Korean Job Discussion Forums

[kylehawkins2000]

I'm pretty new to Seoul so perhaps this is familiar to alot of you.

Last night I was out to meet some old students that were in town on business. We had a few beers and some Anju and decided to wrap things up shortly before midnight.

Now I'm standing on a busy street in Seocho-dong. It's ten to twelve and I need a cab. I look around and there are at least a dozen of them within site. Unfortunately they all drive by paying no heed to me (and not b/c I'm a foreigner......my Korean friend was trying to flag them down for me). THey had their lights on like they were availalbe but would drive by me.......slow down, do a U turn, drive up the other street, park for a little while.......and generally ignore anyone that needed a cab. THen all of a sudden the clock strikes 12 and there is a big line up of cabs ready to pick me up.

Now I understand that the rate goes up at 12 but isn't this a little ridiculous? I bet in the 10 minutes they spend doing the taxi cab shuffle they could make more money than what they get out of the rise in fares after 12.

I love that the cabs are cheap here but there seems to be some ettiquette missing.

[Gord]

ERROR! DOES NOT COMPUTE!

The meters automatically begin charging the higher rate at midnight even if the meter is already running.

[mokpochica]

Sure--but if it's 11:50 and he gets home before 12 it makes sense because they won't earn the higher rate. And does it retroactively change the fare of time already spent in the taxi, or just start changing the rate from 12 on?

I've noticed that taxis with their lights on won't pick me up at certain times, presumably because of shift changes/end of shift. These taxis don't just circle around though.

[posco's trumpet]

[richinkorea]

[hellofaniceguy]

Do what I do; open the *@&#&%@ taxi door and get in! Tell him to turn the meter on and give him your destination. I see koreans standing on the street when a taxi drives up to them and the korean asks "can you take me to so and so place" and the taxi drives says no and drives off! Man, koreans are wired wrong. Just get in the taxi! That's the taxi drivers job! You're the customer! MONEY! I have been in a few taxis's with my korean friend when my friend has given the taxi driver hell because the driver is an idiot! My friend tells the dirver that we are the customer and are paying you for your services so shut up and drive! The drivers don't like it when customers stand up to them! But, customer service is not going to improve as long as we condone it.

[mack the knife]

right...this is all fair and true...but...

keep in mind that korean taxi drivers earn ****-all. all public transportation in this country is way, way, way underpriced. period.

yeah, it sucks to be the guy who gets ripped out of a buck or two (hee-haw, hee-haw)...but really, if you're worried/pissed about a couple of (pennies/dimes/bucks/whatever) you've got bigger issues than simply being frustrated with duplicitous cabbies who are trying to hustle a little extra dough (to eat and put their kids through school---yes, even they have kids).

[hellofaniceguy]

Yes, taxi drivers earn small money; however, no one forces them to drive a taxi! Taxi drivers don't have the brains God gave goldfish. Period. The same in Canada or the U.S. or elsewhere. They have a bad rep. Taxi drivers tell me, "we are in a hurry so we must drive fast." Yeah, like taxi drivers in the U.S., Canada, Europe are also not in a hurry?!?! But they drive obeying traffic laws! Koreans don't. If these idiot taxi drivers would follow the rules of the road, they would make more money! The meter goes by the distance or the time. Drive slowly and it adds up. In the end, it all balances out. But try getting a korean taxi driver to use common sense and logic in thinking! Or a bus driver! Talk about being wired wrong! Korean bus and taxi drivers win. The problem is that many tourists come to korean thinking it's an advanced nation, and that it's like Japan, or Singapore or many other of the other advanced nations. And when they come to korea, they are disappointed. Sure, koreans have made many advances in technology but not where it really is important. And that is in having or using common sense, people skills, manners, etc.
But koreans already know this and they don't like to hear about their shortcomings.
You are hard pressed to find the behavior, business practices, bad drivers, spitting, pushing, shoving, contract violations, corruption, two faced attitudes in other advanced countries as much as one does in korea. When tourists go to let's say, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, some African countries, and a few elsewhere, people expect lack of common courtesy, bad business practices, etc. Koreans bill themselves as the best at this or that, etc. and it's all a show. Bad mouthing korea am I? Nope! Koreans do a good job of that themselves. They have made many positive changes and are making many more. Hopefully it will continue and make korea better for all.

[mack the knife]