Taxi'S - Love 'Em Or Hate 'Em... I Hate 'Em Today!

[richard_smith237]

I need a cab, but I have to cross the road first.

6 or 7 cabs prevent me from crossing as they accelerate harder in their panic to not have to touch the breaks as I cross.

I finally cross, one taxi stops and changes his mind.

A Thai couple with a suitcase appear and also require a taxi.

A taxi stops for me, see's the Thai's with the suitcase and waves me off, edges forwards 10 meters for the Thai couple. I see them shaking their heads, it looks like the taxi was trying to rip them off.

I succeed in stopping the next taxi who agrees to take me but then complains, huffs, puffs, tuts at the minor build up of traffic at the lights... (what an ass)...

So, what is it with this jumped sense of entitlement we see here? It gets up my nose!

Rant over, I feel better now!

[robblok]

I normally drive my own car but it was totalled a month ago so i am back to using taxi's for a while. Now that i understand more Thai they are always complaining about traffic or how far you live or whatever. If you hate driving find an other job.

In the tourist area's you have to wave 5 or 6 of them before you get one that will turn on the meter. Real anoying, still its much better as in other parts of Thailand. Plus there are plenty of good ones too but they usually don't hang out in tourist area's. Near where i live if i pick a taxi they are usaully quite polite.

[h90]

I always hate them

[HardenedSoul]

Feeling your pain.

My pet hate is when they see you're not making eye contact while you're trying to time the gaps in traffic to cross the road yet still, they pull up blocking your progress and forcing you to walk around them or they flash their lights, honk their horns to signal their presence as if foreigners are all blind or don't have a f**king clue what a taxi is or how to hail one.

What's even worse is when you've got a line of them available for hire and every one of them can see you're gesticulating "no thanks" but they'll all slow down and gaze at you forlornly, willing you to change your mind and go off on a dash to empty your pockets at cheap jewellery stores and soapy massage parlours owned by their friends.

dam_n . . . that was therapeutic

[mjj]

Whenever I need to go to Bangkok it takes me about 25 seconds of getting out of the airport to start saying, 'fuc_king taxi drivers!'

A couple of years ago I went to buy a mountain bike in Bangkok and I needed a taxi to get from one shop to another. I knew it wasn't far but didnt know enough detail. Anyway I asked the cabby to take me to the address and how long it would take. No problem, 40 minutes with this traffic. Ok I thought.3 minutes later we drive past the shop I wanted. I tell him to stop and ask him why he said 40 minutes. Only joking was his reply. Yeah, fuc_king taxi drivers.

[robblok]

I hate and love them but just remember better to have these drivers then the thugs in pattaya and phuket.

[kennedy]

I'll only get in a taxi with a driver thats about my age or older 60 +

[StreetCowboy]

I came out the airport last night. There was no queue at the public taxis stand. I got a smart new 7-seater people-mover in good condition, with seat belts in good condition. No question about turning on the meter (it may already have been on, to be fair, but it was still showing 35 baht, so I don't think so...). He didn't go my favourite route, but it was probably the quickest; no grounds fr complaint whatsoever.

SC

[jacktrip]

it does not really matter.

i enjoy flagging taxi's esp tuk-tuks. i like to get the ones coming the other direction so they have to turn. then i just keep walking like i never saw them.

i'm never mad now, no matter how rude they get or what they try to charge. i also enjoy walking more then i used to.

[hellodolly]

I came out the airport last night. There was no queue at the public taxis stand. I got a smart new 7-seater people-mover in good condition, with seat belts in good condition. No question about turning on the meter (it may already have been on, to be fair, but it was still showing 35 baht, so I don't think so...). He didn't go my favourite route, but it was probably the quickest; no grounds fr complaint whatsoever.

SC

Your post was like a breath of fresh air. All I had heard about taxi's was the price being good. It always seemed pretty low to me considering their expenses and the fact they need money to live on. Particularly in Bangkok with the traffic congestion. Have only used them three times and no complaints Don Mung I was given the rate before I got in. Leaving Bangkok if it hadn't been for the taxi driver I would have gone to the wrong airport.

Here in Chiang Mai we are blessed with songtells and tuk tuk's. if we don't like the price they ask for just wave them off there will be another one along. I do how ever use a taxi after the wife and I have done a major shopping trip. And get over charged by at least 20 Baht.

