Dubai Forums Dubai Discussions Dubai General Chat

OK, here's a new one. Since the government has put life back into the drinking law it seems that taxi drivers and hotel limo drivers are shaking down passengers.

Here's what I read on another forum:

Married couple go to dinner and have a couple of drinks. Rather than drive themselves home they went to look for a taxi. A hotel limo pulls up and offers to give them a lift. Since they were not having any luck with a taxi they figured they would take the limo even if it was going to cost extra.

Get to their destination and the taxi driver wants 100 Dhs. because they had been drinking. The refused. Driver threatens to call the police and report them for being drunk in public. The wife takes out her mobile to call police to report the shakedown, the driver slaps it out of her hand, it breaks and the taxi driver called the police and reported the couple.

Husband taken to the police station and given a breath test, which indicates he consumed alcohol. He now has to appear in court. The taxi driver - nothing!!!! Apparently if you drink outside your home you need a liquor license as well. Tourists are not bothered because they are on a tourist visa, but if you have a resident visa, the law applies to you.

Read another story where a taxi driver demanded 400 Dhs. when shaking down a passenger. This shakedown business is catching on real quick.

This is something that needs to be addressed as taxi drivers exploit drunk passengers all the time. I guess UAE will continue to get worst if the inflation is not controlled. People earning below AED 5,000 a month are struggling to make ends meet and day by day their frustrations will grow. Sooner than later, this will force them to get involved in acts that are against the society.

I personally have found 2 drivers who I call if I had a drink too many and would pay them extra 20 dirhams. Getting a liquor license is not such a big deal and when in Rome be like a Roman ... when in Emirate, be like an Emiratee, except the driving bit.

Well the couple didn't attempt to drive themselves home, making them responsible people.

And I am sure that one time or another we have all had the unfortunate experience of getting into a taxi and having had to shared the same air with the taxi driver who stank of stale beer. And if get really lucky, you get a cocktail of body order and stale beer.

These are hard times but shaking down people is absolutely unacceptable.

Edited to add: If you go out and drink and want to do the smart thing take a look at http://www.saferdriver.ae/ . They will drive you home and a driver will bring your car along.

Working with the NGO's, I have realised that everybody is shaken down. The workers or low income groups are exploited to make the white collared workers richer. The blue collared workers know this and hate the fact that they are exploited, made to live in miserable conditions and at times some retaliate.

We have been running therapy services to allow them to chanelise their anger productively. Most of these men are frustrated, away from their families, taunted and exploited. There defence is that when these people do not think about us, why should we think about them. Everybody is looking for an opportunity to explot. I am sure you must have never cared who was exploited here to give you the comfort that you have.

People just seize any opportunity to gain money. Its just that nobody realises it, when we gaining from it, but raise a stink, when at the receiving end.

just look at this (http://www.miricity.com.my/index.php?/S ... essage-532)

This is result of exploitation of white collared workers and you are one of them. Sorry to say that, but truth is bitter. This is a money society and we are all part and parcel of this.

We all are sucked into this and will only feel the difference, when we return to our respective countries. We have changed, but we do not even identify the change. That's the beauty of this place.

^^^^^^^^Oh boy, I feel a good one coming on!!!! Stay tuned.

I know, its helping me get tougher by the day. People do not see the stink I get by PM's. Nothing will stop me from helping the needy and standing up for them.

The truth is bitter and we all live fake lives. If somebody tries to rattle that, we will bring him down. This is the reality of our generation. That's why the world needs a society driven by technology and not money. I can not find the site, but will post it. Its the most interesting video and reflective of the educated work force.

Helping the needy and standing up for them is commendable, but to justify shaking down people because they "have money" and having them arrested because they would not pay is totally, totally wrong. For someone who believes that they have been cheated in life and to deliberately hurt another person because they may have what you don't have is pure evil and sick.

In my opinion someone who has self respect, pride and dignity is a rich person, and I have met such people and admire them. I have also met people with money and could not wait to be out of their company.

