Category: the Rant Board
Hey all. Have any of you ever had a cab driver that just wouldn't listen to you? I did today going home from work. We were in my apartment complex and the cab driver was looking for my particular street. Note that I don't have a street sign for whatever reason. I knew we were in the right area and I kept asking the driver, "What do you see?" What are the apartment numbers?" "We are in the right area." However the cab driver would just not listen. All he would say is that he didn't see a street sign. He would not ask me what he saw in my familiar taratory when I'd ask what he saw. He acted like I didn't know where I was and made me look like an idiot. He also would not listen to my directions instead kept looking for that same stupid street sign which was never there. Excuse me. I may be blind but I know where I live. Now I understand he may been not familiar with the area and he wanted me to get to the right place, but for goodness sake listen to me when I direct you in the right area! Anyone else been in this situation?
Troy
i do sometimes, mainly to do with parking.
for example, yesterday we were in london, and we caught a cab to china town.
well..we got to where we wanted to be and we told him "just drop us off here" and "this will do" but he just went on and parked way up the street so that we had to walk a good few miles to get where we were meant to be dropped off in the first place
I could go way over the 8000 character limit telling frustrating stories about cab drivers who don't listen, who don't speak English, who don't communicate beyond unintelligible grunts, etc. It sucks not to be able to drive.
Oh yeah! big time agree on that one. I've found the best bet is to find a few good cab drivers with cell phones and use them. I have one main driver that I've ridden with for 4 years. He has a few friends who I have there numbers as well if he can't get me I'll call them. I really can't think of the last time I had to call the regular taxi number.
Thanks for the idea. I'll try that.
I rarely use cabs, but did when I was at a summer school work program in Austin. The only issue I had was with this one driver who, I don't know what his problem was, but he was in a bad mood or something. He impatiently told me to sign a form that I guess people have to sign when they get a rider paying the Special Transit fee (which is at a fixed price). Well, first the idiot put it in front of me and didn't show me where to sign until I told him I couldn't see (I use a cane), and then he wasn't too willing to open the door when we got to where I was going, as I guess he thought I was supposed to know when we'd gotten there. So, when he opened it, I quickly got out, and pulled away when he was going to help me to the door. I didn't want him even touching me; found my own way to the door, not even saying anything to him. I have another incident that involves a paratransit driver I had her at home but I'll tell about that one in my next post here.
I've never had any problems with cab drivers, but then again I always use them when I"m drunk to get to/from partys.
..Yes, RomanBattleMask, I would AGREE to having a DESIGNATED DRIVER available...
I totally agree Becky! I had another driver once that made me late for work do to the fact he could not understand my english, and I even spelled it out for him! He even called my supervisor and my supervisor hung up on him because of the bad language barier, lol. I was going to call for him but he would not let me use his phone to talk to him. I do have drivers that I have cellphones for but unfortunately they don't drive on weekends.
Troy
I was visiting a couple of friends in a college dormitory, and the cab driver dropped me off in front of the wrong building. It was a building of classrooms, and then later, when he picked me up, he had to go around the different parking lots to look for me. It's called read the signs!
I haven't had bad experinces with taxi drivers. I have had good ones. Once when I was coming back from England there was a taxi weighting for me at Motherwell train station I tried to tell the station staff this but they wouldn't listen they tried to put me on another train. Eventuatly I got threw to the station staff I was going in a taxi. The taxi driver didn't over charge me for keeping him weighting. He phoned his work and said he had a blind girl and didn't want to leave me. But the station staff couldn't have been listening properly.
Here, it's the opposite; the cab drivers who don't speak english ask me where to go. lol
I have had a few cab driver experiences. One time, at a blindness training center, I took a cab from the mall to the dorms. I told the driver where to go, but he took me to another building. When we found out where I was, he seemed to get mad and when I was paying, he wanted me to hurry and he jacked the price up sence we got lost.
I was at te same blindness training cener. One night a friendand I wer going back to the drm from somewher and the stupidcab drier droppd us off at the wrungbuildng. So we called another cab and it wa a goodthingthey didn't charge us becaue I wouln't have payed another cab fair for a ridethat lasted maybe thirty seconds.
That's right shawna. I forgot to mention that one. To top it all off, it was cold and snowy outside. I'm glad I called the company and booked the cab to the dorm. I had another cab experience. I wanted the driver to stop at 46th street, but he took me to 42nd street instead. When I was walking to the door, I asked the driver if we were at 46th street. He said we were at 42nd. He took me to 46th street, and wasn't mad about it. It so happened that the driver didn't speak english. Since I was working, the fair was charged to visual services.
This is why I try to use regular mass transit as much as possible. Sure, I use cabs, but I can't say I like it. I've had some drivers who would "get lost". After reading these posts, I got to thinking that when someone "gets lost" it might be a good idea to gently let them know that the fare is generally x dollars if you think they are intentionally directionally impaired.
