pjem 0 Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 Don't you just hate taxis here. I have just come back from an unexpected meeting. I had to travel there and the firm that I was meeting paid for it, but I forgot to take any money with me (last minute). Anyway, coming back the firm gave me just about enough for the trip back (or we thought so anyway). Anyway get in the taxi and tell them that I have xx yen and no more money and the guy was basically laughing in my face saying it will get me to about 1km from where I need to get. And he stopped at the side of the road 1km from my destination to let me out when the meter got to my money limit. He would not take me the further 1km. And to make it worse, he continued along the road - the road that would have taken me right to my destination, he actually went past my office I could see - with no-one in the car with him. I thought that was just ridiculous. Link to post Share on other sites
connackers 0 Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 I hope you slammed his door closed! Link to post Share on other sites
IIIII 2 Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 Bastard. I find most taxi drivers to be rude... on top of the lovely sweat/smoke smell as you get in. Link to post Share on other sites
tsondaboy 0 Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 I don`t think so. I find the taxi services here in Japan really good. They don`t take tips, they won`t cheat you with the change and they will not start driving in circles as soon as they figure out that you don`t know your way. I think that you were just unlucky because the same thing happened to me also but I got the 1 Km free ride. Actually the most amazing thing that happened to me in a taxi in Japan is this: The taxi guy lost his way after some point because we entered in some small alleys searching for the house of my friend. So he apologizes, stops the clock, ask me to pay up to that point and then drove till he found my friend place for free!!! Link to post Share on other sites
IIIII 2 Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 "and they will not start driving in circles as soon as they figure out that you don`t know your way" Oh yes they will some of them.... And they shouldn't need tips with the outrageous charges they charge. I think you were just lucky tsondaboy Link to post Share on other sites
tsondaboy 0 Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 I don`t disagree that some of them are bad, the same goes to every profession and not only the taxi drivers. My point is that the service in general in Japan taxis is average better that other countries. Try for example to compare it to New York or London. Will it be cheaper that Tokyo or more polite? Link to post Share on other sites
scouser 4 Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 Quote: Try for example to compare it to New York or London. Will it be cheaper that Tokyo or more polite? You're kidding, right? Don't know about New York, or even London, but in Liverpool: About one fifth of the charge and about 5 times the politeness/friendliness. Quite a difference don't you think. Link to post Share on other sites
Siren 0 Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 You are wrong - they are just rude to people in a red t-shirt all the time. Link to post Share on other sites
tsondaboy 0 Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 In New York the average taxi driver you will find is the illegal alien Indian/Latin American type, that plays Indian music and might not even speak English. Sorry if I sound racist, but that is the way it is. I thought London was a bit expensive too, never been down to Liverpool. Link to post Share on other sites
sakebomb 0 Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 ar!#hole!! Link to post Share on other sites
damian 0 Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 The only real fault with Tokyo taxis is that the price of a taxi ride defies the law of demand/supply, they are just way too expensive. Other than that they are clean and usually pretty decent and harmless old people people. In London they are good at their job and annoyingly chatty (so were you from then guv, i'nit), but they are as expensive as Tokyo. In many other cities the taxi drivers are usually resentful smelly and rude pricks that couldn't get a better job. As with most crappy jobs in Japan, at least those that do them have a sense of self respect and pride, rather than being an inarticulate rude moron or a smelly immigrant who has been in the city for 1 month. Sounds rude of me doesn't it. It amazes me that people can walk the bum-stinky, smoggy and CO clouded streets of Tokyo and then get in a surprisingly clean taxi just to complain about the lingering bitter smell of the drivers last ciggy. Reality check. But getting dropped off up the road like that would have pissed me off as well. Link to post Share on other sites
merryJim 1 Posted December 24, 2004 Share Posted December 24, 2004 That must have been very annoying. I don't have that much experience with taxis here, but when I have they seem to be generally friendly. Too expensive though - are they not allowed to set their own prices or something? Link to post Share on other sites