[Rsquared]

Well........I'm in the sticks......so no taxis here.

But when in BKK I am always with my wife, so I just stand back and let her do the negotiation.......she is a weapon to be feared by all taxi drivers.

[maxme]

Despite all said, I think taxi drivers around the world come from the same gene pool. They are meant to be mean, bitter and ignorant, can't help it, they were just bred that way.

[richard_smith237]

I'm in a taxi now... re-editing as I type due to missed hit keys; a result of the leaded-helium foot of this evenings driver.

I'm not a vindictive person, I take no pleasure in my most recent of observations: Another taxi, another destination, the usual erratic driving, the usual 60 baht payment rounded up because I can't be bothered to wait for the 'It's going to take me 2mins to dig out the change' game....

After exiting the taxi with usual simple 'cheers chok dee' I walked 5 paces and heard the crunch.

Another taxi pulled up aggressively close to the rear of my most recent ride who in turn without looking had reversed straight backwards into him...

Did I feel sorry my taxi driver?maybe..... Lucky it was only another taxi....!

(and yes, this really did just happen.... )

[Ohyesuare]

I hate them, thank god for the BTS and MRT. Learned the hard way to never get into a stationary one. flagging down an already moving one is your best bet.

[richard_smith237]

Oh... And for the record, I'm on the sauce, otherwise I'd be driving myself like SC.

Oh... And the majority of taxi's are ok.

Bitch away against the rest... Lets make this global, I agree with the 'same Genepool' comment....

[bendejo]

Hate 'em. Especially hate when you flag them down and before he even stops to talk to you he's already turned on the meter. <deleted> 'em.

Tuk-tuks in Bangkok and Vientiane are the worst.

> A taxi stops for me, see's the Thai's with the suitcase and waves me off, edges forwards 10 meters for the Thai couple. I see them shaking their heads, it looks like the taxi was trying to rip them off.

This is impressive. The dumb_ss driver was confused whether to keep with the Thai tradition of "farang gets served last" or to treat the farang as a prized pigeon and fleece him for every satang possible. Tough choice!

[overherebc]

I very rarely use taxis for going anywhere but I use them a lot to cross a busy street. If you time it right you only have to catch one with the free sign on and then put one foot on the road. When he stops just give him a nice smile and wave and you're at least half way across. If really lucky you can even manage the same trick on the other lane.

[WebBangkok]

I have a friend who hates taxi's.

He especially hates when they won't turn on the meter, but if they don;t he will walk away and just leave the door open. Which is pretty funny.

[robblok]

For me its indeed mainly a meter issue, but that happens near tourist area's. I always trie to flag ones that are riding because the ones standing still are for sure waiting for a dubm tourist to fleece.

We had one that started complaining right away, we werent paying attention and all of a sudden he had made a real wide circel to our destination and the meter was 100 bt more then normal. In those cases its not really the money its getting ripped off.

Ill be happy when i got my own car again. Near where i live if you do shopping they don't like to bring you to our village because its a short ride and they will be in the back of the que but they get angry too when you flag a riding one.

In general they are pretty decent, just some pet hates like everyone else has.

[WebBangkok]

I always get a metered taxi, I just ask for meter when I open the door, if he says no I slam the door shut and wait for the next one.

Sometimes it might take 5 taxis but it usually does not take much longer to find one.

[Trembly]

I'll only get in a taxi with a driver thats about my age or older 60 +

I prefer the older drivers too. They tend to be more courteous and less likely to blast you with music or some radio show at the very least.

[StreetCowboy]

Despite all said, I think taxi drivers around the world come from the same gene pool. They are meant to be mean, bitter and ignorant, can't help it, they were just bred that way.

I must be like a beacon of light, then. So long as you get a taxi driver somewhere honest - like driving down the street instead of loitering outside a night club, I have found them to be honest, helpful and considerate in more than 95% of cases. To be fair, I normally use the taxi monopoly cars in places I don't know.

By way of a tip for people going to KL late in the evening; there is no midnight charge on the 'pay in advance' counter taxis, so they will work out about the same as a meter cab, and better than any of the rogues loitering outside.

SC

[mauGR1]

I'll only get in a taxi with a driver thats about my age or older 60 +

I prefer the older drivers too. They tend to be more courteous and less likely to blast you with music or some radio show at the very least.

