Three Behaviors That Might Annoy Your Taxi Driver
Posted on: 4 December 2015
Taxi drivers, such as those with White Top Cab Company, don't have an easy job. Day in and day out, they navigate busy streets, rushing to make sure customers arrive at their destinations on time. If you get annoyed driving through one construction site or crazy intersection on your way to work, just imagine that your cab driver has to do this over and over again, all day long! You owe it to your cab driver to make his or her day a little bit easier. You can do so by avoiding these three little behaviors that many customers engage in without realizing they're annoying their taxi driver.
Not knowing your destination as soon as you climb in.
In the age of smartphones, it is not unusual for customers to still be searching for the address of their destination when they climb in the cab. Some drivers will patiently begin driving as you continue your search. Others will wait patiently for you to figure out the address before pulling away from the curb. Neither scenario is ideal. If the driver begins driving before you give him or her the address, there's a chance he or she will miss an important turn-off and have to take a less ideal route. If the driver waits, usually the meter has not begun running yet, and thus you are wasting time during which the driver could be earning money.
Your taxi driver will really appreciate it if you figure out the exact address of your destination before you climb in. You can always take a screenshot of your destination's address page and keep the picture up on your phone, showing it to your driver when you climb in. This way, he or she will not mishear the address, either.
Taking forever to figure out who is paying and how.
If you share a cab with a few friends, don't wait until you arrive at your destination to figure out who is paying, how the fare will be split, and how much everyone owes. As your cab driver sits by the curb waiting for you to figure out your finances, he or she is wasting time that could be spent finding the next paying customer.
When you climb in the cab and give the driver your destination address, he or she should be able to give you a roundabout estimate of how much the fare will be. Add in the tip (about 10% of the fare is standard, and it's fine to base this on the estimate you are given) and figure out how you are going to pay before you reach your destination. Note that while some cab drivers may have the ability to split fares between several credit cards, this is also a hassle for them, and most would prefer that you put the trip on just one card and settle up with your friends later.
Eat smelly or messy foods.
Most drivers will not tell you that you can't eat in the back of the cab. Certainly, there may be times when you are in a rush and need to take advantage of the cab ride to eat some lunch or a snack. However, you should make certain that the food you choose to eat in the cab is neither smelly nor messy. Curry dishes, chicken wings, pulled pork sandwiches, and other messy, smelly foods will leave their scent behind in the car for hours, annoying not only the driver but also other customers. A simple sandwich or piece of pizza is a better bet! Always take your food trash with you when you leave the cab, even if there is a trash bag, so your cab driver does not have to smell your food scraps for the rest of the day.
By avoiding the common behaviors above, you can make your cab driver's day a little easier. In return, you are likely to get better service -- and a genuine smile.
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