To say that the world needs to be driven by technology would remove human emotions and we will function like machinery. It is not money that makes the world go around, it's the people.

Two years ago I had an experience of teleportation to a police station even without extortion - it was a peaceful neibour syndrome... It tooks 2 years for converting the illness to money.

I will carry a recorder to find for such types free accomodation for yeas. WG gave a lame excuse to them...

Its not a shakedown, just a "good samaritan" doing his duty. It is illegal to be drunk in public here and you should respect that, even being aware of the law and still breaking it, then getting caught and screaming foul is no justification.

desertdudeshj wrote:Its not a shakedown, just a "good samaritan" doing his duty. It is illegal to be drunk in public here and you should respect that, even being aware of the law and still breaking it, then getting caught and screaming foul is no justification.

You are seriously lacking in brain cells on this one desertdudeshj.

FACT: Alcohol is allowed to be sold in hotels and in alcohol shops and people are issued licenses for purchasing and consuming alcohol. FACT: It is responsible for people to take taxis to get home after drinking so that they don't drive their own cars. FACT: Drinking in a restaurant or at a friend's house and then taking a taxi to your door means you are not drunk "in public" causing problems for people. FACT: Dubai is not populated by only pious religious folk who don't consume alcohol and these people need to be accommodated as well. FACT: It is absolutely immoral for a taxi driver to accept those people as passengers only for him to exploit them. If he doesn't want to drive drunk people he shouldn't have accepted them as passengers.

The driver was not a good samaritan, he was being exploitive.

last sunday i wanted to smash an arrogant taxi driver's face to a bloody pulp. i was driving slowly in a parking lot then him coming out of a public toilet stared me down and gave me the indian finger (whart??). i rolled down my window and asked him whats the problem and he shouted "i no problem, GO!". my friend riding with me just told me to let it go cause alot of people were there in satwa and alot of police patrols too. if this ever happens again with me driving alone, god save his soul.

now they are extorting people for money? damn these taxi drivers need to be taught a lesson physically so it gets reported in the papers and they shit their pants and know where they belong.

desertdudeshj wrote:Its not a shakedown, just a "good samaritan" doing his duty. It is illegal to be drunk in public here and you should respect that, even being aware of the law and still breaking it, then getting caught and screaming foul is no justification.

I'm not surprised that you are one of them, but what do you think that he wanted some money to cover it? Is it legal in India as well?

I've had some really good taxi drivers, others are complete assholes!

Last week one guy was speeding all over the place, tail gating and yapping on his phone. We complained and asked him to drive properly and told him he could get a fine for being on the phone. He held up a wad of fines! Laughing, obviously not caring! We literally wrestled his phone off him and told him he could have it back when we got to our destination.

Seriously, I'm not having my life put at risk by these idiots!

This is ridiculous.........Now u can't even go to a pub n have a drink in peace?
Are the authorities seriously all that penny wise pound foolish?
First they encourage people not to drink and drive and then they allow cab drivers to extort?
Its allmost like the authorities want people to break the rules so that they can fine them!

Not sure what it's like in Dubai but in Abu Dhabi the gold and white taxi drivers turn into criminals as soon as the sun goes down. For me it would be between 5 and 10 dirhams to get home but I've had taxi drivers try to charge anything up to 50 or 60 dirhams.

I have stopped arguing with them now, I let them drive me home, hand over 5 dirhams and tell them that I'll phone the police because they didn't have their meter on (which by law is illegal)

Stupid thing is, if they put the meter on I'd give them 10 or 20 dirhams, when they start trying to fleece me then I get pissed off.
I'm covered, I have an alcohol license incase they get lippy and generally I turn the voice recorder on my phone on so I can prove that I wasn't disrespectful or abusive incase they try it on.

Thats why you should always have a DD whenever you go out. People can take turns. What do ya think?

kanelli wrote:

desertdudeshj wrote:Its not a shakedown, just a "good samaritan" doing his duty. It is illegal to be drunk in public here and you should respect that, even being aware of the law and still breaking it, then getting caught and screaming foul is no justification.

