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Taxis who press on the accelerator for 3 secs and release it

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  1. #11

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    Taxi drivers should be inspected periodically by TD sending inspectors passing off as passengers. The drivers that drive awfully should be sent for retraining if they drive like a drummer with parkinsons or they should be have their licenses stripped.

    TheBrit likes this.

  2. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by Plutark:
    It's Hong Kong, they believe in random crap they heard and won't change the way they do things because every one else is doing it!
    Maybe so though I don’t know a culture that isn’t like this. Most people subconsciously outsource a lot of critical thinking to collective “wisdom”

  3. #13

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    I don't think taxi drivers are that stupid to think it is about fuel efficiency. That argument sounds to me to be projection to make some people feel superior to drivers. If there is anything that taxi drivers know better than anyone else is how to drive taxis.

    I'm fairly certain a lot of the stop/go is the automatic transmission trying to switch between gears.

    I've also observed a fair bit of stop/go from drivers trying to maintain a close distance to the car in front. They want to be super close to stop anyone cutting in front. They need to modulate the speed a lot more often when they drive so close.

    foxwendal and Michael Tsang like this.

  4. #14

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    Feb 2012
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    Thank you for this thread. I've even thought about getting out of taxis before because of this terrible behavior that I can't fathom serves any purpose other than to upset me.

    Have you been in a taxi where you thought the driver was so bad, you told him to stop as soon as possible, and you just got another taxi or took public transport if you could?

    With the HKTaxi app it's easier than before to get a taxi, and you can request a 15 to 20% cash discount. The only issue is they still call you despite you typing in exactly where you are (sometimes the app won't let you) and exactly where you want to go, and if you can't communicate with them clearly enough then you probably can't get them to pick you up. These days though they might be parked at a taxi stand nearby, and the app will tell you their license plate number, so you might be able to find the taxi, and the app also shows you their current location.



    You can download the app https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...calltaxi&hl=en or https://apps.apple.com/hk/app/hktaxi...660232595?l=en Try adding 8折 as another request to see if you can get 20% off. I think it's a bit mean, and HK taxi drivers are poorly paid, but it's their choice to accept your discount request.

    Also if you think using Uber, GogoX, or Lalamove will solve this terrible driving habit problem maybe, but I've had at least one driver like this with one of those services.

    I'm determined the next time this happens to me, I'm going to tell them to stop and let me out as soon as possible. Right before I get out, I might muster the courage to ask them in broken Cantonese if they know how to drive.

    However, the main reason I previously took taxis sometimes has now been eliminated, so I luckily think it might be a while before I try the above.


  5. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by greenmark:
    I don't think taxi drivers are that stupid to think it is about fuel efficiency. That argument sounds to me to be projection to make some people feel superior to drivers. If there is anything that taxi drivers know better than anyone else is how to drive taxis.

    I'm fairly certain a lot of the stop/go is the automatic transmission trying to switch between gears.

    I've also observed a fair bit of stop/go from drivers trying to maintain a close distance to the car in front. They want to be super close to stop anyone cutting in front. They need to modulate the speed a lot more often when they drive so close.
    So according to you the cabbies affected by the bouncy foot syndrome are actually really good drivers ? WTF
    TheBrit, Elegiaque and jdf21st like this.

  6. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by greenmark:
    I'm fairly certain a lot of the stop/go is the automatic transmission trying to switch between gears.
    I'm fairly certain you are 100% wrong about this. I've watched their foot. They press down and take it completely off even when they are on a highway with no traffic to worry about. Pressing down for lets say 2 seconds and then taking it off for one second and repeating this awful behavior must only have one purpose. That's to upset me, and it has done that 100% of the time.

  7. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by LoganH:
    I'm fairly certain you are 100% wrong about this. I've watched their foot. They press down and take it completely off even when they are on a highway with no traffic to worry about. Pressing down for lets say 2 seconds and then taking it off for one second and repeating this awful behavior must only have one purpose. That's to upset me, and it has done that 100% of the time.
    I have a taxi licence. I won't drive a taxi like that. It's bad for fuel economy.
    Elegiaque likes this.

  8. #18

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    Quote Originally Posted by Michael Tsang:
    I have a taxi licence.
    That's an interesting fact, but why?

    I thought SCMP has written about HK taxi driver's salaries before, but I can't quickly find anything. Other sites seem to indicate they can make maybe ~100HKD/hour, but that was probably before COVID-19, and now I don't know what they can expect to make after covering their costs.

  9. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by LoganH:
    That's an interesting fact, but why?

    I thought SCMP has written about HK taxi driver's salaries before, but I can't quickly find anything. Other sites seem to indicate they can make maybe ~100HKD/hour, but that was probably before COVID-19, and now I don't know what they can expect to make after covering their costs.
    A recent trip from TST to Tsing Yi took Maybe 20 mins and cost 140HKD. so if he manage a similar return journey that would be nearing 300. However, that would be unlikely. So factor in downtime, additional unpaid travel, whatever the rent of the taxi, fuel I think 100 per hour even in good times would be pushing it. And anyway, that’s not good money.

  10. #20

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    I've got out of taxis and almost vomited in the past. Once reason I used to prefer taking the bus from the airport home - 10 mins longer for a much smoother journey!

    SirNotAppearing and Elegiaque like this.