You paid 35nt too much.
I got in a cab at the weekend on Dunhua to head to my hotel at the north end. The guy tried to do a U-turn at a set of lights until I yelled at him to keep going ahead. He kept falling asleep at the lights too.
I haven’t had much trouble with Cab drivers until recently oddly enough.
I know, but the humor was worth NTD 35.
Haha. Thanks for posting that.
Icon’s rules for avoiding upsetting her ulcer due to dodgy taxi drivers:
Rule of thumb 1: Only get in taxis owned by reputable companies -Taiwan Taxi, the company that caters only to women, etc. if it’s got a seal, then it’s a deal.
Rule of thumb 2: Only enter new taxis, unscrached, hopefully clean. A bunch of flowers is a plus.
Rule of thumb 3: Avoid overly ornate taxis. Curtains, more Budas than Zhinan Temple, Hello Kitty galore, etc… If he cannot see where he’s going, neither can you.
Rule of thumb 4: Absolutely NO KTV, no TV, no video of any kind anywhere -including cell phone. Remember: now you have to check even the rear view mirror -as it can also be replaced by a screen.
Rule of thumb 5: Do know where you are going before getting there. Assume that the taxi driver does not know where he’s going to -you will probably be right. Get a map, ask for directions, spot landmarks BEFOREHAND. The younger the driver, the worse it can be. However… not necessarily.
In case of doubt, see the Taiwanese version of Taxi.
Don’t get in a taxi if he tries to charge you a flat rate to begin with. Don’t even bother asking him to turn on the meter, because you’ve already found a dishonest, difficult person who doesn’t DESERVE your money. Wait for the next taxi. There are plenty. Meanwhile, write down the taxi number and report him to the government for trying to swindle you. Seriously. Do your part to get those assholes off the streets.
Actually DB, flat rates are common outside the cities.
…unless it is a tourist place, then you have to do your homework and know your rates. Examples *please correct me if I’m wrong, it’s been a while:
Peitou MRT to hot spring area: 100 nts
Ruifang to Jiufen/Chinhuashih: 200nts
Jiufen to Keelung: 400 nts
Taipei to Ilan: 500 nts
Taipei to airport: 1400 nts
Yep, sounds like some folks need to take a trip out of Taipei City and explore the Land of Betel-nut Chewers.
Yes, but when in that Land, avoid Betel-nut Chewing Taxi Drivers. They’re easy to spot, since their taxis are red. Well, reddish.
[quote=“Icon”]
…unless it is a tourist place, then you have to do your homework and know your rates. Examples *please correct me if I’m wrong, it’s been a while:
Beitou MRT to hot spring area: 100 nts
Ruifang to Jiufen/Chinhuashih: 200nts
Jiufen to Keelung (Jilong): 400 nts
Taipei to Yilan: 500 nts
Taipei to airport: 1400 nts[/quote]
I think the prevailing flat rate for Taipei to the airport is only NT$1,000. (Coming back from the airport, the official airport cabs go by the metered rate plus a surcharge, so it comes to a higher amount.)
maunaloa, great post and seems like you had great fun at his expense which would have eased some of the frustration. Excellent!
[quote=“Rotalsnart”][quote=“Icon”]
…unless it is a tourist place, then you have to do your homework and know your rates. Examples *please correct me if I’m wrong, it’s been a while:
Beitou MRT to hot spring area: 100 nts
Ruifang to Jiufen/Chinhuashih: 200nts
Jiufen to Keelung (Jilong) (Jilong): 400 nts
Taipei to Yilan: 500 nts
Taipei to airport: 1400 nts[/quote]
I think the prevailing flat rate for Taipei to the airport is only NT$1,000. (Coming back from the airport, the official airport cabs go by the metered rate plus a surcharge, so it comes to a higher amount.)[/quote]
I just took a cap twice last week to the airport, granted from Yonghe. We prearanged it as it was each time for the first flight of the day going to HK, would have been 500 NT but because it was that early in the morning he asked for 600. He drove a normal yellow cab, Toyota Wish.
They jacked up the taxi rate last year to help cabbies deal with rising gas prices. Now the gas prices are back down to earth.
Sweet deal for them.
[quote=“Chris”]They jacked up the taxi rate last year to help cabbies deal with rising gas prices. Now the gas prices are back down to earth.
Sweet deal for them.[/quote]
I wonder if there’s ever been a foreigner that’s so tired of teaching that they decided to drive a cab?
The other day I took a cab and he was really nice. He said that prostitutes often target taxi drivers because they can’t really solicit on the street. He told me the going rate is 2000 for fellatio and a bath…or maybe it was 2000 for everything, but anyway I’m not the kind of guy that does that type of thing so maybe I should have asked him where one could find one of these “prostitutes” in case I meet someone from out of town looking because really it’s good for the economy.
True. The standard rate for a cab from Taipei to the airport should only be NT$600.
that shit makes my blood boil.
Not even if he’s a really handsome cabbie?
maunaloa, great post and seems like you had great fun at his expense which would have eased some of the frustration. Excellent![/quote]
Thanks, tash. In the 'wan, all that stands between the otherwise fit expat and cardiovascular hypertension is a sense of humor.
Well of course, that goes without saying.