You are seriously lacking in brain cells on this one desertdudeshj.

FACT: Alcohol is allowed to be sold in hotels and in alcohol shops and people are issued licenses for purchasing and consuming alcohol. FACT: It is responsible for people to take taxis to get home after drinking so that they don't drive their own cars. FACT: Drinking in a restaurant or at a friend's house and then taking a taxi to your door means you are not drunk "in public" causing problems for people. FACT: Dubai is not populated by only pious religious folk who don't consume alcohol and these people need to be accommodated as well. FACT: It is absolutely immoral for a taxi driver to accept those people as passengers only for him to exploit them. If he doesn't want to drive drunk people he shouldn't have accepted them as passengers.

The driver was not a good samaritan, he was being exploitive.

Fact - The law says do not drink without a license. Fact - The driver was wrong in asking them for extra money. Fact: He was not wrong in reporting them to police as thats against law and that is why they got stuck. Fact: he was exploitive and a good smaritan. Fact: He is a reflection of our society. Fact: We exploit and then cry when we get exploited. Its never fun to be on the other side of the fence. Fact: Truth is bitter.

xero_ wrote:last sunday i wanted to smash an arrogant taxi driver's face to a bloody pulp. i was driving slowly in a parking lot then him coming out of a public toilet stared me down and gave me the indian finger (whart??). i rolled down my window and asked him whats the problem and he shouted "i no problem, GO!". my friend riding with me just told me to let it go cause alot of people were there in satwa and alot of police patrols too. if this ever happens again with me driving alone, god save his soul.

now they are extorting people for money? damn these taxi drivers need to be taught a lesson physically so it gets reported in the papers and they tasty their pants and know where they belong.

How do you know he was Indian and not from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh or even Pakistan. I am not defending this, but you seem to be just creating a story to justify your point. None of the taxi drivers would have the ba**s to show a middle finger for no rhyme or reason. It needs to be reported regarding their behaviour and driving, but do you know that these people drive 14 hours a day without a break. Ever wondered why .... ever thought of understanding a problem, before raising hue and cry. You are educated right .... suggest a solution ... think logically and you will realise the reality.

If you wanna be a white, I am the king of the world attitude, go su*ck coz the way some of the westerners behave in UAE is no better than workers in labour camps.

We just have forgotten to respect life and find solutions.

Bora Bora wrote:Helping the needy and standing up for them is commendable, but to justify shaking down people because they "have money" and having them arrested because they would not pay is totally, totally wrong. For someone who believes that they have been cheated in life and to deliberately hurt another person because they may have what you don't have is pure evil and sick.

In my opinion someone who has self respect, pride and dignity is a rich person, and I have met such people and admire them. I have also met people with money and could not wait to be out of their company.

To say that the world needs to be driven by technology would remove human emotions and we will function like machinery. It is not money that makes the world go around, it's the people.

Valid point and my apologies for that. My only point here is what they he might have cheated them because he feels that he has been cheated of everything, including his time with his family and kids. His passport is held by his company and thus he wants to escape from here as soon as possible, but does not have the option. Put yourself in that situation and you will realise that who you would react if the rosy picture changed the minute you landed and had to go through that for more than 6 months away from your family.

I did not mean the world needs to be run by technology, but will send you the link. Please watch the whole video and you will understand what I am trying to say. I am part of the community that pushes people to use solar energy, wind power, geo thermal energy, as that will help the world and we can leave something for our kids. These things are driven by technology, but restricted as fossil fuels will lose their value.

We will have a world with lesser pollution, better enviornment and certainly better health.

Do you know each year 450,000 people die in America due to heart diseases. Guess how much they spent on research for that last year. $2.7 billion.

About 68 people died because of terrorist attacks and US spent $550 billion in destroying Iraq and Afghanistan.

Thus we need to spend on technology, then what we currently are spending on.

