makes me laugh is as soon as you pull them on it - they go all sheepish and embarassed and apologetic. Very few will actually argue back.

Post by **nakatago** » Sat, 17 Dec 2011 12:41 pm

Here's my story from last night:

NUH, along South Buona Vista Road: I flag a cab, he stops and lets me in.

"Uncle, I need to go XX Kent Ridge Drive."

"I dun know how to get there. Do you?"

"No. But I have a map." (I show him Google maps on my phone with a 4.3" screen so I know he can see it)

"I dun know how to get there, you dun know, how we get there?"

"I HAVE a map. We can follow it. If you make a u-turn here and just follow that road back there (I see his GPS unit)---Can't you use your GPS?"

"I dun know how to go there." (Starts driving) "I take you to city."

"WHAT?! NO?! Why would you take me to the city when I just got on and the place I want to go I just around this area?!"

"I dun know this place. How I take you? Better take you city. I go to city."

"NO! Pull over! I'm getting off. Thanks for your time."

Funny thing because I did the show-Google-maps-thing to a cabbie in Seoul who barely spoke English and things went ok.

Talk about picking random destinations just so he could pick up some fare.

I eventually got a cab that was willing to follow a map.

In hindsight (I was reading this thread before I went out last night), maybe I should have turned on my audio recorder as well or at least note his cab number.

BillyB · Post by **BillyB** » Sat, 17 Dec 2011 1:06 pm

I had a guy on Thursday who told me he had never dropped anyone off at lau pa sat in his entire life - he tried stopping down the road (when it was absolutely pissing it down) to get another fare at a different taxi stand, and told me this was the nearest drop-off point to LPS.

I pointed out the taxi-stand at LPs and he said it wasn't a taxi stand!!

On a separate note, and a little rant;

I was queuing for a cab near Bugis - it was raining, so there was a big queue that went from the taxi stand across the sidewalk and into the shopping centre. I was piss wet through and in a bit of a bad mood, and running late.
I left space to the person in front of me across the sidewalk for people passing on the sidewalk to be able to walk through, and this Singaporean guy behind pokes me in the back and said move up. I ignored him, and the cheeky twat does it again. So I grabbed his hand, turned right up to him and said - 'you're lucky you're in a Country where I'd probably get locked up for punching you in the face - don't ever prod me in the back or give me orders again. I said, tell me exactly what you are going to achieve and what is the rush to move up 3 metres when you're going to have to wait anyway, and block the sidewalk so people can't get through?

The dumb twat just looked gormless, and lost his voice......

Who teaches them these traits?!

carteki · Post by **carteki** » Sat, 17 Dec 2011 1:28 pm

BillyB wrote:+1

There seems to be a lot of overcharging, and the subsequent acting stupid bullsh*t when pulled on it, happening recently.

I had one guy add a Changi airport charge for a journey from suntec to raffles and argue and argue even though the receipt said changi on it. And last sunday I had some geezer try and charge me peak hour fare - likely because we were going to a hotel from orchard with bags of shopping.

Whjat always makes me laugh is as soon as you pull them on it - they go all sheepish and embarassed and apologetic. Very few will actually argue back.

I'm beyond negotiating with them and letting them off just because I know the rules. I'm reporting every single one that breaks the rules. That is the ONLY way they're going to learn to stop trying to pull a fast one on people with white skins. LTA and the taxi co's are pretty good at enforcing complaints and there is a driver demerit system (but that only works if they're caught).

BillyB · Post by **BillyB** » Sat, 17 Dec 2011 1:30 pm

carteki wrote:
BillyB wrote:+1

There seems to be a lot of overcharging, and the subsequent acting stupid bullsh*t when pulled on it, happening recently.

I had one guy add a Changi airport charge for a journey from suntec to raffles and argue and argue even though the receipt said changi on it. And last sunday I had some geezer try and charge me peak hour fare - likely because we were going to a hotel from orchard with bags of shopping.

Whjat always makes me laugh is as soon as you pull them on it - they go all sheepish and embarassed and apologetic. Very few will actually argue back.
I'm beyond negotiating with them and letting them off just because I know the rules. I'm reporting every single one that breaks the rules. That is the ONLY way they're going to learn to stop trying to pull a fast one on people with white skins. LTA and the taxi co's are pretty good at enforcing complaints and there is a driver demerit system (but that only works if they're caught).

Do it!

Mad Scientist · Post by **Mad Scientist** » Sat, 17 Dec 2011 2:34 pm

Taxi driver whom queued for passengers at the airport will cursed you if your destination is only at Tampines.
I usually will tell them which route I want to take. No buts no ifs
My rule is take me there "my way or the highway"
Srew with me at your own peril which usually comes with a very simple sentence
"Uncle, don't play play or else I report to LTA"

poodlek · Post by **poodlek** » Sat, 17 Dec 2011 3:06 pm

Mad Scientist wrote:Taxi driver whom queued for passengers at the airport will cursed you if your destination is only at Tampines.
I usually will tell them which route I want to take. No buts no ifs
My rule is take me there "my way or the highway"
Srew with me at your own peril which usually comes with a very simple sentence
"Uncle, don't play play or else I report to LTA"

Hey, that rhymes!

Post by **nakatago** » Sat, 17 Dec 2011 7:29 pm

carteki wrote:I'm beyond negotiating with them and letting them off just because I know the rules. I'm reporting every single one that breaks the rules. That is the ONLY way they're going to learn to stop trying to pull a fast one on people with white skins.

Now, now; don't go accusing cabbies of being racists. They don't go just trying to rip off white people--they try to rip off people of any color if they think they can get away with it.

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Sat, 17 Dec 2011 11:30 pm

My replay is usually something along the lines of "take me where I want to go, or take me to the police station" I had one take me to the police station, and the cop in the guardhouse come out asking what the problem was, I told him and he gives me his card and tells the taxi drive to take me where I want to go, without any delays or other stops and told me to call him if the driver didn't. Was a quiet, sullen, but obedient driver the rest of the trip.

Asian_Geekette · Post by **Asian_Geekette** » Sun, 18 Dec 2011 12:32 pm

My hubby (Wow! This is the first time I'm posting here as a married woman) ripped his favorite jeans while getting inside one of those 8 seater special cabs last Friday (in Suntec City). There was a hook jutting out of the back of the front passenger seat. It caught on his jeans. It's not a plastic cup holder but a silver metal hook!!! The bad thing was that the driver just looked on and never apologized to my hubby. He just moved the hook inwards. I told my hubby, let's just get out of this cab and take the next one. I mean it's like rewarding bad behavior if we continued on and paid for the service (the flag down rate was 3.20).

So now we're on our own 1 month taxi boycott... I mean it won't make any difference to them but it's our own little way of getting back.

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My Taxi Revenge

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