I don't think it's the foreigner thing, but it doesn't help matters. The problem is that cab drivers are getting angrier by the day. The rates they get paid are pretty much locked in and there isn't much they can do to raise them. Yet the prices of things they buy just keep going up. Add to that the traffic jams they face, which put a huge dent into their bottom line (as you can make a lot more money with quick meter drop fares), and you have a huge problem.

In the old days (I recall the early 2000s) the cabbies were always funny and friendly and it was one of the best modes of transportation. Now I really dread getting into cabs.

I think that the main reason for avoiding people is they just don't give a ... flip ... anymore because it is not that great of a job.

OP seems that way to me. Plus when I do get one maybe 1 in 3 now doesn't understand the directions/address. My Chinese is a lot better now than when I 1st arrived 4 years ago. They are definitely getting ruder but as a previous poster said the job aint the best, however taking it out on customers isn't the answer...get another job!

Humm.. dont think this is specific to foreigner.. if bad traffic, they stop in a place to play cards.. if it rains, they dont stop to take you (or they ask a surcharged price !).. but hopefully remains some nice guys !

In other places, it doesn't seem that traffic is a disincentive for cab drivers to work. In fact, it is an incentive for them because they make good money from the meter just from the time passing. In China, however, the meter ticks on pretty slowly when you stop or are stuck in traffic. Try that in Hong Kong and you might have to get out of the car because the meter just keeps on ticking. I think the economics of the situation is the only reason they don't want to work. If the meter kept ringing, they wouldn't care either way. Frankly, I wouldn't mind if the cab fares went up a bit, because it might make it easier to get a cab!

Yep, lots of reasons for this.
They could be on call to a scheduled pickup (no they are not gonna take you)
It's near the end of their shift and they don't want to deal with you
You are near wangfujing and they don't want to deal with laowai
You are standing in a place where taxis are not supposed to stop (some might anyways, which leads to confusion)

Please keep in mind that taxi drivers: Rent the cars with a licensing fee, pay for their own gas, pay for basically all of their own expenses. They are under no obligation to pick up anyone they don't want to for any reason they choose.

If that is true that Beijing taxi drivers are under no obligation to pick anyone up that is f-ing rediculous! Find another job if you don't like driving people around.

I am venting because a couple of weeks ago I was in Xidan shopping and a relative called and said they had arrived in Beijing and told me they were in their hotel. I said great walked out to the street and tried to get a taxi. My gosh it was the worst experience I have ever had with taxis in Beijing. Over an hour, many arguments, flipped a few off, finally had to give up and just went home on the subway. I walked a mile down the road and still could not get a taxi.

The ones that did stop rolled down their window a crack and asked where to? After telling them they all said no thanks and drove off. Called one a lazy pig and that fired him up! haha, also like said above many had their red lights on, no passengers and just drove on by! I am not buying that end of shift b.s., as I said I tried for over an hour.

I would like to know what rules govern taxis in Beijing. I did a quick search in Chinese and English and couldn't turn up anything. If anybody has a link to the rules in Chinese, please post them.

The problem is that what you are saying is not allowed in Hong Kong, and the taxi driver is subject to prosecution and fines if he does it and is caught. If this were the rule in Beijing (and I don't know if it is or not) then that would be useful information to know. My question was quite simple: is this allowed in Beijing?

Look dumbass, whats the point of even having f-ing taxis if they can just pick and chose who they pick up. Whats next? Buses saying you look like sh*t and can not get on board?

Take public transportation? I use a taxi maybe one or two times a month, I always use public transportation. This location had no subway stop near it and I was in Xidan, not my home area and thus was not familiar with the buses in that area. My Chinese is ok but I can not read every location in Beijing as I know you can not as well.

Drive my own lazy ass?? I am in China, I am an American, I do not have a car here, I have two in the U.S. and a motorcyle but here why would I be dumb enough to buy a car only to be stuck with it if I had to leave suddenly?

Deal with it? I did deal with it, I called the taxi driver a lazy pig and challenged him to get out of his car and talk about it further in which he had no desire to do so.

