Taxis In Bolehland

In this Boleh Land, everything is "Boleh"! This includes many of the notorious taxi drivers in town, who are arrogant, rude, foul-language-experts, tout-alike, road bullies and virtual extortionists! I have many many bad experiences with taxis in big cities like KL and Penang - and thank God, today (in fact since the day I got my driving licence) I don't rely on taxis anymore!!

I read with total agreement in Malaysiakini article entitled "Malaysia's Worst In The World Taxis", and just cannot stop nodding my head as I read down the lines.

"Flat rate, flat rate, no metre," one driver insists as the tourists try to find a cab to take them to their hotel, less than two kilometres away."

I think this is the most arrogant and nuisance statements which day in day out, we as passengers hear from these b*stard taxi drivers. Frankly, if I had a car or can afford walking, I wouldn't have boarded any taxis in town. In fact taking the public buses or LRT prove to be more comfortable and economical.

I still remember clearly many years ago when I was in a college at Subang Jaya, I fell down and fractured my left ankle. I was limping towards the bus station only to find out that there wasn't any bus going directly to my house - so I got to resort to taxi service. There was a cab coming along that hot afternoon, and I was begging the driver to send me home. Normally it would cost me (using meter) around RM8-10 to reach home, but that arrogant and black-hearted driver asked for a whopping RM80 just for that one way! Extortionist. I begged him again, but this cold-hearted beast just wouldn't give a damn - in fact he yelled at me "kalo nak cepat sikit, aku ni busy tau!"

I didn't have so much money with me and so I took the bus instead (later I got to change bus twice before walking another 10 minutes to reach my house). I never forget that incident, and never will forgive that driver (yeah, I know, my religion also teaches me to forgive!) ;P

Although not all cab drivers are b*stards, I am just being unlucky to meet almost 7 out of 10 who are! That's why my experience with taxis is just a sheer disappointment. And in fact I feel ashamed of them being the front-liners to promote Malaysia during those Visit Malaysia Years!

Do you guys meet such taxi drivers in your life? Would like to hear from you.