3 ms·

I wonder if NYC's cabbie test is anywhere near as rigorous (if, in fact, there is one to speak of), as I can't think of any other taxi-centric city.

wingerlang 12y ago
I'd probably add Bangkok to that list. Loads and loads of taxis here.
- peteretep 12y ago
  Who consistently can't find major landmarks; I have occasionally opted for an Uber in Bangkok when I want a taxi that's going to be hassle free. Back from the airport, too, as when I get off a long flight, I don't want to be arguing about whether I'm going to get on the meter or not.
  - CaptainZapp 12y ago
    I don't want to be arguing about whether I'm going to get on the meter or not. That never happened to me, when grabbing a cab at any of the two Bangkok airports. As a matter of fact the service there works pretty well. What did happen, though, was that I got into a taxi with a doctored meter. This could range from a fairly innocuous 20% surcharge (which is still not OK, to be sure) to meters in cardiac arrest mode, charging about factor 15 (literally). Within city limits the situation may be different. My experience is that when you get into a cab, which is parking at one of the more touristy areas they try to take you for a ride and are rarely willing to engage their meters. There's usually never a discussion if meter, or not, if you hail a cab on the street. This only applies to Bangkok. In other places in Thailand it's practically impossible to get the driver to engage the meter, even if he's (it's almost always a he) legally required to do so. Note to first time visitors: Not engaging the meter and agreeing on a flat fee is always a bad deal. 5$ may seem cheap to you. But for the same ride you would have paid 1/3rd of the price with the meter engaged.
    - wingerlang 12y ago
      > That never happened to me, when grabbing a cab at any of the two Bangkok airports. As a matter of fact the service there works pretty well. That's because from the airport they charge an extra 50 bath fee so they know they will get more than enough. Especially since I imagine lots of people go to the BTS/MRT which is 100 baht give or take + the extra 50.
  - wingerlang 12y ago
    > Who consistently can't find major landmarks. I was going to write this, but I didn't because It might just be that their pronunciation of things are just way different. I spent maybe 5 minutes saying "tuk tuk" to a friend, and finally she said "ooohhhhh duk duk", just a sliiiiight pronunciation difference. I can imagine names of things (landmarks) are even more sensitive.
    - peteretep 12y ago
      This is absolutely true, and I lived on a road which I was able to describe in Thai well before I could pronounce in Thai for a while. But also: many of them came from Isaan two weeks ago, and are still trying to figure out where Sathorn is.
- zhte415 12y ago
  China, too. Taxis in China are incredibly cheap - depending on city, base fare ranges from approximately 8 to 13 Yuan for the first 3 km (around 2 miles), with each additional km around 2 Yuan. Also depending on city is the driver's 'knowledge' but usually it is quite good. Several Uber style apps to hail a taxi have taken off, the most widespread seeming to be 快的打车 but used by licensed taxi drivers only and fare calculated via the meter. Getting a license doesn't seem hard depending on carriage company and ability to drive dangerously.
easytiger 12y ago
Can't be. I've had some atrocious drivers in NYC including on two occasions having to use google maps on my phone to help them in Downtown Manhattan and one got completely lost in BK.
bruceg 12y ago
AFAIK, NYC cabbies just have to do a 6 hour driving course, no knowledge of city geography required. (http://on.nyc.gov/WHwxgi http://on.nyc.gov/WHwxgi) Which is why there are 6x as many complaints-per-taxi about NYC taxis vs London taxis: http://learntheknowledge.co.uk/learning-the-knowledge-infographic/ http://learntheknowledge.co.uk/learning-the-knowledge-infogr... (and almost no complaints about London cabbies not knowing their way around!)
gadders 12y ago
Do they even have a test? If I ask for a hotel in Manhattan the cabbie normally asks me where it is.

wingerlang 12y ago

I'd probably add Bangkok to that list. Loads and loads of taxis here.

peteretep 12y ago
Who consistently can't find major landmarks; I have occasionally opted for an Uber in Bangkok when I want a taxi that's going to be hassle free. Back from the airport, too, as when I get off a long flight, I don't want to be arguing about whether I'm going to get on the meter or not.
- CaptainZapp 12y ago
  I don't want to be arguing about whether I'm going to get on the meter or not. That never happened to me, when grabbing a cab at any of the two Bangkok airports. As a matter of fact the service there works pretty well. What did happen, though, was that I got into a taxi with a doctored meter. This could range from a fairly innocuous 20% surcharge (which is still not OK, to be sure) to meters in cardiac arrest mode, charging about factor 15 (literally). Within city limits the situation may be different. My experience is that when you get into a cab, which is parking at one of the more touristy areas they try to take you for a ride and are rarely willing to engage their meters. There's usually never a discussion if meter, or not, if you hail a cab on the street. This only applies to Bangkok. In other places in Thailand it's practically impossible to get the driver to engage the meter, even if he's (it's almost always a he) legally required to do so. Note to first time visitors: Not engaging the meter and agreeing on a flat fee is always a bad deal. 5$ may seem cheap to you. But for the same ride you would have paid 1/3rd of the price with the meter engaged.
  - wingerlang 12y ago
    > That never happened to me, when grabbing a cab at any of the two Bangkok airports. As a matter of fact the service there works pretty well. That's because from the airport they charge an extra 50 bath fee so they know they will get more than enough. Especially since I imagine lots of people go to the BTS/MRT which is 100 baht give or take + the extra 50.
- wingerlang 12y ago
  > Who consistently can't find major landmarks. I was going to write this, but I didn't because It might just be that their pronunciation of things are just way different. I spent maybe 5 minutes saying "tuk tuk" to a friend, and finally she said "ooohhhhh duk duk", just a sliiiiight pronunciation difference. I can imagine names of things (landmarks) are even more sensitive.
  - peteretep 12y ago
    This is absolutely true, and I lived on a road which I was able to describe in Thai well before I could pronounce in Thai for a while. But also: many of them came from Isaan two weeks ago, and are still trying to figure out where Sathorn is.
zhte415 12y ago
China, too. Taxis in China are incredibly cheap - depending on city, base fare ranges from approximately 8 to 13 Yuan for the first 3 km (around 2 miles), with each additional km around 2 Yuan. Also depending on city is the driver's 'knowledge' but usually it is quite good. Several Uber style apps to hail a taxi have taken off, the most widespread seeming to be 快的打车 but used by licensed taxi drivers only and fare calculated via the meter. Getting a license doesn't seem hard depending on carriage company and ability to drive dangerously.

easytiger 12y ago

Can't be. I've had some atrocious drivers in NYC including on two occasions having to use google maps on my phone to help them in Downtown Manhattan and one got completely lost in BK.

bruceg 12y ago

AFAIK, NYC cabbies just have to do a 6 hour driving course, no knowledge of city geography required. (http://on.nyc.gov/WHwxgi http://on.nyc.gov/WHwxgi) Which is why there are 6x as many complaints-per-taxi about NYC taxis vs London taxis: http://learntheknowledge.co.uk/learning-the-knowledge-infographic/ http://learntheknowledge.co.uk/learning-the-knowledge-infogr... (and almost no complaints about London cabbies not knowing their way around!)

gadders 12y ago

Do they even have a test? If I ask for a hotel in Manhattan the cabbie normally asks me where it is.