Taxis refusing customers

[christianpfc]

Taxis refusing customers

I has been a long time that I had a problem with taxis. But yesterday, it struck again. I was in Sukhumvit area with a friend. There was heavy rain at midnight. Around 1 am (today 12.09.2013),I Ieft her place (the rain had stopped, but still some areas ankle deep under water) and hailed down several taxis in Soi 11. They either refused to go to Lak Si or quoted a price that was about twice what I would pay by meter. One taxi driver even said тАЬItтАЩs so far!тАЭ WTF? If it was close, I would walk there! Other customers had similar problems.

Now the interesting part. The taxi drivers have the window on the passenger side down and prospective passengers tell them their destination and wait for approval and a price quote. The customer becomes a supplicant who asks the taxi driver if he deigns going to his destination. After over five rejections, I change my strategy. I hail down a taxi and get in, and then tell the driver where I want to go. It works!

My suggestion for similar situations: DonтАЩt discuss destination through the window while standing outside. ItтАЩs irrelevant, the taxi has to take you wherever you want to go (within reason). And it shows the driver that you are in the weaker position. Just open the door and sit down and tell him where you want to go (best in Thai to show that you have local knowledge), because you are the customer, he is the servant.

By telling your destination through the window and waiting for approval you accept your role as petitioner, by getting in and sitting down you show that you are the boss!

Based on one event. What are your experiences/thoughts? I always sit down in the front seat, for a better view.

[jinks]

I hail down a taxi and get in, and then tell the driver where I want to go. It works!



Right about "distance within reason" but be sure that the meter is used.

"Meter me die, give much money"

[Nirish guy]

Funnily it has only ever happened to me also when I was on Sukhumvit and also in the rain where on hailing a cab during a reasonably heavy shower two separate taxis quoted me almost double the meter rate, I was with a Thai friend at the time and when he heard this he cringed a bit and then stood back to see what I would do and ( as I found out later) was happy that I said "no thanks, I'd rather walk than give you that" ( I effect to walked 50 yards to the next junction and hailed a normally priced taxi there just) .

Whilst I was acting solely on principal as I objected to being ripped off I was worried about my Thai friend thinking I was being cheap, but it turns out he was delighted that I'd taken a stand as he too said he and any Thai person would have refused as well and they looked down on the taxi driver for trying it on. When the driver said "it cost more because of rain" I asked him could I assume that he also then reduced his meters price when it was hot and sunny - I didn't get a positive reply. :-)

he

[JamesIII]

yep how about a taxi to the int. airport from the Sukhumvit area?
guess late at nite or early morning they will not go there?
I leave at 3 am for the airport and just wondered if I could get a meter one?

[corky]

There is a hotline for reporting errant taxis.
The number is 1584 which is the Land Transport Department hotline. There is an alternate number of 1197 which is the traffic police hotline.

I have never tried it and I suspect it would be of little use to a farang due to the language barrier but there is a recent report in the Bangkok Post saying that over 23000 complaints have been made this year. http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/368542/more-than-23000-complaints-against-drivers-on-taxi-consumer-hotline

[adman5000]

I have occasionally had similar problems with taxi drivers. I try to avoid taxis during peak periods and in congested areas of the city. If within operating times, I try to get to a BTS or MRT station and go as far as I can that way. I also try to hail the taxi in main areas rather than side areas. I also try to be overly polite and ask them to take me to an interim point.

But I still have the occasional problem. It seems to happen with the older taxi drivers. I also have taxi drivers I have used repetitively and call them when I have an opportunity or early morning need for a taxi. One is the father of someone I know and another has taken me places far outside the normal range and has actually stayed at the location I was going to and napped and slept at my friends outdoor garden area before taking me back.

The worst one was a driver who was taking me from Sukumvit to the airport. He was an older Chinese guy and after entering the taxi would not turn on the meter and kept trying to ask for an exorbitant fare. I asked him to stop and let me out and he would not. So I made to start calling on my phone and showed him a card I carry. He immediately stopped, let me out, got my luggage out and set it down, and left. The card was for a special group within the Bangkok Police organization I worked with years ago. I still carry it just in case. Hell, the guy on it is dead for all I know, but it still works nicely when needed. I was easily able to hail another taxi and continue on. :glasses7:

[kakadai]

Right about "distance within reason" but be sure that the meter is used.

"Meter me die, give much money"


The meter is of no help when it is rigged. On my last arrival in Bangkok the meter showed 450 baht from Suvarnabhumi to Sukhimvit 15.

[bucknaway]

It's a bummer getting ripped off.... I have taken the train from the airport just to avoid that Airport Taxi frustration or at least delay the taxi frustration.

[kanom]

There is an iphone app called 'taxi reporter'. Not used it so not sure if it works.

I never go to Sukhumvit, it's full of Arabs and Indians and people who look as though they're one or the other. Chidlom is about as close as I'll go (for Home Pro). The only time I've had a taxi refuse me was near the corner of Suriwong and Naratiwas around 10:30pm last Thursday and he refused to take me to the Saint Louis Hospital area.

[Patanawet]

I never go to Sukhumvit, it's full of Arabs and Indians and people who look as though they're one or the other. The only time I've had a taxi refuse me was near the corner of Suriwong and Naratiwas around 10:30pm last Thursday and he refused to take me to the Saint Louis Hospital area.

A bit of generalisation, that! The part of Sukhumvit where I live looks full of Japanese. Further up, it looks all Europeans and even further up it looks all Thai.

The refusal was probably the opposite of the 'too far' syndrome and could have been too close. He would have got a small fare and gone back to join the end of a long queue of taxis.
I wonder what the ideal distance would be for a taxi driver?

[jinks]

I wonder what the ideal distance would be for a taxi driver?

Ideal distance is to the point where the meter charging reduces from its initial charge.
This is IF the meter is used about 1km.

The driver is looking for sufficient return on the mileage he must pay to the owner and enough left to run the cab and produce a living wage.

Same Same the world over!

[bucknaway]

Ideal distance is to the point where the meter charging reduces from its initial charge.
This is IF the meter is used about 1km.

The driver is looking for sufficient return on the mileage he must pay to the owner and enough left to run the cab and produce a living wage.

Same Same the world over!

I may be wrong but I would think that a Taxi picking up Tourist in the rain stand a very good chance of getting a good tip. Or if they ask for a reasonable rate for not using the meter may work but to ask for 200 or 400 baht for a 80 baht ride only reminds us to beware of ripoffs.

[timmberty]

i agree bucky, simular to if you are sat on a bar balcony having a drink when its a lovely sunny day, would you expect to pay more for the same drink, 2 or 3 times more, just because it starts to rain and you have to move inside ?
no need to rip people off, just do your job, do it well and see what happens.

[giggsy]

I nearly offed a taxi driver once but typically at the last minute he pulled out without any indication.