I was walking towards the taxi stand outside Capitol Centre, North Bridge road. To hail a taxi of course. I saw at least 10 taxis, from various companies, waiting in line. As I approached from the back of the line, I decided to hop into a Premier Taxi which was second from last. The taxi driver turned around and said I should go and take the first taxi in line. I said no because I did not want to walk more and besides I prefer Premier Taxi than other taxis. He insisted that I MUST take the first taxi and refused to move.

Angrily, I got out, crossed the road and took the MRT.

Why taxi driver can choose passenger but passenger cannot choose taxi?
I simply do not like certain taxi companies, why can't I patronise the one that I like?
I am paying more to take a taxi because I do not want to walk more. Why can't I hop on to the taxi nearest to me?
Finally, what is the penalty or punishment for the driver if he decided to accept me? Will he be fined by LTA or get whacked by his hungry colleagues?

Comments please (more specifically, please answer the questions).

you foreigner ah?

bcos the poor guy in front has been waiting for a longer period
and it's their unspoken ethic

its an ethical thing ba…

Originally posted by laogenjudi:
Why taxi driver can choose passenger but passenger cannot choose taxi? Drivers cannot choose passage - unless they have the "changing shift" or "on call" sign on.... even then if found that they are faking it, they can be sacked.

I simply do not like certain taxi companies, why can't I patronise the one that I like?
Too bad.... that's the way it is, especially in a queue....

I am paying more to take a taxi because I do not want to walk more. Why can't I hop on to the taxi nearest to me?
Why would you be paying more.... you are walking AHEAD, which logically makes it nearer to your destination.... how can you be paying more?

Finally, what is the penalty or punishment for the driver if he decided to accept me? Will he be fined by LTA or get whacked by his hungry colleagues? Censured by LTA? ostracised by his colleagues? shamed by the society? embarrassed by his children? take your pick

the alternative is to take the MRT.... or leave the country.... up to you.

Unlike others, Chin Eng attempts to answer my questions. Much appreciated.
But more clarifications, please........

Please read my first thread careully. There was no passenger queue but 10 taxi waiting in line. When I crossed the road I happened to be at the end of the taxi queue.

Can understand the sentimental part about ethics and etiquette. My point is - can anybody tell you how to spend your money? Don't you have a choice, particularly when you have had bad experiences?

Your point on Censured by LTA interests me? Are you saying that on behalf of LTA, taxi companies or taxi drivers - or just your personal opinion?
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Originally posted by laogenjudi:

Unlike others, Chin Eng attempts to answer my questions. Much appreciated.
But more clarifications, please........

Please read my first thread careully. There was no passenger queue but 10 taxi waiting in line. When I crossed the road I happened to be at the end of the taxi queue.

Can understand the sentimental part about ethics and etiquette. My point is - can anybody tell you how to spend your money? Don't you have a choice, particularly when you have had bad experiences?

No, nobody can tell you how to spend money.... ie. nobody forced you to take a cab.... but you are past that.... you NEED TO spend the money... once this condition is met, the next phase comes in.... join the queue. You don't have to like to join the queue, but join the queue you must.

Originally posted by laogenjudi:

Your point on Censured by LTA interests me? Are you saying that on behalf of LTA, taxi companies or taxi drivers - or just your personal opinion?

I believe it is a ruling within the taxi association.... the LTA comment was done in tongue-in-cheek. No cab drivers already in a queue is allowed to pick up a walk-up passenger unless he is in he head of the queue. This is a safeguard as well as a safety feature.... otherwise, every cab can jump in and out and endangering passengers and pedestrians.

You still missed the point --- there was NO PASSENGER QUEUE.

10 Taxi waiting and I was at the LAST TAXI. What queue you want me to join??

Originally posted by laogenjudi:

Unlike others, Chin Eng attempts to answer my questions. Much appreciated.
But more clarifications, please........

Please read my first thread careully. There was no passenger queue but 10 taxi waiting in line. When I crossed the road I happened to be at the end of the taxi queue.

Can understand the sentimental part about ethics and etiquette. My point is - can anybody tell you how to spend your money? Don't you have a choice, particularly when you have had bad experiences?

Your point on Censured by LTA interests me? Are you saying that on behalf of LTA, taxi companies or taxi drivers - or just your personal opinion?
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Your point is - can anyone tell you how to spend your money ? No, but you forgot people also got choice of not earning your damn proud money !!!
The taxi uncle just teach you a very valuable lesson in life - your damn money very big is it ? there is just something in life money cannot buy - ethics and character !!!

I salute that Taxi uncle ! He show great ethics and character which money cannot buy. The Taxi uncle cannot tell you how to spend your money, but he can choose not to sell his soul - to someone who think money can do anything !

Originally posted by laogenjudi:

You still missed the point --- there was NO PASSENGER QUEUE.

10 Taxi waiting and I was at the LAST TAXI. What queue you want me to join??

No I didn't missed the point.... the point is GO TO THE HEAD OF THE QUEUE, or put it in another way - go to the first taxi if there is nobody in line.

Originally posted by laogenjudi:

You still missed the point --- there was NO PASSENGER QUEUE.

10 Taxi waiting and I was at the LAST TAXI. What queue you want me to join??

You are the one that miss the point - there is a taxi stand !!! that mean taxi queue !!!

If there is a proper taxi queue been setup - you take the first taxi ! That is as simple as that - even little kids know !!! Stop behaving like a big baby and face the fact that you did wrong !!!

Stop acting like a big baby !!! Learn what queue mean !!!

