Beijing Cabbies Not Allowed to Dye Hair Red

by Jonathon Morgan on

Yesterday I posted about tickets going on sale for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Understandably, China wants to make a good impression on the hordes of international travelers who will descend upon their country. In an effort to control that impression, the government has made a 12-item self-improvement list for cabdrivers.

So, if you travel to Beijing for the games, you can be sure your cabdrivers won’t smoke, spit or overcharge. Women won’t wear big earrings or have red hair, and men’s hair will be kept short. They’ll also always use their meter, or they’ll run the risk of losing their license.

On the one hand, I feel sorry for cabbies who are having their appearance micro-managed by the Chinese government, but on the other, taking a taxi in a country you’re not familiar with — especially when your language isn’t commonly spoken — can be daunting. Travelers who are confident they can make their way around the city — without being taken for the proverbial ride — are far more likely to enjoy their stay.

That being said, what does the government have against red hair?

New York Couple Takes 2400-Mile Cab Ride

by Willy Volk on

Betty and Bob Matas are retiring from NYC to Arizona. Though the next big hurdle for them will be the move, the couple has already hired movers to haul their stuff. But wait: how will they get their cats to Arizona? Though they could’ve shipped the cats via airliner, the Matas didn’t want to force their cats to endure a trip in the cargo hold. They’ll just drive, right? Well… no… they don’t drive. Consequently, in order to cross the country, they decided to do what they know best: hail a cab.

Cab driver Douglas Guldeniz agreed to drive his yellow SUV cab the 2400 miles 10 hours a day for a flat fee of $3000, plus gas, meals and lodging. According to David Pollack, executive director of the Committee for Taxi Safety, the standard fare would’ve been about $5000, but city Taxi and Limousine Commission rules allow drivers and passengers to negotiate a flat fare for trips outside the city.

Novel solution — or stupid? What are the Matas going to do when they arrive in Sedona, a city NOT noted for having extensive taxi services?

NY Cabbie Gets Crappy Tip, Still Does Good Deed

by Willy Volk on

If you believe in karma, then you know Chowdhury Osman just guaranteed himself countless rewards. First, the Bangladeshi-born Queens taxi driver accepted a passenger’s 30¢ tip on an $11 ride. (That alone is worth some karma points, in my book.) Later, when he discovered that she had left a small bag in his back seat, he spent hours hunting for her so he could return it. What was in the bag? 31 diamond rings. His reward for this selfless act? The woman, who claimed she was a jeweler, gave him $100, which he “grudgingly accepted.”

According to Chowdhury, “When I find something left in my cab, and I can return it to the owner, I feel very happy. I feel proud.” I guess they never heard of “finders keepers” in Bangladesh.

Taxi Drivers in Minneapolis Say No Trip If You Sip…

by Adrienne Wilson on

Heads are butting in Minneapolis between Muslim cab drivers and passengers trying to get a ride. USA Today has a story on the situation saying many Muslim drivers are refusing service to passengers carrying wine, spirits, or any type of booze what-so-ever. Many of the cab drivers in the Minneapolis area are Somali Muslim and have stated that driving passengers with alcohol is against their faith and Islamic law. Additionally, they’ve also told dispatchers not to call them to pick up passengers heading to liquor stores and bars. Not all Muslims agree that Muslim cab drivers are not allowed to transport alcohol – the main ban is against drinking. Passengers have complained that they’ve been turned away by up to four cabs before finding a ride home from the airport. Bummer. Sounds like a major clash in cultures and hopefully they’ll be able to make some middle ground. In the end I’m sure the taxi drivers will lose out (perhaps not in faith), but in deals that pay bills. Someone will come along and fill the void for passengers that just want to go to Italy and come back with their fine wines in peace. Read the full story at USA Today.

Philly Taxi Drivers Protest Use of GPS Tracking Plan

by Adrienne Wilson on

NPR has an audio listen on the taxi situation in Philly, where cab drivers are protesting a plan to place GPS (Global Positioning Systems) in their vehicles. The GPS devices would allow the cab dispatchers to know and pinpoint the exact location of a driver, but the driver’s are saying this is a violation of their privacy.

Hmm… Personally, I think it is a great plan. I don’t catch cabs too often, but it peeves me to high heaven when I call one and wait decades for them to arrive. I start imagining all the stops or personal errands they decided to run in route to picking me up for my very important flight or meeting. (Violation of privacy – ha!) When you phone into the dispatchers it’s as if they are in a whole different world from the drivers. They always say something like this: “Yes, he will be there in five minutes. He said he is nearby.” Sometimes I just want to cough bull sh–, but I always keep my cool. Not to say all cab drivers taking the scenic route to get where they need to be or that they’re not stuck in traffic, but it would do dispatchers a great deal of wonder to be able to say something more specific and a little less generic.

Hope a plan like this works out in Philly for the greater good of people who actually have to get to important places or meetings.