Attitude Driver SHD618C Pasir Ris

Mr Peter Ong informs the following on 31/07/2012:

Dear Honorable Minister, Mr Lui, Mr Lionel YEO (STB ) MP, Mr Ang HK, and Miss Jasmine Tan,

From Changi Airport to Pasir Ris Street 21

TAXI NUMBER : SHD 0618C
Date : 31/07/2012
Time Started : 20.13
Time Ended : 20: 28

Receipt Number : 937

We had a terrible, horrible and rude taxi driver , we had experience in our life , when he drive dangerously, hogging the expressways and did not signal when he filter left nor turning lanes.

Two of us, a HK friend, businessman and myself, boarded this Transcab Taxi ( details as above ).

1. The driver was "pissed off " when we told him our destination was Pasir Ris Street 21, did not offer any help with our laggages into the cab.

This was the first shocked my HK friend, was totally unimpressed about this driver.

2. On the way to Pasir Ris, he drove at 55-60 km/per hour, making the trip about 5 mins, hogging PIE / SLE which normally takes less than 3 mins at such hour.

Along exit PIE, exit 1, he almost caused an accident that the cars behind we horning at him, because he was very slow and did not signal left.

At TPE, exit to Pasir Ris, 3 cars from behind, each horned at him to avoid accident, because he was almost close to stationary abou 3-5 km/hr while making the left turn, towards/ undereanth to loyang Avenue, cars were horning at him.

Again at Drive 1, turning to Drive2 and Street 21, vechicles horned and over take him, while he jammed brakes, almost causing rear vehicles to hit us.

3. At Pasir Ris, near block 220, we directed him where to turn left , and he accused us on the wrong direction.

We told him to turn left and pointed left, but he thought LEFT ===> right Turn.

Then he blewed his temper shouting at us, about we telling him should be right not left.

Left was correct along Pasir Ris Street 21 entering into Block 220/221.

4. When we asked for receipt and ask him how much, 3 times, he refused to answer at pointed at the meter on the top , that indicated $8.68. Of cos my HK friend, gave him $ 10, cos the meter show S$ 8.68, then he pointed to another meter ,saying we are blind !!!!!

5. I was equally shocked at his attitude, and I replied, we asked you 3 times and you refused to answer.

6. and he said, he was not happy at the short trip, and indicated additional tips. " Today he is dammed swayed " he said.

7. I told him, I we have paid the airport surcharge and airport tips, what more tips he wants ? Furthermore, he has put us in a dangerous state at the PIE and TPE.

8. We asked for receipt then, but he refused to give initially, and claimed he cannot understand and also he could not hear. Took his time to print a receipt unwillingly. I asked him 2 times for it.

I had no choice and told him we are making a report for his dangerous driving as well as his rudeness and that he disgraced Singapore Taxi drivers and damaging the image of Singapore and he challenged us to make not only to Taxi company , but also to MOT Minister and STB.

In all, we spoke to him in English. As we alighted, he refused to drive off and wanted to see which block are going to.

My HK friend, was extremely disturbed, terrified shocked at such attitudes by this taxi Drive. After such a tiring trip, certainly , we deserve a homecoming and welcoming stance to Singapore.

Dear Minister Lui, and all, kindly look and take the necessary action against this taxi driver, as all the issues above were terrifying and have done alot of damage to Singapore, in the view of HK visitor and us, a horrifying experience.

Singapore Ministries have done very much to bring in visitorship of business visitors and tourists , and hereby marred and make such embrassments to foreigners by this Taxi Driver.

We are not at all surprised at this driver's behaviour. In fact, many of them go to Changi Airport expecting to pick up passengers who will be heading to Jurong  or town area - as if there are no residents in the Eastern are who will go overseas! The driver here dares you to report him precisely because many of us 'just let it go' time and time again. In all probability, this driver has got away with such behaviour so many times that he is now so bold as to challenge you to go ahead and 'report to the minister'. Therein lies the problem - if we allow an instance of bad behaviour to pass as 'once off', the accumulation of such 'free passes' will lead to the belief that drivers can get away with dishing out rubbish service. If you have not yet done so, the appropriate platform to highlight this incident would be to lodge a complaint with LTA using their easy-to-fill online feedback form.