Touts, cabbies taking tourists for a meter-less ride
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THREE men in crisp white shirts and black trousers lingered near the Clarke Quay taxi stand.
They had their eye on foreigners who were standing about, looking uncertainly at the snaking queue that had formed.
Then one of the trio approached a Caucasian in a business suit. 'Taxi, sir? I can help you call one. No need to wait.'
His price: $20.50 to Kovan, a ride which would cost about $9. Deal done, he whipped out his walkie-talkie to page for a cab. When no one responded after two minutes, he turned to the Caucasian and said: 'Sir, price too low. No one pick up. You up price to $30.50?'
Bargain struck, he paged for a cab again and a Comfort Mercedes-Benz cab arrived in five minutes. This was 9.30pm on Tuesday, a scene that The Sunday Times found was being repeated at tourist spots such as Boat Quay, HarbourFront, Orchard Towers and Jurong BirdPark at different times of the day.
At each site, at least five foreigners were lured into the touting trap by Mercedes-Benz cabbies and their humbler cousins during the 11/2 hours The Sunday Times team was there.
Besides the tout system, which was most blatant at Clarke Quay, the other ruse is for cabbies to sit in their taxis with the 'on call' sign switched on. They decline to pick up passengers but change their minds when a distinctly foreign-looking person asks for a ride.
Haggling starts.
A flat fee of $30 to $50 is negotiated. Some cabbies add 'surcharges' such as 'area' taxes. The meter, as far as these cabbies are concerned, does not exist.
The chief culprits are Mercedes-Benz limousine drivers, who 'trick foreigners into thinking they have to pay more for their ride because it's a nicer car', as Comfort cabby Michael Tan, 57, put it.
But their smaller counterparts - the Hyundais and Toyotas - are also getting in on the act.
The taxi touting problem is riding on the crest of Singapore's tourist numbers, which hit a record 952,280 in July this year.
Of the 50 foreigners The Sunday Times spoke to, almost all said they had been ripped off at least once by cabbies who refused to charge by the meter.
Two were driven to write to The Straits Times Forum Page in the past two weeks.
When New Zealander Kevin Pledger, 49, tried getting a cab at South Bank Road's taxi stand last week, 10 Mercedes cabbies approached him, but none would charge by the meter.
'To go to Dover, they wanted to charge me $25 or $10 plus the meter fee,' said the technical manager who has been working in Singapore for 17 years.
'That's insane. It wouldn't be more than $10 if we go by meter.'
Mr Pledger, who goes to Batam regularly on business, told The Sunday Times that he has also been harassed by touting cabbies at the HarbourFront taxi stand. They pounce on foreigners coming out of the ferry terminal, refusing to pick up passengers in the taxi line.
'My expat friends and I all think that the problem has got worse in these two years,' he said.
While expatriates are more savvy about the taxi system, tourists are led up the garden path.
Argentinian doctor Milagros Rodriguez, 28, who was in Singapore with three friends for a holiday, did not know Singapore cabs charge by the meter.
'I thought touting cabbies is the normal practice here, just like in Thailand,' said Ms Rodriguez who was spotted at Boat Quay. She was quoted a flat rate of $15 for a ride to the nearby Raffles Hotel, almost three times the usual rate.
Australian Ken Howard, 32, who has been in Singapore for two months, has given up flagging down cabs along the road.
He gladly pays the $4 booking fee when he needs a cab.
'Why waste your time bargaining with the drivers when I can call for a cab and still pay less?' said the IT manager.
While foreigners are being taken for a ride, the locals are upset that they are not even getting one.
Mr David Segar, a project officer who had been waiting more than 20 minutes for a cab at Boat Quay on Wednesday night, said: 'It's so frustrating when empty cabs refuse to pick up locals, but only stop for tourists who pay ridiculous prices.'
Source: SPH Asiaone.com -
Considering this problem to have been ongoing for years, it comes as a surprise to me that they are publicising it now.
What about bogey monks and nuns who prey on unsuspecting Singaporean folks?
Kind of slow, right. -
bogey monks and nuns were reported before liao..Originally posted by Rock^Star:Considering this problem to have been ongoing for years, it comes as a surprise to me that they are publicising it now.
What about bogey monks and nuns who prey on unsuspecting Singaporean folks?
Kind of slow, right. -
It's going to be worst when the IR appears
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well...if the police wish to get their act together, it can be done easily.
but because most tourist or expats can afford to pay and dont mind paying for such services, make it harder to fight.
frankly speaking such behaviour are rampant in cities like bangkok, china and malaysia. sorry for the average singaporeans, such trends are only going to be more rampant when the IR starts, more foreigners arrive. you just have to get use to bite your own tongue.
singapore is slowly becoming a cities for the rich only!! -
The number of taxi have been increasing over the years. But they never look at the root of the problem. It's not that there not enough taxi on the road, but just that the taxi are playing hide and seek during peak hour or unwilling to go into CBD area as they have to pay the extra ERP charges.
