*We know that you want to have
perfect spelling here...but do take care to remove all junk when
copying from MS Word. You can always paste whatever you wrote in
Notepad before pasting it in here*
Dear travelers who intent to travel to Kuala Lumpur PLEASE do think
twice. I have always heard that the taxi service in KL is very much
the worst few in the world and true enough I had experienced it
myself. Let me share with you this very much unpleasant encounter
that I meet. Bad enough to make me take the time to write and hope
that every single one who intent to travel to KL, have the
awareness of what they are about to encounter.
To begin I shall highlight this very taxi, HWC 9655 is atrociously
horrendous to the maximum nothing of the sort that I have ever met
ever. On the 17 of December 2009, my family and I were leaving KLCC
aquarium heading for mid valley megamall one of the few shopping
destinations in Malaysia. We board this very taxi HWC 9655. I was
very sure I pointed to the meter and asked him if the taxi charge
using meter. He replied with an answer yes. Off we go however the
meter was not on but the taxi was already moving and guess what, we
were ask to visit another location which was some chocolate
factory. By bringing us there whether or not we make purchases he
can earn commission, in return he would charge us at a lower rate
of 4.50 RM.
However as my family and I weren’t too keen in chocolates, we
kindly rejected the offer for we would prefer more shopping time.
It was 2.45pm then. Therefore we proceed to ask him why doesn’t he
on the meter and the reply was it’s out of the city hence meter
cannot be used. At the moment, I FELT SO CHEATED so darn
cheated!!!! Before I got on the taxi I am very sure that I made
myself very clear by emphasizing that I wanted a charge by meter
taxi. Fine I controlled myself as he was the one driving, for the
safety of my family members. Next we checked with him how much he
wanted and he requested for 40 RM, being unsure of how far the
destination is hence we kept quiet. The next thing we know we found
ourselves queuing up at a taxi petrol kiosk not too far from where
we took our taxi, he said that he had run out of petrol. It is
understandable and we can still accept that such occasions do
happen once in a while.
During that time I took the chance to press for the meter and it
worked. (The reason why I did that because the previous few days we
took the taxi for about 1 train stop of about at most 2km we were
charged 20 RM hence we asked the hotel personal and they mention we
must take taxi who are willing to on the meter. In addition these
taxi that we took are the cheapest, we took something more
expensive a bigger and more comfortable one was charged the same
amount.) After getting the taxi filled thinking that we are
about to head to our destination we where again brought to another
place, somewhere near the petrol kiosk this time round he want to
purchase food as he was hungry. At this point of time I could no
longer bear with him any longer. It wasn’t because he wanted to
purchase his food but rather he did not let us know. I felt we are
his customer and since he decide to pick us up shouldn’t he seek
our consent before bring us there, the very basic respect that we
as the ones paying ought to have. Thus I suggested to my mum that
we could hop on to another taxi, however my mum felt it wasn’t very
responsible or rather correct way of doing things. Therefore we
ended up waiting for 15 minutes. Finally we are off to our
destination, not to mention the circles that we made round and
round wasting our time
At 3.30pm, we arrive at mid valley mega mall which wasn’t too far
away at the very most 15 minutes for there wasn’t much jam. I felt
that 40 RM was too expensive and unreasonable in fact the meter
showed only 12.50 RM but in my heart I was prepare to pay up to 25
RM. Therefore I begin reasoning out with him that the meter show
12.50RM I am very sure at the point though I was unhappy but I
politely told him that the meter show only 12.50RM. Raising his
voice he started shouting at me saying that it was 40RM the meter
cannot be counted. Therefore I brought up all the waiting that we
had to do.
Believe it or not the next thing was the least that you can ever
EXPECT EVER!!!! He showed me a sign and said F*** me in the worst
type of attitude, I could no longer bear with him I burst out
showing him back the sign and told him that was not the way to
treat a customer. The next most unexpected thing came he taunt me
to a fight. Security came as we took some time and was blocking the
traffic, I recount what had happen to the security and asked him if
the fare the taxi quote was fair he kept quiet. With the driver
still constantly hurling abusing remarks at me, not wanting to
create a scene my mum paid the driver 35 RM asking him to leave. As
he left we were told by the security to take down his taxi number
and make a complaint. It was the worst shopping that I have ever
done it have totally ruin the mood. In the night as we wanted to
head back to our hotel (renaissance hotel) which was walking
distance from KLCC aquarium. We took another taxi from the
megamall. The meter was on, the traffic was very heavy, it was
raining. However, guess how much we paid, ONLY 14.40RM!!! WAY WAY
WAY below what we paid to get there.
Some awareness to Travelers:
-I was taught by the hotel staff that in the future if such cases
were met we should just leave the money that we think is
appropriate and leave.
-I am not too sure about this and I hope that I am wrong about it,
some of the Malays there seems to think that they are the law. For
some same destination that I went to I hope on to different Malay
taxi and was quote different prices. Only Indian and Chinese taxi
driver uses meter. There was this one occasion where we were in a
supermarket there is this young Malay lady cut our queue and make
it seems as if she was right, despite her friends apologizing on
her behalf. I suddenly felt very VERY fortunate to be living in
Singapore for our Malay friends are nothing of the sort that I can
ever encounter there NEVER!!! No offence to the Malay but I hope
you can understand the frustration that I am feeling on these
handful of black sheep. I just cannot understand, I know that there
may be priorities given to them there but some of these basic
values.
- Lastly take care and stay safe to my fellow travelers.
BTW this is better posted at Cabby
forums.