Originally posted by laogenjudi:

You still missed the point --- there was NO PASSENGER QUEUE.

10 Taxi waiting and I was at the LAST TAXI. What queue you want me to join??

So you expect everything in this world to evolve around you at your convenience?

Even there's no queue in the stand, you still have to walk the short distance to the cab in front first in the queue...

You have the option and dictation on how to spend your money and live your life, but you can't simply don't have the rights and dictations and means of change to some ethics of lives that other people have...

one more time: where are you from?

TS, stop being a worshipper to cathartic and self-indulgent consumption.

Originally posted by LazerLordz:

TS, stop being a worshipper to cathartic and self-indulgent consumption.

wah you dam chim hor?

Originally posted by Chin Eng:

wah you dam chim hor?

Yep too chim !! LazerLordz please do not use too chim words - our friend cannot understand simple things like queuing will have even harder time to understand more chim words !!!

Originally posted by Chin Eng:

one more time: where are you from?

I think he/she is not local,or never take before.
If you do not want to take the firsr cab ,the simplest way is to let the taxi reject you.Just tell him,"Uncle ,go Tuas".He certainly say "no".Then you can proceed second cab,and so on.....

I want to buy a new computer. I go to this famous computer centre in town.
There is this RICH TYCOON having a shop in almost every floor in the building, starting with level one where I enter the building. Heard all kinds of bad reports about this tycoon's various outlets. Their sales people are foul-mouthed, impatient and resort to personal attack when they cannot manage to convince you to buy. They cheat tourists. They despise locals.

Also heard from a friend that at level six there is this little shop where service is wonderful and price reasonable. I go all the way to level six to buy my computer.

Am I wrong?

Originally posted by laogenjudi:

I want to buy a new computer. I go to this famous computer centre in town.
There is this RICH TYCOON having a shop in almost every floor in the building, starting with level one where I enter the building. Heard all kinds of bad reports about this tycoon's various outlets. Their sales people are foul-mouthed, impatient and resort to personal attack when they cannot manage to convince you to buy. They cheat tourists. They despise locals.

Also heard from a friend that at level six there is this little shop where service is wonderful and price reasonable. I go all the way to level six to buy my computer.

Am I wrong?

wrong business model.... at the end of the day, all business have different ways of working.... and you don't really have to agree or like it....
and argue all you want: fact remains - you NEED TO GO TO THE HEAD OF THE LINE TO GET A CAB.

or flag one on the road when there is no taxi line....

so which backward country are you from?

or how about.... you got a million bucks to pay for ONE ticket at a cinema, there's a long queue. You jump the queue because you have that million bucks.... is it right?

I am sure if you are willing to pay each fella in front of you a couple of hundred bucks, you can get in front of the line....

Get a grip, wherever you come from.... this is the way it's done here, and many DEVELOPED countries... not happy? leave lah!

Originally posted by laogenjudi:

I want to buy a new computer. I go to this famous computer centre in town.
There is this RICH TYCOON having a shop in almost every floor in the building, starting with level one where I enter the building. Heard all kinds of bad reports about this tycoon's various outlets. Their sales people are foul-mouthed, impatient and resort to personal attack when they cannot manage to convince you to buy. They cheat tourists. They despise locals.

Also heard from a friend that at level six there is this little shop where service is wonderful and price reasonable. I go all the way to level six to buy my computer.

Am I wrong?

Well if you go to level six to buy sure !!! but do not forget Level six shop can choose not to sell you computer if you do not accept the shop rules and terms and to queue up nicely for your turn !!!

So what you are complaining here for ?

You want that taxi uncle to post here also - got a passenger die die want to sit my cab !!! show me big money - I not happy with his - money big attitude ... cab belong to me, .. I not happy to earn his/her big money !!! Me right what ... I got freedom to not sell !!! Why he/she die die can force me to drive her ..... this is Singapore lah ... me got freedom one !!! I also can post ... !!!

Originally posted by laogenjudi:

I want to buy a new computer. I go to this famous computer centre in town.
There is this RICH TYCOON having a shop in almost every floor in the building, starting with level one where I enter the building. Heard all kinds of bad reports about this tycoon's various outlets. Their sales people are foul-mouthed, impatient and resort to personal attack when they cannot manage to convince you to buy. They cheat tourists. They despise locals.

Also heard from a friend that at level six there is this little shop where service is wonderful and price reasonable. I go all the way to level six to buy my computer.

Am I wrong?

That's your ethic of life... Not that of the taxi driver...

Consumers have their rights to bring their businesses to other when they deemed not to their satisfaction...

Likewise, service providers also have their rights in rejecting your businesses when they deemed not to their rights...

Just because you prefered Silver Arrow as the premier service and deemed other providers like lousy and untrained, that doesn't mean that you can abuse your consumer rights in kbkb here about not getting the service you have been rejected, fundamentally because due to their work and personal ethics not suited to your preferences and liking...

You don't simply understand that not all things in life are within your reach and desire...

When was the last time you had a good job, had a good meal, had a good relationship, had a good praise and pat on your back? Not always, and there must be times when you had been scolded by your superior, bad encounters with people, bad tasting food...

This is what we call life...

Originally posted by Chin Eng:

wah you dam chim hor?

maybe must tiang kang a bit..

Originally posted by storywolf:

Yep too chim !! LazerLordz please do not use too chim words - our friend cannot understand simple things like queuing will have even harder time to understand more chim words !!!

I damn pek chek mah..what to do.