Sharing an experience with a Taxi uncle
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Last night I just came back from Hongkong on a business trip and as usual I left my car at home and take taxis. At T3, I saw there was no queue and when I came to the entrance, the assistant wave for a taxi to come over and it was an uncle driving a silver taxi. He was smiling as he opened the boot and when I got into his taxi, I told him Simei and he suddenly broke out in a short laughter.
He told me, wah lau today is very suay, he went to Airport 3 times that day and 3 times kena Bedok, Tampines and me, Simei. He was hoping for a connection to somewhere nearer to City area so he can go inside and take passengers for booking etc. So we triggered off a discussion about all these passengers going short distance from Airport. And he says why some TDs black face when kena these trips cos it is just not worth their time and fuel money but I told him it is also not anyone's fault that the passengers stay nearby and why should the passenger put up with bad attitude from the TD? Its just like going into a Mcdonalds and buying just a coke, does it mean we get shitty attitude compared to another person buying a meal? The uncle says no lah, just that sometimes hope that passengers understand.
You know the trip came up to $11.40 with the 5 bucks surcharge and I pass him $15 and ask him keep the change and told him better luck with his business.
Why I am writing this? The key point here is this uncle complained to me and talked to me but he was all the time smiling and at any one time, he did not make me feel guilty that I stayed in Simei. I enjoyed the short discussion with him and felt that if the taxi driver is nice to me, I do understand that going to simei to airport while not optimum, its not my fault so dun give me shit attitude. And for my end, I always make sure I tipped polite taxi drivers a few dollars despite knowing how they feel.
So to taxi drivers, why give passengers the black face? Be nice to them, you might just get a few dollars as tips. I know its not alot, but for an $11 fare, a $4 tip is pretty substantial and afterall you are just trying to earn as much money for a living, so why vent your anger and frustration on the passenger?
As for passengers, all I can say, if the taxi drivers have been polite and nice to you, why be stingy? Reward them a bit and tell them we do appreciate good service.
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Thx for tipping the taxi uncle. I know sometimes Bo pian. Will still try to be polite. But if laugh can get backfired. Last time I Kenna about 4am after midnight, I q like an hr in budget terminal then this mama come up uncle t1, I LAN LAN, then my friendcall ask where I go I sat t3 and laugh, but pax angry asked me why u laugh, I said just talking my friend, when end trip not even 1 cent tips, oh well but god is good, come out t2 pick and go. P....
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Not to offend any td over here in this forum.
If td always face turn black when happen to take the pax to a nearby from changi airport, then next time dont queue at changi airport.
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Originally posted by tttan:
Thx for tipping the taxi uncle. I know sometimes Bo pian. Will still try to be polite. But if laugh can get backfired. Last time I Kenna about 4am after midnight, I q like an hr in budget terminal then this mama come up uncle t1, I LAN LAN, then my friendcall ask where I go I sat t3 and laugh, but pax angry asked me why u laugh, I said just talking my friend, when end trip not even 1 cent tips, oh well but god is good, come out t2 pick and go. P….
I will feel insulted too if td laugh about it. -
well for me i'm really ok with short distance from airport,as long as the pax is friendly & put on a smile
there're black face TDs & also black face pax (99% are local pax sad to say) who simple don't appreciate our friendly gesture
there was once this local lady I took from T3,I helped her load her 3 big luggage & say hello to her.
she didn't respond but just say "Flora rd" in a very rude manner
When we reach there,I helped her to unload while she talk over the hp & pay me a $10 bill for the $9.80 fare,waiting for the 20c change
she didn't say a single "thank you" & left.I don't need your tips but I do need a thank you at least
that & many other more experiences with local pax really pissed me off...i now make a point to greet only ang mor & non-local pax
becos i know they will definitely respond with a smile
of course there really nice local pax around but I can say 7/10 are not
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Thnx for tipping the taxi driver . It really makes a day for taxi driver who appreciate the service given to you even though the distance is near . At least our service is not forgotten. Thank you once again .
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On a Sunday night , $5 ap surcharge , the shorter the better .
Try smiling after 1 hour wait .
Of course , some drivers are realistic , some are just friendly .
They also human , some got mood one .
Imagine this chap has got massive bills infront of him in daily basis . Kids inside hospital , wife nagging for him , mistress asking for money etc .....
And 1 hour wait , and then what ?
I would have also smiling if i waited just 5 minutes and got a Simei .
Meaning my next target still that $5 carrot hanging at T3 .
