Letters: December 20, 2009

Follow the rules

The steps taken by the authorities against taxi drivers are fair (“40 cabbies under probe over bad behaviour”, Gulf News, December 17). They should continue to monitor and take necessary steps to improve the quality of service in the future. I reside in Rolla, Sharjah, and have been a victim of rude behaviour. Some drivers refuse to pick up passengers. I personally have refused to get into a taxi as the car had a foul odour. Stern action should be taken against drivers who do not follow set procedures. This would be an example for others to follow and drivers must obey the norms set by the company.

From Mr Vasanth Rajeevan, Sharjah (Website comment)

Communication gap

Some taxi drivers are really rude and arrogant. They often argue with passengers, especially if you comment on their driving and on the routes they take. They sometimes engage in heated arguments with the passenger and even stop the taxi and ask them to leave. Most of the drivers cannot speak English and it is difficult to communicate with them. The authorities should look into this because it is scaring people away from taxis, which is one of the main means of transport in Sharjah. The drivers should be taught to deal with passengers in a proper and cordial manner.

From Mr Dennis, Sharjah

No patience

I do understand the amount of pressure taxi drivers go through, as they may receive only a few customers per day. They are also on the road for a long time. But, some let their anger out on customers and the road. I have noticed that taxi drivers speed quite often and tailgate other cars, which is not good, considering the fact that public transport should be safe and convenient for the public. I have stopped using the taxi service because of the impatience of drivers on the road, their unsafe driving and indecent behaviour, such as fighting or abusing other motorists.

From Mr Mousa Nimer, Dubai

One-sided story

Everyone is complaining about taxi drivers, but no one bothers to even think about the problems these people face. What are their living conditions, how the passengers behaviour may affect them, or if they are getting sufficient pay to have a decent lifestyle. Driving the entire day on the road, considering the traffic conditions in Sharjah, can make anyone intolerant and impatient. As far as rude behaviour is concerned, private car owners are far ruder than taxi drivers — just see for yourself and try walking across a busy street. A taxi driver might stop the car to allow you to cross the road but private car owners rarely even bother to slow down.

From A Reader, Sharjah

Complaint booths

Some taxi drivers want to pick up more passengers while travelling. Bad odour in the car, food lying around, cigarettes and loud music are a norm — they don't care what the passenger wants. They will never get out of their car to get loose change for a passenger and are often very rude. They have several excuses if they do not want to give a ride to a passenger even though people are willing to pay the price that appears on the meter. I suggest that special booths be placed in areas where people could complain against such drivers. When complaints are made, the report of consequence or action taken should be sent to the complainant. This would provide them with greater customer satisfaction.

From Mr James, Ajman

Language barriers

I visited Dubai last month with my family. On one occasion, I waited for two hours for a taxi. Whenever I asked a taxi driver to take me to Deira, they either said they had finished their shifts or they were not willing to go to my destination. One taxi driver, who spoke the same language as me, offered to take me. When I arrived in Deira, I asked him why the other taxi drivers refused, to which he said it was because of the traffic. When I asked him why he was willing to take me, he said it was because I spoke the same language as him. This is not right! I hope something is done to solve this issue.

From Mr Zeid Hussain, UK

Untrustworthy driver

It is good to see such initiatives. I do believe that some taxi drivers are very nice and polite. But, some of them can be rude. In January, my wife and I took a taxi from Sharjah to Dubai and the meter showed the amount to be Dh28. But the driver demanded Dh38. At that point, the only change I had was Dh100. He told me that he didn't have any change either, so he said that he would deliver the remaining balance at my home near Al Bateena, in the evening. Later, when I called him, he was very offensive and did not return my money, either.

From A Reader, Dubai

Drivers are not robots

It's frustrating to read all these comments bad-mouthing taxi drivers. Everywhere you go, you find angry or rude people not doing their jobs right, so why not attack them? Personally, I never had a bad experience with a taxi driver and I use taxis frequently. Why is everyone so taken aback by taxi drivers asking questions? If anything, it adds a human touch and a refreshing feeling from the robotic responses I get from most customer service agents.

From Mr Jaafar Arif, Sharjah