Taxi story

DO you think hiring taxi is an easy task? Probably your answer would be "yes" if you never been in Malaysia. As you all have known, taxi drivers are supposed to use taxi meter to calculate fees. In Malaysia, there is this kind of practice for using meter but it come with two standard methods. One is based on distance and another one is based on time. So taxi drivers can switch these two options in favor of their side. For example, if you hire taxi on peak hour time, they'll definitely use meter based on time because everywhere has a traffic jump and it'll consume a lot time to move forward. On the other hand, if you hire taxi on off-peak hour, they'll charge you based on distance meter. There is only one meter infront of the taxi dash board and what he needs to do is just press a button to change option what they wants/ desire. So it's easy to change for him so that he can claim as much as possible from a customer.

I think some taxi company apply only one standard of meter for their reputation and taxi drivers aware from it. I don't know how the law governing to this case exactly. Anyway I do believe that the taxi drivers will not hesitate to modify it illegally to make a profit for them. It's acceptable if they use one of these two options. The problem is they have another option to make money faster than aforesaid meters. So frequently there are some customer complains arise on public paper. Another thing is they'll apply suitable one depend on the customer. If you are seems locals and you can able to speak local language well, then they'll treat you better one. On the other hand, you resemble tourist or foreign worker and ask them by English, almost sure they'll think differently and cheat you. I don't say all the drivers are like that. But significant ratio of drivers are doing what I said.

Few days after arriving KL, one day I follow my friend who is 1 year senior in the same company to downtown KL where a lot Myanmar shops located. He brought me to his site that is nearby the town center as well. Unfortunately he can't afford to send me back to town center and suggested me to hire a taxi so that I can't miss the way back to town center. He also told me that from his site to town center is very near and no need to pay more than RM-5. So I return from his site and try to hire all coming taxi. One taxi stopped infront of me and I query

driver: hi where you want to go?
me : Kota Raya (the place so many Myanmar shops exist)
driver: hmmm (he don't understand my pronunciation)
me : Kota Raya (by showing hand writing on a piece of paper)
driver: aww Kota Raya lah
me : yes
driver: sorry, can't go there

Another one come and stop

driver: where to?
me : Kota Raya
driver: OK, come on
me : how much I need to pay for that?
driver: RM-10
me: why so expensive?
driver: then take meter lah
me: I don't want meter, I want lump sum
driver: how much you want to pay?
me: 5 dollar
driver: hey lousy guy, no money don't come Malaysia, OK? (by driving away from me)
me : you also lousy guy!!!! ( I re-shouted at him)

Another taxi come in and stopped,

driver: where to bro?
me: Kota Raya
driver: urrr this is a place of heavy traffic
me : sooo
driver: give me RM-12
me: hmm too expensive, I used to go there for only RM-5 mah
driver: cannot this time, ok I offer you with RM-8
me: a bit thinking and on board.
driver: where you want me to stop
me: Kota Raya
driver: Kota Raya is big area, tell me which place
me: sorry I don't know how to say bcz I never been there before
driver: hmmm, first time visit lah?
me: yes, please alight us one place nearby there.
driver: alright.

(to be continued)