Today's taxi trend and "culture"

Have been really up to my neck with projects, assignments, (have a 3000 word essay to complete *gasp*) and project meetings. The "syndrome" is here again, late nights, lack of sleep (as always) headache, HAIR LOSS, etc, etc, etc.

In my desperation to catch as much sleep I possibly can, I've taken to taking cab of late. Hell, it really does makes you feel really lazy I tell you. I've been like cabbing almost EVERYWHERE. I was NEVER like that before, and I never believed in taking cab last time.

Anyways.

Back to my habit of taking cab nowadays. You know what irritates me MOST about taking a cab??!!

It's not about waiting long for one, I never quite had a problem on that (touch wood touch wood), its when you are caught in a cab with a cabby who doesn't know how to get to your destination.

Last time, I only take cabs when I am running late, but not quite sure how to get to that place, or when I am going for interviews.

Those were the ONLY times I take a cab. And more often that not, as much as 8 out of 10 incidents, my cabby is "new" to driving and hence don't know how to get there, or worse, have not heard of the place.

Pisses me off BIG time I tell you. I mean, yeah, I do understand that he's new, and hence don't know the roads well, and all that, I will be like that too if it were me, but heck, can't they be honest and at least let me know they don't know how to get there?? I could have flagged another cab!!

I don't give a damn if you think you need more "training" and "experience" to get you familiarized with the roads of Singapore, I am fucking going for an interview or some important appointment and can't afford to be late, which is why I'm taking a cab in the first place!! Not to give you guys a chance to do some on the job learning. Crap

One of the worst case scenario I had was when I missed the shuttle bus to Tuas for an interview. So I hopped on to a cab, turns out the freaking cabby doesn't know how to get there, hell, he doesn't even know where it is! But when I asked him if he knew how to get there, he AVOIDED answering my question directly by asking me more questions.

It didn't occur to me that he didn't know how to get there UNTIL he took out his street directory and started searching for that place. -_-

And because he was driving, guess what?? He got me to read the directory for him super diaozz right?? -_-

I mean, I had no bloody idea how to fucking read a street directory, and I am your passenger, a.k.a your customer, it doesn't sound very right to get your customer teach you how to deliver service right??

In the end, when we got to Tuas, we make SEVERAL rounds many times around the same roads cos he didn't know where or how to get there. That cab ride costed me $17 after about $2 discount from the cabby. I was on time for the interview, but no, I didn't get that job.

Anyways. That was the worst experience I ever had taking a cab. I almost swore off cabs since that trip.

So, just the other day when I happily hopped on a cab and the driver told me he's "new" and not familiar to Singapore roads... Here we go again... (That ride didn't turn out too bad tho.)

Which makes me think. With more and more people turning to taxi driving, don't the taxi companies ever think of giving some basic training to get them famliarized withe the roads first?? Taxi drivers are supposed to know almost all of Singapore very well isn't it?

It reflects very badly on them taxi companies, and on Singapore as well. Imagine if a tourist hopped on your cab and you don't know how to get to their destination?? Bad. Very bad.