What Would Others Do Here?
Aug 3, 2000, 7:07 pm
#1
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What Would Others Do Here?
Flew to Melbourne yesterday. Ride from MEL cbd to airport via freeway was a long, $45 cabride. The second I got into the cab it was like an assault on the nose. The driver I swear could not have bathed for a couple days. I'd waited 15 minutes already for a cab, and was late already for flight, so did not want to risk politely getting out and wating for next cab.
I really don't know what others would do or say when you got out, but I thought about it, and did say something - fairly polite, but direct.
The only way I could breath, was literally to wind down the window. This is late evening in MEL, in Winter. Froze to death along a long freeway but better than choking.
What would others do in that situation? I am up for $45 no matter what, and this fellow lost a $5 or $10 normal tip, as I figgered why should I the passenger freeze for 30-40 minutes and STILL tip, as this person chooses not to be mindful of his personal hygiene?
And without being racist, he was of arabic origin, and truly, barely spoke English so I just let it lie, and it was one of those long uncomfortable rides where you can't even have a conversation to help pass the time.
Their is no "tip for fine service rendered" here IMHO.
What would others do? And bear in mind the tipping culture is not yet 105% ingrained as it is in the USA, and yes, these cabbies are not on minimum wage etc, but make pretty decent money from the meter total alone.
I really don't know what others would do or say when you got out, but I thought about it, and did say something - fairly polite, but direct.
The only way I could breath, was literally to wind down the window. This is late evening in MEL, in Winter. Froze to death along a long freeway but better than choking.
What would others do in that situation? I am up for $45 no matter what, and this fellow lost a $5 or $10 normal tip, as I figgered why should I the passenger freeze for 30-40 minutes and STILL tip, as this person chooses not to be mindful of his personal hygiene?
And without being racist, he was of arabic origin, and truly, barely spoke English so I just let it lie, and it was one of those long uncomfortable rides where you can't even have a conversation to help pass the time.
Their is no "tip for fine service rendered" here IMHO.
What would others do? And bear in mind the tipping culture is not yet 105% ingrained as it is in the USA, and yes, these cabbies are not on minimum wage etc, but make pretty decent money from the meter total alone.
Aug 3, 2000, 10:00 pm
#5
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: STL, MO, USA;BCN, Spain;LGW, UK
Posts: 840
Welcome to America Oz. People here are often a little too touchy about ethnicity (often the people who, in my experience, buy in to the whole stereotyping that goes on in the US).
I agree that stating the ethnicity of the odoriferous gentleman didn't add to the story. You must remember though that when talking to Americans, sometimes comments intended in a completely benign way are often seen through the lens of the culture of hypersensitivity (to issues of ethnicity in this case) that exists here.
The most ironic thing that I find is that most everybody in the US insists on using the word race instead of ethnicity (the media in particular).
To answer the question: I would certainly have mentioned that because of the odor in the cab I had had a most unpleasant trip. This way at least the driver would know why he didn't get a tip and could do something to change it if he felt so inclined. I know that I must reek of garlic sometimes after eating allot of it or spending hours in the kitchen cooking with the stuff but I am so desensitized to it I would not know unless someone told me. The cabby may well have been completely unaware that he carried an odor and might be wondering why all these nasty white Aussies are not tipping him and freezing him to death with the window open
[This message has been edited by Mvic (edited 08-03-2000).]
I agree that stating the ethnicity of the odoriferous gentleman didn't add to the story. You must remember though that when talking to Americans, sometimes comments intended in a completely benign way are often seen through the lens of the culture of hypersensitivity (to issues of ethnicity in this case) that exists here.
The most ironic thing that I find is that most everybody in the US insists on using the word race instead of ethnicity (the media in particular).
To answer the question: I would certainly have mentioned that because of the odor in the cab I had had a most unpleasant trip. This way at least the driver would know why he didn't get a tip and could do something to change it if he felt so inclined. I know that I must reek of garlic sometimes after eating allot of it or spending hours in the kitchen cooking with the stuff but I am so desensitized to it I would not know unless someone told me. The cabby may well have been completely unaware that he carried an odor and might be wondering why all these nasty white Aussies are not tipping him and freezing him to death with the window open
[This message has been edited by Mvic (edited 08-03-2000).]
Aug 3, 2000, 10:57 pm
#6
Join Date: Apr 2000
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Well, since Melbourne used New York City's Big Apple Greeter as a model for the Melbourne Greeter Service, perhaps they could import their Taxi Rider's Bill of Rights as well?
