What's wrong with the cab driver nowadays?

[agreed]

As an aside, the OP sounds local. I'd have to be here a lot longer than 14 years before I'd use terms like "bring me to office" and "alight me."

even the thread title sounds like something a local would say.  "What's wrong with the cab driver nowadays? "

There's only one cab driver??

I'd guess most western expats would say "What's wrong with cab drivers nowadays?"

The plural may be a typo, but the use of "the" cab diver is very local

[In the pink]

I miss the (not so) old days when a man could sit up front in the Toyota Crown or Nissan Cedric - on the way home from a good night out - and change gears for the driver.

This leap of faith for driver and back seat passengers alike was one of life's true pleasures. It involved degrees of coordination, concentration and trust that don't come easily in the wee small hours. But oh, when everything did come together in those few sweet up or downshifts...a ballet of motion and understanding, a veritable beacon of harmony shining proudly in the darkness, taxi nirvana.   

Automatic transmissions are a problem...and uptight passengers don't help.

[A]

The problem is not with cab drivers per say but also the expat trash in the form of passengers. Expats of this sort are usually abusive, arrogant and stupid piss heads and WHO HAVE TAKEN TO BASHING CABBIES as a favourite pass time (stupid cowards who dare not do the same back home). Of course, one of these expats, has got his arse suitably caned and deported.He will no longer be a bother. He will no doubt leave Singapore with something to remember and think about over his wintery nites in Scotland. Hmmmm!It is the week end and I am sure expats will no doubt relish their favourite pastime. Remember this, strokes on the arse are not war wounds. Going back to the dole and/or unemployment and bad weather or just lazing about at Curl Curl or Bondi Junction is initially appealing until it becomes permanent. 

[Shoeinotherfoot]

Here's a cab driver perspective.

Ex-civil servant “retired” by Govt, now drives taxi but often bullied by ‘Angmor’ FTs
July 27th, 2011 | Author: Contributions
I am a full-time night shift cabbie, worked as PMET for 25 yrs, possessed a BBA from Curtin Uni and after long stint of unemployment (some 2 years), ended up as a taxi driver! Let me share some input.

After graduation, I worked some 17 yrs in MOM but in 2004, then DPM LHL announced that the Civil Service needed to be “trimmed” by 3% to save costs. Termination of service became the order of the day for “non-performers” and many types of schemes were introduced, masked as so called early retirement options. So there goes the ‘IRON RICE BOWL” concept!! I became one of the unlucky 3% and had to “apply for early retirement” so as to be paid a paltry $30K for my “long service”. I was told to retire at age 47! Three months after I “retired”, the govt announces pay increments of 35% for political office holders especially the ministerial grade holders!!!!

Spent the next 2 years chasing all sorts of jobs and referrals by CDC without success. Even tried for security jobs at airport where the prerequisite was only ‘N’ level. Applied IR jobs about a couple of hundred times, went for countless “Previews” at e2i, was asked to attend SPUR trainings etc etc but am still jobless (btw, most of these jobs are paid only $1.5K).

Now, I’m driving taxi for some 80-100 hours per week from 5pm till 7am everyday. Cabbies need to cope with daily rental fee, rising diesel cost, car wash etc. It’s no joke. Earnings can be quite meagre on some nights (try driving for 10 hours and earning a profit of $30 on a bad day).

On a daily basis, I’m always ferrying some FTs to their high-end condos or District 10 bungalows and they all act like kings, thinking that us working class folks have to be so subservient to them. Make a tiny mistake and you get endless hollering, especially from these high-salaried Angmors who will always whinge about the slightest thing because they think all taxi drivers are “below them” and can be bullied.

On most days, will surely get a mouthful by some *****ic Angmor for some miniscule reason. Always scolding me for taking a slightly different route and always expecting incredible perfection for their $10 fare! They somehow have the perception that us Singaporean cabbies are always trying to RIP them off and they can pass truly caustic comments with their bloody arrogance! It reminds me of my uni days in Australia when I faced intense discrimination from local Aussies when I worked part-time. And now in my own country and backyard, I am still surrounded by these ****ty FTs who are always whinging at us cabbies for the slightest thing.