WG,
why do you think that 5000 DHS is a bad salary for those guys... Some of them didn't even leave a primary school. Another point that it's difficalt to earn the same money as a year ago due to World's crisis.
Anyway they should struggle against the emploer, not inocent (in his troubles) people...

Such way you can justify any blackmailer...

desertdudeshj wrote:Its not a shakedown, just a "good samaritan" doing his duty. It is illegal to be drunk in public here and you should respect that, even being aware of the law and still breaking it, then getting caught and screaming foul is no justification.

So between leaving the hotel and getting in a taxi - what 10, 15 paces - that is drunk in public?

And being a "good samaritan" doing his duty? Only after the passenger refuses to pay the shakedown money it becomes a "duty" to report them!! I'm sure that if the driver got the money he would have ignored his duty. Please call it what it is - a shakedown, or if you prefer blackmail.

worldguy wrote:

xero_ wrote:last sunday i wanted to smash an arrogant taxi driver's face to a bloody pulp. i was driving slowly in a parking lot then him coming out of a public toilet stared me down and gave me the indian finger (whart??). i rolled down my window and asked him whats the problem and he shouted "i no problem, GO!". my friend riding with me just told me to let it go cause alot of people were there in satwa and alot of police patrols too. if this ever happens again with me driving alone, god save his soul.

now they are extorting people for money? damn these taxi drivers need to be taught a lesson physically so it gets reported in the papers and they tasty their pants and know where they belong.

How do you know he was Indian and not from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh or even Pakistan. I am not defending this, but you seem to be just creating a story to justify your point. None of the taxi drivers would have the ba**s to show a middle finger for no rhyme or reason. It needs to be reported regarding their behaviour and driving, but do you know that these people drive 14 hours a day without a break. Ever wondered why .... ever thought of understanding a problem, before raising hue and cry. You are educated right .... suggest a solution ... think logically and you will realise the reality.

If you wanna be a white, I am the king of the world attitude, go su*ck coz the way some of the westerners behave in UAE is no better than workers in labour camps.

We just have forgotten to respect life and find solutions.

what are you ranting about indian? i said the INDIAN FINGER? YOU KNOW? where they twist the fingers in a retarded fashion. i know not only indians do this but pakistani's, etc... i just like to call it the indian finger just like the indian head bobbing... understand? and im not white.

about them driving 14 hours a day, thats not my problem. they can resign whenever they want. i do my job without complaints and i do not bring people to my anger. ive even rode with drivers that likes to princess non-stop about the traffic or the destination youre going to and i tell them to shut up and do their job. hell i even rode one taxi where my wife was halfway through the door and he accelerated, i got so angry i kicked his bumper pretty hard and i thought he will fight bu he just acted like a good doggy afterwards. if they want to bring me to their anger then they should be ready to fight and not twist those stupid fingers in the air like a fa_gg0t and not cry in the police station afterwards.

most of the taxi drivers are cid operatives so i would be careful what i would do in a taxi .

p.s just get a bottle and go home and get drunk. why do it in public and then make a fool of yourself on a beach

WG: Taxi drivers don't own the 14 hour day. My husband never works less that 12 hours a day and for the most part works 16 hours a day - and he's not a taxi driver!

Do you get paid a salary or is your work volunteer? How do you pay your bills or do you live off charity? Are you a bachelor living with 12 other men in a one bedroom flat?

rudeboy wrote:most of the taxi drivers are cid operatives so i would be careful what i would do in a taxi .

Do you think that pashto drivers are also involved. It looks like they have more self-respect although sometimes look a little bit dangerous at first...

It's hilarious that all those taxis wait near York and another nasty places a half an hour or even more at night although It's not easy to take the taxi anywhere else...

Red Chief wrote:

rudeboy wrote:most of the taxi drivers are cid operatives so i would be careful what i would do in a taxi .

Do you think that pashto drivers are also involved. It looks like they have more self-respect although sometimes look a little bit dangerous at first...

