Nowadays I try to tell myself not to take cabs so often. In the past I used to take cabs everyday when I was teaching, as I had lots of books and worksheets to carry home for marking. I took cabs so much that I am now a member of one of the local taxi companies. Now that I no longer have an excuse to take cabs unless I really need to rush somewhere, I try to be more disciplined by getting out earlier.
But it can be really interesting to take a taxi because one gets to see the quintessential aspects of humanity close-up. Cab drivers epitomize the different characteristics of human beings in general. There can be folly ones, petty ones, calculative ones, generous ones, chatty ones, friendly ones, grouchy ones, etc.
If one is lucky, one can get a driver who is chatty, friendly and fatherly (or motherly), and dishes out advice on child rearing, government policies, musings and current affairs, and just accepts payment of whole numbers without the cents. If one is unlucky, one gets a nasty driver who road hogs, blames the world for everything, shows a grouchy face, gets so picky even over ten cents, and screams if he is kept waiting just because sometimes one needs to dig out small change.
The nicest cab driver I came across was when I had to go sign up for tertiary courses. I took the bus and lost my way, and was roaming around when this cab driver saw me and asked if I was going down to the campus. So I nodded and he asked me to hop in.
He started talking to me, saying that his son was about the same age as me, and he advised his son on which course to take. He asked me which course I was planning, so I answered trying to see if I could get into Law, otherwise I would do Arts. He asked about my grades and I told him, with which he was so excited and said I could try for Law studies. It was so cute to see him that way; he looked even more excited than my own parents!
It was just a short distance and he was advising me on a good career path all the way, something like what my parents would do. When I finally reached my destination, I took out my wallet to pay him but he told me not necessary as he intended to give me a lift all along despite my insistence. Wow… what a kind-hearted and jolly fellow.
Another nice cab driver was the one from the cab I took last week. He was chatting with me on politics, George Bush and Osama, how to rear smart kids. He told me that he fed his children fish porridge the moment they could take solid food, and both his children are in top schools, as fish is known as “brain food”. Fish also contains vitamins which help the eyes and bones. His children have perfect eyesight and very healthy. I told him that my mum fed me fish all throughout my life, steamed, fried, baked, roasted, raw, so why am I neither smart nor healthy nor have perfect eyesight then?
When one comes across nice drivers like these, they really make your day and make you forget all the stress of the office and worries of the world. When one comes across a nasty driver, instead of feeling more relaxed, you end up feeling more stressed after that.
There was this driver who kept cussing anytime there was a red light. And he was a real horrible driver, the cab kept jerking until I was on the verge of carsickness. Finally I told him he needed to slow down as I would throw up if he kept driving like this. He turned around and accused me of not telling him I was expecting in the first place. Did it mean I was pregnant just because I said I wanted to throw up? And it was lucky I was not expecting because he would cause a miscarriage from the way he was driving.
Not only that, when I reached the destination, the fare was a little more than usual, and I only had enough for the normal fare. I did not take into account traffic jams and extra stops at traffic junctions. So I told him I was a little short of cash and could I pay by card instead? He screamed at me saying that if I had no cash in the first place, why take a cab? He did not know how to use the card machine, thus he could not accept any card. I was really on the verge of just walking out and not paying him.
Finally I told him to wait while I go withdraw cash. He said how could I guarantee I would return and asked me to hand my mobile phone over as “security”. I told him straight that once I stepped out, my mobile phone and other possessions would go with me. Besides, the ATM was right in front in full view, so I could not escape even if I wanted to. I quickly withdrew the cash and paid him, with some extras he demanded for making him wait. I was just too fed up to speak up and gave him whatever he wanted. I would have given him a little extra anyway for the trouble incurred, but I really disliked the way he was behaving.
Luckily, the other cab drivers I came across were pretty alright. There were a few nasty ones, but none like the one above. But as a customer, I try not to give the service provider too hard a time as well. I have cab drivers who told me it was a breeze driving me around since I seem to be flexible over anything.
