Video: Tourist has just two words (repeatedly) for cabby who won't turn on the meter

[Rimmer]

Some flaming, baiting and bickering posts have been removed, please pay attention to the following forum rule:

 

7) You will respect fellow members and post in a civil manner. No personal attacks, hateful or insulting towards other members, (flaming) Stalking of members on either the forum or via PM will not be allowed.

[Ron19]

Some flame posts and a reply have been removed.

[Ron19]

More of the same removed. Keep this up but keep in mind we still have some free gifts in the holiday barrel. When that is emptied we will roll another in.

[soalbundy]

On 2/26/2018 at 7:44 PM, oldlakey said:

As I have already stated, of course I forgot to take into consideration the drama queens

A bit of hot news for you not all Thais are the same

Not hot news for me, I've have very rarely had an altercation with Thais and certainly never been threatened, I must have been lucky perhaps but I have in 99% of my taxi rides only had good experiences.

[TonyClifton]

54 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

Not hot news for me, I've have very rarely had an altercation with Thais and certainly never been threatened, I must have been lucky perhaps but I have in 99% of my taxi rides only had good experiences.

Your taxi experiences were in Bangkok?

 

[Rhys]

...well, of course, short-term release, but next time somchai might have a weapon then what.. just walk away...

 

[TonyClifton]

2 minutes ago, Rhys said:

...well, of course, short-term release, but next time somchai might have a weapon then what.. just walk away...

 

That's why it is preferable to use Uber or GrabCar, not GrabTaxi.  I prefer not to soil myself by sitting in a filthy taxi.  I know what to expect when I call an Uber.

[guru]

Infuriating yes but just not worth it. The taxi driver killing the American manager of Caterpillar with a sword a few years back shows it’s just not worth it. My advice is bite your lip, move on and ensure you live another day.


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[Justfine]

3 hours ago, soalbundy said:

Not hot news for me, I've have very rarely had an altercation with Thais and certainly never been threatened, I must have been lucky perhaps but I have in 99% of my taxi rides only had good experiences.

Normal. I've never had any dramas. Treat people how you wish to be treated.

 

Some people get angry too quick and trigger bad responses.

 

And they are cheap with aircon. Sure beats a tuk tuk.

 

 

[oldlakey]

2 minutes ago, Justfine said:

 

Why would you do that?

Have you not heard about all the honest taxi drivers, it would give him something else to sing their praises about

Dont hesitate if you have any other queries

[Justfine]

1 minute ago, oldlakey said:

Have you not heard about all the honest taxi drivers, it would give him something else to sing their praises about

Dont hesitate if you have any other queries

I don't see the point. Waste of time.

[soalbundy]

9 hours ago, TonyClifton said:

Your taxi experiences were in Bangkok?

 

yes

[johnefallis]

On 2/25/2018 at 8:08 PM, lemonjelly said:

yeah, come to S.E. Asia get gobby and risk getting a beating because cabbie doesn’t want to turn the meter on.... or could’ve just walked away...... these knobs bring it on themselves

 

 

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The driver was a thief, I guess that's okay with the likes of you..

[Justfine]

6 minutes ago, johnefallis said:

The driver was a thief, I guess that's okay with the likes of you..

What money did he steal?

[metisdead]

Offensive posts and the replies have been removed. 

 

 

[wealthychef]

On 2/28/2018 at 10:59 AM, kentrot said:

Monday noon, outside the Grand Palace, my Thai wife and I tried to get a meter taxi back to our Bangkok hotel about 15 - 20 minutes drive away. No luck. Taxi drivers were quoting us their SET price to our hotel, which was almost 1/2 the cost of a taxi ride all the way to Pattaya from the airport for gawds sake .

 

We went to the tent with 2 army uniformed staff and asked for their help. One soldier came over and spoke to the first taxi driver in the lineup asking that he use his meter. The driver just smiled and drove off empty - probably circled the block and back in line with NO METER again.  The soldier looked at us and smiled as he shrugged.

 

No license number taken, no fine, no reprimand. No enforcement whatsoever. 

Bangkok has become Greedy and Hopeless !!!!!

Perhaps if you made a video of him it would go better?  I know this is escalating the situation and risky, but shining light on ugly creatures does cause them to go all squishy.  This is NOT something I would do but I find it to be a good deed when others do it.  :-)  Seriously, if a barrage of videos of taxis overcharging tourists hits the internet, things might be taken more seriously.  It's a coin toss though whether they just make videos illegal at that point.  

