*tiny fists of rage*
Aug. 21st, 2006 10:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
vixaliciousOkay, so I've done something today that I've never, ever done before. I've wanted to, but I usually talk myself out of it.
I refused to tip my taxi driver.
Here's the story:
[Exterior scene: LAX airport]
Our Heroine: *steps up to the head of long taxi line after 30 minute wait*
Cab Driver: *gets out, smiling*
Our Heroine: Do you take credit cards? *has had problems with this before and is thus paranoid*
Cab Driver: *manages to smile and look annoyed at the same time* Yes of course. Where are you going?
Our Heroine: *gives proper address* *gets in cab, gives proper address twice more*
Cab Driver: *takes off, headed down California freeway system of doom*
Our Heroine: *zones out, naively trusting in cab driver to take to destination*
Cab Driver: *pulls off freeway into downtown LA* *starts wandering the streets aimlessly*
Our Heroine: *notes cab fare is now $42*
Cab Driver: *pulls back on the freeway*
Our Heroine: *growing increasingly concerned, pulls out laptop to double-check address*
Cab Driver: *asks harshly for address again* *asks for phone number*
Our Heroine: *gives phone number, after verifying address was correct, WHICH IT WAS*
Cab Driver: *calls hotel, doesn't understand directions, asks three times, finally gets it*
Our Heroine: *fumes*
Cab Driver: *finally pulls over on the wrong side of the street*
Our Heroine: And what's the fare? *has to ask twice*
Cab Driver: *points to the meter which says $78*
Our Heroine: Are you insane? I am not paying for the time and distance that you wandered around lost.
I then proceded to argue with him for five minutes, while he kept trying to give me a "deal" - 'Only $65' 'Only $50' etc.
At this point I point out that the sticker on his window says flat rate from LAX to downtown is $38 - which I'd seen but was going to let go, because the difference was only a couple of dollars. He finally said, ok, $42.50. And since that was about what was on the meter when we pulled into downtown, I agreed. And then he had the unmitigated GALL to ask me if I wanted to leave a tip. I said no curtly and fumed the whole time he ran my card.
After I got out, I couldn't keep my mouth shut and I told him that I would have given him the tip - which I would have done, it's a business trip, it's not my money - if he hadn't tried to cheat me. To which he got upset and tried to say I gave him the wrong address. Which I did not, any of the five times I gave it to him. *FUMES*
Okay so. I have his name, I have his cab number. Should I file a complaint? Or should I just let it go?
I refused to tip my taxi driver.
Here's the story:
[Exterior scene: LAX airport]
Our Heroine: *steps up to the head of long taxi line after 30 minute wait*
Cab Driver: *gets out, smiling*
Our Heroine: Do you take credit cards? *has had problems with this before and is thus paranoid*
Cab Driver: *manages to smile and look annoyed at the same time* Yes of course. Where are you going?
Our Heroine: *gives proper address* *gets in cab, gives proper address twice more*
Cab Driver: *takes off, headed down California freeway system of doom*
Our Heroine: *zones out, naively trusting in cab driver to take to destination*
Cab Driver: *pulls off freeway into downtown LA* *starts wandering the streets aimlessly*
Our Heroine: *notes cab fare is now $42*
Cab Driver: *pulls back on the freeway*
Our Heroine: *growing increasingly concerned, pulls out laptop to double-check address*
Cab Driver: *asks harshly for address again* *asks for phone number*
Our Heroine: *gives phone number, after verifying address was correct, WHICH IT WAS*
Cab Driver: *calls hotel, doesn't understand directions, asks three times, finally gets it*
Our Heroine: *fumes*
Cab Driver: *finally pulls over on the wrong side of the street*
Our Heroine: And what's the fare? *has to ask twice*
Cab Driver: *points to the meter which says $78*
Our Heroine: Are you insane? I am not paying for the time and distance that you wandered around lost.
I then proceded to argue with him for five minutes, while he kept trying to give me a "deal" - 'Only $65' 'Only $50' etc.
At this point I point out that the sticker on his window says flat rate from LAX to downtown is $38 - which I'd seen but was going to let go, because the difference was only a couple of dollars. He finally said, ok, $42.50. And since that was about what was on the meter when we pulled into downtown, I agreed. And then he had the unmitigated GALL to ask me if I wanted to leave a tip. I said no curtly and fumed the whole time he ran my card.
After I got out, I couldn't keep my mouth shut and I told him that I would have given him the tip - which I would have done, it's a business trip, it's not my money - if he hadn't tried to cheat me. To which he got upset and tried to say I gave him the wrong address. Which I did not, any of the five times I gave it to him. *FUMES*
Okay so. I have his name, I have his cab number. Should I file a complaint? Or should I just let it go?
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no subject
Date: 2006-08-22 03:48 am (UTC)As far as directions go, it is my understanding that the cabbies in London are required to have an encyclopedic knowledge of the roads there. Even if you don't expect that level of service in other countries, with today's technology there is no good reason for there to be confusion over an address after two or three minutes into a cab ride.