taxi driver etiquette?

[sniffa]

yesterday i took a cab ride (short one) with a freeper cabby driving. i was a bit annoyed that he was Listening to howie carr but, i couLd handLe it since it was a short ride (howie was ranting about Libs, and hiLLary cLinton, and the thieving, cheating dems in washington state - odd; i thought it was the bad guys cheating there).

anyhow, about haLf way through the short trip he yeLLs at me (something about kicking his seat - i was just stunned that he had the nerve to yeLL at me so wasn't paying attention to what he said) because i was tapping my foot - i'm a shaker; my mom swears i have parkinson's but i'm just a fidgety person.

so what is taxi etiquette - 1) he probabLy shouLdn't have such offensive radio pLaying (offensive to some of his fares).
but 2) wtf was the yeLLing at me part aLL about? i had to sit there for the remaining trip concentrating on keeping my Legs stiLL (or he might yeLL at me again).

that's my rant - and yeah, i did tip anyway.

[mdhunter]

1. I just want to know why your L, and only your L, is on caps Lock?

[naryaquid]

2. ....I wouldn't have tipped the turd.....He sounds like a rude jerk....

....I've had some cabbies who were so rude (post-tip) that I took the tip back!

[Justitia]

3. I would have said...

"Oh! I'm so sorry, I'm just completely unnerved by that hateful program you are listening to and didn't notice I was kicking your seat."

I would have only rounded up to a convenient number and not given any more of a tip. I am a VERY generous tipper in all circumstances but I will not subsidize the incomes of hate mongers and their devotees.

Of course, ya never think of all this at the moment it's happening because you are so shocked people can actually be as bad as they are.

[sniffa]

6. yeah, i'm eating myseLf a bit now over it

that i tipped the guy and Let him unnerve me Like that.

i wasn't kicking his seat (just bouncing my Leg up and down) but now wish i gave him a nice swift kick.

speaking of tipping on bad service - on the occasionaL, shitty waiter i stiLL tip. doh!

[htuttle]

4. Speaking as someone with 17 years in the business

1) If the driver is smart, and wants tips, they should either turn down the radio when a passenger gets in and/or ask the passenger if they mind listening. I know one guy who carries around an iPod hooked up to the cab's stereo, and plays passenger requests. He cleans up on tips.

2) He's obviously quite mad/crazy/insane. One friend of mine calls the taxi business, "The Island of Broken Toys". Nobody plans to drive a cab -- people just fall into it. Most of us are quite sane, but some of us are crazy to various degrees. Depending on the arrangement he has (renting the cab, full-on employee, independent operator), he may or may not have a boss other than the city's taxi regulatory body. And most cities hate to even deal with it unless it's something really egregious (being rude isn't enough).

Too bad you got a freeper driver. They are actually somewhat rare in my experience. I think I've only met 3 right wing taxi drivers in 17 years, but then again I've only been working in blue states.

:shrug:

Eh, Fugedaboutit.

[sniffa]

7. yeah, i figured the guy wasn't the usuaL cabby

but i aLmost never take a taxi around here (most destinations i have without my car i can get to by train) so i can't be certain. :P

i didn't know i had to keep my guard up in that situation, but now i know.

[Z_I_Peevey]

5. I would not tip in that situation

and I would tell the cabbie why. I'd tell him his radio preferences made my trip unpleasant, because I have a bad reaction to lies and right wing propaganda.

Since Nov. 2, I've become much more vocal with the other side. I won't put up with their horseshit anymore.

[sniffa]

9. yeah, i've been a bit edgy since then too

but mostLy on peopLe i know, and not strangers. i'LL have to keep my guard up now.

[Bertha Venation]

8. That's an oxymoron, sniffa

at least in D.C.

:bounce:

[sniffa]

10. you taLkin to me!?

;)

[Bertha Venation]

11. AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!

:scared:

[elehhhhna]

12. Ya GET OUT. No tip. Then call the taxi co. & complain.

I took cabs at least 4 times per day for 10 years in downtown Chicago and never had a problem like that, though.

[amazona]

13. why tip rudeness?

I think you would have been justified to get out at the next stop if the guy was acting this weird and get another cab. But I'm a woman, I can get away with that, I suppose, without being prosecuted for cut and run.

In no way would I have given the rude driver a tip of any kind. I'm about done with taxi cab drivers in some cities.