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cant compare TD with Mac la... Mac waitress is employee wor u must compare TD with say car grooming... tell him u want only grooming promotion package say $28 type... other things all dun want... he sure sian mah... maybe lose $ serving u rather than another customer...
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Originally posted by Poolman:
On a Sunday night , $5 ap surcharge , the shorter the better .
Try smiling after 1 hour wait .
Of course , some drivers are realistic , some are just friendly .
They also human , some got mood one .
Imagine this chap has got massive bills infront of him in daily basis . Kids inside hospital , wife nagging for him , mistress asking for money etc .....
And 1 hour wait , and then what ?
I would have also smiling if i waited just 5 minutes and got a Simei .
Meaning my next target still that $5 carrot hanging at T3 .
I think they are waiting for some time because there was no passengers at the queue at all when I reach the taxi queue.
Everyone also got mood but there are taxi drivers who are proud of the service they are providing and despite being unhappy, tries their best to make the passengers happy. Of cos if the passengers are stuck up, then the driver is not at fault because he already tried. There are of cos TDs perhaps like you who believe that passengers owe you a living and we have to live off your mood. Luckily, my encounters with taxi drivers by and large are pleasant because they are only here to make a living. Perhaps you are just different. All the best to you then.
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Originally posted by ALN:
cant compare TD with Mac la… Mac waitress is employee wor
u must compare TD with say car grooming… tell him u want only grooming promotion package say $28 type… other things all dun want… he sure sian mah… maybe lose $ serving u rather than another customer…
My point was if the passengers had a lousy day and vent our frustrations on the taxi drivers, is that right? That is wrong! Similarly, if the passengers wants to go to SImei or somewhere nearby and TD is frustrated, can he vent his frustration on us?
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Originally posted by Teolk:
well for me i'm really ok with short distance from airport,as long as the pax is friendly & put on a smile
there're black face TDs & also black face pax (99% are local pax sad to say) who simple don't appreciate our friendly gesture
there was once this local lady I took from T3,I helped her load her 3 big luggage & say hello to her.
she didn't respond but just say "Flora rd" in a very rude manner
When we reach there,I helped her to unload while she talk over the hp & pay me a $10 bill for the $9.80 fare,waiting for the 20c change
she didn't say a single "thank you" & left.I don't need your tips but I do need a thank you at least
that & many other more experiences with local pax really pissed me off...i now make a point to greet only ang mor & non-local pax
becos i know they will definitely respond with a smile
of course there really nice local pax around but I can say 7/10 are not
I guess you just met a lousy passenger but if you choose to ignore and do not greet locals anymore, are you not penalising the 3/10 local passengers who may be nice but will have a bad impression of you just because you assume they are local passengers who are bad passengers?
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Originally posted by benqepson:
Thnx for tipping the taxi driver . It really makes a day for taxi driver who appreciate the service given to you even though the distance is near . At least our service is not forgotten. Thank you once again .
My 2 uncles make their living and raise their children to Universities through working as a taxi driver. Who does not know that life as a TD is hard? If sick still has to drive, if not still have to pay rental. No medical leave, no annual leave, no CPF, not much benefits at all. These are all very hard work! But my uncles always tell me, they are grateful at least they have a mean to earn money and put his 3 children through school. And now my 2nd uncle is grateful that he may not be rich through working as a TD, he at least can bring back the milk powder to his baby boy. And that is why, no matter what they also can dun create problem they dun create. Meet lousy passenger, just brush it aside, have a nice kopi, talk cock with fellow TDs, forget abt it. If bring black face to the next passenger, who knows, he might be a nice passenger but becos of your black face, complains about you. I just think that some TDs do not appreciate the fact that driving a taxi thought is very hard work, but like my uncles gave them a chance to feed their families.
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Originally posted by Poolman:
On a Sunday night , $5 ap surcharge , the shorter the better .
Try smiling after 1 hour wait .
Of course , some drivers are realistic , some are just friendly .
They also human , some got mood one .
Imagine this chap has got massive bills infront of him in daily basis . Kids inside hospital , wife nagging for him , mistress asking for money etc .....
And 1 hour wait , and then what ?
I would have also smiling if i waited just 5 minutes and got a Simei .
Meaning my next target still that $5 carrot hanging at T3 .
what you said is true, but why penalise the customers for the long wait? the customers did not ask you, TDs to do it willingly, right?
you wait there, hopefully to catch a fat ride to a jurong or far, so u should also take it if it is bedok or even changi.
it is not fault of the customers. and yet now, most customers staying near the airport are fearing cause despite paying for the trip have to lower their voice, and speak with fear cause of the locations they stay? absurd la.
better create a special queue for those staying nearby..
