Taxi Drivers

I was at Giligan's Island earlier with some friends for a few drinks. When it was time to go home, we went to the place where the taxis were waiting and my friend rode the first one in line while I entered the 2nd one. The first taxi wouldn't leave an our taxi was just waiting there, waiting for them. My friend got off which was probably because the driver didn't want to go to Manila. I hopped off so my friend can ride the taxi I was in. I got into the 1st taxi and when I mentioned that we're to go to Katipunan, the taxi driver refused and said something about the price of gas being to expensive. I opened the door and while I was on my way out, I said that if he's going to keep refusing passengers he won't get to earn. Then I slammed the door shut as hard as I can. This irritated the driver but he didn't have time to react because I was already boarding the taxi that just happened to be passing by. The driver of the taxi I was on stopped probably because he saw the first driver getting out of the vehicle. I assumed that because he didn't know what was going on, he really didn't want anything to do with it. He refused to move so I had to again get off the taxi. While I was outside, I heard the first taxi driver say something along the lines of, "You slam the door like you don't have any education. Do you have money to pay for it if you broke it?" I didn't hear anything else he had to say because I was already inside the 4th taxi for that evening. The 4th taxi driver asked me what it was all about and I just said that no one wants to bring me to my destination. He asked me if I could add a little more to the fare and I said yes. I could've refused but at that point, my blood was boiling and I wanted to leave the place before do something I'll regret.

My point is this. We all work for a living. I work in a call center and we never release a caller just because the caller is angry or stupid or if the problem is hard or for any reason other than if the caller is verbally abusive. And even then we will warn the caller before we actually release the call. Salespeople shouldn't refuse to assist a potential buyer. Firemen shouldn't refuse to put out fires. Teachers shouldn't refuse to teach a student. Waiters shouldn't refuse to serve diners. We all do our part. Taxi drivers shouldn't be any different. It is understandable that gas prices are expensive but it still doesn't change the fact that they're job, their primary function, is to drive people to where they want to go. I feel that my salary won't make me rich. Which is why I try to find other means to supplement my income. Jeepney drivers and bus drivers also have to deal with gas prices but they don't choose their passengers nor do they ask for their passengers to add more to the fare.

The taxi driver caught me at a very bad time when I was real tired of taxi drivers choosing passengers. If I had less restraint and money to pay for it, I would've destroyed his door completely.

From this day on, I vow to never get off a taxi until he has brought me to my destination. And if by chance I find a taxi driver who doesn't cooperate or a driver who is abusive, I will get my phone, record it and post it in this blog. May all taxi drivers who choose passengers be held up and stabbed as many times as the passengers they refused.