Another article on the taxi vigilantes vs. Uber.
Seems like these vigilante stunts, trying to get Uber "white plate" drivers into trouble, has backfired and caused HK residents to post complaints about taxi drivers:
But their recent acts of vigilantism appear to have backfired.
Instead of rallying public support, the cabbies were on the receiving end of a backlash, with passengers taking to social media to share their bad experiences of rude taxi drivers, ride rejections and opportunistic charging during heavy rains and the city’s regular summer typhoons.
“They charge arbitrarily and refuse to take passengers. And yet, they have the audacity to go on sting operations,” one person wrote on LIHKG, a popular local internet forum, adding: “Shameless people know no bounds.”
But it's not just criticisms of HK taxi drivers but a clear preference for Uber.
As with New York’s amber-painted medallion taxis and London’s black hackney cabs, Hong Kong’s 15,000 red urban taxis are emblematic of the city. But they are not exactly known for their friendliness or reliable service.
Passenger Lau Chi-tim recalled being charged double during a typhoon a few years ago.
Drivers often charge a little more because their insurance does not cover extreme weather conditions. But Lau said: “The trip lasted only 15 minutes and most of the journey was inside a tunnel anyway. Where is the risk?”
Another passenger lamented how selective taxi drivers can be. “People with pets, a pram, wanting to cross the harbor, or going anywhere that may be crowded… they just reject you,” Jason Chan said.
Similar complaints abound, despite refusal to take passengers being an offense under the Hong Kong law.
Those who prefer Uber see it as an alternative to the poor service they have long tolerated and would rather pay a little more for a smoother ride.
An Uber driver, who gave only his name Mo for fear of being identified by authorities, said passengers told him they preferred Uber drivers’ manners, and quality of driving.
Supposedly the city government is staying ways to implement ride-sharing along with taxis, as other Asian cities like Singapore has been able to do:
Creating harmony between traditional cabbies and gig-economy drivers can be tricky. And CUHK’s Chan said that, after years of ambiguity, Hong Kong is already playing catch-up.
“It’s difficult to say the extent to which the government wants to promote Uber, and more broadly, ride-hailing platforms at this point,” he said. “But Hong Kong’s ride-hailing regulations lag behind, for example, Singapore.”
The city government is expected to unveil a study on online ride-hailing services in July. A spokesman said it is “open-minded” on the apps, though “they must be in compliance with the relevant law and regulations.”
Couple of times I used Uber it was surprisingly cheap, for relatively short rides but still saved me like getting to Airport Express station in Kowloon with luggage, though the driver thought I wanted to ride all the way to the airport.
Does HK also have Grab? I noticed those tend to be cheaper than Uber in Singapore.
Read in CNN:
https://apple.news/AtAbcnWN6TaarVBRdHSxd5g