Taxi and updating status...

There are so many taxi's companies here in Jakarta... Many of them are really good but many of them ar not so good. That include the driver often robbed the passengers and left that trauma feeling. Mostly happen to women passengers who just finished their work from the office late at night. But several cases happen in the broad day light.

I think we have to rely on our instinct whenever we call a cab. If we are with a bunch of friends then we may not care about the creepy situation inside the taxi. When I said creepy that includes automatic door-lock, no handling to open the window or the window also shut automatically from the driver's seat. If there are only one or two passengers the driver could drive to an empty spot then picked up his gang to rob the passengers. I would say that if we get that paranoid feeling when we were about to enter a taxi then do not hesitate to cancel using that taxi.

There are three kind of taxis in Jakarta. Those with expensive fare, standard fare and the other with lower fare (as they still use the old fare). Being cheaper does not mean they give bad service. Again, it depends on the driver it self. I once took a well known taxi and getting off before I even reached my destination. As the driver simply annoying and do not want to listen to our direction. The driver often asked which way we as the passenger would prefer them to take. But this one, not only he did not ask me which way that I prefer. Instead, he keep on bragging that he know the street better in the most annoying way.

So, I would not stated down here which taxis that are good for passengers and which one is not. Usually, office, airport, hotel and mall working together with well known taxis to provide service for its visitors. So, you can be sure that they can be trusted.

Sometimes there are chatty drivers whose conversation are fun and enjoyable. Others merely annoying and you would end up just saying yes, no, uh-hu, hmm...in order to finish the conversation. You may be surprise but new drivers often have no idea where they should go. It's a good thing if they are willing to confess in the first place. But there are a few who would not admit that they are clueless. And of course they could take a wrong turn and drive us mad.

Watch out those drivers who love talking on their cellphone as they would not concentrate on the road. Be careful with sleepy driver so you have to keep talking to him.

Additionally, I think we should start to use our addiction on Social Networking to update our status when we are using a taxi. Like for example, you use this taxi : BB. Once you got in, then write it down on all your social networking status that you are using that taxi with ID number that printed on the door. If you think is necessary then you may also include the driver's identity such as his name and his driver's ID. This usually located near at the dashboard. Why I suggested this? So, in case you forget something in that taxi you could at least give detail information to the taxi's company that you use this taxi. Naturally, if the driver found the left stuff first they might keep it in case the passenger claim it back. Unfortunatelly if the other passenger found it then they obviously could not return your stuff.

So, don't just use your social networking to update status that you are upset, or at the mall, or on the street. Use it for this as well :) Who knows, it might be usefull someday ^__^