Lou
I hate the cabs because of the outrageously expensive price. Thank God I can use public transportation to get out of my boring-as-hell neighborhood once in a while with my dog. lol
I don't have much problems with taxies. Recently I had a good experince, I was getting a taxi from my voluntary place where I work on a Monday and the driver took me rite up to the front door of my house.
Luckily I only rarely have to use a taxi, the fact that in my town they're so incredibly expensive ($60 - $70 just to get me downtown) is kind of prohibitive... So after that it's only when I'm in other cities and there's absolutely no way to catch a bus.
The majority of the ones I have delt with spoke really poor english, had very thick accents, and talked in a mumble -- not very helpful. I had the feeling htat a couple didn't like me because they would just refuse to talk to me (when it came to friendly chat) and one of the worst of those scenarios was when the driver's foreign language radio station lost signal, turning into ear piercing static, he refused to turn it off or change the station... for the remaining 20 minutes of the ride... At least I arrived where I was supposed to, besides having a headache I didn't need...
I've had some pretty bad experience with just friends or family drivers too, though.
I was goingto work on morning and get thiis the cab got pulled over by the cops! No I'm not kidding! I was running late for work and we even handn'treached the freeway. So I called my boss and told hr that I would be late. After I got off the phone the drriver said something like I didn't have to call my fucking boss. When we finally got there Iwas out f that vcab and in the door.
I once had a cab driver who was going way over the speed limit. He was pulled over by the police. I'll never forget what he said: "Please officer, don't give me a ticket. This man is blind and he's late for an appointment." How I kept from killing the driver at the moment I'll never know.
Lou
I hope that driver got a ticket. He should have known that he was going over the speed limit.
actually lou, I think that would've made me smile, especially if the excuse had been heeded.
Problem is, it wasn't. Worse than that, I felt exploited, like a victim, and like someone's speed-toy. I don't like people playing with my eyes in such a seductive, racecar chauvenist fashion. *smile*.
Lou
Cab drivers are undereducated.
That is why they are cab drivers.
Stay in school kids!
Well, I only take a cab when needed, or short notice. I don't take the city bus, but I take metrolift, a transportation service for the disabled. They are exceptionally good, fairs are about 2 50, and I haven't had many bad experiences with them. I wouldn't say that all cabs are bad, it all depends on the company, and the driver. I've had some wonderful cab drivers in the past. In my opinion, the driver shouldn't raise the fair if they get lost. They shouldn't expect a blind person to give directions.
I've had drivers go wondering around the block for fifteen minutes before they pull over. So, now, I ask them what route they're taking. I also try to familiarize myself with the route.
I've never used a cab, but regarding directions, I think it is important for a blind passenger to have some idea of where they want to go. In my family, I am the one who memorizes routes and directions and ensures we get where we are going. My family is notorious for getting lost.
Well, I myself have a bad sense of direction. I've taken mobility classes, but that's one of my weeknesses.
Me too; never had a good sense of direction and once I got on blood pressure pills it made the problem worse. Anyway, here to ask if anybody has noticed when a cab driver brings you itno a store or other place, folks behind the counter think the cab driver is a caregiver. What gets me is folks can see the cab right outside it really stinks that folks think cab drivers are caregivers. The other day I was by myself and went to an emergency medical clinic because my foot had swollen up. I have to take care of myself so knew it was best for me to have the foot looked at. Anyway, they in the clinic wondered if the cab driver was a family member. Really annoying.
the ting I don't get is when you get a cab driver who gets lost even when you give him specific directions. I've had drivers ask me how to get to my house and I tell them what I think is the quickest way and they still get lost because they decided to take another way I guess because I'm blind and therefore stupid so I don't know what I'm talking about so they get mad at you when they get lost so when that happens and they say I'm at such and such street where do I go from here. I just all of a sudden get amnesia and don't know a thing. We have a program here called taxi access where we pay a flat rate for the cab ride so we can act this way because it's their own stupidity for not paying attention to your directions. I've had drivers tell me blind people sometimes give better directions then sighted people do.
Kerby
I have cab drivers go into an establishment with me very seldom for that reason of people thinking they are my caregiver or something. Before I came to this conclusion, I once had a cab driver go into the store with me when I was getting some crackers and ginger ale for my wife. We were in the sodas isle, and I kid you not--the cab driver said "here's toxic water." I was torn between laughing and screaming "call the Environmental Protection Agency. The polluters are bottling their products now!"
Lou
I live in Tennessee, and I'm about 20 or 30 minutes from Nashville. So one day I take a cab to go to Krogers, which is just down the street, and I notice that we have been on the road for awhile now. So I asked him, foreign he was, just exactly which one was he taking me to. Oh, he was taking me to the one that is in, almost, down town Nashville. I asked him if he was out of his mind! lol, He smacked the meter, and told me he hoped I was enjoying the free ride. Hey, he was the one that didn't understand. His fault, not mine.
Well, How would I be able to get directions from my house to somewhere like school? How would I know what streets the cab is going through, and if the driver does happen to take me to the wrong place, how would I know where I was, so I can call a cab and tell them that the driver took me to the wrong place.
just go in to the establishment, ask whoever's in there if this is the place you wanted to go to, and when they say no, ask them where you are if they don't tell you already. Aren't orientation and movility specialists able to assist blind and visually impaired students with this issue?
