More Problems Ahead

Last Wednesday afternoon, the very first passenger whom I picked up at Whampoa Food Centre was the start of my taxi meter giving me weird problems. This passenger wanted to go to Toa Payoh Lorong 5 and when I drove to his destination, my taxi meter showed $15.00 which was incredible for such a short distance. I knew straightaway that the meter is going 'Bonkers'. The actual fare should have been around $9.00 and that's what I asked for and collected from my surprised passenger. I could not get to repair the meter till the next day because it was already too late and so, I decided to take a break and went on to deliver 'Kangen' water to friends for the rest of the day.

New hi-tech gadgets sometimes give unexpected headaches to many senior taxi drivers especially those who are less educated in operating computer-like stuffs, having to press all sorts of buttons here and there causing them great distress. The Chinese educated taxi uncles are most affected by these changes. Attending classes conducted in English and learning to operate new gadgets makes it worst, takes a long time and also causes loss of income to many. Also nowadays, we need to go to our office at least once a month for them to check up and record on how many kilometres we travelled per day during peak hours, whats next and so on and so forth. Mind you, these appointments to attend are all on compulsory fixed times and dates. New rulings and regulations have made taxi driving more and more difficult, stressful and strenuous.

Because of continuous complaints from the general public on difficulties in 'catching' a taxi, too many 'On Call' signs, disappearance of taxis when most needed and to ugly behaviours of drivers and etc, Authorities are coming up with more new Rules and Regulations for taxi operators in the near future. It is definitely going to be more difficult and harder to be a taxi driver.

Festivals and Celebrations

                     "SELAMAT HARI RAYA ADILFITRI" to all my Muslim friends!

                                     and "HAPPY BIRTHDAY SINGAPORE"

Its so unusual, so exciting, so wonderful to witness the sharing, co-existence of so many different races and religions celebrating their festivals at the same time and at the same place. This only happens in SINGAPORE. Yes, the Chinese festival of the 'Hungry Ghosts' month, the Malays celebration of the end of Muslims fasting month, Ramadan and the celebration of Singapore's 48th Birthday, all of these happenings during the same week. 

Our Malay taxi drivers will enjoy their Hari Raya by taking the long weekend break while the others will carry on with their usual driving routines with extra passengers and holiday revellers as well as some increase in fare earnings. 

Meanwhile, taxi drivers are facing more and more new rules and regulations being carried out and implemented, such as the compulsory 250 kilometres on the road per day, more emphasis on taxis to be on the road during peak hours of between 6am to 11am in the morning and between 5pm to 12 midnight daily. This is because of daily complaints of difficulties in getting a cab during these times made by the general public and taxi drivers will face more disciplinary actions such as getting demerit points for this and that, or being sacked. Already it is a hassle having to report to their respective companies for compulsory routine meter checks and mileage recordings at least once a month. I feel it is no longer true that we are self employed. There is going to be greater pressure and hardship falling upon drivers in this vocation with taxi rentals continuing to rise with replacements of newer taxi models from time to time. 

Banged from Behind.

Sometime last weekday around 7.30pm, I was ferrying a lady passenger along River Valley Road heading towards her residence, the first condominium on the right at River Valley Close and my vehicle was stationary waiting for opposite vehicles to pass before I made the turn into the condominium when suddenly there was this loud 'THUD' sound at the rear of my taxi. I turned my head to look behind and saw someone falling down. I quickly opened my door, came out from my taxi and saw this young lady, helmet still on her head, lying down on the road but she immediately got up and kept uttering loudly "Sorry Uncle, sorry, very sorry, my fault". I asked just as quickly, "Are you hurt, are you hurt, are you alright?", and she answered "No, I'm okay, I'm alright, I'm not hurt, its okay, I'm so sorry". I said "Not to worry, are you sure you are okay, you are not hurt in any way?". She said "No, no, I'm not hurt at all, thank you". "Come, let me help you on your bike" I offered and then next minute she was back on her bike again and began to start the engine. I stood and watched. Her bike purred and we both thought all was well and I proceeded back into my taxi, made the turn into the condominium to let off my passenger who was just as concerned. I told her everything was all right and her bike could start, no damages at all. My passenger whom I sensed was just as worried felt relieved, paid the fare and quickly alighted to go home. 

