Taxis in Kuwait... ?
I am in Kuwait since a while. I take taxis, different ones and I realized I lost a lot of money using taxis.
In Kuwait, like in nearby countries: Dubai, Bahrain… , taxis have taxi meters but contrary to the nearby countries, taxi drivers in Kuwait don’t charge according to the taxi meters.
When I first came in Kuwait, I don’t remember I have seen a driver putting a taxi meter.
But nowadays, I noticed more than half of them having the taxi meter switch on.
Are they asking the customer to pay according to the number mentioned ? No.
Once, I was in a Bangali taxi and the guy told me « if checking Police, you tell you go by taxi meter. » Doesn’t look like a blackmail ?
So, the taxi meter is switch on in case the Police stops the taxi but you don’t pay according to the taxi meter.
The funniest one was a taxi driver having a taxi meter switch on but hidden behind a tissue to not let me see it.
* After reading an article on KuwaitTimes: (http://news.kuwaittimes.net/cabbies-ignore-rule-taxi-meters-passengers-rely-negotiation/), I tried to rely on taxi meter. Here 3 interesting experiences.
->One time, I got in a taxi without asking the price before because according to my experiences, they use to accept 750 fils or 1 kd for this distance.
When I got inside the taxi, the taxi meter was already on. According to the number, it looked like it was started just few seconds ago. I said « I go by taxi meter ». He accepted it.
Arrived to my destination, can you guess how much was the taxi meter ? 350 fils !
Few money ? For some reason this is the rule : gas cheaper than water…
I said « the taxi meter is 350 fils, I gave you 500 fils ». He accepted it.
So, easily ? Yes, I am pretty sure because when he took me, he was already on his way to pick up someone else.
->Another time, I got in a taxi without asking the price before. According to my experiences, the price for this distance should be 1 kd.
When I got inside the taxi, the taxi meter was also on. Again, it seemed like just few seconds ago. Weird…
On the way, someone called the driver and this driver said he should reach the customer place in 10 minutes.
Arrived to the destination, the taxi meter 550 fils.
I gave the taxi driver 550 fils. Small money ?
He was not happy. I said « this is the price according to the taxi meter ».
He said I should give him 1 kd because it’s a Kuwaiti area. So from there, he couldn’t find another customer.
Come on ! I heard him saying he will be at a customer place in 10 minutes and it was 5 minutes ago.
So, he was getting a new customer very soon and of course he will charge it more pretending he came just for him while he took me on his way. And everybody knows Kuwait is small talking about size. So, it takes few minutes to take a customer in another area.
So, I told him : “the law is the taxi meter†and I just went to my work.
In this experience, we are talking about small money but when the distance is longer, we are cheated more.
->Here the 3rd experience. Another day, I got in a taxi, just telling I am going to Salmiya.
The taxi meter was switched off and he told me 2 kd. I said no : 1.5kd.
He started arguing. I said : « I know the prices : 1.5kd is more than I should and if you don’t accept it, I take another taxi ». Of course, he accepted.
I asked him to use the taxi meter even I was going to pay him 1.5kd.
On the way, too much traffic. Thinking : « maybe it will be 2 kd ».
But we should always remember : most of taxis are thieves. So, never worry.
Arrived, taxi meter : 1kd and 20 fils.
I asked him : why you wanted to charge 2 kd if the taxi meter showing half ?
He said : some taxi meters charge 3 kd. No comment.
Then, he said : « I don’t like you are upset. You can keep the money ». I didn’t, I just left.
*Conclusion of these experiences :
->You will find most of taxi drivers switching on the taxi meter when they see a new customer.
Why ? I imagine 2 possibilities:
-Either the taxi meter is checked at the end of the day by the taxi company;
-Or, if there is a Police checking, they will ask from where came the customer and the taxi meter number would fit according to the distance.
->Taxis brings money : gas is cheaper than water and many people pay a lot taxi drivers because they use taxis for having secret relationship.
->But Thieves have always good reasons to steal : too much traffic, rent car to pay….
We aren’t fool.
When the taxi stops at a signal, the taxi meter still going on even during the traffic jam because it’s according timing not kilometers. Is there any taxi meter saying : Oh ! There is a lot of cars in front of me, I am going to stop to have a rest ?
Is a taxi driver late if you have called him to pick up you ? Is it because there is traffic jam even if it’s not traffic time or because he is picking up another customer on the way ?
My question is why to take too much headache with people breaking the law ?
*Suggestions:
1. Ask the price to someone who knows the price before taking a taxi.
2. Stop a taxi and ask him if he is going to the area you want: Salmiya, Hawally…
If so, get in the taxi without talking about the price.
-> If the taxi meter is switch on and the number shows he put the taxi meter few seconds ago, don’t talk about it. Just pay according to the taxi meter when you arrive to your destination and go.
What are you afraid of ? The taxi driver putting a case against you because you pay him according to the rule ?
-> If the taxi meter is on but has a high number, ask the driver to start it again and if the taxi meter is off, ask him to put it on.
-if he does, that mainly means he is going to pick up someone on his way.
-If he doesn’t, he wants to charge you more than the taxi meter.
Just say you want to see the taxi meter on but you will pay the price told by the person you asked about it before taking the taxi.
3. Arrived, you will realize that the taxi meter is always less than what the taxi driver wants to charge, sometimes half of it. Now, you know how much is the distance.
So, next time, you can just pay the price you know.
If to be a taxi driver is to be poor, how come there are more and more taxis in Kuwait?
