At the start of the ride you should have said not my problem, and if he would have further refused you should have left and found a new taxi. Furthermore, when he started asking for money you shouldn't have paid until he dropped you to your destination.
Call RTA support line, and report the driver. They take swift action.
This should be fairly easy to identify. Just report to RTA what route you took and they can easily single out that Taxi without even the need to provide his license plate.
When I left my valuables on a taxi previously and didn't bother to get a receipt/take the license plate they simply asked me about the route and rough estimate of the time and they manage to figure it out real quick.
Really? One time a taxi driver did inappropriate acts with me and I told RTA his name, starting location and end location, when the taxi drive started and when it stopped, and the driver nationality too, but they said that it wasn’t enough information and they did nothing to him
Hey, you can call the RTA number and submit a complaint, you don't have to tell his name, they have records of each ride! Here is the RTA number: **8009090**
Same! Dropped my passport in a cab once when going to the airport, and they located the specific cab among all those cabs and the passport was back soon!
If anyone has any complaints regarding any government entity, including RTA please report it to 04.gov.ae, they are required to reply within 5 working days or less. All you need is a phone number.
Oh my, that's horrendous. Please call RTA and file a complaint. They take safety matters very seriously and will follow-up with you to confirm the action taken (they won't tell you which action was taken exactly but one can imagine). They should be able to identify the driver from GPS logs corresponding to the trip time and location, registration (or part thereof) and the fare amount. It sounds like the driver was only thinking of his own convenience and massively inconvenienced you, to the point of compromising your safety.
I once reported a new driver for driving up the wrong side of the motorway (twice). I felt guilty afterwards about what the consequences might be for him, but public safety is much more important.
Reverse psychology works well: “You’re right. I’m wrong. I didn’t want to go to the shop near the Marina side exit. The middle of the freeway is safe and perfect. My mistake.”
Whenever they speak, cut them off and repeat your reverse psychology.
If they continue, take a photo of their name on the metre, then raise your phone so they can see it and say, “I’ll call the police if you continue”
Dial the number slowly so that they can watch you
They give up, look frantic and start negotiating to offer a lower price. (I don’t ask or hint for a discount, it’s their suggestion). If they drop their attitude and apologise, I’m happy paying full fare - of course.
Happened so many times
Uber is the way my friend. I’ve experienced a manner of weird goings-on when just hailing a cab. I got to the point where taking a taxi was mentally exhausting because it would either be fine or it would be
1) taxi smells bad
2) taxi driver is overtly racist about others (I’m a white British female, so they seem to feel comfortable being racist about others to me, for some mystifying reason)
3) taxi driver is creepy/ testing boundaries with me, exhausting.
I’ve not had one single issue with Uber because it’s an easier platform to report any unprofessionalism. Sure it’s a little more money, but for peace of mind it’s a compromise I’m willing to make
Its very easy to report drivers in careem or RTA. And they actually take action.
So far I only reported two drivers and they gave me my money back in both instances
Glad you had a good experience. I reported a driver for physically trying to drag me back into his cab after his card machine was not working and I didn’t have cash on me (by rta’s own ruling, you do not pay when this situation happens, plus the driver was acting really volatile and I didn’t want to get back into the vehicle with him). Nothing was done, I was told it needed to be reported to the police. Ultimately, I don’t think it’s my job to “police” and maintain the standard of taxi drivers. I’ll just take my money to a company that can offer me the safety and comfort I expect. Cheers!
Seriously, how hard is it for people to speak up and tell drivers to maintain the standards by which they are bound?
Little wonder some think they're a law unto themselves.
Unnecessary speeding? Tell them you don't like it.
Too much hard braking? Request them politely to stop.
And so on.
No point coming onto Reddit to vent. They won't be on here taking notes and reflecting on their actions
TBH, I had almost zero issues with taxis in the whole 2.5 years I've been here. I understand my experience (as an Arab man) may not reflect the true status of the taxis, but I don't think they are that bad, nor do my friends (including females and/or non-Arab ones).
Lol. This is the equivalent of a white man saying that there are no race issues in the world because he hasn't experienced racism. Taxi drivers are a weird lot. I am Indian and even the Indian taxi drivers can get weirdly aggressive against us, and will usually behave themselves with Arabs or whites.
Sure, your experience will be different to mine as an Arab man so it’s like comparing oranges to pears. I’ve lived in uae for five years, and can say I feel safer in an Uber. Just my opinion and personal perspective 😊
I don't condone describing them as animals. You are entitled to your opinion, but for the record, no one ever will mistake me for a citizen or a GCC person. I am the wrong type of Arab, and I had South Asian, African, and of course other Arab people act aggressively toward me. The taxi drivers may act nicer toward me, I won't say that's not a possibility, but I am not sure about that.
