Sydney Taxi Drivers Are Despicable

marty64 on 19/12/2019 - 23:54
Last edited 20/12/2019 - 00:13

More of a rant than anything..

Came over to Sydney on a break this evening.
Waited in the taxi line in the domestic airport terminal outside as the taxi approached.
The back of the taxi popped up and I stated putting in my luggage in the back.
The driver comes out and ask "Hey bro ya going"?
To my naivety I responded "Rockdale" (which is ~7km from the airport).
The taxi then crept to another person waiting at another pick up bay.
I quickly jump into the passengers seat and the bloke says he was waiting for the person in front…..
I grudgingly remove my stuff out of the luggage boot after heckling to the driver.

It is these experiences that put you off from using taxis in Sydney.

Lesson learnt-

  • Never reply to them before getting into the taxi, even at a taxi stand at the airport with your luggage already in the back of the trunk
  • Such disappointing behaviour just makes people seek alternatives…
Travel

Comments

  • gmail92 on 20/12/2019 - 00:08

    *despicable

    • marty64 on 20/12/2019 - 00:13

      my bad

  • Muzeeb on 20/12/2019 - 00:10
    +3

    Just Sydney taxi drivers?

  • p1 ama on 20/12/2019 - 00:37
    +11

    No point complaining, vote with your wallet. I've never caught a taxi since I've started using Uber (and alternatives).

    • orangetrain on 20/12/2019 - 08:36

      Uber and other alternatives still get an option to pick up drivers. Does it also mention the distance?

      • mynamejeff on 20/12/2019 - 09:21

        Not that I know of, my mate had his Uber cancelled after the driver called him and asked him where he was headed.

        • MrHyde on 20/12/2019 - 11:44
          +1

          Thats right. Uber drivers don't know the destination and it is against the rules for them to call and ask for destination. I also give them a poor rating if they call and ask for destination. These drivers need to get their ratings impacted so that they get filtered out of the system.

      • cheesecactus on 05/01/2020 - 13:11

        I had an uber driver accept my ride from the airport, waited about 4 mins (while watching his car not move), then sent me a text saying hes going to get petrol and will be about 15mins. Immediately cancelled and got a much nicer driver and car.

        Still happy to keep using uber/ola/didi over taxis.

        I've never been called and asked where i'm going, but one of my friends always gets it (and he lives quite close to the city), dont know how or why they call him, but it happens.

  • bobbified on 20/12/2019 - 00:43

    It's nothing new, but I wonder what would have happened if you reported them to the Sydney Airport marshal… would they have done anything?

  • gmail92 on 20/12/2019 - 00:52
    +1

    Also check your fares, surcharges, and any difference between the meter and the EFTPOS amount (other than the card surcharge) - I used to regularly travel from Kensington to and from Airport and noticed taxi drivers commonly add their own extras to the fare.

  • patzorz on 20/12/2019 - 01:03
    +3

    sydney in general is terrible XD. Just use uber or didi?

  • iforgotmysocks on 20/12/2019 - 06:44
    +1

    Take an uber

  • try2bhelpful on 20/12/2019 - 06:45
    +1

    The problem is the whole system is stuffed. The taxis wait ages for a fare and, if they get a short one, they end up at the back of the queue. However, this sort of behaviour drives people towards using Uber. There should be someone arranging what taxi you are directed to and that should be it. Personally, I prefer to use public transport to get out of airports but Australia doesn’t do that very well.

    • cuteseal on 20/12/2019 - 10:35

      Not sure if it's at all airports but I think there's an arrangement where if they get a short fare, they can get a chit or ticket which lets them cut the queue on return.

      But yes, it's despicable behaviour. I used to get it at taxi ranks all the time in the CBD as well, catching cabs to go to client meetings across town.

      • MrHyde on 20/12/2019 - 11:45
        +2

        I think Melbourne Airport had it; but they stopped it because the taxi drivers were scamming that system as well.

    • Emerald Owl on 25/01/2020 - 00:43

      Sydney Airport Train is fantastic. Which major city is better?

      • Icecold5000 on 03/02/2020 - 04:38

        Catch the bus to Mascot and it’s even cheaper from $16 to about 4

  • jackinyourbox on 20/12/2019 - 07:59

    Yeah haha

  • Phlume on 20/12/2019 - 08:06
    +1

    This is not exclusive to Sydney or even Australia.

    • HighAndDry on 20/12/2019 - 08:18
      +1

      lol.

    • whooah1979 on 20/12/2019 - 08:21

      If they don’t like it then they may put out their own money to buy a vehicle and switch over to rideshare to get customers.

