I've taken hundreds of taxis over the years and have always been delivered to my destination in a timely manner by polite drivers. I don't think I've ever been taken the "long way around". Even so, I have identified six quirks of the taxi industry that may be worth pondering.
1. Over-qualified drivers
Legend has it your taxi driver just might be a doctor or a rocket scientist in their country of origin. Because their qualification is not recognised in New Zealand they can't work in their chosen vocation and therefore must ferry passengers around in order to earn a crust. I don't know the actual number of immigrants who are in this situation but I do know that I automatically assume that any taxi driver who does not appear to be a local is an underemployed genius.
2. The opinions
The cliché of taxi drivers is that they are chatty, opinionated types capable of solving all the world's problems. I must admit I quite like a talk-free taxi journey. A couple of pleasantries about the weather and maybe about the jolly flag is usually all the chitchat I am up for. The other week I had a seriously talkative driver on the way home from Federal Street. He offered views about a particular immigrant group and dissected they way they operate. The fact he'd migrated from a country sharing a border with the one he was discussing reminded me of the rivalry between New Zealanders and Australians. Critiquing your neighbours must be a global phenomenon.
3. Information gathering
A few years ago I innocently called a taxi from my cellphone and before I could even say where I wanted to be picked up from, the person had suggested some addresses that might be suitable. This taxi company had compiled a list of all the places I'd been picked up from over recent months. It felt like a violation of privacy. Had I given permission for this data to be gathered? Was the company within its rights to collect it, store it and regurgitate it?
In an attempt to foil the system, I vowed to never be collected from the same place twice by the same taxi company. This plan backfired when I called a taxi to go to the airport, and the address I wanted to be picked up from was on the list recited to me. Bother! I needed to think fast so I gave the address of a café around the corner and tottered to it in my high heels while carrying my cabin bag. Ha! That'll teach them. I really hoped this address-storing feature wasn't supposed to enhance convenience for customers because it was proving a bit of a hassle for me.