Please share your taxicab conversational experiences...

-- Anonymous, March 15, 2000

Answers

Driving a cab is a rough job and I have a lot of respect/sympathy for the people that do it, but it seems just as often I stop to consider what a tough job it is, I get pissed because one of em is trying to rip me off by going the longest route possible. I will tip well if I'm given good service but I'm also going to say so if you try to pull one over on me. San Fran is a great town for cabs and cabbies but nowhere can beat NYC. Now that's a shitty job.

-- Anonymous, March 15, 2000

Cab drivers in Singapore are simply amazing, they are remarkably honest, relatively safe drivers -compared to other parts of Asia, and most have a lot to say about everything which is a refreshing attitude when living in Singapore. In fact, in the three years I have probably learnt more about Singapore from Taxi drivers than I have with any other group. They are Singapore's biggest critics, it is almost as if they can't wait for a westerner to hire them so they can tell you everything that is wrong with the country and the government - something if you don't get in the newspapers here. It seems that a good proportion of taxi drivers are businessman who have had failed businesses or were made redundant. Perhaps they are bitter in some respects but they seem professional enough not to show it in the way they treat the customer.

Cabbies in Australia are another interesting group. The egalitarian nature of Australian society is such that in many Australian cities it is considered rude to sit in the backseat of a taxi. Though increasing acts of violence against cabbies are undermining this delightful practice of sitting in the front seat and chatting with the driver.

-- Anonymous, March 15, 2000

I drive or bike virtually everywhere, no cabs. But my most interesting SF cab-driver experience occured when I was working for a delivery company, driving a van. Driving in the city 40 hours a week meant alot of jostling with cabs - you start to share a certain "get- out-of-my-way" mentality with cab drivers. There is a certain amount of competition. Anyway, after I was victorious over a cabbie in the fight for a traffic lane in the financial district, I came to a red light. Sitting there, I noticed the turbaned driver had stepped out of his cab and walked up to my van. He stood looking at me and said in a vaguely middle-eastern accent: "you go fuggah you muddah".

-- Anonymous, March 15, 2000

Hey Jenn--

Did I ever tell you about the driver who tried to run down racoons, because they prey on cats?

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2000

Hey Phil-

Yes, you did. But perhaps you would like to repeat it for the other forum readers?

-- Anonymous, March 20, 2000

To get of a view from the cabdrivers perspective, check out http://www.geocities.com/morbthehack/

You may be suprised. Morb.

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001

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-- Anonymous, July 15, 2002