Korean Job Discussion Forums

[wylies99]

11-18-2008 18:22

Taxi Plan for Foreigners Backfires
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/11/117_34617.html

By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter

Seoul City's plan to introduce cabs only for foreign nationals with better services but at higher fares has drawn negative responses from most expatriates and foreign tourists.

Some simply claim the policy of creating ``foreigner-only taxis'' can be seen as a discriminatory tactic to overcharge foreigners, while others even argue that it can create an atmosphere of segregation.

``Some people think of the plan as discriminatory. I see it more as a way of squeezing extra money out of tourists like me who don't know any better.'' said David Llwyelen, 46, a British tourist.

The plan came as part of the city's efforts to help foreign residents and tourists enjoy convenient taxi services at all times and at the same time to cope with the mounting general complaints about taxi services.

``We have received a lot of complaints from foreigners here about taxi fares, miscommunication due to language barriers and selective acceptance of customers,'' a city official said. ``We've also concluded the phone translation service in regular taxis is insufficient to solve these problems.''

The special taxi service will introduce some 1,000 taxis with drivers who can speak English, Japanese, Chinese or other foreign languages. The service will be offered by arrangement through a call center and fares are expected to be about 20 percent higher than normal fares.

But many foreign residents point out that the exclusive service may help tourists who have just arrived here if they are not familiar with the life in Seoul, but will cause more difficulties to foreign residents.

``I just wonder if it's going to make it more difficult for foreigners to get a taxi, as the regular cab drivers might think that we now have our own service,'' said Pete Murphy, 36, an English language instructor in Seoul.

Some foreigners even seriously criticized the ``foreigner-only taxis,'' claiming they could cause an atmosphere of segregation between Koreans and foreigners.

``Most expatriates object to the policy because it increases an atmosphere of separation, when we simply want to be treated as equals here, and have the same access to public services as everyone else,'' an Internet user with the ID Jsburgeson said on The Korea Times Web site.

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[ChinaBoy]

Strangely, I would prefer to be segregated. Of course, I've never claimed to have normal views on things.

[bossface]

[i4NI]

It seems impossible to please these people unless you forced every Korean to become a native English speaker.

[greekvvedge]

[Css]

[greekvvedge]

[i4NI]

[Css]

[Smee]

I've had positive experiences with cab drivers, and most are pretty nice guys. Am I the exception?

Yeah, I love to laugh at all of Korea's crazy schemes to boost tourism, but I have to give them credit for at least trying to make cabs more foreigner-friendly, even though their plans were totally off-base. You ever deal with cab drivers back home? Christ, what a miserable lot, and talk about overcharging. And just try suggesting to them to be more friendly to foreigners, or to be welcoming to people who don't speak English (or whatever language). HAHAHAHA.

Foreigners should just deal with the language barrier and take a few seconds to figure out where you're going. Sometimes there will be a communication problem. Just deal.

But what they need to do is get cab drivers to actually use this free translation service when necessary. I know it's got to be inconvenient at times, if the person on the other end has weak English, or if the white guy is speaking a mile a minute. But it's advertised, so use it. That would get rid of all this mess.

[Css]

[Konglishman]

[Beej]

[Gatsby]

[nomad-ish]