I recalled one incident few days ago. Over a $8.90 fare with midnight charge and booking, pommy lady demanded for receipt, claiming unhappiness over why she wasn’t told about the midnight charge when she made the booking. After torturous explanation in great details, she just shrugged off and threatened to complain simply because she was “not happy” with the call booking system not announcing to her about the extra $2.50 booking fee!!

Half the time when driving FTs around, I hear them always complaining about the “locals” under their supervisions, always whining about work politics and yet the FTs seem paid remarkably well so much so that they are always boasting about being “headhunted” and getting more in perks and bonuses!! Geez. If only you could hear the way some of them talk!!!!

Who is happy to drive taxi? Don’t believe, try it for yourselves for 2 weeks. See how you can take it! Make one wrong turn and you get endless hollering and threats of complaints from these so-called “high-class” FTs who come into this country to swipe all the top jobs and leave the crumbs for the rest of us Singaporeans who are just trying to earn a decent living of putting food on our table!!

[Ripped off]

Wonder if previous poster was the cabby who happily palmed the $50 note I handed over by mistake instead of a $2 on Thursday evening. (After work, tired, keen to get home to the family.) I wondered why, when I offered him some small change "kopi money" with (what I thought was) the fare, he smiled and said "no need".   He may think those FTs can afford it, but my goodness it is alot of money to me, a working mum. I usually get buses home but was tired that day and had decided to "treat" myself. Clementi Ave 6. A Comfort cab.

[nice gestures]

Let me ask you this...do you tip manicurists, hair dressers and wait staff too.  I always have, but again, I've had people tell me that they don't do that over here.  So I don't know.

It doesn't matter to me, and I am born local.

Whether or not that tip is already included or is unnecessary ... if I feel the person has out-performed or gone the extra mile to be nice - I just put down a tip as a token of appreciation.
Who doesn't appreciate unexpected motivation?

Inversely, it irks me when tipping becomes an expectation or an unspoken law. And service (or lack of) is below par.

[Tipper Gore]

I'm from small town, rural Oklahoma.  We don't have taxi drivers.  Nope, I thought they all worked for a company.  I figured they got to keep a percent of what they earn.  But wasn't sure about tips. 

I do tip drivers when I feel like they get me there quickly. LOL.  And not purposely go the long way.  I usually just tell them to keep the change.

But I had paid with Visa that day and dug out all my change from my purse to give to him.

So glad for this lesson.

Let me ask you this...do you tip manicurists, hair dressers and wait staff too.  I always have, but again, I've had people tell me that they don't do that over here.  So I don't know.

I tip anyone that performs a personal service for me - and no, I don't gor to OT but if I did I would probably tip the girls if they were good      I tip my manicurist and hairdresser and the man who puts the gas in my car - none of these are well paid professions and if I am happy with the service they have given me, I usually tip 10% ($2 for the gas guy)

I don't care if Singaporeans don't do this - it's up to me how I spend my money and if I want to spread the love, I will!!!!!

[Chip]

I'm from small town, rural Oklahoma.  We don't have taxi drivers.  Nope, I thought they all worked for a company.  I figured they got to keep a percent of what they earn.  But wasn't sure about tips. 

I do tip drivers when I feel like they get me there quickly. LOL.  And not purposely go the long way.  I usually just tell them to keep the change.

But I had paid with Visa that day and dug out all my change from my purse to give to him.

So glad for this lesson.

Let me ask you this...do you tip manicurists, hair dressers and wait staff too.  I always have, but again, I've had people tell me that they don't do that over here.  So I don't know.

I tip anyone that performs a personal service for me - and no, I don't gor to OT but if I did I would probably tip the girls if they were good      I tip my manicurist and hairdresser and the man who puts the gas in my car - none of these are well paid professions and if I am happy with the service they have given me, I usually tip 10% ($2 for the gas guy)

I don't care if Singaporeans don't do this - it's up to me how I spend my money and if I want to spread the love, I will!!!!!

