Paul56

Get home from a long flight last night. I'm travel weary and
just want to sit in the back of the cab and enjoy the ride home
in the comparatively roomy back seat compared to the CRJ-700
I came in on.

But no... driver says "How do we get there?" after I give
him the address and end up telling him turn-by-turn the directions.
I turn into his GPS for the trip, may as well been driving... and I am
paying for this?

I'm thinking the poor tourists who only have an address or hotel
name and have no clue about how to navigate the city... do they
end up getting there eventually with an inflated charge?

I'm thinking passengers board a plane and the pilots come back
asking them if they know how to get to the destination.

Scots_Al

I agree - but on the positive side, if the driver's following SatNav, you know he's not taking an unnecessarily long route!

djibouti

I've had this more and more with SF taxis lately. Actually when I say drive to my neighborhood and I'll give you directions from there they insist on my address for the GPS. I just use Uber now instead. Cheaper and easier and is there's a conflict the driver might remember my house but I don't think it's written down in his history. And I also have the driver's name and info in my history as insurance. I've also had a lot of taxi drivers insist on paying through Square... I'm guessing so they don't have to report it? Once it came across as a real estate agent... the guy's wife I guess. Damn near reversed the charge and I probably should have.

bigshooter

That's why I take uber. They have gps on their driver app and it takes you right there. I'd personally avoid all cab drivers unless absolutely last resort

BuildingMyBento

Before visiting somewhere, I always check a map of it to jot down a few names of major streets. Not only does it help me get my bearings, but it also makes it seem like I've been there before (say, when negotiating with a meter-less taxi).

Annalisa12

Often the cabbie asks... "have you been to x before". I figure that is code for... can I rip you off as you have no idea where you are going. I always say I have been to that country before!

onobond

Oh, at first didn't get that "x" was substitute for country. In a large country like US, and maybe even in smaller areas, the answer had better be "Yes, this is my tenth visit to <x=town name, or even suburbia area> in the last 4 months. But you beeing a taxi driver, must be familiar with this adress/area?"

burbuja0512

No matter what, I always ask the driver to estimate the cost to my destination before I get in. If they can't/won't do it, I let them know I will get a cab who can.

If they can't do it, it either means that they're too inexperienced and have no idea where it is, or were going to pull a fast one. Since almost 100% of my biz travel is int'l, it's usually that they'll pull a fast one and overcharge. (every country except Japan whose drivers are extremely honest)

However, if you have at least some estimate, you know that you won't pay more than x amount. This way, the driver will do his best to get you there quickly. AND if he didn't know, at the very least, he would have had to consult GPS to give you an estimate, so you're forcing the directions!

State of Trance

^ I don't think I've taken a regular cab in the US since Uber was introduced, although surge pricing can get ridiculous.

cdn1

same thing in YYZ......drivers asking which highway to take!

cbn42

Giving the taxi driver directions was the norm before GPS became commonplace, especially when you were venturing outside the downtown area or major attractions. It is still the norm in many countries.

If you are unwilling to do so, you should book a limo or car service.

nrr

JFK airport is located in Queens (a borough of NYC). Before GPS, and strict rules set by the Taxi and Limousine Commission, taxis only wanted to take pax to Manhattan [probably their "home" base and higher fare.]
If one arrived at JFK and wanted to go to any borough other than Manhattan, you had to know the route...it was unlikely the cab driver did.

Loren Pechtel

I always consider it normal practice near home. I know the streets, they rarely do. There was also a period of years where the maps were not updated to show a little patch of road had been completed.

relangford

When I lived in Shanghai, I spoke "taxi Chinese" - you know, "turn left", "turn right", "go straight", and "here" .

Paul56

It is not about me, but rather about the ability of driver's to do their jobs.

Imagine... one boards a plane and the pilots come back to the passenger
compartment asking if anyone knows the way to destination.

Imagine... city bus driver asks passengers if they know the route they
should be following.

Imagine... cruise ship captain asking passengers how to get to island
destination x.

You get the idea. It is about being competent enough and having the
tools at their disposal to accomplish their jobs without asking paying
passengers for assistance. We get close to the destination I have no
problem pointing out the correct house... but do have a problem with
giving step-by-step instructions to the dumb & dumber.