It's hilarious that all those taxis wait near York and another nasty places a half an hour or even more at night although It's not easy to take the taxi anywhere else...

Yeah, waiting at the York to spend the shakedown money!!!

Red Chief wrote:

rudeboy wrote:most of the taxi drivers are cid operatives so i would be careful what i would do in a taxi .

Do you think that pashto drivers are also involved. It looks like they have more self-respect although sometimes look a little bit dangerous at first...

It's hilarious that all those taxis wait near York and another nasty places a half an hour or even more at night although It's not easy to take the taxi anywhere else...

well they are all in it and they will come across as a nice chap off the old block. but looks can be decieving. and i have noticed once you get into a taxi they always start about the govt. its usually a trap which many ppl fall into.

plus they get some cash for giving out all this informaiton to the cid. information can be anything from where the prostitutes are to drunk couples. end of the day if its a successful operation they get a bonus too.

Bora Bora wrote:OK, here's a new one. Since the government has put life back into the drinking law it seems that taxi drivers and hotel limo drivers are shaking down passengers.

Here's what I read on another forum:

Married couple go to dinner and have a couple of drinks. Rather than drive themselves home they went to look for a taxi. A hotel limo pulls up and offers to give them a lift. Since they were not having any luck with a taxi they figured they would take the limo even if it was going to cost extra.

Get to their destination and the taxi driver wants 100 Dhs. because they had been drinking. The refused. Driver threatens to call the police and report them for being drunk in public. The wife takes out her mobile to call police to report the shakedown, the driver slaps it out of her hand, it breaks and the taxi driver called the police and reported the couple.

Husband taken to the police station and given a breath test, which indicates he consumed alcohol. He now has to appear in court. The taxi driver - nothing!!!! Apparently if you drink outside your home you need a liquor license as well. Tourists are not bothered because they are on a tourist visa, but if you have a resident visa, the law applies to you.

Read another story where a taxi driver demanded 400 Dhs. when shaking down a passenger. This shakedown business is catching on real quick.

The law regarding liquor license is clear, you need one to consume Alcohol, even if you are a visitor a temporary permit is required. However this law is seldom enacted, basically it is only a problem when their is a problem.

worldguy wrote:

kanelli wrote:

desertdudeshj wrote:Its not a shakedown, just a "good samaritan" doing his duty. It is illegal to be drunk in public here and you should respect that, even being aware of the law and still breaking it, then getting caught and screaming foul is no justification.

You are seriously lacking in brain cells on this one desertdudeshj.

FACT: Alcohol is allowed to be sold in hotels and in alcohol shops and people are issued licenses for purchasing and consuming alcohol. FACT: It is responsible for people to take taxis to get home after drinking so that they don't drive their own cars. FACT: Drinking in a restaurant or at a friend's house and then taking a taxi to your door means you are not drunk "in public" causing problems for people. FACT: Dubai is not populated by only pious religious folk who don't consume alcohol and these people need to be accommodated as well. FACT: It is absolutely immoral for a taxi driver to accept those people as passengers only for him to exploit them. If he doesn't want to drive drunk people he shouldn't have accepted them as passengers.

The driver was not a good samaritan, he was being exploitive.

Fact - The law says do not drink without a license. Fact - The driver was wrong in asking them for extra money. Fact: He was not wrong in reporting them to police as thats against law and that is why they got stuck. Fact: he was exploitive and a good smaritan. Fact: He is a reflection of our society. Fact: We exploit and then cry when we get exploited. Its never fun to be on the other side of the fence. Fact: Truth is bitter.

But he wasn't going to report them if they gave him money, so how was he a good samaritan?

The driver is what he makes himself. If he doesn't like to be exploited, then why does he choose to exploit others? If he doesn't like his salary then he should change jobs, not blackmail passengers and cause a couple to be arrested and face court proceedings etc. I certainly hope his conscience is nagging him right now. It isn't that couple who exploits him - couples like that help pay his monthly salary and tips.