Another Taxi Journey

This posting is a mixture of whiny and perhaps puzzling one... cos it started off bad but ended off well, I guess.

For the background, I ended up taking a taxi back today because of the maddening traffic condition here during peak hours. The day before, I had my first experience taking the company bus during peak hours. Aarrghh... the 45 minute turtle-style jam along Sheikh Zayed Road (notwithstanding its 7 lanes!) was so frustrating! Plus the fact that my body was on "low cell", I almost throw up! Thank God for the sweets I had. After alighting, it took me another 15 minutes for a cab to stop (some cabs 'consider' passengers on destination basis). By the time I reached home, I was truly peng-shan.

Thus, today I decided against taking the company bus and instead try out an alternate way. My original plan was to take a public bus (gotta walk out for about 20 minutes) then transfer to a cab (no buses come into the 'deep' end where I stay). *Sigh* I saw my bus passed me by again (it had happened for the previous 2 times). This time round as I walked on, I realised the bus stop seemed to have moved! Funny thing is that here, not every bus stop has a distinctive bus stop sign. I recalled previously, I realised that a particular spot was the bus stop only after I stopped to ask a person (who was at that spot waiting for the bus).

How do I know for sure that the bus stop has moved? Cos' I recalled taking photos at the bus stop, where I would not have gone past the twin towers! Where is the familar make-shift seats and site office? Would I be waiting at the correct place if I just anyhow 'park' myself there?

When a cab was passing by, I swiftly waved my hand for it. Rather not risk walking to nowhere and having to wait in vain for more than half an hour, especially when it's turning dark.

Into the cab I went... I had learnt to talk to taxi drivers here more assertively, even aggressively when necessary... I recalled scolding a downright rude taxi driver (one of the 2 drivers whom I had scolded). I cannot take it when his misunderstanding of my words and his own impatience gave way to rudeness and repeated scolding. Hello?! I don't owe you any favors because I sit in a car driven by you! I pay for your service and I am your boss! Which employee scold the boss and get away with it? Of course those were not my exact words to the driver. I told that rude driver off repeatedly that he was rude and questioned why he was treating customers in that manner. At the end of that journey after I had paid the fare, he returned me the change with a more respectful "Thank You".

For this driver, I thought the manner he replied "Ok" was unyielding, after I told him my destination and the directions i.e. which (jam) road to avoid. Inside me, I was thinking this better not be another egoistic driver who cannot receive instructions. I was not rude or commanding in my tone.

Later, this driver put on earphones. I wondered how he would be able to listen to my instructions when I needed to tell him where to turn. The music that blasted out from his earphones are typical Indian or local music, or maybe Pakistan. Maybe I should be thankful that this driver did not blast the entire taxi with such music but exercised some consideration...

As the driver drove past the narrow and construction-ladden road, we witnessed some labourers arguing loudly - in the middle of the narrow roads near traffic barricades. The driver actually laughed and commented "Fighting!" God knows what he was thinking!

I asked the driver if Jumeirah roads would be jam at this hour. He replied "Everywhere jam" (at this hour). How I wish he could be more encouraging. Later, he said "too many Chinese" which I interpretated as his stated reason for the heavy traffic (hope I was wrong). I wondered what the driver really meant! I told him I had seen more Fillipinos and Indians here than Chinese. I added that the traffic was bad here probably due to the high number of cars.

I took the opportunity to ask him if he could hear me if I were to give him road directions, since he was listening to his earphones. He replied affirmatively "No problem" and added that I could tap his shoulder, as he demostrated to me by tapping his own rather forcifully.

At the end of the journey, he actually thanked me and wished me good night. Am glad that the journey back today was a pleasant one and the driver was not annoying. Ha!