      • t_c on 20/12/2019 - 08:28
        -4

        Its not the customers job to educate 'them'. Understanding and moving forward is more than enough.

    • bobbified on 20/12/2019 - 11:20
      +2

      Every job comes with bits and pieces that the worker dislikes. Whether it's paperwork, heavy lifting or in this case, short fares.

      If the worker doesn't like it. then quit. But if they're going to stay, then do the job properly.

    • Never Pay RRP on 21/12/2019 - 09:03

      The only way the fare would not make the minimum wage is if you took into account the waiting time that the taxi was in the queue. By your logic, we should all pay every taxi that does not have an active fare at all times.
      Would you also reduce all of the taxi drivers 'good' fares back to minimum wage? Because you can't have it both ways.

      • t_c on 05/01/2020 - 20:16

        I think you misunderstood what I was trying to say, I am not suggesting change and I am not suggesting that any alternative method would be a improvement.

        My only logic is to "Understand the system has flaws in its design and too move forward"

  • whooah1979 on 20/12/2019 - 08:13

    I used Uber for the first time. The driver was hospitable and the vehicle very clean. I got the impression that they enjoy their work and takes better care of the vehicle because they own it.

  • slow on 20/12/2019 - 08:30

    You had a bad experience with one taxi driver, so that makes them all despicable?

    • whooah1979 on 20/12/2019 - 08:36

      Uber 1
      Taxi -1

      Higher number, better service.

      Op, can you add a poll?

    • try2bhelpful on 20/12/2019 - 08:40

      I had one berate me, then tell me to “get out of his f’ing cab” because he thought I’d slammed his door. He’d already taken more than half an hour to pick me up. I was going to ring to complain but I’d read an Age article that said “Melbourne, where taxi drivers tell you where to go”, so I figured it would be pointless.

      I, also, don’t think we are talking about an isolated incident here
      https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/taxi-drivers-fin…

      My experiences with Uber have been much better than my experiences with taxis.

    • MrHyde on 20/12/2019 - 08:45
      +6

      That one experience is representative of the industry. I travel weekly for work and take around 4-6 trips to and fro the airport a week. Most taxi drivers are scum. I can say that 90% of drivers have tried to cheat me by adding extra fees on top, trying to hide the meter and quickly clearing it before I can see the final price, trying to add toll free twice saying the meter price does not include extras and so on.

      Since Uber became legalised and I could claim Uber rides from work, I have not sat in a taxi and I have been so much better off…. No complaints about fares, no complaints about car cleaniness or driver professionalism. Uber quality has gone down slightly as ex taxi drivers become Uber drivers, but it's still heaps ahead of the taxi industry.

    • marty64 on 20/12/2019 - 09:25
      +2

      Yeah nah, every time I've used a taxi from Syd airport there is moaning and complaining by the driver. this was the one that made me finally
      rant. I guess the act of incurred was pretty despicable…

  • dust on 20/12/2019 - 09:04

    The founders of Uber are also despicable. If only the alternative was better than the taxi industry! (See the #yourtaxis social media campaign for more stories!)

    • try2bhelpful on 20/12/2019 - 09:07

      I do agree with you on the owners of Uber. All these industries are about exploiting people.

      • bobbified on 20/12/2019 - 11:25

        All these industries are about exploiting people.

        People can make up their own minds what they want to do and they have what we call "choices".

        A few years ago before Uber existed, lots of these drivers probably sat at home with their cars don't nothing. They can still do that if they want or they can get out and earn some money through Uber. The choice is their's.

        • try2bhelpful on 20/12/2019 - 12:09

          Years ago we had less people and a working economy. Now we have more people and a “gig” economy. When you don’t have “choices” you make do the best you can; which is why we need good laws to protect the disadvantaged.

  • Never Pay RRP on 20/12/2019 - 10:47

    Take a photo of the taxi driver's license and report them.
    As per other comments use uber/other rideshare services in future. Million times better than taxis

  • currentfad on 20/12/2019 - 12:20

    It's very common - they aren't allowed to ask you where you're going before you're all in the taxi I believe.

    Last time this happened one of the taxi marshals told the driver off and almost started a fight between them.

    Just get an uber/ola instead lol.

  • Bob Svargis on 02/01/2020 - 13:34

    What he did is totally illegal so you could report him if you have his plate number. They aren't allowed to choose their destination. Up to you to decide if it annoyed you enough.

  • cobrien on 21/01/2020 - 12:25

    This is why I only use uber, bolt or ola now. They usually will have promos or airport offers as well which is handy.

  • Starcraftmazter on 28/01/2020 - 23:56

    Honestly your fault for using a taxi.

    Uber exists for a reason.

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