[EnRoute]

This thread is to share stories on the most irritating taxi drivers you have ever met.

Today, I had the misfortune of meeting one taxi driver who lectured me on my poor command of Mandarin. He spoke to me first in Mandarin, so I tried to talk to him in Mandarin, just to be polite. He then said that its because of people like me that the standard of Mandarin in SG is poor. He compared Singapore to Taiwan, and said that the future is China, and he is from a glorious Chinese school. I told him that although the future may be China, the present is still America. Its one of our strengths, that many Chinese Singaporeans are billingual.

I should have retorted that he should go and emigrate to Taiwan (but would Taiwan want him? That is the question) , and its because of my good command of English that I have a good job, and despite my relatively young age, he is driving me to my condo home which I could afford easily. But that would be mean, so I kept it in my head.

At first I gave directions in Mandarin. Towards the end I simply instructed him to turn left and right in plain English, loud and clear.

Another taxi driver tried to scold me for not knowing directions to my destination. I snapped back that its because I don't know the way, so I'm taking a taxi.

Then there was this crazy taxi driver that purposely veered centimeters close to the adjacent lady driver and kept on going, trying to intimidate her, before someone behind him horned.

What's wrong with these people ?! There is nothing wrong about being a taxi driver, but taxi drivers that are irritating, insulting and dangerous really make me angry.