christep

From time to time I pick up a taxi in the mid-levels who has just dropped someone off that they brought from Kowloon. They really don't know HK side well, but it's no problem in my case because I can always show them the route to take.

percysmith

Are you talking about those who really don't know or those who feign ignorance? When tell them I will take charge of the navigation they then suddenly tell me the route's not good (which is surprising given they first said they didn't know the route).

christep

I have no idea, but I don't remember ever having a problem with a driver who claimed to be a Kowloon driver who I then guided on my route.

Gongzuokuang

Just got back from a trip to Hong Kong. I checked my Uber app and found well over $3000HKD in spending. I also did take some taxis, but it was probably less than $500HKD. It was usually at places like Kowloon Station, where setting a pickup location might not be easy. And of the few times I did try to take taxis, I had one guy refuse the drive from WanChai to Central. I did have some fun as I already had my camera ready when he rolled down the window. When he gave me his head shake and dismissive hand wave I shouted "illegal" and snapped a picture. OMG, the look on his face was priceless! He jumped out of the cab yelling at me in Canto, to which I just give him a dismissive wave of the hand! LOL!

Uber has it's issues. You need to wait longer. There were times when I would schedule the uber and be waiting as I watched empty "for hire" taxis drive by. And there were a few times when the GPS location was not accurate; like setting the pickup for the wrong side of the road. But all things considered I found my stress level was far less. Setting the destination was much easier. And 100% of the drivers were polite. And not only did it conserve my cash, but I got points because it all charges to my Amex. :-)

Uber is the future, and it's success is entirely because of these snotty, arrogant cab drivers.

christep

And on Tuesday night at 01:30 I quite happily picked up a taxi from LKF to Robinson Road with a perfectly polite taxi driver by simply raising my arm, getting in, and talking to him; two other friends who were with me quite happily took cabs from LKF to Wanchai and cross-harbour to TST. For me this is far, far less hasslesome than faffing about with my phone. I was home before I would even have got the request made for an Uber.

percysmith

The flip side of the coin - there are too many taxis then and cabbies are more than happy to collect meter fare. I could've ordered a "85%" taxi if my ride was long enough (I used to have a cross-harbour commute at that time. I was always impressed how clean the 85% taxis were and how well mannered the 85% cabbies were, but the array of phones on their dashboard may be a distraction)

Gongzuokuang

What is an "85% taxi"?

christep

They're taxis which you can order by phone to do long runs for 85% of the metered price.

It's illegal of course, just like Uber.

ijgordon

Not to go too far OT, but I have exactly the same issues with Uber in Manhattan.
Personally, I don't think the pros in Manhattan outweigh the cons, and thus I rarely use Uber here.

And back on-topic, I've also never had an issue with a taxi in HK (and I stay at the JW Marriott often), but possible I've never tried to get in one during changeover (where it's a problem in NYC too, but they usually have their off-duty lights on then anyway, and they *can* get into big trouble for refusing a fare). My sample size isn't huge though, most of the time I take public transport.