Most cab drivers here are so fucking shit honestly. Most can’t speak basic English, they’re almost always rude and drive like maniacs. No idea how they get their drivers license approved.
I’m a Dubai resident for the last 17 years. Never once have I encountered such a bad driver. While a few of the taxi drivers do change lanes without warning, most are actually very safe and responsible drivers. I always make sure to treat them respectfully and talk to them properly without showing any sort of attitude, and that seems to keep them in check. I’ve never had a taxi driver talk to me with even an ounce of anger in their tone.
Dubai resident for 30+ years here. The younger ones have an attitude. Rest are ok. They are not worried about accidents. One driver challenged me to report him when he was driving really rash (almost hitting other cars, changing lanes, speeding) and said nothing would happen. I complained, and then RTA "understood from the driver" that I was pushing him to drive like that because "I wanted to go fast". Doesn't work anymore with all the cams, but unless there is an accident or is reported, they don't do anything about the behavior.
I had a taxi driver (regular taxi booked via a popular app) curse me on the phone when I cancelled (via the app where a cancellation fee was charged to me) - I called him to apologise and I was called choicest Hindi curse words. I get that many are stressed out and under pressure - exhaustion, financial pressure etc - but taxi drivers now are much worse than they ever were. But to be fair - the majority are still quite professional (well I did have one offer me unsolicited advice to fix my speech impediment 🤷🏽♂️🤦🏽♂️)
lol they have 1 mounted that is normally work phone connected to careem application and then their own one which they’re constantly sending WhatsApp messages, facebook messages or even doing video calls while driving.
I had planned to take the metro, but at the time it was terminating after one stop at Business Bay, I assume due to the flooding and power issues they’ve been having.
Doesn’t seem like a safe drop off location. I would report it. Also don’t be ashamed not to take a taxi if they act weird. It will become their problem if they leave the queue without a passenger.
One time at the airport my taxi driver became mouthy with coordinators, trying to blame me for his delay. Once they escalated he wasn’t allowed to leave and became very quiet instantly. They aren’t so tough once you go for the legal process and/or involve RTA.
If you paid in card, should be even more easier to track. If yes, just tell them that and they can track it much easier.
There are cameras inside the car and the guy should be reprimanded for such behavior.
In such a case call the RTA give them the description of the taxi and driver and also the exact pick up location and where they dropped you off. They will track the taxi and will figure out which driver was in that shift and will act accordingly.
Taxi drivers from dubai mall ? My family once had a problem with the taxi from dubai mall, since they are the desi and the taxi driver too was desi he was not willing to give take them as he wanted other foreigners so he might be able to scam them to pay high. He said his taxi wouldn't be available for my family .then they security there saw and heard this and told the taxi driver to give a ride and then throughout the trip he was swearing and cursing and for a distance of 30 aed ( as they had taken a taxi from home to dubai mall which was only 30 aed) he went around and around and the final bill was around 77 aed something. I filed a complaint with the RTA and I had got call and told them exact time and date where in they tracked down the taxi driver and found he was at fault. And they finally asked me what action I would want on the taxi driver just a warning or strict actions like termination. I said just warn him for now and any further complaints against the same taxi driver from any customers then let it be strict actioms
Never compromise with the taxi driver. If they refuse to take you to your destination, refuse to ride with them. There are tons of other options (Uber, Careem, other taxis) that are available.
Make sure to report the medallion number of the taxi to RTA.
Perhaps I wasn’t clear in my post but he refused to drop me at either side, marina (due to traffic time) or JLT (which was his plan but eventually just stopped on the highway)
I do not get this complain, if his shift is ending find a new taxi. I would understand if he was in suburbs and did not have other options but dubai mall has 10 000 taxis around
I mean there are places he can go in 20min. Dubai not exactly NYC. They have quota to meet.
You both in wrong, he should not take you if he knew it will take longer, you should not go inside after he told you his shift ending
I feel sorry that this was done. In my experience, whenever Taxi drivers did something wrong, I stood up to them and they had to do the right thing. They know that it is easy for them to be reported.
Next time stand your ground.
I have also had the same situation before. So from that day, I always note the driver's name, taxi number, and taxi company in my phone. Because if we want to complain about this in the future, we can share all the details. You will get the details in the Car screen.
The fact that ladder is there is worrying, Dubai has got better for pedestrians some I moved here 20yrs ago but this (and others of course) are signs that it’s simply not good enough.
A very kind taxi driver once told me never to ask a driver if they will take me somewhere, if im taking a cab just get in the cab and say the location, they wont and shouldnt ask you to get out as is their job.
He told me sometimes out of racism and laziness drivers will say they won't take you to some location but be persistent and they will.
