Korean Job Discussion Forums

[whatever]

Can you think of any profession where it's normal/acceptable to entertain yourself whilst working at the expense of your customers' comfort, safety, ability to hold a conversation, and general satisfaction? ...Aside from performers and athletes...

Between loud talk radio, watching TV, smoking, showboat driving, overuse of the horn, disregard for traffic laws and the safety of pedestrians, and attempted conversation (more like throwing something at the monkey to get a reaction, in many cases)...why do they feel entitled to act this way?

This is not aimed at all taxi drivers, nor only Korean ones, but I'm just about fed up. Do your effing job and be happy to have the business. I'm polite to a fault in a taxi situation. Only a small minority of proprietors respond accordingly. I wish there was a better way to vet out a driver.

[kreitler7]

Agreed. Korean taxi drivers can be pricks sometimes. But, remember that driving in Seoul (or wherever you are) is not easy. The traffic can be a nightmare.

Just think of it as using a car. You aren't in there to make a friend. You are in there to get from A to B. That being said, most of the drivers I have met have been polite and some have asked me if I want to have a beer with them later!

Just make sure all of your conversing is in Korean. And make sure you are speaking to them in a polite manner ( -yo) and they seem to respond well.

[whatever]

I hear you. I live in Daegu...formally of Jeju.

As I said, I'm polite to a fault in such situations. I even sort-of rehearse what I need to say (in my head ), not only to give directions, but the minor, contextual things that might arise.

That said, it doesn't excuse blatantly dangerous/disruptive/annoying/impolite behavior.

To take (probably the least offensive element mentioned about this behavior) part of what I said, even loud talk radio or music is uncool. If the driver would like to make me comfortable with some music of popular taste at a reasonable volume, I would look upon that with approval.

Driving in a showboat manner is intolerable, and you've got nothing at all to do about it, under most circumstances, unless you're in an area where you can request an immediate stop.

I wouldn't drive my friends in such a manner, let alone a stranger, who is a customer.

I guess that's the thing about Korea, treat your friends well and treat strangers as you wish.

[kreitler7]

Well, if you think the radio is too loud, or the smoking bothers you, just ask the driver to turn it down or to stop smoking. If they are going to fast, tell them to slow down. What would you do in your country? If they don't do it, just tell them to stop and get out (pay if you want to).

I think there are many occassions where Koreans don't actually realize that they are annoying someone. So I guess it is your job to let them know that something pi*ses you off, right?

And if you want better service, take the black taxis.

[whatever]

As I said, I don't live in Seoul. Kind of wish I did, as pertains to this.

Taxi drivers here often respond to polite, Korean-language requests from foreigners with confusion/inattentive giddiness/contempt/disregard. Not all, but in my experience, many.

I've had a ton of drivers object...to the point of refusing service after a couple of blocks...to my request to turn off the light in the middle headboard.

As for black taxis anyway, why should I have to go that route?

If you've got a mental hairstylist, you can get out of the chair and walk away. If you're travelling in a speeding taxi with a mental driver, your exit is a bit more complicated.

[Smee]

It's been ages since I had a taxi driver smoking in his car. In general I've been more impressed with the taxi drivers over here than back home. They do drive like maniacs, but that's true in any country. Taxis are affordable down here, the cabs are clean, and the drivers don't demand a tip.

[whatever]

[kreitler7]

Buy a car.

[whatever]

[hogwonguy1979]

i had a jesus vampire for a cab driver the other day. i should of gotten out and got another cab. that was incredibly annoying

biggest gripe i have is getting in and then having the cabbie not take me where i want to go, says he's changing shifts etc when i know thats bs

[Roch]

[Roch]

[Hanson]

Just yesterday, my wife was in a cab with my sleeping daughter and a big bag of groceries, coming home. She called ahead and asked me to meet her downstairs to help carry my daughter upstairs. I waited, and waited, and finally the cab appears, passes my place (and me, standing there), and stops 50 meters down the road.

I get to the cab to find my wife in an argument with the driver. She turns to me and says: "This guy's so rude!" and she's pissed. I lean in, look at the driver, and we have a bit of a staredown. I help my wife with my daughter (who is now awake) and the groceries, and she slams the door, hard. Taxi driver does a mini-peel as he drives off.

The story was that a$$hat driver didn't want to let my wife out at our place because that would involve leaving the main road. My place is a right, left, and then another right, but total, no more than 200 meters from the main road. A$$hat wouldn't budge and my wife refused to get out, so they sat there on the main road for a few minutes, arguing.

Finally, angrily, the driver realized, I guess, that he wasn't going to win this one, and reluctantly drove my wife home. The driver was rude, loud (woke up my daughter from her nap) and totally unprofessional. We should have taken his info down, but it all happened so fast...

When I looked back on our staredown, I realized that he looked upset, but also guilty. Fukcer.

[bassexpander]

A recent TV report said that over 40% of taxi drivers in Seoul are actually "illegal" drivers. These illegal drivers are often people who couldn't get a job doing anything else earning that much (not that they earn a lot). Often, they are former convicts who are now out of jail.

No kidding.

How do they get these jobs? The taxi companies (or drivers themselves) rent out the taxi for a certain amount per month. The taxi drivers must pay gas and upkeep, but can keep whatever they earn above that amount.

[Young FRANKenstein]