I've not taken taxi for awhile - well, at least not after I bought my 18 years old Toyota Corona for the past 2 years. It's a reliable car, never broke down b4 (touch wood..)though a bit old and during heavy storm I need to improvise with a an umbrella but then, hey, it gets me from point A to point B.

But anyway, for 1 day every week, I'ld still need to rely on our ever "efficient" and ever "consumer friendly" public transportation again.

Let's start with our neighborhood hard-working taxis.

I live in Pandan Indah and have to commute to Tmn Desa for my current business project. From experience I know that some cab drivers are reluctant to go to Tmn Desa frm Pandan Indah due to the jam at MRR2 as well as Jln Sg Besi.

So, the ever civic consious me will always try to get a cab b4 6.45am in the morning so that we (the cab driver and I ) can avoid the jam at MRR2 as well as at Jln Sg Besi.

Unfortunately, most cab driver do not share my sentiment. On the other hand, the first dozen of cabs I hailed will give me excuses of some sort,like:

1: I'm in the midst of changing shift.
2: Oh, I only cover the Pandan area.
3: Aiyah, there jam-lah. Sorry-lah.
4: I can take you to the LRT.

I mean, come-on, isnt it the duty of a taxi driver to send the passenger to where-ever the passenger wanted? Why give excuses of not going to a certain area?

The lamest and most frequent excuse is "jam-lah" or raining etc... sigh*

Now and then I hear some taxi driver complaining that it is getting more difficult to "cari-makan" (earn a living) but if they maintain this kind of selective route to ply mentality why complain about difficulties in "cari-makan"?

As consumer I SHOULD be complaining...