Taxi Torment: What’s Driving It?

Michael Cormack | Jan 26, 2013 10:00 am | 7 comments | 3096 reads

For once I agree with the Global Times: their headline “New rules won’t end taxi torment” is quite right. We all know how difficult it is to flag down a cab during rush-hour, i.e. between 5-7pm, and in some particular locations and time zones. If you’ve been on a night out to Nanlouguxiang or Houhai and are trying to get back home after 11pm, good luck in trying to find a cab take you home for the mandated price. I would estimate ninety per cent will try to gouge you. The same at the train station: once I came back from a visit to Tianjin on the last train. The drivers stood at the exit like a gang of striking pickets, demanding outrageous prices (around RMB200 for an on-fare RMB40 journey), and preventing non-gouging drivers from picking up passengers reluctant to be scalped. Fortunately a five-minute walk down the street took us (I was with my wife and young daughter, and it was pouring rain) into the vicinity of fare-accepting drivers and we got home fine. But more often I am left stuck – working in CBD and regularly needing to attend evening events, I often have to accept glorified scooters, black cabs and gouged fares in order to get to a venue without being outrageously late. No chance for a fapiao either!

For the problems that continue to plague Beijing taxi drivers and riders, head to Agendabeijing.com.

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britomart's picture britomart Submitted by Guest on Fri, 02/01/2013 - 20:43

I quit the taxi game September 30, 2011, the day on which I decided I would either have a nervous breakdown or learn how to ride an electric scooter.

I opted for the latter option, and wandered down to a little scooter shop near my home.

In the past year and four months, my blood pressure has since gone down. Way down. My general enjoyment of life in this frustrating city has gone up. I highly recommend getting an electric scooter. Yamaha. Massive chain and u-lock. Lithium battery. (Oh, and by the way, take the damn battery into your house/office/supermarket/wherever you go. It may seem like a pain, but finding it gone is a much bigger pain. Can't count how many friends I've advised to do that--and how many I've had to go pick up because they were sure it would "be fine just for a minute".)

But I digress.

A century ago, early car owners were told to "get a horse!" Now, a century later, I want to shout at all you poor sad folks waiting helplessly by the side of Beijing's roads, "Get an electric scooter!" Or an electric bike. Or a regular bike. Who cares. Just skip the taxis. Your life will be so much better.

Doubt wisely; in strange way / To stand inquiring right is not to stray; / To sleep, or run wrong, is. (Donne, Satire III)

vmomo's picture vmomo Submitted by Guest on Fri, 02/01/2013 - 19:54

The taxi pirates are dreadful - I'm not disputing that, and I know you sometimes have to take a cab but it was the scalpers at 798 years ago that forced me to start cycling everywhere - giving up taxis has had an immeasurable impact on the quality of my life.

Oh and yesterday i got stuck in the snow, no bike, no cabs - I took the subway at rush hour and got home in less than ten mins.

lucreziab's picture lucreziab Submitted by Guest on Fri, 02/01/2013 - 08:55

I used to live by the international exhibition center. That was easy to get taxis there but now we live in Chao Yang Men it is almost impossible to get a taxi. I just take the subway now. I find the taxi drivers in this area to be very lazy, But then again that is a big problem in Beijing : laziness.

mimimarie2's picture mimimarie2 Submitted by Guest on Thu, 01/31/2013 - 22:03

Getting a cab in Beijing is a pain in the ***
If you want to get a cab during weekend specially; they all try to rip you off!

Moreover I found out a new trick! Some taxi driver have fake 100 RMB bills and exchange your real quick. Even Chinese banks are aware of it.
So be careful and try to pay with small cash as much as you can.

Marie

grregis's picture grregis Submitted by Guest on Mon, 01/28/2013 - 11:07

I agree, getting a cab in this city can be a nightmare, especially during rush hour. There are a couple tips that can make them take you and use the meter.

You can alway threaten to call their cab company as they are required to pick you up and use the meter as long as you are within Beijing's city limits with the red light on. Start to copy down their ID number which is displayed near the glove box and about 50% of the time they will then take you, although grudgingly. This works 50% of the time and sometimes, especially during rush hour, the cabbies take their IDs out of the holder to prevent you from doing that.

At the train station (and aitport), the reason why they ask ridiculous prices at the exit is because they are not supposed to pick up passengers at the exits, only at the Taxi stands. If you go to the taxi stands, they always use the meter no questions. The lines are usually long and daunting, but the only time I had to wait more than 20 minutes was at 1:30am at the airport. The black cab drivers around the taxi stands will say it'll take an hour, but it wont and they are trying to get some fares themselves.

expat13's picture expat13 Submitted by Guest on Sat, 01/26/2013 - 17:21

I don't take the taxi often but when I have had to, it seems it is very difficult to find a taxi. However, as I drive around Chaoyang, I often see lines of taxis just sitting during the busy times of the day. For your train experience, I had something similar, being on a late train and having them ask for 500yuan to take me to the Shunyi area. I was willing to bargain but they did not budge and called me a lot of bad names as I left to get the subway. It took a long time to get home because of transfers but the price was nice to my wallet.

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