I turned my vehicle around to exit and to my surprise, the young lady biker, helmet still on and in her blue jeans was still stationary atop her bike but rooted at the same spot. I immediately parked my taxi outside the condo, got out and went to see if she needed any help. She said, "My bike can start but would not move forward, I don't know why". I looked at the front tyre and found that the bike's front mudguard had caved onto the tyre not allowing it to move forward at all. She got down from her bike and just then, one of the condo's security guard came around and I asked him to assist and help me move the bike to the side near the condo's gate. Meanwhile, the lady biker was calling for a tow truck on her mobile. When she was done, I asked her "How come you did not see my stationary taxi right in front of you?", and she replied "I was looking at the map on my mobile and was caught off guard and did not watch where I was going". No wonder, "That's not a wise thing to do and very lucky you had a 'soft' fall from your bike otherwise....." I said. She again apologised and I said "Don't worry, important thing is that you are safe and not hurt at all". I was very relieved, all said and done, I went back into my taxi and continued to ply the roads without even thinking of checking if the rear of my taxi was damaged in any way until very much later. There was a slight scratch mark on the bumper and nothing to be alarmed about, anyway, I was already feeling lucky that she was not injured at all otherwise I would have to act as emergency nurse and also ambulance driver and it would have been a long, long and weary night for me.   

"What? Me? A Celebrity?"

I am but a humble taxi driver and to be interviewed and featured in a prestigious magazine such as Esquire Singapore, July 2013 issue, I am truly honoured. Appearing between photographs, articles and pages of Top Worldwide Celebrities, together with the likes of Brad Pitt, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sean Penn, Thom Yorke, Petra Nemcova and Top Local Celebrities such as Gurmit Singh, Ivan Heng, Constance Singam, Ang Peng Siong, makes me feel as if I am one of them, well, even for a short while, 'ahem' maybe just a 'mini' small time Taxi Blogger. But still, to be featured amongst them makes my head spin, swell and honestly, proud and still feeling dazed.

All's Well That Ends Well with Lost and Found.

Left the house at 5pm today to give 10 litres of Kangen water to a Ladies Hair Dressing Salon in Bukit Panjang, Gave a short presentation of Kangen Water to four women and also gave them some booklets, fliers and CD tapes for their perusals. After that, had to quickly rushed to May Tat Plastic Company off Macpherson Road, reaching there at 6.40pm to purchase three dozens of plastic containers and spray pumps. From there, proceeded to Peninsula Plaza to purchase a Anespa unit (Mineral Ion Water Activator) on behalf of my Prospect and it was near 8.15pm. By the time my business partner and I arrived at my Prospect's home, which is opposite Whampoa Food Centre to deliver and also to install the apparatus, it was past 9pm. The installation of the unit in his bathroom took about an hour and after some operating  instructions, chit chat and settlement of purchase with my Prospect who is also now my down line, I decided to go with my business partner to have a well deserved late dinner at Short Street to eat chicken rice at the coffee shop and thereafter enjoyed the hot bean curd from its next door neighbour.

Before sending my friend home at Bedok Reservoir Road, we decided to discuss and share some more information about the business and so both of us ended up having coffee and spending some more time at the coffee shop on Jalan Ternaga till nearly 1.00am when I finally sent my friend home.

It was not the end of the day for me yet because another down line of mine wanted to meet up with me to seek for some general business advice. He is also a taxi driver and so, we met at Fong Seng (famous for Nasi Lemak) coffee shop at end of Clementi Road and it was 3.15am when we departed.

