In Singapore, there is currently a police case involving local TV host Quan Yifeng who is being investigated for a case of alleged taxi-rage. She has been accused of hitting a taxi-driver, thrashing his taxi and stealing his taxi keys.
Now this is not the first time she’s been in the headlines for the wrong reasons as the 36 year-old is well-known for her quick temper and sharp tongue. Ms. Quan denied the allegations and I can’t say who is right or who is wrong as the case is now a case of he-said-she-said. One thing that struck me however is how the case started.
According to reports, the incident started when the 52-year-old taxi-driver, Mr Tan, refused to help with Ms. Quan luggage. Ms. Quan got angry and said, “What sort of service attitude is this?” Things went downhill from there.
Personally I don’t understand why Singaporeans expect taxi-drivers to carry their bags for them. I don’t and had never asked the taxi-drivers to help with my bags. Even in my NS time when I book out of the camp, I carry my own Ali Baba bag to the road, onto the taxi without help. I mean if it is your bag and what’s inside is your possessions; why shouldn’t you be expected to carry your own bags? Even if it is very heavy, guess what; it is still your bag! Even if you are the customer paying for the taxi, you are the one who put the stuff inside the bag, so why shouldn’t you be expected to carry the bag?
To be fair Ms. Quan isn’t the only one who, in my view unreasonably, expect taxi-drivers to help with their bags but I never understood why that is the case. Taxi-drivers are taxi-drivers! If you want someone who will open the booth, carry your items for you; you don’t want a taxi-driver; you want a chauffeur. You got to go hire one!
4 comments:
Have u check if taxi charges for luggage? If so,then is it unrealistic to expect the taxidriver to help carry luggage into the boot?
Anyway, charge or no, I find it is about service
excellance and being gracious. I remember going overseas to a developed country where I find the taxi drivers jus automatically come out to assist with the luggage without being asked. But sadly this is not the case here in Spore. While the cost of taking taxi here has gone up alot bcos they have not only increase fares over the years but have also added all sort of charges to this and that, I find the service attitude of the taxi drivers have not gone up in tandem. Generally, they still dont see themselves as service providers but rather they are in it only for the living. They will be one spoiler for any claim by spore to be first world country.
I agree with you writer.
I believe this QYF was being cheapskate in the first place as she is second passenger (i.e. sharing cab to go airport) that the taxi is picking up - imagine taxi driver fetched passenger 1 and then passenger 1 ask him to fetch passenger 2 etc and everytime, the taxi driver had to get down and carry the numerous luggages - while not earning the pickup charge since she is the second passenger. I know this QYF is trying to save money by sharing cabs to go airport but when you want to save money, then you have to live with possible lower service attitude. And I don't see how she can be justified in destroying the car just because the taxi driver didn't come down the second time to carry her luggage - it's not a big matter. The taxi driver has been driving the whole day - he could be even more tired than you are. It just shows bad upbringing. I hope her daughter won't follow her fottsteps.
What does being a first world country has to do with a taxi-driver coming down to take your bags? When I think of first world country, I think of economy, standard of living, freedom of speech…bag carrying taxi-driver does not come up even once!
Even if you are in a first world country, it is still YOUR bag! Living in a first world country does not mean your arm is useless or you shouldn’t carry your own bag.
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