Warning: Do not ride this taxi. Plate # TXR 248

Last Friday, May 25 was a rough day for me. It's all because of the taxi I rode going to Five Star bus terminal in Tramo, Pasay City. I didn't notice the heavy traffic ahead when I rode this taxi, but as soon as I got in, I told the driver my destination, then I saw him readied his taxi meter with a flag down rate of 40 pesos.

The driver started asking me questions like, "san ka ba galing mam?", "san ka pupunta". I told him, "galing ako sa bahay at sa office, pauwi ako ng probinsya ngaun". Then, he blatantly told me, "250 pesos po papunta dun kasi matrapik". My reaction was, "Ha, ang mahal naman, akala ko ba metro lang?". He insisted on the 250 pesos fare, I told him I can't pay that much. Going there usually costs me only around 100-120 pesos. He said, "Okay, how about 200 pesos?". I told him, "No, I won't be paying that much". Then, he said, "Cge, 50 pesos na lang idagdag mo sa metro".

The driver was really annoying and kept on muttering words that only made me angry, so I decided to alight from his cab. I told him to drop me off and I'll be taking another taxi instead or better yet I'll take a jeepney. He said, "Umandar na po ang metro". That annoyed me more. I said, "So what? am I not allowed to complain and tell you what I want, I don't want to ride in your taxi anymore! Just drop me off now! At first, he didn't listen to me, he continued driving but since the traffic is heavy, he couldn't drive fast (Blessing in disguise). I told him again to drop me off now and I'll just pay whatever is in his taxi meter (I was already actually panicking because he doesn't want to stop driving and I can't open the door). Then, when I told him that, he immediately obliged. Damn this taxi driver! Mukhang-pera!

As soon as he stopped by the roadside, I tried to open the door from my right, but couldn't open it. I was already imagining things like, maybe this driver is a psycho, is he going to kill me? Oh know! but I didn't see any gun or a knife. Then the driver got out from his seat and went to open the door. He uttered, "it's broken". Then, I told him, "Here! ( I handed him 50 pesos), Mukhang-Pera!". I was really furious at him that as soon as I got out from his cab, I tried running, but I can't because my bags were heavy. I took the jeepney, ignoring the heat instead of negotiating to a "mukhang-pera" taxi driver.

Maybe, that was the driver's style of negotiating to his clients. He would prepare the meter, but as soon as they're inside his cab, he would tell him his price. And if his client disagrees, he won't drop them off unless they'll pay whatever has shown up in his meter.

Lesson learned: Do not ride in this cab anymore! Here's his plate number: TXR 248. The driver is a thin, old guy, maybe in his late 40's.