On my way home, I stopped at the Esso Petrol station just after Bukit Timah Shopping Centre to top up the tank when I discovered to my horror that my wallet was missing. I quickly drove back to Fong Seng coffee shop and they were about to close. I anxiously searched, looked here, there and everywhere, asked some staff and the cleaner if anyone had seen my wallet. Unfortunately, it was nowhere to be found. Sitting in my cab, blaming myself for being so careless and feeling miserable, I kept thinking if I might have or maybe lost it elsewhere, I decided to return to the previous coffee shop at Jalan Tenaga. Whilst on my way, I kept hoping and praying for my wallet to be found there, although deep inside me, I knew chances were highly not in my favour. It was then nearly 5am when I reached the coffee shop. I quickly enquired at the drinks counter and was extremely excited and thoroughly relieved that the cleaner auntie had found my wallet sitting alone by itself on the chair where I had sat earlier, this was about 4 hours ago, and she kept it for me and waited for my return. I was very grateful and thanked her with a small cash token as a reward for relieving me from further anxiety and the terrible, tiresome task of having to make reports to the police, banks and the different Authorities to reinstate the loss of documents and cards. It was truly a happy ending for me after such a long and exciting day's adventure.  

Sharing My Passions.

Wow, it has been a hectic past two weeks for me, as a taxi driver plying the streets and at the same time closing sales of seven Kangen water machines, and getting promoted to be ranked a 4A Distributor in Enagic Company. It was an enjoyable, most rewarding and exciting past couple of weeks, making new friends here and there, sharing wonderful experiences, hearing so many good testimonials from friends about their healthy changes and recovery from different types of medical issues after consuming Kangen water regularly. I have been happily giving away litres of Kangen water 'free' almost daily as well as presenting 'one on one' water demonstrations to my potential 'prospects' who are now proud owners of this 'Miraculous Medical Device' which produces Kangen water. Indeed very tiring going with the fast pace and finding lesser time to put up new posts lately, but rest assured, I will continue to blog.

For more than a year now, I am also a monthly columnist, writing and contributing articles in Time Out Singapore, an award winning International Consumer Magazine as well as contributing articles in Agelessonline, inSing, Esquire Magazine and giving numerous interviews to many others, from Educational institutions to Associations including Local and Foreign Individuals too. Once I even gave two Australian ladies an hour long interview for their Australia Project in my taxi whilst driving them around town, and they were very appreciative and insisted on giving me $50 which I refused but in the end, reluctantly accepted $25 through much persuasion. This trip started from Ardmore Park and finally ended at Junction 8 in Bishan.

Last month I celebrated my sixty ninth birthday which was on Vesak Day and I truly feel Blessed to be able to continue to share, contribute and inspire people in my generation and age groups living in this competitive and vibrant society. Personally, I must add I have found loads and loads of energy from consuming at least three litres of Kangen water everyday and to date, since August last year, I am totally free from minor colds, coughs or bodily aches and pains. I am thankful to be able to share with you my testimony.

Lovely Passengers.