[Will E Vormer]

If I'm anywhere near that long line of parked taxis near 21 I walk down until I see a taxi driving along. 90% of the time there is no issue.
You have to remember, the meter is still on 35baht min, years after promises to raise it. It means the standards have dropped.

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[wealthychef]

4 minutes ago, Justfine said:

No deception took place. 

The taxi says "taxi meter" on the side and the meter is turned on but not running.  Not using your meter in a metered taxi is illegal and deceptive because people might think that you intend to follow the law when you get into your metered taxi.  But OK, you are going to defend these twerps no matter what they do, fine.  Got it.  Let's just agree to disagree.   

[metisdead]

Troll posts with the intent of bickering have been removed as well as the replies. 

[milys]

Never take a taxi standing still, especially around the lower numbers of Sukhumvit. These taxis never use the meter and double or triple the rate for unaware tourists. Always take a taxi that is moving or just dropped off somebody. And always ask about if they use the meter or not before you step in the cab. Incidents like this can be avoided before they happen. There's no shortage of taxis in Bangkok.

 

It's worse in a place like Koh Samui where all the taxis are together in a "maffia". I've seen people been charged 300 Baht for a 500 m drive.

There you have no choice if you want a taxi you also pay their hideous prices.

[TonyClifton]

7 hours ago, wealthychef said:

Perhaps if you made a video of him it would go better?  I know this is escalating the situation and risky, but shining light on ugly creatures does cause them to go all squishy.  This is NOT something I would do but I find it to be a good deed when others do it.  :-)  Seriously, if a barrage of videos of taxis overcharging tourists hits the internet, things might be taken more seriously.  It's a coin toss though whether they just make videos illegal at that point.  

Always shoot video or at the very least take a picture of their license.  Now should something happen you know who did it.  

[MaxYakov]

I would rather confront a cobra than a taxi driver in such a situation. Best to quietly cut your losses, but you should at least get the cabbie to agree to a metered ride before getting into the taxi and quietly exit the taxi if they renege after rolling. Histrionics and insults have resulted in passenger fatalities.

[TonyClifton]

1 minute ago, MaxYakov said:

I would rather confront a cobra than a taxi driver in such a situation. Best to quietly cut your losses, but you should at least get the cabbie to agree to a metered ride before getting into the taxi and quietly exit the taxi if they renege after rolling. Histrionics and insults have resulted in passenger fatalities.

Well, at least you have not entered the realm of the dreaded Thai apologist.  Why do we have to walk on rice paper for these criminals?  If enough foreigners were educated as to the scams used by these fine examples of Thai Society, it would be far less prevalent.  

 

Take a picture of their license.  If you are scared, then get a snap of their license plate.  

 

I am not here to be fleeced by toothless criminals.

[MaxYakov]

38 minutes ago, TonyClifton said:

Well, at least you have not entered the realm of the dreaded Thai apologist.  Why do we have to walk on rice paper for these criminals?  If enough foreigners were educated as to the scams used by these fine examples of Thai Society, it would be far less prevalent.  

 

Take a picture of their license.  If you are scared, then get a snap of their license plate.  

 

I am not here to be fleeced by toothless criminals.

Why? Practicality Yeah, not apologizing but am prepared to run, not walk - rice paper or not. I don't see it as my responsibility to even attempt to enforce Thai laws in any way.

 

I tried photographing a cabbie's ID exactly once when I wanted to go to Din Daeng and he wanted a flat fee, but I muffed it and knocked the ID placard off it's dashboard mount. The cabbie got out pointing his finger at me and demanding 500 baht compensation for damage to be paid immediately.

 

I insisted on having the Tourist Police assist me in resolving the issue when the local Tuk-Tuk enforcer and several Thai men surrounded me. The enforcer got me in a headlock and took me down to the sidewalk. I pretended to be unconscious. The Thai woman I was with paid the cabbie the 500 baht and everybody very soon left the scene not wanting to be responsible for an injured farang. Incidentally, one or two Thai men who were not even directly involved kicked me while I was down and pretending to be out. These people can get vicious (especially when they "gang up"), and can really "F*** You" up!