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Some TD are just too quick to show their temper. Maybe it is their personality. I dun mind if there is no polite conversation, afterall that is a bonus. But I dun deserve any rude attitdue either.
So far, I have gotten nice TDs. I believe if I start the journey being friendly, 9 out of 10 times I would have a wonderful conversation with them.
Keep the smile on, it is not gonna hurt much on the cheeks!!!!!!
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Originally posted by Teolk:
well for me i'm really ok with short distance from airport,as long as the pax is friendly & put on a smile
there're black face TDs & also black face pax (99% are local pax sad to say) who simple don't appreciate our friendly gesture
there was once this local lady I took from T3,I helped her load her 3 big luggage & say hello to her.
she didn't respond but just say "Flora rd" in a very rude manner
When we reach there,I helped her to unload while she talk over the hp & pay me a $10 bill for the $9.80 fare,waiting for the 20c change
she didn't say a single "thank you" & left.I don't need your tips but I do need a thank you at least
that & many other more experiences with local pax really pissed me off...i now make a point to greet only ang mor & non-local pax
becos i know they will definitely respond with a smile
of course there really nice local pax around but I can say 7/10 are not
I encounter few times when i greet pax onbroad my cab , if he/she didn't respond,
usually is problem pax.
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Some local pax when they are going for short trip, they are friendly n humble too, uncle sorry I go Tampines only, No problem uncle stay in Tamp too. automatically they tip me. some more instructed me, uncle, since U so near Ap, U can go back n Q lor. oh...ok.
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millionaire cabby of course go anywhere also happy la... old tamp rd phui....
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if me millionaire hawker sell to past time... customer say just want soup 20c, can? of course!
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Originally posted by ALN:
millionaire cabby of course go anywhere also happy la…
old tamp rd phui….
U drive two days only, not happy meh ?? keng hot day to drive, never do some charity drive. phui............ -
For me frm AP go anywhere also can, if i wan to Q
i dun complain..... ;)
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Originally posted by iceFatboy:
what you said is true, but why penalise the customers for the long wait? the customers did not ask you, TDs to do it willingly, right?
Now who penalised who ?Own up guys !
Who said customers must be penalised here ? Own up !
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Originally posted by gasband:
I think they are waiting for some time because there was no passengers at the queue at all when I reach the taxi queue.
Don't assume he waited long , Sunday airport no long wait one .No passenger for just 5 minutes before you , 5 minutes after you ...... no enuf taxis , still never enuf since i join taxi 10 years ago .
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Originally posted by gasband:
My 2 uncles make their living and raise their children to Universities through working as a taxi driver. Who does not know that life as a TD is hard? If sick still has to drive, if not still have to pay rental. No medical leave, no annual leave, no CPF, not much benefits at all. These are all very hard work! But my uncles always tell me, they are grateful at least they have a mean to earn money and put his 3 children through school. And now my 2nd uncle is grateful that he may not be rich through working as a TD, he at least can bring back the milk powder to his baby boy. And that is why, no matter what they also can dun create problem they dun create. Meet lousy passenger, just brush it aside, have a nice kopi, talk cock with fellow TDs, forget abt it. If bring black face to the next passenger, who knows, he might be a nice passenger but becos of your black face, complains about you. I just think that some TDs do not appreciate the fact that driving a taxi thought is very hard work, but like my uncles gave them a chance to feed their families.
I agreed as what you said.
Meet bad pax, take a deep breadth, count to 10 second and let it go. Look for another pax and dont cling onto the previous bad pax.
Even though life is hard fo td (without any leave, etc)...afterall, td also earning a decent living.
Not only td, others also...got bad eggs in the baskets. Life is like that lah. Cannot have 100% all on your favours.
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Originally posted by Cash Lee:
I encounter few times when i greet pax onbroad my cab , if he/she didn't respond,
usually is problem pax.
On lah, I got one time boarded a taxi (very late around 1am) and having problems with work, in the taxi, my mind keeps thinking how to solve the problem and even the td wanted to talk to me, my mind was thinking...thus never respond...but then, I told the td, sorry uncle...I am tired...and td will know lah. -
Who dun wish to have a longer trip when kena caught in a long wait for pax, especially those driving night shift when queing for pax is a norm...? Anywhere not only Airport...
But this is part and parcel of being in this trade lor...
So I usually look on the brighter side rather than sulking up to the pax, or leaving any rude remarks... Not scare kena complain meh?!
What really spoilt my day are those pax that pull a long face throughout the whole journey, machaim I owe them $$ type...