Taxi drivers in Beijing ? Help?

Question

I showed the taxi driver on the map with the name written in Chinese where I wanted to go , and he said : OKOK .

First , he drove extremely slowly , the roads were clear for once because of Chinese New Year. He dropped (wanted to)
about 500 m far of teh destination or trying to make me explain
again to make money, Since the taxidrivers here, like everywhere probably are so unfair and greedy, I "wanted him to teach a lesson and jumped out without paying. First he did not follow me
then he did when I did not expect it anyomore I had gone to
a CD/DVD shop and when I wanted to LEAVE the shop he stood
in my way. He smiled and showed me the bill. I said that he did not
know the place and that I was not going to pay, I was not open
to discuss more than that , the shopkeeper (whom I had heard speaking English) could have helped. I walked off.
The point is I am going to be here for another two months - to be honest I am afraid that this taxi driver will chase me ?

Answer 1

Don't panic, If he see's you he will first demand the money, however if you was to do anyhting drastic, he would have done it there.

I suggest next time you see him pay him and be pelasant.

I left a book in a taxi, but didn't get out at my hotel, yet the next day he was outside my hotel! however this was in a city in the far south called Jinghong, wereas beijing is a lot larger. Did you get out at your house? or a destination you use a lot!

As i said previously, make a phone call home, it always cheered me up when away!

Answer 2

I live in Shanghai, but have had more problems in Beijing than here. I've had arguments over the fare from the airport to a near-by hotel (the driver thought it wasn't a long enough trip). I've also been taken the very longest route for the driver to build up the fare. In your case, there is a telephone complaint number posted in every taxi; copy down the number and call if your feel cheated. You maybe should have paid the fare - making sure you got a receipt - then you have evidence (taxi number, fare, times, etc.) printed on the receipt. The taxi quality service is generally helpful, and drivers seem to fear them.

I won't worry too much about the driver coming after you (unless he picked you up at your home) since we Westerners all "look alike". Seriously, the likelihood of running into the same driver is remote, especially since many part-time and non-local drivers come in to work during the Chinese New Year.

Answer 3

Well, I've never been to Beijing so this probably isn't the answer you're looking for. However, I live in New York and having gone to NYC, other small cities in NY, and other large cities in different states, and I'm not sure I've ever seen someone sit in the front unless they had to (i.e. the back was full so they had to take the seat up front). But maybe I only think this because it's what I normally do, and also I'm generally to preoccupied with finding a cab to notice how other people get in their own. In any case, I imagine it would be a little out of the norm to sit in the front in Beijing. I'd sit in the back, personally.

Answer 4

Beijing taxi drivers are a bit shady and dodgy. Especially if they think they have a foreign customer the can trick a little bit.

I can't help you with the stalker/driver. Good luck there. I hope he doesn't give you any trouble.

Here is the deal. The taxi drivers are subject to a code of conduct. If they give you any trouble or misbehave enough to piss you off, simply get out your pencil and a piece of paper, start writing down the official driver number that is on his dashboard and let him know you are going to complain (Say "wo to su ni", that means complain). If he is in the wrong, he will immediately try to make nice. If he is still beligerant, perhaps he has done his best and he couldn't avoid whatever happened.

Learn a few words of Chinese. That will go a long way. Also, try not to adopt a very aggressive or nasty attitude. A smile on your face and gentle discussion can diffuse all but the most venomous of arguments here. Good luck.

Answer 5

First, I would have paid him. You don't know for sure that he was trying to cheat you. He could have not known exactly where you are going or perhaps couldn't get to the exact location because of all the crazy rules about driving access and parking in Beijing. And the driver has to pay the company, so when you don't pay anything, he's taking a big loss, and for a taxi driver, 20-30 yuan can be a killer for them.

Beijing taxi drivers are quite friendly when you speak the language. Also, Beijing taxi drivers are quite desperate. Since they changed the rules about price fares (top-down government decision), it's been tough for them-- not to mention all the private cars now in Beijing.

Try to learn how to get to a place and how to say specifics, such as turn right, turn left, go forward. Also try to not be bothered when you get cheated a bit, because in the long-run, it's not going to matter for you.

I once had a big fight over the price of a jianbingguozi (onion pancake)--- it was five mao or 7 US cents. Now I laugh at the experience.

Answer 6

Welcome to China. Beijing is a big place addresses can be vague and hard to find even for experienced drivers. The taxi driver won't chase you but you didnt do anything to improve foreign relations. You are in China, learn the language or get a better translation for your map or a detailed address. If he brought you close I would have paid at least a portion of the fare..

Learn how to say, "Do you know how to this place?" in Chinese? here's a real bad translation that works:

jidao bu-jidao jiga difan zai nar? You should be pointing to the map location when you say this..

Answer 7

pay the man its peanuts to save your hand getting chopped off

Answer 8

You didn't pay him anything!? That's unfair and greedy.

Answer 9

Just pay him. If you don't, you deserve something very bad happening to you.