Dear travelers who intent to travel to Kuala Lumpur PLEASE do think twice. I have always heard that the taxi service in KL is very much the worst few in the world and true enough I had experienced it myself. Let me share with you this very much unpleasant encounter that I meet. Bad enough to make me take the time to write and hope that every single one who intent to travel to KL, have the awareness of what they are about to encounter.
To begin I shall highlight this very taxi, HWC 9655 is atrociously horrendous to the maximum nothing of the sort that I have ever met ever. On the 17 of December 2009, my family and I were leaving KLCC aquarium heading for mid valley megamall one of the few shopping destinations in Malaysia. We board this very taxi HWC 9655. I was very sure I pointed to the meter and asked him if the taxi charge using meter. He replied with an answer yes. Off we go however the meter was not on but the taxi was already moving and guess what, we were ask to visit another location which was some chocolate factory. By bringing us there whether or not we make purchases he can earn commission, in return he would charge us at a lower rate of 4.50 RM.
However as my family and I weren’t too keen in chocolates, we kindly rejected the offer for we would prefer more shopping time. It was 2.45pm then. Therefore we proceed to ask him why doesn’t he on the meter and the reply was it’s out of the city hence meter cannot be used. At the moment, I FELT SO CHEATED so darn cheated!!!! Before I got on the taxi I am very sure that I made myself very clear by emphasizing that I wanted a charge by meter taxi. Fine I controlled myself as he was the one driving, for the safety of my family members. Next we checked with him how much he wanted and he requested for 40 RM, being unsure of how far the destination is hence we kept quiet. The next thing we know we found ourselves queuing up at a taxi petrol kiosk not too far from where we took our taxi, he said that he had run out of petrol. It is understandable and we can still accept that such occasions do happen once in a while.
During that time I took the chance to press for the meter and it worked. (The reason why I did that because the previous few days we took the taxi for about 1 train stop of about at most 2km we were charged 20 RM hence we asked the hotel personal and they mention we must take taxi who are willing to on the meter. In addition these taxi that we took are the cheapest, we took something more expensive a bigger and more comfortable one was charged the same amount.) After getting the taxi filled thinking that we are about to head to our destination we where again brought to another place, somewhere near the petrol kiosk this time round he want to purchase food as he was hungry. At this point of time I could no longer bear with him any longer. It wasn’t because he wanted to purchase his food but rather he did not let us know. I felt we are his customer and since he decide to pick us up shouldn’t he seek our consent before bring us there, the very basic respect that we as the ones paying ought to have. Thus I suggested to my mum that we could hop on to another taxi, however my mum felt it wasn’t very responsible or rather correct way of doing things. Therefore we ended up waiting for 15 minutes. Finally we are off to our destination, not to mention the circles that we made round and round wasting our time
At 3.30pm, we arrive at mid valley mega mall which wasn’t too far away at the very most 15 minutes for there wasn’t much jam. I felt that 40 RM was too expensive and unreasonable in fact the meter showed only 12.50 RM but in my heart I was prepare to pay up to 25 RM. Therefore I begin reasoning out with him that the meter show 12.50RM I am very sure at the point though I was unhappy but I politely told him that the meter show only 12.50RM. Raising his voice he started shouting at me saying that it was 40RM the meter cannot be counted. Therefore I brought up all the waiting that we had to do.
Believe it or not the next thing was the least that you can ever EXPECT EVER!!!! He showed me a sign and said F*** me in the worst type of attitude, I could no longer bear with him I burst out showing him back the sign and told him that was not the way to treat a customer. The next most unexpected thing came he taunt me to a fight. Security came as we took some time and was blocking the traffic, I recount what had happen to the security and asked him if the fare the taxi quote was fair he kept quiet. With the driver still constantly hurling abusing remarks at me, not wanting to create a scene my mum paid the driver 35 RM asking him to leave. As he left we were told by the security to take down his taxi number and make a complaint. It was the worst shopping that I have ever done it have totally ruin the mood. In the night as we wanted to head back to our hotel (renaissance hotel) which was walking distance from KLCC aquarium. We took another taxi from the megamall. The meter was on, the traffic was very heavy, it was raining. However, guess how much we paid, ONLY 14.40RM!!! WAY WAY WAY below what we paid to get there.
This happened to me as well. The Chinese cab driver didn't even on his meter when I wanted to go to the Thai Embassy. From Ampang Park LRT Station to the embassy is not so far away. Probably around 5 minutes drive away. It was raining that day so I took that cab. I didn't bargain as he just quoted me RM5. As I know, I can go further than the Thai Embassy with RM5. Once from Hotel Nikko, I took a cab to Renaissance Hotel and the driver was a Malay guy. He was polite and used the meter. The meter was less than RM4 but I told him to keep the change as I was late. Maybe 70% of the cab drivers in Kuala Lumpur don't use meter especially on peak hours.
Sorry that such a bad incident happened to you. Your post will certainly alert those foreigners intending to visit KL. Thanks for bringing out the unfortunate incident.
The only way for foreigners in such a situaion is to make a written complaint with all details like the taxi number, driver's name etc. to the Police or to the association of taxi drivers if there is one or to the Tourism department. Possible that Police may take action or possible that Police may not but repeated complaints from other tourists will make the Police to take action.
There are a few ways to avoid such a situation..one is that when you found that the meter was not working, you should have quit the taxi .Another way would be that due to non functioing of the meter, you should have left the taxi when you found that his quoted fare was unreasonable.
take care.
To opospa:
hi opospa well i am not trying to say all the malays are there in fact there are a number of cab are indeed very polite if you are to flag from the hotel, their staff are nice too. However i felt that such culture of doing things is seriously damaging the tourism industry there. In fact personally i have been to some other states of malaysia but did not meet with such circumstances although probably due to the cab being hired from the hotel. In fact i sympathise and understand that life maybe tough being a cab driver, but that is not the way things should be done else why must law and rules be implemented. Personally i do not really mind paying that little bit more probably another up to 40% of the fare at most. I can still close an eye after all we are go there is to enjoy ourselves but paying more than double or triple is seriously asking for too much and overbearing. On top of the poor and lousy attitude is totally intolerable i cannot imagine myself paying to be scolded, treated as a fool, waiting and being hurl abusing remarks.
To citybell:
hi citybell, thank you for your support, i have infact handed my complaint over to the hotel staff. I do hope that actions could be taken. Yup I seriously regreted not leaving the cab when we had the chance to, guess we weren't street wise enough. But at that point of time my mum felt that it was very rude and unappropriate of us to do so as we have aquired their service. As for this point that you have (There are a few ways to avoid such a situation..one is that when you found that the meter was not working, you should have quit the taxi .Another way would be that due to non functioing of the meter, you should have left the taxi when you found that his quoted fare was unreasonable.) do you have any advice as to what can we do if the cab refuses to stop? wouldn't it be alittle risky if he knows that we are unhappy about his service?
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