Just a thought.
Just a thought.
Aug 4, 2000, 12:18 am
#7
Commander Catcop
Join Date: May 1998
Posts: 10,259
I probably because of time constraints would have dealt with the driver. To me, my focus is on GETTING to the airport.
A little bit of inconvenience I could live with.
JUST MY IMHO.
[This message has been edited by Catman (edited 08-04-2000).]
A little bit of inconvenience I could live with.
JUST MY IMHO.
[This message has been edited by Catman (edited 08-04-2000).]
Aug 4, 2000, 10:07 am
#8
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Melbourne,Australia
Posts: 9
As an ex Melbourne cabbie, what surprises me is the fare.Airport to the city should not be much more than $30 even with recent fare increases.Driving a cab is a fairly unpleasant job so I am loath to be critical but it is interesting how important smell is even compared to our other senses.A real estate agent finds it difficult to sell smelly houses dispite how good the hoyse is otherwise.
Aug 4, 2000, 11:26 am
#9
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
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Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in LIMA, PERU
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One time I met a guy who talked funny, was reeealy, reeeaaally fat, quite ugly and smelled like a pig farm He was Australian.
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But I'm not SAYING anything.
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But I'm not SAYING anything.
Aug 4, 2000, 11:58 am
#11
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Manhattan, NY
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You know, I find this pblm in lots of cities, and lots of countries. And not just in taxis! I sat next to a big-dog CEO in another country with BO so bad that I could hardly stand it! My take is that some cultures just don't place the premium all of us do on squeaky clean! It's a challenge - but part of the challenge is ours...
Aug 4, 2000, 12:12 pm
#12
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: STL, MO, USA;BCN, Spain;LGW, UK
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Unfortunately not Freefaller12K, my English grammar is sorely lacking (it is my second language) and I have to go back and edit most of my posts so that they make at least some sense (I hope).
Kokonutz, point well made
svpii, maybe it isn't so much that we are so clean in the US, perhaps it is that we are desensitized to the odors of those around us whilst being sensitive to those odors that are more prevalent in other countries/cultures. For example, I have been told by many Asians that Americans reek of beef (or smell of beef fat) though I have never noticed this and I myself am so desensitized to the smell of garlic that perhaps I would not notice it or mind it in a cab, where as someone else may find it intolerable.
Another thing, I have never been to a country with so much AC as the US. If you eat spicy food it often will affect the nature (bouquet is definitely not the word I am looking for ugh!
) of your BO. Perhaps because of the ubiquity of AC in the US people sweat less than in other countries, it doesn't necessarily mean that they are more hygienic (though of course standards of personal hygiene in the US do tend to be fairly high).
[This message has been edited by Mvic (edited 08-04-2000).]
Kokonutz, point well made
svpii, maybe it isn't so much that we are so clean in the US, perhaps it is that we are desensitized to the odors of those around us whilst being sensitive to those odors that are more prevalent in other countries/cultures. For example, I have been told by many Asians that Americans reek of beef (or smell of beef fat) though I have never noticed this and I myself am so desensitized to the smell of garlic that perhaps I would not notice it or mind it in a cab, where as someone else may find it intolerable.
Another thing, I have never been to a country with so much AC as the US. If you eat spicy food it often will affect the nature (bouquet is definitely not the word I am looking for ugh!
) of your BO. Perhaps because of the ubiquity of AC in the US people sweat less than in other countries, it doesn't necessarily mean that they are more hygienic (though of course standards of personal hygiene in the US do tend to be fairly high).[This message has been edited by Mvic (edited 08-04-2000).]
Aug 4, 2000, 12:44 pm
#15
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Location: In protest of Flyertalk's uncalledfor censoring of my point of view, I cancelled my InsideFlyer subscription. So long, and thanks for everything.
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Original post deleted....
I should have listened to my dear old dad when he said:
never argue with an idiot because people will not be able to tell the difference
and
never try to teach a pig to sing - it wastes your time and annoys the pig
never mind....
[This message has been edited by NJDavid (edited 08-04-2000).]
I should have listened to my dear old dad when he said:
never argue with an idiot because people will not be able to tell the difference
and
never try to teach a pig to sing - it wastes your time and annoys the pig
never mind....
[This message has been edited by NJDavid (edited 08-04-2000).]