Taxi Drivers

When I pay for a service, I like to know what I'm getting. More often than not, when I get in a taxi, it's more like a sadistic game of lucky dip. And I'm so over games.

On a very basic level, I would like my taxi drivers to know where they're going and to obey the road rules. A regular personal hygiene routine and good driving skills are, I think, also essential to good service.

I loath taxi drivers who; don't acknowledge you or your directions, smell, talk on their mobile phones, speed, can't work their EFTPOS machines, complain when you want to use the EFTPOS machine, don't have change, have no idea where they are going, drive dangerously, only use one hand on the steering wheel, don't display their license, are clearly in unroadworthy cars, are impatient... shall I go on?  And, yes, I often report drivers to the Taxi Directorate.

Putting aside my gross generalizations and really bad experiences, surely it is fair to expect that your taxi driver will get you from A to B, safely and fairly pleasantly?  Maybe we really are simply paying for transportation, and I'm asking too much?