Opinions | Your Say
Taxi drivers 'refuse fares' - have your say
Residents are at their wits end as taxis refuse to stop for them as they stand outside in the heat, and are upset by the inefficiency of public transport.
- Gulf News web report
- Published: 00:00 June 20, 2006
Residents are at their wits' end as taxis refuse to stop for them as they stand outside in the heat, and are upset by the inefficiency of public transport.
The latest ordeal happened to a mother of a 20 month old baby, Preety from India. While standing near Al Maktoum Bridge at a nearby petrol station at 3.30pm, mother and child were left standing for almost 45 minutes as taxi after taxi passed by, refusing to stop.
"I was desperate for a taxi. My baby was turning red because it was so hot, and the taxis continued to pass me by," she said.
Have you ever been refused by a taxi driver? Do they have the right to refuse? Are taxi drivers rude and reckless?
Send your comments to feedback@gulfnews.com
A selection of your emails will be published on this page. We reserve the right to edit emails for length and clarity but comments will reflect the balance of opinion. Emails will not be published if no name or city is provided. If you wish to remain anonymous then please state this at the bottom of your comment.
The taxi problem is very serious. I have suffered so many times. Taxi drivers are not ready to go some areas where there is more traffic. R.T.A should take strict action against this rude behaviour of taxi drivers. Although drivers should be given more facilities, the service should still be good.
Raveendran
By email
Today near Al Mulla Plaza, some 15 to 20 empty taxis passed by without stopping even as I hailed them. I was stuck waiting for a ride for more than half an hour in the sun. Finally, one driver stopped, and when I told him I wanted to go near the Clock Tower in Deira, he refused and said that his shift is over, and asked me to find another taxi. I didn't have a choice, and had to find another ride.
Sajjad
By e-mail
My wife and I live in Bur Dubai and after my wife asks to take a taxi from Burjuman back home, the Taxi driver often asks her to get out, saying that he is not willing to stand in a queue for such a short journey. I have often had to walk home from Oud Metha Road, as no Taxi will stop, even though they are empty.
Tarek
By email
I live in RAK, and traveling daily has caused me real stress. There is no other option than to travel by taxi, as standing in the heat is really very tough. Meters in the taxis are of no use either. They simply act as a decoration piece. I implore that someone takes strict action against them and makes a rule in favour of the daily travelers.
Waqas
UAE
I stay at Al Shaab and getting a cab has been a problem for me. The only cabs I can find in my area are ones that are run illegally. It is very bad for a booming city like Dubai when cab drivers refuse to carry passengers. It spoils the image of our city. Now, even though all the taxis are managed by Dubai Transport, I hope that the Dubai transport officials take this matter up. Otherwise it will be very problematic for Dubai.
Karthik
Dubai
This has happened to me so many times and has made me really angry and fed up. Once I asked a taxi driver why they sometimes don't stop. He said that whilst driving, he checks to see what the passenger looks like, whether they are south Asian and if he or she will go a long distance and pay a tip or not. So they prefer to drive on and find a rich or European visitor nearby. I have complained twice but the service has not improved.
Sajjad
By email
I visited Dubai as a tourist two weeks ago and stayed in Bur Dubai.Taxis refused to take me several times. They didn?t want to go over the creek and on to Deira City Centre. A taxi driver even once suggested that I go to Mall of the Emirates instead, but I refused.
Mervin
Malta
Four wheels is the only mode of transport in the city and for those who do not have their own means of transport there is no choice but to travel by taxi. Nowadays taxi drivers refuse to take passengers in busy roads due to traffic congestion, pollution and various other problems. After a long struggle even if we convince them we end up paying them more than the actual cost. Travelling has turned out to be a big hazard for the public in UAE.
Rupa
Sharjah
I am a UAE resident from India (Kerala). My husband and my child lived in Abu Shagara, Sharjah for four months. we used to go to Al Majaz Park in Al Wahda Street every weekend. One day, after my child had finished playing he fell asleep in the park. It was around 10.30 at night. Since no taxis would stop for us, I took my child, who is three-years-old and walked from Al Majaz Park to Abu Shagara. I reached our flat at midnight and got a scolding from my husband too. Now we are staying in Yarmook and we don?t experience these problems anymore.
Jisha
Sharjah
Years back when I didn?t have a car I used to wait for a long time in the heat for a taxi. It?s sad to see people waiting in the heat. Even if a taxi driver is off at the time, he should stop and take passengers. Well it?s us who pay them. A complaint can be logged to their company if they refuse to take passengers. Now I have a car and I have also noticed taxi drivers still not stopping when people outside wave for taxi. This is really rude and mean on their part. It is just the attitude of the drivers. Most of them are rude; they drive like crazy, are unfriendly, and show anger to passengers. Who can we trust? If a complaint is logged they don?t take it seriously. They have to be penalised if they don?t stop and especially when ladies are waiting for a long time. Some respect has to be given to people. I have been living here for the past 24 years. Too much money leads to too much ego and attitude. Salary deduction, or taking the taxi away is one good punishment or perhaps a fine. Taxi drivers here suck.
Mathew
Dubai
I moved to Canada about four months ago. I used to face this problem while waiting in Karama for a taxi. Also, the taxi driver listens to the radio station of his choice, he puts the AC on if he needs it, and he takes passengers only if he wants. In fact, he acts as if he owns the cab and you are not paying for the ride.
Bhadran
Canada
I seldom take taxis, as I drive, but one day I didn?t have a car so I went onto the road to wait for a taxi. It was really surprising to see how taxi drivers pass by and do not even pay any heed that you are standing, waiting for them. Approximately 20 taxis passed by and none of them stopped! Being a UAE national and wearing the Abaya, I have noticed this, and believe me it has happened. These taxi drivers will instantly stop for ladies who are usually foreigners. Moreover, these taxi drivers are totally reckless - they don?t use indicators whatsoever and stop wherever they feel like, they think its their own road.
A.M.A
Sharjah
It has happened to my wife several times when she stands in the sun at 1pm to pick up my son from nursery school. Taxis either don?t stop or only stop for Westerners. Also when we ask them to wait they become extremely rude and refuse. In a city like Dubai - which prides itself on being a sophisticated and service oriented society - this is really not acceptable.
Mansoor
By e-mail
I stay at Rigga Road and getting a cab usually takes at least 30 to 45 minutes. Most of the time drivers don?t even look at you. It?s really irritating but is just one side of the coin. Taxi drivers have a very high target given to them by their companies. The issue should be resolved by local authorities. A survey should be done to set a realistic target for drivers within a time frame of 8 to 10 hours a day. They should not be allowed to work more than that. This would ease the pressure on drivers and make them more welcoming to all passengers instead of only looking for long distance passengers.
Abdul
By e-mail
As a housewife I used go out several times a day. I faced the same problem. If someone is employed as a taxi driver then it should be his duty to take passengers at any time and any place. Otherwise, what is the use of calling it a taxi.
Molly
Dubai
YES! I?ve had very bad experiences with Dubai taxis. My wife, who is six months pregnant, and I, were on our way to her monthly checkup. I called about eight taxis but no one stopped. After standing for 45 minutes, she eventually fell down unconscious, because she couldn't sit down.
The taxi drivers do not show an interest in taking workers and prefer to take white tourists. If you ask to go somewhere, where the charge will come to less than 10 dhs, drivers get irritated.
Salihu
Dubai
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