gd4U,
I just been back from Taiwan recently too. Anyway, that wasn't
my first trip to taiwan so I know what you meant between SIN and
TPE taxi. I could also give a general comparison with
Philippines, China, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam countries.
Singapore
Generally SIN taxi drivers drive like they own the road. They
think that they own the road, so they can stop anywhere they like,
drive faster than the rest of the cars on the road. Usually they
don't give way to passenger cars.
I may get greeted by some, some don't. Maybe I am not carrying a
luggage out from the airport perhaps ? They will help you with
your luggage at the airport, but not when you reach home. Something
that I think they are doing it for show for the foreigners at the
airport taxi stands.
Bad point when they don't know how to get to my destination.
They don't ask for help, they don't call their colleagues or
"helplines" or look at their maps etc. They will usually ask you
how to get there... I mean, if I know how to get there, let me
drive the taxi instead, right ?
Taiwan
TPE taxi drivers are among the best experience. Very clean seats
and interior ( And I mean VERY VERY clean ! In fact very well
maintained than my 4 year old car ! ) I feel like a boss sitting in
a limousine most of the time. I get greeted most of the time and
some would chat with me about their Ah Bian, or recommend me to
visit places, advise me of places of interest to visit. They do
take pride in their job, help you place or remove luggage.. ( they
actually run out of their car and pull out your luggage before you
can step into or out of your seats .. really amazing ). There are
no cheating cabbies so far and overall I give them a good
rating.
Their driving habits are as good as regular passenger car
drivers too, they will give way to people, smaller cars, buses etc.
Signal properly, drive carefully but still quick enough so as not
to piss off my patience.
One good thing about them is they have a very good radio system.
When they are taking me to places they are unfamiliar with, they
usually will call their "helplines" to find out the
nearest,shortest direction to get to my destination. Usually they
can take me to the industrial areas right up to the door step of
the factory without problem. Good !
Phillipines.
In PHP, their cabbies tend to speak less, maybe due to language
accents. They can speak english, but I am the one having the
difficulties sometimes. But overall communication is easy and there
are no problem most of the time.
They drive as well as TPE cabbies, knows how to get to places.
Overall they drive very safely too. As safe as other passenger car
drivers. They don't squeeze or bully other drivers. But they sure
know how to sneak into empty spaces during traffic jams.
China and Vietnam
I place both countries together because they know how to cheat
you of money and honk excessively at others. Very irritating ride
in their taxi and alot of jam-braking, hard acceleration. You need
to know your route well so as not to get cheated by some who will
take you on a scenic route ! In VIE, I even get nasty with a young
cabby because he had tweaked his mileage meter and charge me double
! Sometimes you just need to bark really loud at them so that you
get a free ride back to hotel when they want to cheat you.
Interior is usually similar. Both CHN and VIE will place a white
linen cloth over their entire back seats. You are suppose to
imagine that white linen being white, bleeched, clean and hygenic.
Most of the time you are better off wearing
your unwashed jeans so that your jeans are cleaner after
the ride.
Malaysia
Overall, its a state-price-take-ride. I had never took a MAL
taxi and get charged with their meter ! So it is a cheated once,
get smart experience.. Know your price before you go.
Taxi are dirty and smelly. Old and noisy. Comfort is really bad.
Try to wear sweaty dirty jeans. They don't mind. The smell don't
irritate the cabbies. Just don't bring poku and start eating them
inside the taxi.
Thailand
Full of cheats. They'll start to cheat you even before you sit
in their taxi. You need lotsa bargaining power to get the price
right. Toutings are common. Just pick the taxis one after another,
parked at roadside, ask for price beginning from the first in queue
and start saying NO No NO .. until you get to the middle of the
queue ..you probably get a discount.
Drivers are relatively good, except you will have problem if
they are older drivers who don't understand english. Nice smell in
most taxis of fresh pineapple fragrance in their interior. You feel
safe with their religion-inspired interior decoration, at least
looking at them ease your tensed up ride in the city.