Moreover, increasing the number of taxi will only make the situation worse as the taxi has to complete with each other, so more will have to resort to underhand method such as touting or reckless driving to earn more money. -
Who wants to enter CBD empty and have to pay ERP?Originally posted by royston_ang:The number of taxi have been increasing over the years. But they never look at the root of the problem. It's not that there not enough taxi on the road, but just that the taxi are playing hide and seek during peak hour or unwilling to go into CBD area as they have to pay the extra ERP charges.
Moreover, increasing the number of taxi will only make the situation worse as the taxi has to complete with each other, so more will have to resort to underhand method such as touting or reckless driving to earn more money.
If you're the cabbie I dun think you also want when diesel and vehicle rental is killing enough alrdy -
why is this in SC?
knn.. we becoming like Malaysia -
lima puluh ringgitOriginally posted by the Bear:why is this in SC?
knn.. we becoming like Malaysia
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These cabbies target ang moh one...last time i tried to hail one near OT there he refused to pick me. That said, i was offered $30 from taxis parked at Grand Central hotel and Bencoolen Hotel for a trip to the airport. I told them that they were crazy as taxis were available in the main road. They apologised and asked me to hop on and they on their meter.
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Maybe the authority could consider lowering or waiving or the ERP charges for taxi since taxi is considered public transport as well?Originally posted by sbst275:Who wants to enter CBD empty and have to pay ERP? If you're the cabbie I dun think you also want when diesel and vehicle rental is killing enough alrdy -
Our dear transport minister once saidOriginally posted by royston_ang:Maybe the authority could consider lowering or waiving or the ERP charges for taxi since taxi is considered public transport as well?
Buses and Taxi gotta pay ERP cos they take up space -
Since our dear transport minister haven't been able to solve the taxi problem which has worsen over the year, maybe it's time to lower his million dollar pay also.Originally posted by sbst275:Our dear transport minister once said
Buses and Taxi gotta pay ERP cos they take up space -
i hate stupid scammers.
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Still rampant on the streets leh....how?Originally posted by kramnave:bogey monks and nuns were reported before liao.. -
Perhaps cabbies have too high a rental to sustain, so who can blame them for such creative money making methods?
A cabby once told me that all cabbies are customers of the taxi companies, albeit internal ones. Their continued rental of taxis give these companies revenue.
$90/day rental times the thousands of taxis out there, imagine the revenue per year. -
Don't donate lor...real monks and nuns don't solicit for donations one. They have been around for decades and people still succumb, bewildering.Originally posted by Rock^Star:Still rampant on the streets leh....how? -
Cause our police busy with Dr Chee, Odex protesters, Myanmar protesters, etc to catch the bogey monks and nuns.Originally posted by Rock^Star:Still rampant on the streets leh....how?
Imagine, just 1 Dr Chee the authority has to send a truck of police to watch over him. -
let's just say this: you think the police want to go watch over that asswipe?Originally posted by royston_ang:Cause our police busy with Dr Chee, Odex protesters, Myanmar protesters, etc to catch the bogey monks and nuns.
Imagine, just 1 Dr Chee the authority has to send a truck of police to watch over him. -
It's not they want or not, but they have to. Or else, MM and PM will not be able to sleep at night.Originally posted by the Bear:let's just say this: you think the police want to go watch over that asswipe?
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Not only both of them. Singaporeans too.Originally posted by royston_ang:It's not they want or not, but they have to. Or else, MM and PM will not be able to sleep at night. -
what does it say about them then
actually, i'm not sure if it's the zombie and his bloody son.. could be bootlickers beneath them giving the orders?Originally posted by royston_ang:It's not they want or not, but they have to. Or else, MM and PM will not be able to sleep at night. -
There are many sinners out there who wish to atone for their sins, hence the stupidity amongst the eagerness.Originally posted by kramnave:Don't donate lor...real monks and nuns don't solicit for donations one. They have been around for decades and people still succumb, bewildering. -
LOL, I don't know about the rest of the Singaporeans. But I, for one, is able to sleep very well with him protesting or not.Originally posted by kramnave:Not only both of them. Singaporeans too.
What's the rationale of sending so many police to arrest just Dr Chee and a few of his colleague when they have like just protested for only a few minutes? -
They should just meet Bro PaulOriginally posted by Rock^Star:There are many sinners out there who wish to atone for their sins, hence the stupidity amongst the eagerness.