Korean Job Discussion Forums

[hugekebab]

Jesus, guys, it's not a problem of nationality!

All taxi drivers are [Mod Edit], throughout the world, please accept this and move on.

[majolica]

seriously!

although it is annoying that Koreans seem to be so intolerant of foreigners butchering their language... i'm from Toronto and therefore can understand just about ANY amount of butchering of the English language, but i guess i get how more monocultural places could find it tough... i still find cabbies in Korea to be pretty decent folk, concidering how hard most towns are to get around, and what a shitty job it can be.

the one or two times someone has tried to fleece me, i find that being firm, but sort of laughing and not making a big deal about the fact that i know what they're doing usually works well. if someone takes the long route and i know it, then i just laugh and hand them the correct fare, even if i can't speak enough Korean to explain what i'm doing, they know they're in the wrong and accept my money without complaining. this has worked for me in almost every country i've lived in, from Canada, all the way to the mecca of dishonest taxis, India (where the ONE citiy that uses meters uses a system so old and outdated that the drivers need a multiplication table just to figure out the "correct" fare... try arguing with an incensed cabbie over the 13 times table at 1am!!).

[Eedoryeong]

Hahahahahahaha

That reminds me of a game I made up in my younger classes to teach left and right forward and back. I call it saggyechineun taxi gisanim (crooked taxi driver) I go through the rows and they put their hand on my shoulder (or upper back) and if they don't yell out 'turn left!' or 'turn right!' in time, I completely bypass the hospital or garage or whatever other signs I have kids hold up at their desks. saggyechineun taxi gisanim is very funny and is based on this actually.

But I don't think it's true. Like I don't think that in my city - Mokpo - the taxi drivers are doing that at least not intentionally. There are so many instances of predictable traffic congestion and I think they know the rush hour patterns better than I. Sure the odd gringo but it's not like it's an epidemic.

I've also had that thing where another Korean got in the car. I don't know what they do up in Seoul but out in the country, they clarify what your price will be before they go any further. Kibbeun yogeum I think means the minimum fee. If you know your trip is normally the minimum fee then they'll clarify that's what it'll be - in other words they try not to compound the first traveller on the second.

Unless it's really different in Seoul, I don't think you should be that paranoid. After all how much discrepancy are we talking in most cases (of doubled customers) 200-300 Won?

Oh yeah the other thing is out here they'll only let you double other Koreans' rides if you're going in the same general direction. They'll pull up, you call out the area and if it's good you're in. If it's very off course they shake their heads, wave their hands and let someone else pick you up.

[mmarshalynne]

I have been in Korea five days and had two taxi rides. The first ride was to E-Mart and the driver was courteous. After shopping, I got into the cart and handed my apartment's address to the cab driver. My boss had written in down in Korean. The driver spoke and understood only a few English words. I gave him the director's cell phone number and he gave him directions to my apartment. On the way back to my apartment, the taxi driver sang songs from the Beach Boys, Neil Diamond, Paul Simon and a few others. I rolled laughing the whole time. It has been the most enjoyable moments I have had in Korea so far. After arriving at my apartment, I gave him 5,000 won, although the meter read 3100 in exchange for him waiting for me to make three trips up and down the stairs to gather my purchases. A few moments after arriving home, the director stopped by and told me that the cab driver called him back and said that he should tell me that tips are not needed in Korea. After my few experiences thus far, I am giving those cab drivers an A+.

[Captain Marlow]

[Freakstar]

[[email protected]]

Cab driver's worldwide are generally a-holes. Sometimes you meet the exception that proves the rule, but yeah, a-holes. It's just a profession that attracts a certain type of waster. Kind of like ESL teaching come to think of it!

[Kryten]

[thegadfly]

I have been in Korea for over ten years, have taken hundreds of taxi ride a year in Seoul (3-4 each working day), and have taken taxi rides in many other major and minor cities in Korea. I have had a grand total of three bad taxi rides, where the person has overcharged me or obviously taken the longer route. I have had 5 rides where the taxi driver got lost trying to find my destination, and 4 of those people charged me nothing, despite the problem being MY fault for not being able to explain myself clearly in Korean. I have had many free Korean lessons from taxi drivers -- some of my most used expressions, and the majority of the bad words I have learned have come from taxi drivers. One fellow even became a drinking buddy, and bought me a Chu-sok gift, because he felt bad that I was away from my family over that holiday.

I think Korean taxi drivers rock -- counterpoint!

[Jove]

[balzor]

[BoholDiver]

I usually only take a cab when I have our daughter and the weather is bad. I have had general good luck.

True story: Once I wanted a cab at 4 am from gangnam Terminal to Itaewon. He asked for 10,000 won and I said yes. I later realized that 4,000 would be the normal fare for that trip (this was years ago, no maybe 5000-5500). Was he a greedy bastard? yes, but I agreed to pay it. I am smarter now.

The only real problem I have with cabbies are that many times my wife has been verbally bullied by them when I am not there. It has never happened when we're together.

If they pick up another passenger without your permission, refuse. It's illegal, among other things. If the driver won't listen, just get out and refuse to pay.

합승 안돼요

[murmanjake]

So that jerky, gas/break/gas/break driving style is actually propelled by greed? My girlfriend told me that's just how old people drive.

I've had some great experiences with taxi drivers. They offer me gum, go the wrong way and back the meter up, spend precious minutes on the phone patiently sorting out directions, change the music to the Beatles(rocking)...

But I've also had crazy, knuckle-biting, "I'm gonna die" rides with crazy money-hungry drivers that drove on the wrong side of the street, gunned it at any possible chance, and was an asshole to everyone on the street. My girlfriend had one rip into her once for catching the taxi on the wrong side of the street. She called me bawling.

I think there's a fair amount of variety.

On a side rant. I'm sick of people saying NO don't tip the taxi drivers, that's INsulting...
I generally let taxi-drivers keep the change(600 won!) and sometimes tip chun-won. I've had nothing but gracious, thankful responses. Not saying you gotta tip, but stop saying it's because the don't appreciate it. cause they do. they just dont expect it.

[seoulsucker]

Last weekend a taxi driver asked me during a casual conversation about nightlife in Seoul, "Have you ever taken LSD?" The story he told me after that was unreal, especially coming from an adjeosshi.

[Troglodyte]