<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR>Crabby cabbies and inconsiderate S'poreans during Hari Raya
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->WE OFTEN read about taxi drivers complaining how hard it is to earn their keep. But sometimes, they have no one to blame but themselves.
For instance, I was shocked how rude and picky cabbies were on Hari Raya Sunday. They included Comfort, Silvercab, Trans-Cab and even Mercedes-Benz limousine cabbies, oft lauded for their extra attention to service. One even told me my destination was a troublesome one.
If what I experienced happens daily, then I am not surprised some taxi drivers are struggling to make ends meet.
I do not expect cabbies not to turn down some customers, but it would be more appropriate to turn us down politely. Also, do these taxi companies condone such attitudes, at the expense of their reputation?
I am also appalled how selfish, inconsiderate and discourteous some Singaporeans can be. They blatantly cut in front of you and even run towards an oncoming taxi from where they are, for example, on the opposite side of the road. My family and I experienced such behaviour by three groups of people.
It is also jarring to note that taxi drivers are trained to be polite, speak good English and exercise courtesy when Singapore hosts high-profile international events like the International Monetary Fund meetings. Why shouldn't such practices be the norm in cabby culture?
There was one cabby who proved the exception on Hari Raya Sunday: a Premier taxi driver who greeted us with a smile when we hopped into his cab, was polite and even wished us Selamat Hari Raya. My compliments to Premier.
Nasriah Jamaludin (Miss)
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->WE OFTEN read about taxi drivers complaining how hard it is to earn their keep. But sometimes, they have no one to blame but themselves.
For instance, I was shocked how rude and picky cabbies were on Hari Raya Sunday. They included Comfort, Silvercab, Trans-Cab and even Mercedes-Benz limousine cabbies, oft lauded for their extra attention to service. One even told me my destination was a troublesome one.
If what I experienced happens daily, then I am not surprised some taxi drivers are struggling to make ends meet.
I do not expect cabbies not to turn down some customers, but it would be more appropriate to turn us down politely. Also, do these taxi companies condone such attitudes, at the expense of their reputation?
I am also appalled how selfish, inconsiderate and discourteous some Singaporeans can be. They blatantly cut in front of you and even run towards an oncoming taxi from where they are, for example, on the opposite side of the road. My family and I experienced such behaviour by three groups of people.
It is also jarring to note that taxi drivers are trained to be polite, speak good English and exercise courtesy when Singapore hosts high-profile international events like the International Monetary Fund meetings. Why shouldn't such practices be the norm in cabby culture?
There was one cabby who proved the exception on Hari Raya Sunday: a Premier taxi driver who greeted us with a smile when we hopped into his cab, was polite and even wished us Selamat Hari Raya. My compliments to Premier.
Nasriah Jamaludin (Miss)