Mapquest.
Good Idea. Big problem. What if that happens, and there's nobody around. Then, I'm screwed!
A lot of it is situational, and we can't anticipate every contingency. I've used my cellphone in situations like that. I was being stupid one day, and it was late. I had a meeting at a museumafter dark, but decided to take the bus there anyway. I got there only to find the gates locked. I called the person with whom I was to meet, and he looked out the window and saw me. Came down and met me, and that solved the problem. In the event you're in an office building, and there's no one at the lobby like a security guard, you could do the same thing.
Lou
What if a cab driver drops me off somewhere totally unfamiliar to me, and there's noone around what so ever? Then, what do I do.
If you have an address and/or phone number, you should be in good shape. Like I said, make a phonecall to the party you are planning to meet. Also, ask for any specific landmarks you can use when you're getting out of the cab. Ask the driver to "Let me out under the awning by the red door, please." As an example. This way, you're providing them with specific information. If the driver says no such landmark exists, ask him or her to confirm the address where you are, and call the person.
Lou
If you called to request a cab, they should know which cab was assigned. You could use your phone to call the dispatch office and have them contact your cab to either get the address where you've been left or just have them return to get you. The other suggestions about saying something and getting a response to verify your location are good ones. If you go somewhere frequently, you'll recognize how long it takes to get there.
Well true, but what if I'm going somewhere I've never been before.
Again, we can't predict everything and plan for every contingency. Same rules apply plus the things that Post 41 mentioned.
i had a problem with one cab driver. i was a medical transcriptionist student at the orientation and ajustment center for the blind. the beds there r horrible to sleep on, way too hard. so i called a cab to take me to walmart so i could get a memory foam topper for my bed. when the cab driver got me to walmart, i told him that i needed to find an ATM machine so i can pay him for the ride. he asked, a what? what is an ATM machine"? i was thinking to myself, oh my god, u dont know what an ATM machine is? this cab driver had to have been 70 or 80 years old to not know what an ATM machine was. he was american as well. he spoke perfect english. and he said, you r wasting my time. we walked around and he asked people what an ATM machine was. so i finally took over and asked a nice woman to escort me to the ATM machine. so she helped me get the amount out that i needed. on top of that all, the cab ddriver overcharged me for walking around looking for the ATM machine. so i told him that i refused to pay that much. he threatened to call the cops on me. i told him that i was not paying for his stupidity of not knowing what an ATM machine was. but other than that, i have had wonderful experiences with cab drivers
Somannia, Good for you! You stood up for what you thought was right!
I was going to school and ZI told the driver what building I had to be dropped off at but the moron took me to another building intirely and left.
The language barrier is frustrating in the extreme, and it really irks me that people who don't know their way around the city are driving for a living! There's no excuse in these days of GPS not to be able to find a location. Can cab drivers not read maps? Shouldn't this be a necessary requirement for the job?
Sure, whenever possible, we should know as much about where we're going and how to get there as we can, but as someone said above, you can't plan for every contingency. i'm another one not good with directions, unless I'm walking.
cabby's here in Amherst are no different. I guess it's a universal problem that you'll have these foren people driving and part of the routine is to drive these round about ways to where you're going so as to collect more money since that meter is running. So it does put you in a possission to almost drive for them so you can save a little. So I think most these guys know the city better than you might think. Accept obviously the time they take to look at a map or talk on their radio is no doubt on your Niccole. People around here have said this though. Either white cabbies have totally extended, maybe they were all killed, or that the only people wanting these jobs are foren people. Personally I don't care who's driving just so long as I don't have to direct them where to go as well. Most the time when I jump in to a hack I just want to laze about and do nothing. I hardly expect to keep my eyes on the road too. That ridiculous!
or they spend the time talking on their cell phones
The other day I was going to school and the cab driver who picked me up had no idea what he was doing! He tried to charge me the full fare even after my grandmother and I told him i just had to pay the charge for my para transit. Then when I finally got to school he dropped me off at the wrong building and I was almost late for my first class!
Me and shawna were taking a cab from wata burger to my house. The wata burger was on 36th street, and my house is on 46th. The driver took about 10 minutes longer than usual, and when the driver got to my house, he got a call on his cell phone. The driver told the caller he was on 36th street. 36th street, huh? That's where we came from! Me and shawna were talking about the situation, and the driver said it was none of our business. The fare was double the usual amount, and we were mad! Dad reported the driver to the company.
i hate drivers who fuck up and then lie to their controllers, or make mistakes because they are fuckwits and charge you for the mistake.
I've had that happen...what a bunch of ass wipes.
A couple weeks ago, I had a driver who had GPS, but his command of the language wasn't adequate to understand it. I'm glad I know English.
Lou
yes a lot of the foregn drivers where I am rely on their gps, they can bearly speak a word of fucking english!
I mean, learn the language!
I know what that's like. You should be lucky that you get a driver that knows English. It's such a headache!