Saturday, September 20, 2008

Taxi Scams in Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia

It's not a surprise for citizens in Kuala Lumpur who took taxis for quite some times to see that news anymore..

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There's lotsa lotsa taxi drivers who did scamming work in Kuala Lumpur or even uptown and downtown.. They are well-known for their rudeness when dealing with the customers.. I didn't see any changes even if there's a helpline there.. Shouldn't the government or whoever it is do something about this?!

Now things gotten big! Yesterday, while I was checking my mail, I saw this big news in MSN.com.. Click here to read the whole news..

Here's the small part of the news:

In a survey by the local magazine The Expat, some 200 foreigners from 30 countries rated Malaysia the worst among 23 countries in terms of taxi quality, courtesy, availability and expertise.

The respondents lashed the fleet as "a source of national shame" and "a serious threat to tourists -- rude bullies and extortionists".

Seriously, they really had spoiled the reputation of the country!! *sigh* What on earth are they thinking?!

I'm pretty sure you hear this before from the taxi drivers:
* Flat rate, Flat rate, no more metre
* Sekarang Traffic Jam la.. Charge more..
* Traffic Jam.. No go there..
* That area very jam.. We no run metre there..
* No metre la.. You try other taxi drivers see they use or not?!

In fact, our destination ain't that far la.. Even if it jam, SO WHAT?! As if when it jam the metre is not running and not increasing like that..

However, I was really surprise to meet one lady taxi driver.. She really gave us a warm welcome while we onboard from IOI Mall, Puchong to Sunway Pyramid, Sunway.. Apart from that, she told us that all this while she had been using metre and never request for flat rate regardless how jam it is.. "It's a principal", she added. I wonder how many taxi drivers can learn from her and practice the ethics and principal that she did. I really wish to onboard on her taxi again the next time I'm going to take taxi.. Her good attitude towards customer is enough to attract more customers.. Not forgetting to mention how careful she drove and how tidy her car is..

Imagine yourself going into a taxi which STINKS! and having a RECKLESS DRIVER! Oh my god!! Why you have to suffer when you pay such a high price for that (ya.. ya.. FLAT RATE..) and they cut the queue here and there as if there's no more tomorrow..

Feeling nothing about it?! How about taking a Taxi which will ended up like this?!

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Picture source taken from Pog Mahone

*Sigh* Another sad incident happened to my girlfriend while she drove my car.. A taxi driver knocked my car and ran away! Even though it didn't leave a big scratch and a bit tainted, he shouldn't had ran away.. I wasn't with my girlfriend that time and she got panicked a bit when the driver knocked her..

When she looked at the taxi driver, the taxi driver waved and asked her to move ahead.. My girlfriend considered about it and move ahead a bit as it's a junction and the road is freaking small and the car queue behind was freaking long.. (Blame those who approve to build such a small road).. Anyway, after my girlfriend moved ahead a bit, the taxi driver FAST FAST RUN ROAD! What the hell?! Too bad my girlfriend could not see the car plate, else, I complain KAO KAO!

Haihz.. CAN ANY AUTHORITY-IN-CHARGE LOOK AT THIS MATTER?!

P/s: Long post.. but based on true events.. Print out the news and show to the taxi drivers next time when they ask for FLAT RATE! Macam-lah they are DIGI.. APA FLAT RATE.. -.-"

7 comments:

curryegg said...

Wow... that taxi... em... like what you said.. "Flat Rate"..

Lolx..

acura said...

How come i don't find the survey surprising? The authorities are not doing any enforcement so the drivers are not afraid to break the law

I usually try to avoid travelling by taxis.

Harry Kho aka Krawx said...

curryegg: yeapz.. Flat rate..

acure: haha.. well.. that's why i said ppl are not surprise to see that liao.. just that things gotten big.. :)

Anonymous said...

I'm not surprised.......even there is one time they cheated my cousin and my cousin-in-law....they wanted to go to HUKM and this hallabaloo drived in circles and when they reached HUKM....they are asked to pay RM10 for it.

They protested and asked if he tipu....but he denied but they protested in which they paid RM4 instead....

Some taxi drivers are plain liars,extortionist and even gangster......i tell you, if the government is seriously not doing anything to curb this problem........this country is going no where and they are the cause of tourism decline....

but we can't deny that they are also some drivers who are sincere and wanted to earn some money.and they never charge expensive fares.

Tim G.

Harry Kho aka Krawx said...

Tim: Well.. just like the ying and yang i guess? There are always the good one and the bad one..

haha.. well.. i do hope the authority will start to take this serious though as the media is now everywhere..

Anonymous said...

Yeah... actually... Its the same everywhere.. even in singapore also.. There was once when me and my parents board a taxi from the hotel, just to go to orchard, even though they used the meter, but they drive recklessly..

That was my first time getting dizzy in the car.. For a short distance, and actually in the city.. Haiz...

And also, don't worry, there wont be a next time as I wont borrow ur car anymore.. even though its very urgent.. =) so no need to worry that there'll be more scratches or "dented" again.. =)

Anonymous said...

Maybe we should hire immigrant to drive the taxis like what they got in NYC.