Maria’s Blog

Why do I get the sense that Beijingers are becoming increasingly media-savvy?Last week, I waited almost ten minutes (an eternity, in Beijing taxi-dom) and yet could not get a cab.  It was past eight-thirty in the evening and raining heavily (another rarity in Beijing).  While lamenting my misfortune, a non-taxi looking vehicle pulled up beside me and asked where I was going.

After I uttered my destination, the middle-age male in the driver’s seat said “35 yuan (or US$5).”  Twice what ordinary taxis would charge for a similar distance.

Broad daylight robbery, I thought.  But given that I was already monstrously late for my appointment, I grudgingly agreed.

During the journey, I discovered that Mr. Cao previously worked for six years as a taxi driver.  He gave up as he “only managed to make 2000 yuan (about US$285) per month.” Besides, “the competition was way too intense.”

He later bought his own car – a Volkswagen Santana - and became an unlicensed taxi driver.  

The bulk of his business came from ferrying what he called “familiar people”, usually within Beijing, though he would also not hesitate to drive to nearby Tianjin or Hebei province.  

And during inclement weather, he would also try his luck with stranded and helpless passengers.

So aren’t you afraid of being caught by the police, I asked. Well, I have to make a living you know, he said, adding that “the Communist Party does not feed me, as you are well aware.”

 

So who are these “familiar people” you ferry?  Oh, mainly people who live in my neighborhood.

Are they locals or foreigners? Oh, most are locals, but some are foreigners.

 

So do they refer other people to you?  Oh yes, I get lots of recommendations.

 

So which area do you live in?

 

This was where the conversation ended.  Mr. Cao became slightly alarmed and asked “hmm, why are you asking so many detailed questions? Are you a reporter?”

 

Oh brother, it was supposed to be a casual conversation!  Why was he so suspicious?  And besides, I asked him “which area”, not which street or block number.

 

To let down his guard, I assured Mr. Cao that I was not a reporter (ok, so I am, but honest to goodness, I was not trying to get a story out of him).  

I wanted to know where he lived to ascertain the veracity of what he said, especially the bit about having foreigners in his neighborhood.

 

But with his guard up, I told Mr. Cao that all I wanted to know were his daily rates.

 

So friends and colleagues, if you ever need a clean, reliable and affordable vehicle – not to mention a street-smart taxi driver - when you next visit Beijing, you know what to do. 

This entry was posted on Monday, June 30th, 2008 at 2:02 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.