 

I'd be careful if I were you with your attitude. Just one of these "toothless criminals" (as you described them) could take you out - permanently. The best advice is to avoid confrontations at any cost. To do otherwise, especially with a cabbie, has been known to result in death.

Edited March 3, 2018 by MaxYakov

[TonyClifton]

2 minutes ago, MaxYakov said:

Why? Practicality. I don't see it as my responsibility even to attempt to enforce Thai laws. I tried photographing a cabbie's ID exactly once when I wanted to go to Din Daeng and he wanted a flat fee, but I muffed it and knocked the ID placard off it's dashboard mount. The cabbie got out pointing his finger at me and demanding 500 baht compensation for damage to be paid immediately.

 

I insisted on having the Tourist Police assist me in resolving the issue when the local Tuk-Tuk enforcer and several Thai men surrounded me. The enforcer got me in a headlock and took me down to the sidewalk. I pretended to be unconscious. The Thai woman I was with paid the cabbie the 500 baht and everybody eventually left the scene not wanting to be responsible for an injured farang. Incidentally, one or two Thai men kicked me while I was down and pretending to be out. These people can get vicious, and "F*** You" up!

 

I'd be careful if I were you with your attitude. Just one of these "toothless criminals" could take you out, permanently. The best advice is to avoid confrontations at any cost. To do otherwise, especially with a cabbie, has been known to result in death.

If I hadn't been paying attention, I might have thought you were describing the conditions in Caracas Venezuela, not Bangkok.

[MaxYakov]

23 minutes ago, TonyClifton said:

If I hadn't been paying attention, I might have thought you were describing the conditions in Caracas Venezuela, not Bangkok.

Sukhumvit Road, near Soi 19 right by the Westin Hotel around 4 AM. Got a nasty bruise on might right side from a kick from one of the "innocent" bystanders. Things can very quickly go south in Bangkok - probably any place any time.

 

Can't speak to Venezuela except I don't see myself visiting there any time soon. I'm not even real crazy about hanging around Sukhumvit Road at any time either. That night outside the Westin could have been a lot worse for me.

Edited March 3, 2018 by MaxYakov

[TonyClifton]

2 minutes ago, MaxYakov said:

Sukhumvit Road, near Soi 19 right by the Westin Hotel around 4 AM. Got a nasty bruise on might right side from a kick from one of the "innocent" bystanders. Things can very quickly go south in Bangkok - probably any place any time.

 

Can't speak to Venezuela except I don't see a trip there in the near future.

I was only speaking to scumbag taxi drivers which might be 70 percent of them.  There are some decent taxi drivers.  Unfortunately you have to deal with scumbags before you find a decent one who will provide the service they are licensed to provide.

 

You seem to lump most Thais into the scumbag category.  If I took you at your word, I might never leave the condo.

[MaxYakov]

33 minutes ago, TonyClifton said:

I was only speaking to scumbag taxi drivers which might be 70 percent of them.  There are some decent taxi drivers.  Unfortunately you have to deal with scumbags before you find a decent one who will provide the service they are licensed to provide.

 

You seem to lump most Thais into the scumbag category.  If I took you at your word, I might never leave the condo.

Jeesh! I did not intend to "lump most Thais" into any kind of category. I was simply relating an exceptional incident as accurately as possible that occurred around 4 AM on Sukhumvit Road. Who do you suppose is out on Sukhumvit at 4 AM? In those days there were very few RTP, I can tell you that.

 

It has not been my experience, living 10 years in Bangkok and riding taxis a fair number of times (in the past), that anywhere near 70% of them are "scumbags" as you put it. Things may have gotten worse w/r the taxi situation, though.

 

However, I'm now in a desirable logistical situation where I can almost totally avoid all forms of motorized taxies, as a matter of policy and I can guarantee you I'm not losing any sleep over it. 

Edited March 3, 2018 by MaxYakov

[TonyClifton]

1 minute ago, MaxYakov said:

However, I'm now in a desirable logistical situation where I can almost totally avoid all forms of motorized taxies

What do you ride?  Buffalo?

[MaxYakov]

18 minutes ago, TonyClifton said:

What do you ride?  Buffalo?

Of course, Buffalos like you, since they evicted all the elephants from central Bangkok years ago, what choice is there? 

Edited March 3, 2018 by MaxYakov