It started last Tuesday evening around 5.30pm when I picked up my first three passengers at United Square taxi stand. A cute Primary one school girl with her Primary three elder brother and their maid. As soon as they boarded my cab, the little girl immediately said, "Uncle, please bring us to Serangoon Garden Estate but could you stop along Serangoon Avenue 3 first for a short while, just opposite a Secondary School because my brother wants to buy something at a sundry shop and then after that proceed to Serangoon Garden Estate by Jalan Nira thank you". "Okay girl, I will" I replied smiling and thought that was very good spoken English, such clear instructions, polite and well mannered from one so young.
After fetching them to their destination, I drove to Nex Mall taxi stand where I picked up my second passenger, a pretty first year Psychology student from a local University who said,  "Uncle please bring me to Jalan Riang, I think it's quite nearby, as quick as possible because I am late for a job interview thank you". "What time is your interview?" I asked, and she said "6pm". "But its now exactly 6pm already" as I looked at my watch. "I know, I'm so sorry, but can you please help me?" she pleaded. "Okay, I'll try my best" I replied. She told me along the way that she wanted to work during the coming Uni holidays to get some working experience and also earn some pocket money. She was quite cool and very pleasant during our conversation and I did manage to get her there in exactly 6 minutes. I could tell she was very relieved as she paid her fare and thanked me for my effort. I wished her success in her job interview as I drove off.
Finally, my third passenger whom I picked up when I returned to Nex Mall taxi stand, a young and very pleasant female office executive who wanted to go home to Yishun Avenue 6 and requested me to travel by Jalan Kayu and straight into former Seletar British Airbase entrance which was quite an unfamiliar new route for me. "Can we go through by this way?, I have never gone by this way before and not aware at all that this way can lead us to Yishun Avenue 1" I asked and she said "Uncle, not many people know how to get to Yishun Ave 1 by this route, but I have travelled a few times this way and I will direct you, its not congested with traffic and its fairly smooth so don't worry". "Okay, thank you, that's good" I replied and so she began to guide me through and not only that, she was also kind enough to tell me about buildings along the way and new ones to be constructed soon. She was like a "Tourist Guide" to me, a taxi driver. We had an interesting and wonderful chit chat till we reached her home. I thanked her for guiding me through this new route and educating me about the nearby surroundings.
These first three trips were the start of many more pleasant ones for me for the rest of my working shift and I enjoyed them all, yes, it was a good day.

 

Ferrying Top Celebrities.

Last night at around 8.00pm, I picked up a Caucasian man at Orchard Tower taxi stand. "Hello, I would like to go to Fort Road please" he said. "Hi, sure, ok" I answered. "Please go straight along Orchard Road and then take the ECP and also, I am a bit tired, I need to rest. Please wake me up when we are there thanks" he requested. "Okay, sure, will do" I replied. As soon as I turned into Fort Road from the ECP, I said, "Hello, we are along Fort Road now", and he sat up and asked "Could you go to Meyer Road and then Arthur Road from here?". I answered "Yes of course" and continued driving towards his destination. I stopped my cab at the Condo's lobby, the fare meter showed $10.60, as I switched on the ceiling light, turned around and told him the fare amount and suddenly he looked very familiar. I asked "Hello, you must be the popular Andrew Frost, the horse racing presenter at Kranji Turf Club!" he said "Yes" and smiled as he paid me the fare. "What was your Cup tip of the day?" I asked and he quickly replied Hong Kong's "Military Attack". Wow, the New Paper's Top Tipster has got it right again. Yes, he is Kranji Turf Club's Racing Celebrity, also a very popular Television racing presenter as well and overall Top Race Tipster for the past few years. He has recently resigned from his post to join the highly successful weekly race magazine "Racing Guide" organization. I wished him Good Luck in his new assignment as we bade farewell.

Not very often do I get Celebrity passengers, but two months ago I was again lucky to have ferried another Top Celebrity in the form of well-known Neil Humphreys, columnist and writer, Author of seven books of which, Best-Seller "Return to a Sexy Island", a copy of his book was given to me 'free' with his best compliments whilst he was on board my taxi. Neil and I had a memorable time chatting with one another, sharing lots of stories, jokes and laughter. I was lucky to have met him and truly enjoyed his company.

Passenger Extraordinaire.

Ferrying my passengers recently was quite dull and boring as most of my passengers were always very quiet, kept to themselves throughout the trips, returned short mono syllable answers to my curious questions, no chit-chats, too engrossed in their handsets, usually playing games or into their ipads and therefore nothing exciting or interesting happens during these journeys which has kept me slow in posting interesting or informative blogs lately.

