Taxi-refusal score: 26 out of 35

Taxi-refusal score: 26 out of 35
They dare you to complain More misses than hits in taxi hunt
by TAMAGHNA BANERJEE, SREECHETA DAS AND ZEESHAN JAWED,
The Telegraph (Metro), Calcutta, January 19 , 2012

If you have never faced taxi refusal, chances are you have never tried hailing one in Calcutta.

An ongoing campaign by Lalbazar to rein in the incorrigibly rude Calcutta cabbie by posting plainclothes cops posing as passengers in parts of the city has barely skimmed the surface of what is now a badge of notoriety for this city.

To know how rampant the taxi-refusal menace is, a three-member Metro team went around town between 7.30 and 9 on Tuesday evening looking for rides to and from some prominent destinations. Of the 35 taxis we approached, as many as 26 refused to drive us to our destinations — either without giving any reason or after demanding twice the fare. A few snapshots from our close encounters with the Calcutta cabbie.

Place: Esplanade

Destination: Thakurpukur

Driver: (Thinks for a moment) I will go if you pay the up and down fare.

Metro: But why should I pay you so much?

Driver: Because I won’t get any return passenger. Move aside if you can’t pay.

Taxi speeds away

Taxi No: WB04D 2354

Place: In front of Metro cinema on JL Nehru Road

Destination: Behala

Driver: I need Rs 50 more than the meter reading.

Metro: I will pay by the meter.

Driver: Okay, pay me Rs 30 extra.

Metro: No, I won’t pay more than the actual fare.

Driver: Then you stay right here.

Taxi leaves

Taxi No: WB04D 9592

Place: The JL Nehru Road-Lindsay Street crossing

Destination: Thakurpukur

Driver: I won’t go by the meter, pay me Rs 450.

Metro: But the fare is hardly Rs 170 from here.

Driver: The route is full of traffic snarls and I will have to return empty. Hence the extra fare.

Metro: I will complain to the police.

Driver (Starts laughing and points to number plate) That is the taxi number. Note it down and do whatever you want to.

Taxi No: WB04F 4460

Place: Same as above. We approach the second taxi in the queue.

Destination: Thakurpukur

Driver: If the taxi ahead of mine doesn’t go, I can’t.

He gets off the car and shares a laugh with the other driver

Metro: What is your name and the number of your taxi?

Driver: Take down the number….There is a sergeant at the Esplanade crossing. You can go and complain to him.

Taxi No: WB04C 0125

Place: Park Street-JL Nehru Road crossing

Destination: Kasba

Metro: Will you go?

Driver: Doesn’t say anything; shakes his head and looks the other way. On seeing Metro approach a sergeant standing nearby, he revs up and speeds away towards The Park

Taxi no: WB04E 1346

Place: In front of The Park, Park Street

Destination: Kasba

Driver: Where in Kasba? Near the Bypass?

Metro: No, Rathtala, near Bijon Setu.

Driver: Okay, get in, but I will take the Bypass.

Metro: Why should I travel so much? It is a shorter route via Gariahat.

Driver: Then I won’t go.

Taxi No: WB04C 6744

Place: In front of Music World, Park Street

Destination: Gariahat

Driver: I won’t go that way.

Metro: But you are supposed to take passengers wherever they need to go at any time of day.

Driver: Don’t irritate me, find another taxi.

Taxi No: WB04B 2315

Place: In front of Olypub, Park Street

Destination: Joka

Driver: I can go till Taratala, you take another taxi from there.

Metro: You are supposed to take me wherever I want to go.

Driver: Keep standing here. No taxi will take you till Joka.

Taxi No: WB04A 5607

Place: In front of St. Xavier’s College, Park Street

Destination: Behala

Driver: Behala Chowrasta?

Metro: No, near Behala Tram Depot.

Driver: That will be Rs 300.

Metro: Why? It is more than double the fare.

Driver: Sit if you can pay or walk.

Two girls approach the taxi for a ride till Jadavpur. The driver demands Rs 300, the girls agree.

Taxi No: WB04E 6462




Place: Deshapriya Park

Destination: Nagerbazar

Driver: I won’t go.

Metro: Why?

Driver: Because I am going home now.

Metro: But you aren’t going anywhere, you are looking for passengers!

Driver: My wish, I will go when I want to.

Taxi No: WB04E 8674

Place: Rashbehari crossing

Destination: Shyambazar

Driver: I will take you there if you pay Rs 350.

Metro: But why so much extra?

Driver: Are you new to the city? This is the rule at night.

Metro: Maybe you don’t know the rules?

Driver: Damn the rules! Pay extra or don’t waste my time.

Taxi No: WB04B 2466

Place: In front of SSKM Hospital

Destination: Kankurgachhi

Driver: We will take the Bypass, right?

Metro: Why? We will go through Sealdah.

Driver: You will go by the meter, you will not take the Bypass. Do you expect everything to happen your way?

Grumbles and drives away

Taxi No: WB04A 4660

Place: In front of Rabindra Sadan Metro station

Destination: Howrah

Driver: That will be Rs 100 extra.

Metro: But why? It is not even 9pm.

Driver: Okay, give me Rs 50 extra.

Metro: I will pay only the legitimate fare.

Driver smirks and moves away

Taxi No: WB04E 9447


Place: Chandni Chowk

Destination: Salt Lake

Driver: Where in Salt Lake? Near City Centre?

Metro: No, I will get off at PNB.

Driver: Then I won’t go, try someone else.

Taxi No: WB25A 1302

Place: Government Place North

Destination: Hospital on the Bypass

Driver: Waves his hand to say no and parks taxi at a distance

Taxi No: WB04E 0116

Place: Mission Row-Bentinck Street crossing

Destination: Bypass

Driver: Slows down, cranes his neck to hear where we want to go and speeds away, not bothering to reply

Taxi No: WB04E 9319

Place: Ganesh Chandra Avenue

Destination: Salt Lake Karunamoyee

Driver: I won’t go that side, I will go to Behala.

Accelerates and drives away

Taxi No: WB04D 0260