Beijing Taxi Drivers seem unwilling to accept the Blue IC recharge cards that you use for the subway
- Joined: Feb 22nd, 2005
- Posts: 52
Has anyone had any experience using the Blue IC recharge cars that you use for the subway to pay for the taxi fare? If so what has your experience been? Do tell! I frankly have had little luck even though they are supposed to accept it. Thanks
As falls Witchita so falls Witchita Falls.
skywithbirds
Re: Beijing Taxi Drivers seem unwilling to accept the Blue ...
they are unwilling to accept the ic card because: a)they can't get the money in time (means they need longer time to get the pay from the card company, maybe a month or maybe more)
b)they are not very familiar on this system, they get trained in the beginning since they installed the machine, however no one use it, then they almost forget how to use it.
also they are also afraid of making mistake and that will also embarrassed.
c)some of the card systems, doesn't work well, not as simple as the CASH hehe.
d)if they use card, seems there might have some extra charges, and since most of the fees are below 100RMB
so they are unwilling to use it. hehe hope this works for u
seabreeze98
Re: Beijing Taxi Drivers seem unwilling to accept the Blue ...
See http://www.thebeijinger.com/forum/2008/07/28/IC-card-on-taxis
“For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible.” (Stuart Chase)
Male bean counter looking for job in China.
Paulus
Re: Beijing Taxi Drivers seem unwilling to accept the Blue ...
i asked the other day - taxi driver was happy to swipe but apparently you need to tell them you want to swipe your card before they hit the meter when you reach the destination. One of the posters above mentioned a long wait for the transfer of money, from what that driver told me and what i've read in the news, it takes 3 days to transfer the money to the drivers personal account.
gulch
Re: Beijing Taxi Drivers seem unwilling to accept the Blue ...
They do not quite like Yikatong, maybe they will adapted to it in times to come, it doesn't need to change money anymore
The above saying doesn't represent my opinion...
BlackManWitDaMa...
Re: Beijing Taxi Drivers seem unwilling to accept the Blue ...
I wanted to make a thread about this issue a few weeks ago but forgot. For me, it got to the point where whenever I didn't want to use cash for a taxi I'd stand on the street holding my IC card for taxis driving by to see. You should never advertise a service you CANNOT provide....or don't want to provide. Now I just try to leave home earlier and catch buses or the subway. In Shanghai before they hit the meter taxis ALWAYS ask you if you're paying by cash or card. Also, they were using IC cards for transportation LONG BEFORE Beijing started doing it.... HK was first as far as China is concerned though. If taxis don't know how to use the machine then they should just throw it out the window and take that IC card ad down. That's like saying you're a taxi driver but don't know how to drive.... only in China....
2010 is the year of BlackMan
taffrey
Re: Beijing Taxi Drivers seem unwilling to accept the Blue ...
I have been using the card for a month now and have an argument every single taxi journey that I take. Up until the point where I started using the card I was a supporter of Beijing's hard working taxi drivers, despite their bad breath, but my patience has now worn pretty thin. They don't like accepting the card because they say that it affects their cashflow. The government has authorised the card's use and I personally don't care what the driver says to be quite frank. It is certainly more convenient for me as the customer and the driver doesn't need to worry about holding the correct change or having a thief steal his earnings. They're too thick to see that side of things though. I will continue using my card despite their protests and the more people that join in, the better. Bear in mind that all taxis have the facility irrespective of whether they have a sticker stating the fact or not. When I get to my destination I make sure that the driver knows that I will pay by card. You have to do this prior to them stopping the meter. I have learnt the hard way and have had all sorts of excuses and actions from the drivers - machine broken, the machine doesn't accept cards, swiping card in the wrong place, pressing wrong buttons, quickly stopping the meter and then apologising, hasn't had training etc. There are three types of meter fitted to the taxis. Paying with a card is different in all three but easy to figure out once you see the sequence. I now do my own swiping to prevent the usual argument and the drivers just sit there grumbling because I know how to operate their system. There is nothing they can do since I am paying them. Just insist that they use the card and if they won't then get out without paying. I have had a couple of free rides as a result. The drivers don't object because they know they are pulling a fast one. There is a complaint number on the stickers and if you take out your cell phone and start calling it they usually change their tune regarding the card. Just beware - the other night I had a driver pull a knife on me despite me paying. It followed an argument where he refused to swipe my card. He grabbed it off me and proceeded to throttle me when I tried to use it. When I got out the car I naturally swore at him and he came after me with a knife. All fun and games but I will continue to use my card.
BlackManWitDaMa...
Re: Beijing Taxi Drivers seem unwilling to accept the Blue ...
