kanelli wrote:worldguy, you REALLY want to sympathize with the taxi driver. Poor guy, has no choice but to drive a hotel limo (in a seat in AC as compared to the construction workers who work 12hr shifts and work and live in non-AC environments, for example) and no choice but to hustle passengers for more money. He has no choice but to take an innocent couple who was out for the evening and taking a taxi home so no driving under the influence of any alcohol, following Dubai's rule about no driving under the influence of alcohol, and turning it into a night from hell for them. Wow, I'm feeling really sorry for him right now...
I did charity work as well and care about human rights, but it has nothing to do with this guy blackmailing his passengers.
If this becomes a common taxi racket, then people will just use designated drivers or will drive drunk. It won't stop people from drinking alcohol in restaurants etc. Having a license is just way for the govt to make money. The entire time we lived in Dubai we never bothered to get a license. We bought our alcohol from airport tax free and from hotel restaurants. No need to buy from the liquor stores because we weren't heavy drinkers. Having a license is only about money for the govt, not about responsible drinking, which is what the govt should be more worried about since they allow drinking in the first place.
I know why Dubai doesn't ban alcohol... money is more important.
I guess I am not doing a great job at putting it clearly. I will restate it much clearly now: -
1) if the taxi driver tried to charge extra money, then he was wrong. He was trying to exploit a law.
2) The Dubai govt wants to make money as its a hidden tax.
3) People should accept the laws of the country they are in. If they do not like them, they can very well leave. In Australia, Indians were attacked, but the police came with the following - A) Non english speakers should not speak in their language in public places; B) if they do, then they should talk softly, c) they should not carry expensive items in the night like - laptop and Ipods. Is that right .... hell no, but its the law of that country and I know a lot of people like me do not consider Australia safe anymore to travel.
4) My point is, what is the couple travelling in the cab misbehaved, puked, etc. We do not know anything, yet we blaming the taxi driver. I agree that taxi drivers need to be controlled, but lets not judge them because somebody posted somebody on the net.
5) I am also not saying that they are better than labourers. Labourers are like that because of most of the people in UAE squeezing them and not feeling a thing for them. I see people feeling sorry for cats and dogs, but will run these guys down, if they dared cross the road.
6) If the couple had the license, would they have been exploited. No. Its the rule of the land. I can give you 100's of examples of weird laws from all the countries.
7) I can also post pics from lot of my western mates, who are drunk pi**ed on thursday night and have to be literally taken home, vommitting away to glory ... having to me the cab guy to clean the car. The only time my friends faced an issue was when they made a mess in the cab. Thus, I am saying again ... maybe there is more to the story than that meets the eye.
Do I defend cab guys ... no, they suck, but if somebody works week after week without a break, they will behave differently. This issue has been raised in factories of major retail brands, but always slips the radar.
You say you work for charity, yet you cannot see the disparity in incomes based on race and nationality. You can not see the exploitation of fellow humans. Every meal you have has been made after exploiting them on the expense of having them stay away from their families and work in this un bearable heat. Ever though how companies have money to pay to expats in this country. Do a sanity check for yourself and you will realise that millions suffer to give a few privilaged ones a better life here. You are one of them.