Malaysian Taxi drivers

I'm now using mobile apps to call for taxis and they are absolutely the best way to go. I've been using Myteksi, but there is also Easytaxi app. So far, I absolutely recommend the apps.

Experiences are ok if the taxi uses an honest meter. A way to ensure that is to call and order your own taxi via the company hotlines. They come pretty soon and use an honest meter because they ARE the company.

Avoid all touts and private taxis who hang around malls and other public places, the ones who congregate in a crowd. Just dont listen to them at all, keep walking.  One time, I arrived at KL Sentral at 1230am from the airport and needed a ride home. Everything was closed except for a gang of touts outside. One offered to take me home for double the price I already knew, and no meter. Nobody in the crowd offered better. So i said no and sat down on the sidewalk and said, I can out-wait you, see you at 6am! (when they cant do that anymore).  Their agitation at this scene gradually increased until finally one of them said, ok, normal price, plus RM5! I said LETS GO!

I never had a great experience but you can come close by establishing your own taxi driver. If you liked the driver, get his card. Get 4-5 cards from those you liked and always call them. One driver, Ricky, i could call him day or night and in 30 min he was there. We got to know each other well and he was helpful and attentive. He would also call me when he was in the area and anticipating I needed a ride, call and ask. Like Ricky said himself, I always give the best service to frequent customers. There are many "Rickys" out there. Get one.

Personally the biggest problem I found are taxis who refuse to take you where you want to go. They make excuses of any description to avoid going to unpopular places because they cant easily fill the taxi for a return trip. This is against rules but nobody is enforcing rules.

The best overall solution is get your own transportation. A motorbike pays for itself very quickly.

Hello cvco,

Thank you for sharing your experiences.

In fact the last post is dated 2014, but nevertherless i hope you get some returns 

Marjorie

Motorbike in Town? gheee.. SCARY dude..I rather walk lol... by the way.. i always took other option for transportation.. which is cheaper and comfort.. rather not to mention it here.. but it seems as Limo service

One nearly killed me.

Another tried kill some friends of mine and their taxi driver with a parang after they didn't use the first taxi as they thought he was high on drugs (well he was obviously)

Several local female friends report ty avoid taxis due to "dirty talk"

I have been offered more girls than pattaya has by taxi drivers. And some boys when I kept saying not interested !

All in all I use uber. Much safer concept.

Dan1611 wrote:

Motorbike in Town? gheee.. SCARY dude..I rather walk lol... by the way.. i always took other option for transportation.. which is cheaper and comfort.. rather not to mention it here.. but it seems as Limo service

I had cars and bikes for years. Bike, especially, got the freedom from taxis, jams, and expense. The deal with taxis, im in Penang now, is that any taxi driver is happy and will treat you like a king if you pay what they ask and you dont require a meter or complain. I didnt really mean that as a joke, its actually the way they explain things. Of course people do not want to agree with them and thats the problem. When you see that there is no choice but to pay highway robbery, just shuttup and pay, the system works great. Thats why it pays to get your own transport and motorbike is king.

Well, then of course no taxi discussion would be complete without CVCO TAXI, the free taxi!

I was introduced to the Free Taxi concept maybe 10-12 years ago. I would be out for morning walks and someone would pull up and offer me a ride on the premise I must in trouble, not on a bout of exercise. Many times I waved them on because I was walking for health but sometimes I would take the ride just for fun. I met some fascinating people that way--and got a free ride.

Over time I got the nerve to return the favors and wound up giving many free rides and meeting more great people. Never a scare, never a bad experience.

With some, we became acquaintances and with others we never crossed paths again. KL, being much smaller than you might think, allows for re-meetings. MANY times, and I do mean many, I can meet someone on one edge of the city and seven months later you bump into the person again. Someone who gave me a free ride, or took one from me, its all etched in the brain and remembered. "Hey! Look at you! I know you!" has been a very endearing thing about Malaysia and Malaysians.

I must digress and add that remembering a person forever is a very odd thing and a normal Malaysian trait. Everyone remembers everything. You can go to a hardware shop, company, restaurant, anything and five years later, should you return, that person in there not only remembers you but what you ordered or bought last time. Wow.

I know readers are scared of this post and shaking their heads at the dangers of giving/taking rides from strangers. I know, I know. I want to say that though I agree that there are bad people everywhere,  Malaysians as a group are incredibly warm hearted, especially Malays and Indians but it applies to everyone. I think, and ive thought about the elements of this post many times, Malaysians are cursed with feeling downtrodden from the cross-race wars and most of the time just want someone to notice them as individuals, someone to laugh with, meet someone new, someone to talk to without fear of being called outspoken, someone to tell their troubles to who will actually listen and not judge them. Whats in the backs of their minds is that, its not to rob or hurt you.

Should you give/take a ride? I couldnt say.  But you came for adventure and experience, didnt you? Put out your hand to a Malaysian and maybe something bad will happen but more likely, magic will.