The taxi service in KL has improved a lot over the years. 20 years ago, taxi cab drivers in this city were so notoriously dishonest you were almost guaranteed to be overcharged, insulted, dropped off at the wrong destination or just outright ripped off.
Today things have improved, though KL taxis still leave much to be desired. Even today it is a battle to get a meter switched on, even though most taxis have one. Only once in several dozen cab rides did I succeed in having the meter switched on. Mostly we were forced to use coupons.
Coupons are Malaysia's answer to taming the cab drivers. The airports, big hotels, tourist attractions and tranportation points all now offer taxi coupon booths where you state your destination, pay a fixed price, then hand the coupon to any cab driver who will happily take you directly to your destination.
Yes, the system cuts out most of the larceny of the days of old, but it also fixes cab fares at way above what it would actually cost you if the cab driver just turned on his meter. That trip that costs you RM8 by coupon is actually only RM3-4 using the meter.
Why the government is unable to direct cabbies to use thier meters in this day and age is a mystery. Cab drivers in Singapore, Bangkok and Hong Kong have all been tamed......why not KL?
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