I will happily take a taxi anywhere and everywhere I need to go. Even by myself late at night. I even get annoyed when taxi drivers DON’T cut other people off or drive like maniacs! 
Normally only use taxis on friday and saturday nights if we are going out drinking. That said the only real complaint i have is the idiotic way some of them drive. It has improved in recent years, but there are still some ‘plonkers’ out there.
Have never had a foreignor hating driver though, and the other weekend had one that spoke damn good english, came as quite a surprise.
The only cabs i avoid are the really old clapped out taxis, i prefer to ride in a little bit of comfort.
I can’t help but think there is something a bit contradictory and elitist about the people who critcize taxi drivers. On the one hand they appreciate the economy and convenience of the service and on the other they expect to be treated like dignitaries every time they step in a cab. They want it to smell nice, they want more/less airconditioning, they want the radio set to ICRT or something. Naturally they hope the taxi is brand new and that the driver be able to engage them in some witty reparte. Unless they aren’t in the mood for converstaion of course, in which case the driver should be able to divine their mood somehow and just keep his mouth shut. I mean after all most taxi drivers are just lazy bastards making their way down the ladder of success after sqaundering the first class university education provided them by their wealthy families. Heck they deserve to be subsidizing our lifestyle with their long hours and investment in car, insurance, gas, parking…right?
The only complaint I have about taxi is something is you have a package that might not easily fit in their trunk. They refuse to pick you up. I once bought a cloth rack for my apartment. It wasn’t until the store owner was willing to hide the package, that I was able to convince a driver to shove the thing in the trunk.
In NYC I rarely have the problem. Taxi drivers are more than eager to challenge the laws of physics.
Taxi are great on short hops. I don’t like taxi rides between districts or cities because sometimes you get one of those philosopher drivers. I once hired a taxi in Taizhong to go a location about 2 hours out of town and they guy guess kept talking about the virtue of Buddism.
But A.C. buddhism “is” virtuous!
taipei taxis?? i am a big fan… my new year’s this year resolution was to stay away from the MRT… i was at vibe one night and got out a little “intoxicated” at about 7am… due to the shortage of cash in my wallet, i had to dust off my easycard and walk to kuting station -which, by the way, was spelt in a different way every time i went there. anyways, sounded like a good plan, as i lived just four stations down the same line… the problem is i fell asleep and woke up in tam-shui 
[quote=“almas john”]
advice from the Taipei Police for staying safe when using taxis.
Taxi tips.
- Sitting directly behind the driver in a taxi will allow you to react quickly if there is a problem. (For example, you can grab the steering wheel and create a fake traffic accident thereby involving others while getting you out of possible danger.)
How is it easier to grab the steering wheel if you’re seated behind the driver? Creating a fake accident that could take your own life and others?Not me!I thought it was advice for staying safe.
Still, everytime I get in a taxi I always wonder what the driver’s like.I’ve heard stories of drivers raping women in Taipei. If I was a woman, I’d definitely be v.alert when riding a taxi by myself at night.Ready to bust some kungfu or something.
Whenever getting in a taxi with your partner, always get in first so when you both get off, she can get out first. You all heard about the taxi driver who drove off with a man’s girlfriend(wife?)right infront of him as soon as he climbed out of the taxi?.I don’t know if she was ever found.
Mmm, Taiwan…where women open taxi doors for their men to get in first…
Ladies- do take care!
And don’t believe that just because many of them have religious ornaments and figures in the front of the taxi makes them “good people” who wouldn’t do anything immoral.