For me, I always think that if they are the cab drivers, they should know the way better than I do, thus I always let them exercise their own judgment on which way to go. As long as I could get to my destination, what for be so picky on the direction and journey and make others’ lives miserable?
But it can be really interesting to take a taxi because one gets to see the quintessential aspects of humanity close-up. Cab drivers epitomize the different characteristics of human beings in general. There can be folly ones, petty ones, calculative ones, generous ones, chatty ones, friendly ones, grouchy ones, etc.
If one is lucky, one can get a driver who is chatty, friendly and fatherly (or motherly), and dishes out advice on child rearing, government policies, musings and current affairs, and just accepts payment of whole numbers without the cents. If one is unlucky, one gets a nasty driver who road hogs, blames the world for everything, shows a grouchy face, gets so picky even over ten cents, and screams if he is kept waiting just because sometimes one needs to dig out small change.
The nicest cab driver I came across was when I had to go sign up for tertiary courses. I took the bus and lost my way, and was roaming around when this cab driver saw me and asked if I was going down to the campus. So I nodded and he asked me to hop in.
He started talking to me, saying that his son was about the same age as me, and he advised his son on which course to take. He asked me which course I was planning, so I answered trying to see if I could get into Law, otherwise I would do Arts. He asked about my grades and I told him, with which he was so excited and said I could try for Law studies. It was so cute to see him that way; he looked even more excited than my own parents!
It was just a short distance and he was advising me on a good career path all the way, something like what my parents would do. When I finally reached my destination, I took out my wallet to pay him but he told me not necessary as he intended to give me a lift all along despite my insistence. Wow… what a kind-hearted and jolly fellow.
Another nice cab driver was the one from the cab I took last week. He was chatting with me on politics, George Bush and Osama, how to rear smart kids. He told me that he fed his children fish porridge the moment they could take solid food, and both his children are in top schools, as fish is known as “brain food”. Fish also contains vitamins which help the eyes and bones. His children have perfect eyesight and very healthy. I told him that my mum fed me fish all throughout my life, steamed, fried, baked, roasted, raw, so why am I neither smart nor healthy nor have perfect eyesight then?
When one comes across nice drivers like these, they really make your day and make you forget all the stress of the office and worries of the world. When one comes across a nasty driver, instead of feeling more relaxed, you end up feeling more stressed after that.
There was this driver who kept cussing anytime there was a red light. And he was a real horrible driver, the cab kept jerking until I was on the verge of carsickness. Finally I told him he needed to slow down as I would throw up if he kept driving like this. He turned around and accused me of not telling him I was expecting in the first place. Did it mean I was pregnant just because I said I wanted to throw up? And it was lucky I was not expecting because he would cause a miscarriage from the way he was driving.
Not only that, when I reached the destination, the fare was a little more than usual, and I only had enough for the normal fare. I did not take into account traffic jams and extra stops at traffic junctions. So I told him I was a little short of cash and could I pay by card instead? He screamed at me saying that if I had no cash in the first place, why take a cab? He did not know how to use the card machine, thus he could not accept any card. I was really on the verge of just walking out and not paying him.
Finally I told him to wait while I go withdraw cash. He said how could I guarantee I would return and asked me to hand my mobile phone over as “security”. I told him straight that once I stepped out, my mobile phone and other possessions would go with me. Besides, the ATM was right in front in full view, so I could not escape even if I wanted to. I quickly withdrew the cash and paid him, with some extras he demanded for making him wait. I was just too fed up to speak up and gave him whatever he wanted. I would have given him a little extra anyway for the trouble incurred, but I really disliked the way he was behaving.
Luckily, the other cab drivers I came across were pretty alright. There were a few nasty ones, but none like the one above. But as a customer, I try not to give the service provider too hard a time as well. I have cab drivers who told me it was a breeze driving me around since I seem to be flexible over anything.
For me, I always think that if they are the cab drivers, they should know the way better than I do, thus I always let them exercise their own judgment on which way to go. As long as I could get to my destination, what for be so picky on the direction and journey and make others’ lives miserable?
1 comments:
I like my cab driver to be quiet and competent.
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