Thank You Taxi Uncle

We in Singapore we like to complain about, well, just about everything, I think I want to take time out to thank an intergral part of our transport system. The ubiquitous "taxi uncle", as we call cabbies on this island.

Of course it takes an encounter with a really bad one to help me realise how good our cabbies actually are, and I had one such cause for comparision recently.

I hailed him in Yishun, and told him to take me to Woodlands - what under normal cicumstances is a 7 minute ride. This one took 20. He never went more than 40km/h at third gear, made sure all the cars at an intersection moved off before he started moving and finally asked me at least 12 times during that ride if he was to "go straight" which I already him to at the beginning.

I asked, "Are you a new cabbie?"
He said, "Yes, I have only been driving for two days."
And then volunteered, "I haven't driven a car since I got my driver's license more than 10 years ago."

!!!

So you can see why I am grateful for the majority of cabbies in Singapore who are polite, know the roads well, drive like pros and get me to my location in the prescribed amount of time.

I am extra grateful for those who engage in conversation rather than fall asleep at the wheel, share their life stories and ask for mine and considerately wait till I get into the lift before driving off to make sure my safety isn't compromised.

Taxi Uncles, you rock! Most of ya!