In fact, the only problem i had in 13 yrs in Thailand was with a young driver, who asked me more than the previously agreed fare..

Some of the older drivers in BKK have a great knowledge of the City, some of them speak English well too .

Btw, i noticed that it's quite rewarding to treat people with respect and politeness.. Including Taxi drivers..

[WebBangkok]

So far I have not had any problems in taxi's.

Tuk tuk's on the other hand........ I will not take them ever again, a few times we have agreed on the price and half way they try to add on another 100 baht to the price. And both times it ended up in an argument which I just walked away and throwing a few swear words in my direction.

[VintageTQ]

Ive hated them ever since my pregnant wife went into labour and it took us 3 tries before we could get a taxi that would take us to the hospital, even though they could see how much pain she was in and clearly ready to give birth.

I mean how f****in callous is that. It actually didnt make my wife that annoyed but i wanted to smash their cars in.

Now i refuse to tip a single cent, ever, even to the nice ones

[samran]

The only issues I have are after work when it is change over for some and can't make it to where I want to go. And if you avoid the stationary ones around tourist areas, they turn on meters.

As for the OP, rather suspect the taxi driver thought the other Thai people were a potential (higher) airport fare, but who knows?

[Litlos]

When I am working in BKK I have to get one from Mo Chit up the road a bit in the morning. I have now learnt how to say straight up the road. This mornings driver initially not interested until I said straight in Thai. Then had the cop holding up traffic near work. No problem I will walk the last 150m and here k. Somchai is a 15Baht tip because I would really not like your job. End result a taxi driver who had a 15B tip and could cut across 3 lanes of traffic to do a u turn and get back to Mo Chit for the next fare. Hopefully I raised his impression of the local expats a bit. Might be working as when I have trouble with the first driver in the queue I am regularly seeing one of the other drivers waving at me. A bit of courtesy and a small tip goes a long way it seems. And I still would not like their job.

When I wish to go to the airport the TGF rings a friend who owns a taxi. Pickup on time and no hassle and a bit cheaper than the taxi mafia outside the door. Yes I overpay, but for on time pickup with no hassles I will do this, and all happy.

Around town for venues always a mixed bag and they will refuse if it is going the wrong way, that is their privilege in the Thai system. Only had to revert to a m/cycle once and that was end of month Friday (payday) and everyone was going somewhere, so not a vacant taxi to be found.

Cheers

[barky]

I've got lots of taxi stories, nothing serious, but just lots of the usual crap as mentioned above by others. Yes, you do come across the odd decent one, but in the main, I'd like to slit the throats of some of them from behind for their rudeness etc etc.

For quite some time now, I have had no emotion or feeling for them. I don't care about them in anyway. They are a nothingness. I use them as a commodity. When I flag them down and they don't give me what I want I simply move on to the next one and if necessary the next one or the next one. I might get what I want immediately and it might take 2,3,5 minutes or so. I don't mind any more going through this process because it really minimizes any problems.

Oh, and I don't negotiate anything. As soon as I see their window rolling down, I know they want to discover if where I want to go SUITS THEM, I immediately ignore them and look for another taxi.

Edited August 10, 2012 by barky

[SteveLynch]

I usually hate them

But the other night I called one to my house and was very surprised when I got out side the driver was standing there with the door open (it was a woman)

I was with a friend who speaks fluent Thai

The driver asked at the end of the journey if her driving was good and did she do agoodjob

I generally don't tip drivers but did this time also took her number for the future ,I'd rathersitwaiting at home for an extra 20 mins to receive that kind of service

[impulse]

I'm not too keen on the "BKK taxi experience", but I don't blame the drivers- I blame the system.

Between their cost to lease the car and taxi permit, their cost of fuel and the low km fares and wait-o-meter increments they're locked into, I'm surprised they don't all cheat just to make a living.

Yes, I get frustrated when I have 3 or 4 in a row that refuse to take me to the most crowded corner of Sukhumvit on a Friday at 5:00 PM. Then the 5th one suggested he'd drop me off at a nearby BTS station, saving me an hour of traffic and over a hundred baht of wait-o-meter fee.

Do the math yourself, then decide whether you'd put up with the crap they put up with to bring home what they bring home....