Anyway, my point is that a taxi is just that, a taxi, why is it so strange to expect an empty taxi with his "on hire" light lit to stop and pick me up? call me crazy!

yeah,, I hear you, I always do that in Haidian, but for some reason it does not fly in Chaoyang, they do not even let you get into the car. and if you do somehow manage to get in they will just keep saying no which leaves you with two options,
1. get pissed, complain and then get out of the cab
2. get pissed, punch him in the face and tell him to go f-himself,

problem is both options put you back on the street! haha

jesus, just get a damned car already, they really are NOT that expensive.

I think I found the answer I was looking for. This is overkill but my curiosity got the best of me. In short, Beijing taxi drivers are not permitted to refuse a customer simply because they don't feel like it. There are only 5 limited reasons they may refuse a customer.

Here are the rules: Beijing Municipal Taxi Administration Measures 《北京市出租汽车管理条例》

Link: http://business.sohu.com/07/44/article204764407.shtml

Here is the specific provision (accompanied by my rough translation):

第十七条出租汽车驾驶员除下列情形外，不得以任何理由拒绝载客或者中途终止客运服务：
Article 17: Except under the following circumstances, the driver of the taxi must not refuse a customer or end the taxi services prematurely:

　　（一）乘客在禁止停车的路段招手拦车；
(1) The customer has hailed a cab in a prohibited zone;

　　（二）乘客携带违禁和易燃、易爆等危险品以及污损车辆的物品乘车；
(2) The customer is carrying prohibited explosives, dangerous articles or filthy items;

　　（三）醉酒者、精神病患者在无人监护下乘车；
(3) Intoxicated or mentally incompetent customers who are without supervision;

　　（四）乘客要求出本市或者在夜间到远郊区、县而不按规定随驾驶员进行登记；
(4) The customer has requested to be taken [i] outside of Beijing or [ii] at night to a distant district or county where the driver would need to register [to drive there]

　　（五）乘客的要求有其他违反出租汽车管理、道路交通管理、治安管理规定的。
(5) The customer's request otherwise violates taxicab administration, road traffic administration or security administration regulations.

Also, according to the regulation, there are some fairly serious penalties for violations of Article 17:

第三十条出租汽车驾驶员违反本条例第十六条第（一）、（三）、（五）、（六）、（七）、（九）、（十）、（十二）、（十三）、（十五）、（十七）、（二十）项规定的，由市出租汽车管理局给予警告、并可处以100元至1000元的罚款；情节严重的，处以1000元至2000元的罚款，在营运资格证件上作违章记录，并可暂扣营运资格证件1个月至3个月。
Article 30: Operators of taxis who violate of Articles [...] 17 [...] are liable to the municipal taxi administration for a warning, and can be fined from RMB100 to RMB1000; where the circumstances are serious, the fine is from RMB1000 to RMB2000 and the offense will be recorded in the operator's permit record, and a suspension of the operator's permit of 1 to 3 months.

　　第三十一条出租汽车驾驶员违反本条例第十七条的规定，拒绝载客或者中途终止客运服务的，由市出租汽车管理局处以1000元至2000元的罚款，在营运资格证件上作违章记录，并可暂扣营运资格证件1个月至3个月；情节严重的，吊销营运资格证件。
Article 31: Operators of taxis who violate Article 17 of these Measures by refusing a customer or ending the taxi services prematurely are liable to the municipal taxi administration for a fine of RMB 1000 to RMB2000; the offense will be recorded in the operator's permit record and a suspension of the operator's permit of 1 to 3 months; where the circumstances are serious, the operator's permit will be revoked.

Have you heard of the lottery for new cars purchases?
People have lived here for years without cars, and managed just fine.

Your advise is just plain daft.

mjtaylor is on your ignore list for being a total niubi. Click here to view this post.

So true! I lived in NYC for 7 years and in that time I drove my car less than half a dozen times. I never needed it. I was lucky enough to have a garage so I could take the tires off and drain it and take the battery out. I never needed the car. I lived within a block of 2 different subway lines and the car had no convenience for me at all.