Karnidge 2 Posted December 24, 2004 Share Posted December 24, 2004 DB - are they really as expensive as Japan in London? Link to post Share on other sites
base40 0 Posted December 25, 2004 Share Posted December 25, 2004 I'd be surprised. Go 2km here and it's up to 1000 yen. Link to post Share on other sites
sanjo 2 Posted December 26, 2004 Share Posted December 26, 2004 That would be really annoying pjem I can imagine you were pissed at that. They seem to be fairly friendly round here, I know quite a few of them coz I was shipped around a lot at work. But they are expensive. Link to post Share on other sites
big-will 7 Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 I haven't used a taxi in the UK for a long long time, but I find it hard to imagine they are as expensive as in Japan. Surely not (?) Link to post Share on other sites
badmigraine 0 Posted December 27, 2004 Share Posted December 27, 2004 Sorry P'Jem, but there's probably a taxi driver forum with a thread 11,678 replies long where that driver just posted something like, "and sure enough, there was the Story...he FORGOT his money, and after his firm DIDN'T GIVE HIM ENOUGH to get home, this foreign person kept pressing me to give him a freebie...can you believe it? Do they think we are out here for the joy of driving strangers around town? There were plenty of empty seats in other cars on the road, why not ask THEM? I only give freebies if it's a hot gal or a blonde hostess..." Sorry you didn't tet all the way back. If it balances some of this for you, my most recent taxi adventure was a guy who voluntarily shut off the meter about 2km before our apartment, because he thought our baby was cute and seemed to think it was important for international friendliness, because of Lennon marrying Ono, and because we made him laugh. Hope you get this sweet gentleman next time, to restore your faith in the taxi business and humankind. Link to post Share on other sites
sanjo 2 Posted December 28, 2004 Share Posted December 28, 2004 Good man. Link to post Share on other sites
damian 0 Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 After midnight the variable 6-10km ride home costs me the equivalent of 4000-7000yen. In Tokyo a 6am, 25km ride home would cost me about 6000yen and often take 40 minutes. The most I ever paid to get a taxi home was 10,000 and that included dropping off two other people on the semi-direct route home and I charged it to my company anyway. Keep in mind I am talking London black cabs here, not mini cabs. I tried to book a black cab on the 27th of this month, 24 hours in advance. Because it was the holiday season they increased the booking fee from gbp2 to gbp25. That’s a 5000yen booking fee!!! The cheapest I have ever done the 6km trip into town from my house on a direct free flowing major road at the cheapest time of day is gbp10, approx 2000yen. I think London cabs are expensive. Black cabs charge a fixed fare of gbp50 into the city from Heathrow. If I pre-book a driver/car service (limo service with everyday family cars) they will charge me gbp25. London trains are the greater ripoff. Travel from work to home, about 15minutes and 6 stations..... gbp2.20 one way!!! That's 440yen!!! You could get to the other side of Ichikawa from Shibuya fro that much!! London trains are a SCAM. And they shut on xmas day, not enough demand they say. Not sure how they know that, given they have not run an xmas day train since 1982. That's my rant over. I saw a good 4mm of heavy frost on boxing day. It lasted all day in the shade at the park. Fresh lines if you knew where to look. Link to post Share on other sites
GoodEgg 0 Posted December 31, 2004 Share Posted December 31, 2004 I'd say you're being ripped mate. Apart from the fact that they rip you off in London for almost anything, try some private taxi firms, they'll charge less. Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted January 3, 2005 Share Posted January 3, 2005 I can imagine London is expensive. In Wigan, they're not. Link to post Share on other sites
Dokumanju 0 Posted January 3, 2005 Share Posted January 3, 2005 Quote: I tried to book a black cab on the 27th of this month, 24 hours in advance. Because it was the holiday season they increased the booking fee from gbp2 to gbp25. That’s a 5000yen booking fee!!! that's insane! Link to post Share on other sites
giggsy 0 Posted January 4, 2005 Share Posted January 4, 2005 That is ridiculous. One of the many penalties of living in London..... Link to post Share on other sites
damian 0 Posted January 5, 2005 Share Posted January 5, 2005 Quote: Originally posted by giggsy: One of the many penalties of living in London..... Indeed, and there are MANY. I have typed long anti-London rants several times in the past and always decided not to post. I will continue with this discipline. Just let me suggest that reasonable people should never bother coming here (London). There is seriously no good reason, except for: - ultra easy access to so many European countries and cultures - the chance to visit the usually very attractive (although bland) and friendly-natured English country side, regional cities and centres. Link to post Share on other sites
rach 1 Posted January 6, 2005 Share Posted January 6, 2005 Oh go on give us a good "bad things about London" thread to feast upon.... Link to post Share on other sites
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