Advice to guys…
… from a taxi driver:
[...] when approaching a girl next time, take a peek at her IC to find out where she lives first before getting her.
Read the entire article on a considerate taxi driver at naddie.com.
[via Tomorrow]
Unfortunately, such drivers here in Singapore is pretty rare. Throughout my six-year stay here, except the times when I took the pink London cab and the Mercedes cabs, the number of times that I’ve got a nice taxi driver can be counted by my fingers.
I remember that time I was in Tampines when it started to drizzle. Not wanting to risk the laptop I brought with me, I fetched a taxi near a junction on one of the main roads. Like what I usually do, I settled down in the taxi before saying my destination. But when I mentioned “Jurong West Street 91″, the driver’s face turned sour and “No, no, no, cannot!” spewed out of his mouth.
I didn’t bother much, except saying “Never mind” and exited the taxi, almost slamming the door in the process. OK, I admit Tampines to Boon Lay is quite far, but there certainly was a better way to reject a customer, right? I boarded the next taxi further behind in the queue, and the driver asked me “The taxi just now don’t want, is it?”.
The worst taxi experience I’ve ever had must be that time after a friend’s birthday celebration near Far East Shopping Centre at Orchard. The four of us decided to take a taxi back to NTU hostel. As I’m lazy to tell the entire story all over again, I shall copy the complain letter I wrote to the taxi company after our trip.
The driver did not wear the seat belt properly and made loud remarks and jokes which can be considered as very rude in Malay/Indonesian throughout the trip. When we were silent, driver made an impolite remark that we were sleeping, and increased the volume of the radio, irritating us who were already tired by then. Along the PIE, the driver disregarded safety by talking on the phone without using a headset, and later on opening the driver-side window and gesturing (outside the car) towards another car on the expressway. When exiting the PIE, the driver opened the passenger-side window and made rude and very loud remark (over the passenger sitting next to the driver) towards a car which was involved in an accident. He was almost shouting then. The driver also cut a bus dangerously when turning into a junction inside NTU.
Two weeks later, I received an email saying that the driver had been given a stern warning. Served him right.
I wonder what would tourists think of the quality of service in Singapore if they happen to chance upon such drivers.
Cannot drive,
bcc