I know exactly how you feel man! I was giving this type of lecture to my friends. Funny thing is if you were to say the same thing to someone Chinese they might think you "hate" China or something. If you have ever added 100RMB to your IC card at the subway station then you will definitely feel irritated after a long day's work to find that some cabbie wants you to pay an additional 10RMB cash to get to your house when they can just simply swipe it off the card you just added 100RMB to. Honestly, you shouldn't have to tell them ahead of time that you have to swipe your card, they should ask you. I've gotten a few free rides myself. One time this dude was like the machine doesn't work and I said you know what, f*** this, its 2 in the morning, I've been drinking and I want to sleep...keep the card and use the money left on it. The fare came to 30 something and I had 52RMB left but I didn't give a sh*t...I had already reached my limit on the amount of BS I'd take in regards to the IC card taxi issue. Then he tried to ask me how much money I actually had on the card like I would lie about such a thing. I told the cabbie along with the customer service rep (drivers can call them directly and talk to them using intercom) not to f-ing advertise services they couldn't provide in Chinese and that I didn't owe them sh*t! Then I went home and left his ass there. The next day I got another card....no biggie! I just try to use the other popular modes of transportation. Beijing needs another six months I guess... I'm not fighting over a little bit of money, nor am I interested in making myself look like an ass if I don't have to....
2010 is the year of BlackMan
taffrey
Re: Beijing Taxi Drivers seem unwilling to accept the Blue ...
I'm glad there's others out there going through the same daily hassle. Makes me feel much better. I normally load my card with about RMB 500 to save regular walks to the subway station so there's no way I'm leaving that with the bastard for a RMB 30 journey! I guess you've even had them doing the "rub the card on their trouser leg" thing and then telling you that the card is stuffed. The one driver got on the intercom to his supervisor and she asked if I was a laowai. He replied that I was and then she told him to just tell me that my card had no money on it. She didn't realise I understood so she also got a mouthful for her effort and I got out and left. I love it when I'm correct!
BlackManWitDaMa...
Re: Beijing Taxi Drivers seem unwilling to accept the Blue ...
*Walks out of thread*
2010 is the year of BlackMan
polansky
Re: Beijing Taxi Drivers seem unwilling to accept the Blue ...
I made a formal complaint about beifang 北方 taxi drivers to the taxi bureau. I filmed 25 taxi drivers over a succession of many days with my iphone camera, all refusing to take my card. word of advice it may seem troublesome take a picture of the cabs id card in front of you they can do nothing about it, and it is your best defense against them besides getting the receipt. Plus in the end if you make a complaint sans footage of them denying your use of the card, you need the cabs receipt and number in order to get anywhere.
Some drivers were quite irate at my insistance, but since my chinese is good I knew exactly how to make them shut up. The great thing is they didnt know I was filming hence, they acted pretty terribly. The taxi bureau in West Beijing I called them they met with me copied the footage and what do you know, several of the cab drivers were fined, and or had to stop working for several days. And I have an apology letter from the company. Remember this is just one company that I followed because they are big, and well as a foreigner here living for many years I did it because Im sick of these taxi drivers thinking they can trick foreigners by saying oh no im a double shift cabbie, or my meter hasnt been upgraded or, it broken, or ive never swiped before, all the variety of excuses. So if you dont speak chinese sometimes youre in a bind. But let this be a lesson the phone number on the card that shows their picture is absolutely worth its weight in gold. second try my method. first as a previous poster stated. 1. Never tell the cab driver you are going to swipe until near the end. 2. If you do and they refuse, tell them they have 3 choices, to take drive to the their company so we can discuss this with their managemment, or to drive to the taxi bureau, or take me to the destination. Once these cab drivers realize your serious, they have to take you to your destination. It is illegal for them to ask you to get off of the cab. Next, they have no right to insist you pay cash, and if they dont accept the car you are free to leave. what I do is I take the card out and put it in my pocket so Im not seen opening my wallet. I will just say I have no cash. I dont care how hard this system is for them, the reality it prevents them from taking fake bills, and making change, and protecting them from criminals trying to steal cold hard cash. The benefits outweigh the trouble. I have had many a free ride, and its so silly because in the end even if they swiped the card at some point in the future the cash would be theirs, but they just refuse completely to try it. To correct one misnomer stated by a previous poster. Not all cabs accept the cards, they are the old red Citroen, and the entrepeneur taxi plates 个体户 they can be distinguished by the fact that the light on their roof will not say a companies name but just 出租。 The end of this year all citroen red cabs will be gone, so that will eliminate that problem. The entrepenurial cabs whose coveted licenses number in just a few hundred per district. The chance you will meet one of them is rare considering its 67000 cabs on the road here. So to all keep up the good fight, and dont surrender to them.
As falls Witchita so falls Witchita Falls.
rellima80
Re: Beijing Taxi Drivers seem unwilling to accept the Blue ...
is there a law that you don't have to pay the taxi if they refuse the card, but have the sticker posted? I think shanghai u don't have to pay if they don't say something prior to getting in the taxi. there are many times i want to use the card but 9 out of 10 taxis refuse.