Ways You Can Avoid A Grumpy Cab Driver

Cab drivers have a reputation of being surly or grumpy with many customers, but not with others. Why is that? Mostly because their riders do a variety of things that annoy them and make them feel under-appreciated. Here are three things that cab drivers hate that are easy enough for you to avoid.

Not Giving A Good Enough Tip

Cab drivers go through a lot to get their riders to their destination and (rightfully) expect a tip at the end of the ride. A good tip should be about 20-25 percent of the total fare. Tips are designed to help cover the cost of gas and other investments, and are a great way of showing a cab driver that you appreciate their hard work. Unfortunately, many people give drivers a zero percent tip, which is just cruel.

While you might not face the wrath of the driver for your bad tip, you are giving him a bad mood which might carry over to the next rider. Good tips essentially pay it forward to keep your driver in a good mood for the next person he picks up.

Getting A Ride For A Walking-Distance Destination

In a big city, taxi drivers are competing with each other to get the most rides, while balancing out a good balance between distance. Drivers get paid more when you drive a further distance, so they get incredibly annoyed when they are hailed and have to drive only a handful of blocks with a passenger. Of course, if somebody has a hard time walking or is elderly, they may not be so annoyed, but in other situations, they may react angrily.

The solution? Just walk the couple of blocks you need. Chances are, you might not be walking enough anyway, as most people take far less than the 10,000 steps that are deemed healthy for people to take in a day. You'll save yourself money and avoid the anger of a busy cab driver.

Being Rushed Or Asked To Break the Law

People often expect taxi drivers to be miracle workers, asking them to get someplace faster than is possible. This is especially true if that person is rushed. In this situation, you may be compelled to ask the cab driver to go faster or even encourage them to break the law (run through red lights, drive too fast, or even drive on curbs). Naturally, cab drivers hate this, as they're the one who will get the ticket.

The solution? Give yourself more time to get somewhere than you'd normally anticipate, especially when in a big city. Try to leave at least 15-20 minutes earlier than you would usually. However, if you're already late, simply calm down and let the driver do their job. They'll try to get you there as quickly as they can, while staying within the boundaries of the law.

As you can see, it's fairly easy to keep your cab driver happy. All you have to do is treat them like a professional and let them do their job without interfering. You'll find yourself running into far fewer grumpy cab drivers as a result. Contact a business, such as Cabs by Richmond Cabs Ltd, for more information.