RECENTLY, on my return from a holiday with my family, all the pleasant memories were marred by the unpleasantness of the taxi driver who took us home.

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There is a surcharge of $3 or $5 when picking up at airport. I suggest that this surcharge only applies to those stay near to airport, say within 3km, etc, beyond the distance, no surcharge. By the way, I also experience the same problem, as I am staying in Tampines. If I see this kind of behaviour, I will write in to feedback.

I stay in the East Coast area. Due to the surcharges, the fare is usually about $16.
I paid to cab driver $25. He threw the money on the tray, and left me to remove luggage from the boot on my own.
From that day on, I swear not to tip them anymore, and will tease them for picking up a pasenger like myself.
Cab drivers, no one forced you to Q at the airport for hours.
Can't accept the short fare, then don't pick up the passengers.

I live near Tanah Merah but I have not encountered such treatment from cabbies. I travel at least once a month, so far most of them were friendly. I guess since you are a man, the cabby did not help you with your luggage?

I had one experience where a young cabby just sat in the cab and pretended I wasnt carrying any luggage. This happened before the trip to the airport. I had to knock on his side window to get his attention eventho I saw him earlier noticing me with the luggage.

How can taxi companies teach them a lesson when passengers like you guys do not report them EVERY TIME you get bad treatment. Instead, just tolerate and pay more even. You are encouraging this behaviour and so be it....

That is why I just take the MRT to the first few stations, and then take a cab. Saves money and me from the begrudging looks.

The best revenge on such taxis is to take a small blade and tear the seats secretly. I do this when the cabby is funny.

Eagle

What a criminal mind you have?... but i feel you are right...this is the way we have to take revenge

If I had queued for 2 hours to pick up a very short fare, I would be VERY grouchy.

Why can't the airport set up a separate queue for cabs going only to tampines, tanah merah or changi? In Beijing, before the 2008 Olympics in the old airport terminals 1 and 2, there is a system where taxi drivers going to locations near the airport were exempted from the long taxi queue (this system created another set issues but that is another story). Taxi drivers often had to queue for 3 to 4 hours for a fare.

The people who call the shots should think of something like this, and maybe we would get happier cabbies resulting in happier passengers, and eventually a more gracious society (If I am happy as a passenger or as a taxi driver, surely I'll be more gracious and less grouchy! ).

The writer is foolish to give them more money if that's the service they give.