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chiaa
Joined: 23 Aug 2003
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 Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 10:00 pm Post subject: Taxis |
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This is not a taxi bitching post, but something I have noticed about them. I have been here just about five years and when I first got here it was damn near impossible to get a taxi at three in the morning. You would sit on the side of the road yelling your destination for at least thirty minutes before they would pick you up.
Over the past few months I have been a raging alcoholic and have been coming home quite late. I have never had any problems getting a cab. Last night, going down the main drag in Gangnam I saw at least 40 cabs lined up waiting for a fare. As we went past Sinsa station easily another 75 sitting there waiting for fares.
Has anyone else noticed how easy it has been lately to get a cab late at night? RR any articles about this? |
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Bulsajo
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 11:11 pm Post subject: |
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Could it be a change in regulations regarding long distance cabs or something?
My 'fondest' memory of Gangnam was rolling out of the bars at closing time and having to walk an hour+ home because all the cabbies were looking for 'the big score', a fare to Suwon, Bundang, Pyontaek etc.
And it wasn't just a 'no foreigners' thing, there were plenty of other people who were not getting picked up. |
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Qinella
Joined: 25 Feb 2005
Location: the crib
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| Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2005 12:41 am Post subject: |
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Man, it takes me 10 minutes to get a cab in the middle of the day in my city.
About Seoul taxi drivers, I will say they are much better than Daejoninans or Shintainjinians. Usually I don't need to repeat to Seoul drivers. |
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Zyzyfer
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: who, what, where, when, why, how?
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| Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2005 2:26 am Post subject: |
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I just moved to Seoul recently, so don't know how it used to be, but I don't mind it being easy at all. In Cheonan, it was always a pain to go downtown by taxi, hard to find one, and in Bundang it's hard to taxi anywhere because there just aren't that many.
I hate catching a taxi in Itaewon, though. I even give them extra to take me where I'm going, because it's a short ride, but I still have those nights where I feel like headbutting some of those drivers. |
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eamo
Joined: 08 Mar 2003
Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.
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| Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2005 2:35 am Post subject: |
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I still get shivers when I remember trying to get a taxi for 3 hours on a freezing cold New Years Day morning. 2001. Taxi's just weren't coming down the road. Christ I was frozen. Should've got a love hotel room. Stupid.
Generally, Seoul is great for taxi's. Just wish they wouldn't drive so dangerously. Showing off to the waegukin I reckon. |
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Grotto
Joined: 21 Mar 2004
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| Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2005 2:47 am Post subject: |
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| I do know that the Korean government issued about a 1000 extra taxi licenses to get ready for FIFA world cup 2002. |
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just because
Joined: 01 Aug 2003
Location: Changwon - 4964
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| Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2005 5:27 am Post subject: |
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It is to do with some new competition...
You will signs around the place nowdays for �븮����...
Basically the service they provide is the same as a taxi but much less...
They charge 7-9000 won for a car load and will take you wherever you want to go as long as you book it first(ie. just ring from your house and they will pick you up)..
they can only do this in the night time hours so maybe some loophole in law has been found for these cars to exist as there are plenty around the place...
When the taxis went on strike this was one of their gripes as it is really cutting into their night-time trade. |
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Ilsanman
Joined: 15 Aug 2003
Location: Bucheon, Korea
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| Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2005 5:59 am Post subject: yes |
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I think it's because of the rising cost of taxis.
A lot of us may think it's cheap still, but Koreans don't. |
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JongnoGuru
Joined: 25 May 2004
Location: peeing on your doorstep
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| Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2005 6:52 am Post subject: Re: yes |
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| Ilsanman wrote: |
I think it's because of the rising cost of taxis.
A lot of us may think it's cheap still, but Koreans don't. |
I think that's right. In fact, I see three separate economic factors behind the surge in empty taxis.
More Koreans Can't Afford Taxis: There are Koreans who can't afford taxis, and with the recent fare increase, their numbers can only have grown.
More Koreans Don't Need Taxis: Though this has been going on for two decades, the shifting perception of the automobile from luxury good to daily necessity means that more Koreans are behind the wheel. Rising fuel costs, traffic congestion, lack of parking and even lack of genuine need simply aren't reason enough to dissuade Mr. Park or Miss Kim from purchasing one of these flashy declarations that they aren't penniless hobos or mental incompetents. Oh sure, they'll unload them when the economy hits another speed bump like the IMF Crisis and Korea will shoot to the top of the list of world's used car exporters for a few months. But as soon as that temporary pain is over, they'll race right out and buy another before anyone's the wiser.
More Koreans are Driving Taxis: Unemployment in Korea is, in fact, high by the standards of the current working-age generation. For men too young to have been early-retired and given a tidy severance packet, driving a cab is an easier option than opening yet another destined-to-fail chicken & beer hof. That there may be fewer fares these days because of the above-mentioned two reasons does not occur or otherwise stop many from giving it a try. |
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tzechuk
Joined: 20 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2005 7:38 am Post subject: |
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| Qinella wrote: |
Man, it takes me 10 minutes to get a cab in the middle of the day in my city.
About Seoul taxi drivers, I will say they are much better than Daejoninans or Shintainjinians. Usually I don't need to repeat to Seoul drivers. |
I live in Daejeon.. the most I have ever had to wait for a taxi was 3 minutes... |
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Bulsajo
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2005 7:19 pm Post subject: |
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| Zyzyfer wrote: |
| I just moved to Seoul recently, so don't know how it used to be, but I don't mind it being easy at all. |
I've found it was certain times, certain places, and of course maybe things have changed.
Shindorim and Kuro after the subway/trains stop.
Hongdae and Gangnam after the bars close. |
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chiaa
Joined: 23 Aug 2003
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| Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2005 12:44 am Post subject: Re: yes |
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| JongnoGuru wrote: |
| Ilsanman wrote: |
I think it's because of the rising cost of taxis.
A lot of us may think it's cheap still, but Koreans don't. |
I think that's right. In fact, I see three separate economic factors behind the surge in empty taxis.
More Koreans Can't Afford Taxis: There are Koreans who can't afford taxis, and with the recent fare increase, their numbers can only have grown.
More Koreans Don't Need Taxis: Though this has been going on for two decades, the shifting perception of the automobile from luxury good to daily necessity means that more Koreans are behind the wheel. Rising fuel costs, traffic congestion, lack of parking and even lack of genuine need simply aren't reason enough to dissuade Mr. Park or Miss Kim from purchasing one of these flashy declarations that they aren't penniless hobos or mental incompetents. Oh sure, they'll unload them when the economy hits another speed bump like the IMF Crisis and Korea will shoot to the top of the list of world's used car exporters for a few months. But as soon as that temporary pain is over, they'll race right out and buy another before anyone's the wiser.
More Koreans are Driving Taxis: Unemployment in Korea is, in fact, high by the standards of the current working-age generation. For men too young to have been early-retired and given a tidy severance packet, driving a cab is an easier option than opening yet another destined-to-fail chicken & beer hof. That there may be fewer fares these days because of the above-mentioned two reasons does not occur or otherwise stop many from giving it a try. |
Totally agree especially the third one. I think many Koreans say screw it to the stigma that is attached with saying "I am a taxi driver" (I don't think ill of them myself). Better driving a cab than working 65 hours a week for peanuts. |
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