This evening, around 10.30pm, I picked up a passenger at Clarke Quay taxi stand. He comes from England, a fifty-ish English guy who wanted to go to Orchard Towers. I wished him and commented "A bit quiet tonight in Clarke Quay isn't it, but it would be lively with women activities over at OT". He replied "Yeah, I'm going there and maybe can meet up with my ex". "Woh, that'll be nice!" I said, adding "What's her Nationality by the way?". He answered quickly, "A bitch". And then it all started as we headed towards OT with him asking me if I knew what a deer was and I said "Yes, its an animal". "Right" he said, "but this deer has got no eye" and I asked him "How come and why?" he replied "No eye-deer" (No idea) I laughed aloud and he continued, "The deer remained very still, you know why?" I said "No, I don't" and he said "Still No eye deer" after which he immediately started telling me fantastic jokes one after another, mostly vulgar and obscene ones which got me laughing hysterically non stop all the way to OT. Mind you, his repertoire of kinky, obscene and very vulgar jokes were fast, continuous, seemed endless and I just could not help being tickled so badly as he kept spewing out all the jokes that kept me laughing with him loudly all the way to the taxi stand at Orchard Towers.

He paid his fare and gave me an extra $3.00 tip together with a last obscene joke as he alighted. Wow, I was all shooked up, wide awake and tried hard to remember his jokes as I drove off. Suddenly my taxi work became so full of life, exciting as I continued laughing quietly till I finished my shift. I wish I could duplicate and pen his vulgar jokes and short quips to share with you guys too, but no, I cannot do it, its too shamelessly obscene. He was indeed a fantastic stand up comedian whom I'll miss as he will be flying home tomorrow night. My only regret is, I forgot to ask him for his name and contact.    

Unbelievable but True.

We had a great get together Saturday night when me and my regular taxi buddies started telling and exchanging tales of our funniest and weirdest encounters with our passengers past and present. The most hilarious was this incident told by my friend Thomas, a veteran cabby of more than 25 years, about this young and pretty, but truly drunk lady that he picked up around 2.00am near Orchard Plaza quite some time ago. This drunk lady's friend hailed his cab, and asked Thomas to send her drunk friend safely home which is somewhere in Hougang estate. She handed $50.00 together with a slip of paper indicating the exact address where her friend lived and thanked him in advance for his kind services. As soon as he started driving on his way, this drunk lady began to climb from the back seat to the front passenger seat in such an awkward manner that she fell head on, landed on the floor mat in front of the passenger seat and with her tank top blouse pulled up to her waist exposing her naked breasts as she wore no bra at all. The rest of us suddenly burst into loud and wild laughter as he continued his story. He said he quickly stopped his taxi by the side of the road and helped her get seated and pulled her tank top back in place for her, making us exclaim with 'woos and ahhs' before he proceeded on his way. This drunk lady was truly unaware of her condition but did not cause anymore problems for Thomas in her half awake dishevelled disposition the rest of the journey. Upon arrival near the foot of her apartment, he told her that the metered fare was more than $20,00 dollars, and she was able to tell him to keep the change. He alighted, went to assist her out of his taxi and also helped walk her to the apartment's lift and had to accompany her to her door knowing that she will not be able to walk without any assistance. Now, this is where the most unlikely and unbelievable thing which really happened which got all of us in stitches, wide eyed and astounded. This pretty young lady did the most unthinkable as she pulled down her panties, squatted and started to pee in front of him which truly shocked and stunned him. The lift reached her floor and he shakily helped her to her apartment, took her door keys, opened the door for her and once she was inside with her door closed, he quickly made his way back to his taxi, still in shock, half amused and a bit messed up himself but otherwise happy with extra earnings he made for his unlikely efforts.

We all shared in our discussions after listening to this incident and wholeheartedly agreed that when women drink until they are 'dead' drunk, their dignity will be totally lost, especially so when in their drunken state they will unknowingly do the most unladylike, shameful and disgusting acts sometimes but mostly in front of friends and strangers alike, making them an unforgettable shameless 'spectacle' forever.