BKK Taxis- Is it me or have they all forgotten...

[falangboy]

It seems that all the taxi drivers have forgotten how to get anywhere in the city these days. I would estimate that 1 in 5 times that I take a taxi, the driver needs me to give him directions. I'm not talking about out of the way places either. I got in a taxi about a week ago and he didn't know where the Erawan shrine was. I tried Erawan, Pra Phrom, si yak rachaprsong and central world. None of them worked. WTF is going on?

[bigKus]

Can you anyone please do me a favor, find me the reason why the taxies in Bangkok changed their car to that damn BOLD various colors. Its irritated my eyes sight driving amongst them (despite the way they drive, the radio channel they listen, the lack of as of topic etc. etc. )

1. eAsy to sEe

Jing lor ? the old red-blue one was not easy enough to figure out that they are taxi service?

:roll:

btw, why you had to type...., never mind

Whats Easier to see red and blue or flaming PINK.

Just be glad they are not YELLOW like NYC cabs

They have YELLOW already, dgc ! and many tones of it

For your reference

[LakeGeneve]

Read an article in an Australian paper last week which mentioned a website, www.Ihatetaxis.com, started by 2 Canadians reportedly after their 2006 BKK taxi airport experience;

Todd says their arrival at Bangkok Airport in 2006 was the spark for IHateTaxis.com, a website devoted to information about ground transport from airports around the world: by bus, train, bike, limousine and, yes, taxi.

"At midnight we caught a taxi and quickly realised that the taxi driver had doubled the real fare and was not budging on negotiating as the arriving hordes of gullible tourists would pay almost anything to get shuttled to their respective hotels after a long flight," Todd says.

"After 20 minutes of failed negotiations and being sleep deprived, we conceded to paying the extorted amount. We realised at this point if more tourists knew the going rates, the scams and other available ground transportation options at the airport, the more empowered they would be."

http://www.theage.com.au/travel/travel-news/taxi-haters-rate-drivers-around-the-world-20091001-gcxi.html

Seems to be a fairly useful website with good info, tips and scams to avoid with transport options at airports around the world, eg. http://www.ihatetaxis.com/airport/BKK/taxi

[zeusbheld]

I have the opposite problem with Taxis.

They tend too 'know' too much, so much so that they refuse to go where i want to go.

as much bitching as people do about taxis, i've have very few problems...

except this one. why is it, when you give a guy detailed instructions, he has to prove *his* way is better (especially when it isn't, it takes longer and racks up tolls).

[Mister Moobs]

I once had an honest taxi driver.

That's one time out of 20 or so visits.

Cost me 120 baht from Soi 15 to the Airport.

I was so shocked that I tipped him 120 baht.

Dude was rolling too.

[CiaranM]

i've been coming to thailand since 1998 and living here from 2003 and have had very few issues ..... main problem is drivers refusing to go somewhere that's either too far or they think there's gonna be traffic jams (why be a f**king taxi driver in bkk if that's gonna be a problem !!!).

if they don't wanna turn on the meter or quote something that's too high, just wait for another taxi. can't ***** too much as taxis here r really cheap !! and i mean really cheap !!!

[Chatty]

Same old same old problem about taxi... That's why I like to drive.

[LakeGeneve]

Caught a taxi the other night (brand new Yellow company one) and the taxi had an automatic receipt printer attached to the meter.

First time I had seen one of those in a BKK taxi, good to see for those that need receipts.

[Admin_2]

You get what you pay for.

London cab drivers are supposed to be (one of) the best, but you pay a lot for them.

Bangkok is an everchanging maze with drivers that receive little if no training...and you pay little for them.

[SweetieBabie]

I have the opposite problem with Taxis.

They tend too 'know' too much, so much so that they refuse to go where i want to go.

as much bitching as people do about taxis, i've have very few problems...

except this one. why is it, when you give a guy detailed instructions, he has to prove *his* way is better (especially when it isn't, it takes longer and racks up tolls).

Got this one again the other night, while taking my usual route. The driver thought he 'knew' his way was better, he took a wrong turn and ended up on a high way, taking me across town in the opposite direction very far no exit, at one point i was reaching out for maze. But arrived home safely thank goodness. :roll:

[drlovelife8]

The only qualifications a taxi driver needs in Bkk is to turn the motor on and point the damn thing forward and drive (and thats asking a lot).

They would know far more about the money side of it than anything else.

As said before, a lot of these guys just come from up country and never even been to Bkk, so they wont even know what farang think are "points of interest" or major landmarks.

What exactly are you expecting from these guys beyond this?

Besides, you ain't paying NY taxi rates either.

Sometimes we people forget, Thailand is still a 3rd world country in many ways. Bkk is not reality.

THAILAN LEFT 3RD WORLD STATUS LONG AGO

[LakeGeneve]

The only qualifications a taxi driver needs in Bkk is to turn the motor on and point the damn thing forward and drive (and thats asking a lot).

They would know far more about the money side of it than anything else.

As said before, a lot of these guys just come from up country and never even been to Bkk, so they wont even know what farang think are "points of interest" or major landmarks.

What exactly are you expecting from these guys beyond this?

Besides, you ain't paying NY taxi rates either.

Sometimes we people forget, Thailand is still a 3rd world country in many ways. Bkk is not reality.

THAILAN LEFT 3RD WORLD STATUS LONG AGO

I'm sure all the abject poor in the country will be happy to hear that.....