Haha, chip much? You should 've named yourself "Chipper Gore", what with that humongous chip on your shoulder.

 

[Oh Dear me]

The problem is not with cab drivers per say but also the expat trash in the form of passengers. Expats of this sort are usually abusive, arrogant and stupid piss heads and WHO HAVE TAKEN TO BASHING CABBIES as a favourite pass time (stupid cowards who dare not do the same back home). Of course, one of these expats, has got his arse suitably caned and deported.He will no longer be a bother. He will no doubt leave Singapore with something to remember and think about over his wintery nites in Scotland. Hmmmm!It is the week end and I am sure expats will no doubt relish their favourite pastime. Remember this, strokes on the arse are not war wounds. Going back to the dole and/or unemployment and bad weather or just lazing about at Curl Curl or Bondi Junction is initially appealing until it becomes permanent. 

It's "Passtime" not " Pass time" - I thought you lot were taught English.

As for disgusting antics in cabs the locals wwerar the rown for that I am afraid - just look at Zouk or any other nightclub where the locals can not take their ale each week - taxi drivers avoid them.

[icemanuk4]

@A
"He will no doubt leave Singapore with something to remember and think about over his wintery nites in Scotland."

So - I'm guessing that you think all Scots are piss heads who abuse people.  Shows what you know.

I tip drivers if they are friendly and am never rude, abusive or dismissive, so perhaps you should stop stereotyping in such a rediculous way...

[Oh dear me indeed!]

The problem is not with cab drivers per say but also the expat trash in the form of passengers. Expats of this sort are usually abusive, arrogant and stupid piss heads and WHO HAVE TAKEN TO BASHING CABBIES as a favourite pass time (stupid cowards who dare not do the same back home). Of course, one of these expats, has got his arse suitably caned and deported.He will no longer be a bother. He will no doubt leave Singapore with something to remember and think about over his wintery nites in Scotland. Hmmmm!It is the week end and I am sure expats will no doubt relish their favourite pastime. Remember this, strokes on the arse are not war wounds. Going back to the dole and/or unemployment and bad weather or just lazing about at Curl Curl or Bondi Junction is initially appealing until it becomes permanent. 

It's "Passtime" not " Pass time" - I thought you lot were taught English.

As for disgusting antics in cabs the locals wwerar the rown for that I am afraid - just look at Zouk or any other nightclub where the locals can not take their ale each week - taxi drivers avoid them.

It's "pastime".  Were you not taught English either?  Clown.

[jalanperak]

Here's a cab driver perspective.

I recalled one incident few days ago. Over a $8.90 fare with midnight charge and booking, pommy lady demanded for receipt, claiming unhappiness over why she wasn’t told about the midnight charge when she made the booking. After torturous explanation in great details, she just shrugged off and threatened to complain simply because she was “not happy” with the call booking system not announcing to her about the extra $2.50 booking fee!!

I'm going to call "BS" on this. First of all, it's all but impossible to have a fare after midnight that's less than $10.00, and second, anyone knowledgable enough to ask for a receipt in order to make a complaint would also be familiar with the after midnight surcharge. This sounds like a story that's been made up to play into a stereotype.

And finally, it's been my experience that local aunties are far, far better at abusing cabbies than we could ever hope to be 

[NotAtAll]

Well I have mostly got much better service over the past two years!  Just two days ago,my car couldn't start on East coast carpark so I had to take a taxi.  He overheard my conversation and offered to jump start it.  Went through lots of trouble ot do that. Unfortunately the battery was totally flat.

My main gripe these days is that they all seem to want to take the highways to go anywhere when just the normal road would do.  (most likely as the highway means more $$ for them)

Just remembered another one, they all would claim to know routes ot avoid the ERP but really what's the point when the passenger avoids ERP charges but pays more for the taxi fare!  (once again greed on their part).  So be clear about the route before they drive off.

Er.. No. These days they pretty much always ask which route you would like to take. This (having asked) is because a lot or people object to the taxi driver taking an ERP route, so by default they will tend to take routes to avoid the ERP gantries. If you would prefer to pay, then just tell the driver when he asks.