From reader Riduan Bin Rahmat

ERRANT TAXI DRIVERS

I DO not like to complain but a recent experience with four taxi drivers from four companies made me so angry that I have to.

It happened at the Woodlands Checkpoint taxi stand. I wanted to get home quickly and thought of taking a taxi.

I approached the first taxi, from Trans-Cab, and asked the driver to take me to Woodlands Street 81.

The driver told me to take the next taxi.

So I approached the next one, a Yellow Top taxi, and gave the same destination.

The driver told me: "He (the driver in front) doesn't want to take you, then I also don't want to take you."

I was a little upset, but went to the next taxi, which was from SMRT Taxis.

As soon as the driver heard my destination, he said rudely, without looking at me: "Go take a taxi outside" meaning, I presume, the main road.

I decided to try once more and went to the next taxi, which was from CityCab. And all I got from the driver was a hand signal indicating that he, too, would not take me.

I was so angry by this time that I forgot to take a picture or take down the taxi plate numbers.

I admit that the fare to my place will be only around $4.

But what is the taxi stand there for if I can't take a taxi to where I live?

This article was first published in The New Paper.