We are also working and each profession has inconveniences but we adjust and after all, we also want to save money, don’t we ?
In Kuwait, like in nearby countries: Dubai, Bahrain… , taxis have taxi meters but contrary to the nearby countries, taxi drivers in Kuwait don’t charge according to the taxi meters.
When I first came in Kuwait, I don’t remember I have seen a driver putting a taxi meter.
But nowadays, I noticed more than half of them having the taxi meter switch on.
Are they asking the customer to pay according to the number mentioned ? No.
Once, I was in a Bangali taxi and the guy told me « if checking Police, you tell you go by taxi meter. » Doesn’t look like a blackmail ?
So, the taxi meter is switch on in case the Police stops the taxi but you don’t pay according to the taxi meter.
The funniest one was a taxi driver having a taxi meter switch on but hidden behind a tissue to not let me see it.
* After reading an article on KuwaitTimes: (http://news.kuwaittimes.net/cabbies-ignore-rule-taxi-meters-passengers-rely-negotiation/), I tried to rely on taxi meter. Here 3 interesting experiences.
->One time, I got in a taxi without asking the price before because according to my experiences, they use to accept 750 fils or 1 kd for this distance.
When I got inside the taxi, the taxi meter was already on. According to the number, it looked like it was started just few seconds ago. I said « I go by taxi meter ». He accepted it.
Arrived to my destination, can you guess how much was the taxi meter ? 350 fils !
Few money ? For some reason this is the rule : gas cheaper than water…
I said « the taxi meter is 350 fils, I gave you 500 fils ». He accepted it.
So, easily ? Yes, I am pretty sure because when he took me, he was already on his way to pick up someone else.
->Another time, I got in a taxi without asking the price before. According to my experiences, the price for this distance should be 1 kd.
When I got inside the taxi, the taxi meter was also on. Again, it seemed like just few seconds ago. Weird…
On the way, someone called the driver and this driver said he should reach the customer place in 10 minutes.
Arrived to the destination, the taxi meter 550 fils.
I gave the taxi driver 550 fils. Small money ?
He was not happy. I said « this is the price according to the taxi meter ».
He said I should give him 1 kd because it’s a Kuwaiti area. So from there, he couldn’t find another customer.
Come on ! I heard him saying he will be at a customer place in 10 minutes and it was 5 minutes ago.
So, he was getting a new customer very soon and of course he will charge it more pretending he came just for him while he took me on his way. And everybody knows Kuwait is small talking about size. So, it takes few minutes to take a customer in another area.
So, I told him : “the law is the taxi meter†and I just went to my work.
In this experience, we are talking about small money but when the distance is longer, we are cheated more.
->Here the 3rd experience. Another day, I got in a taxi, just telling I am going to Salmiya.
The taxi meter was switched off and he told me 2 kd. I said no : 1.5kd.
He started arguing. I said : « I know the prices : 1.5kd is more than I should and if you don’t accept it, I take another taxi ». Of course, he accepted.
I asked him to use the taxi meter even I was going to pay him 1.5kd.
On the way, too much traffic. Thinking : « maybe it will be 2 kd ».
But we should always remember : most of taxis are thieves. So, never worry.
Arrived, taxi meter : 1kd and 20 fils.
I asked him : why you wanted to charge 2 kd if the taxi meter showing half ?
He said : some taxi meters charge 3 kd. No comment.
Then, he said : « I don’t like you are upset. You can keep the money ». I didn’t, I just left.
*Conclusion of these experiences :
->You will find most of taxi drivers switching on the taxi meter when they see a new customer.
Why ? I imagine 2 possibilities:
-Either the taxi meter is checked at the end of the day by the taxi company;
-Or, if there is a Police checking, they will ask from where came the customer and the taxi meter number would fit according to the distance.
->Taxis brings money : gas is cheaper than water and many people pay a lot taxi drivers because they use taxis for having secret relationship.
->But Thieves have always good reasons to steal : too much traffic, rent car to pay….
We aren’t fool.
When the taxi stops at a signal, the taxi meter still going on even during the traffic jam because it’s according timing not kilometers. Is there any taxi meter saying : Oh ! There is a lot of cars in front of me, I am going to stop to have a rest ?
Is a taxi driver late if you have called him to pick up you ? Is it because there is traffic jam even if it’s not traffic time or because he is picking up another customer on the way ?
My question is why to take too much headache with people breaking the law ?
*Suggestions:
1. Ask the price to someone who knows the price before taking a taxi.
2. Stop a taxi and ask him if he is going to the area you want: Salmiya, Hawally…
If so, get in the taxi without talking about the price.
-> If the taxi meter is switch on and the number shows he put the taxi meter few seconds ago, don’t talk about it. Just pay according to the taxi meter when you arrive to your destination and go.
What are you afraid of ? The taxi driver putting a case against you because you pay him according to the rule ?
-> If the taxi meter is on but has a high number, ask the driver to start it again and if the taxi meter is off, ask him to put it on.
-if he does, that mainly means he is going to pick up someone on his way.
-If he doesn’t, he wants to charge you more than the taxi meter.
Just say you want to see the taxi meter on but you will pay the price told by the person you asked about it before taking the taxi.
3. Arrived, you will realize that the taxi meter is always less than what the taxi driver wants to charge, sometimes half of it. Now, you know how much is the distance.
So, next time, you can just pay the price you know.
If to be a taxi driver is to be poor, how come there are more and more taxis in Kuwait?
We are also working and each profession has inconveniences but we adjust and after all, we also want to save money, don’t we ?
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