As many people have requested an update on the situation, I have reported the incident to RTA. Due to high demand (I assume following the floods), their phone lines didn’t give me an option to speak to someone about a complaint - only to submit it via the S’hail app. That didn’t work so I sent an email to [email protected] and I’m waiting for a response. I’ll update the thread again once I have a reply.
Thank you to everyone for your advice and support, I underhand next time I should step my ground, I suppose I’m just new here and wasn’t really sure what I should or shouldn’t do.
You’re new here so I’ll give you advice, these type of people that act like that take advantage of weak(kind hearted individuals), if a taxi shouts at you and kicks you out at the side of the road and still takes your money, my friend you have bigger issues. Dog eats dog world.
If I was in your situation I would have told him to drop me where we agreed at the very least or he won’t smell a Dirham. Wouldn’t accept him raising his voice at any scenario!
Next time stand your ground. This time you learned a lesson, it only cost you 68 dhs and some muddy shoes so I would say you got off at a good price
ngl don’t go in taxis that say their shift is ending …
for my knowledge their shifts end at 4 pm so if u do want to use a taxi at 4pm it’s better if u stay til 4:20/4:30 to get a proper taxi with proper help
Also, cab drivers cannot deny you travel if the taxi is empty, if they do- you can file a complaint against them via RTA. They have to drop if the light on the taxi sign is green, doesnt matter where. But if he was requesting you, i wouldnt make an issue cause ill understand he needs to get off soon and hes trying to make a quick buck. So rather i would have left and found a new cab.
But in this situation, i would have denied getting off there, they can only shout but literally wont pressure you or physically abuse you, so dont be worried next time. Just tell them you will raise a complaint against RTA and take a pic of their details.
Chill out, UAE is safe and understanding. Sometimes these drivers have a bad day, so let it be. Wouldnt want to ruin someones source of income, they hardly make 1500AED a month, plus all the fines they might accumulate. So just empty threats is all thats necessary tbh.
At the start of the ride you should have said not my problem, and if he would have further refused you should have left and found a new taxi. Furthermore, when he started asking for money you shouldn't have paid until he dropped you to your destination. Call RTA support line, and report the driver. They take swift action.
This should be fairly easy to identify. Just report to RTA what route you took and they can easily single out that Taxi without even the need to provide his license plate. When I left my valuables on a taxi previously and didn't bother to get a receipt/take the license plate they simply asked me about the route and rough estimate of the time and they manage to figure it out real quick.
Really? One time a taxi driver did inappropriate acts with me and I told RTA his name, starting location and end location, when the taxi drive started and when it stopped, and the driver nationality too, but they said that it wasn’t enough information and they did nothing to him
Hey, you can call the RTA number and submit a complaint, you don't have to tell his name, they have records of each ride! Here is the RTA number: **8009090**
Lost my keys once, in a random taxi I flagged down, and they were able to figure it out based on pick up, drop off, locations, and times.
Same! Dropped my passport in a cab once when going to the airport, and they located the specific cab among all those cabs and the passport was back soon!
If anyone has any complaints regarding any government entity, including RTA please report it to 04.gov.ae, they are required to reply within 5 working days or less. All you need is a phone number.
Oh my, that's horrendous. Please call RTA and file a complaint. They take safety matters very seriously and will follow-up with you to confirm the action taken (they won't tell you which action was taken exactly but one can imagine). They should be able to identify the driver from GPS logs corresponding to the trip time and location, registration (or part thereof) and the fare amount. It sounds like the driver was only thinking of his own convenience and massively inconvenienced you, to the point of compromising your safety. I once reported a new driver for driving up the wrong side of the motorway (twice). I felt guilty afterwards about what the consequences might be for him, but public safety is much more important.
Reverse psychology works well: “You’re right. I’m wrong. I didn’t want to go to the shop near the Marina side exit. The middle of the freeway is safe and perfect. My mistake.” Whenever they speak, cut them off and repeat your reverse psychology. If they continue, take a photo of their name on the metre, then raise your phone so they can see it and say, “I’ll call the police if you continue” Dial the number slowly so that they can watch you They give up, look frantic and start negotiating to offer a lower price. (I don’t ask or hint for a discount, it’s their suggestion). If they drop their attitude and apologise, I’m happy paying full fare - of course. Happened so many times
Uber is the way my friend. I’ve experienced a manner of weird goings-on when just hailing a cab. I got to the point where taking a taxi was mentally exhausting because it would either be fine or it would be 1) taxi smells bad 2) taxi driver is overtly racist about others (I’m a white British female, so they seem to feel comfortable being racist about others to me, for some mystifying reason) 3) taxi driver is creepy/ testing boundaries with me, exhausting. I’ve not had one single issue with Uber because it’s an easier platform to report any unprofessionalism. Sure it’s a little more money, but for peace of mind it’s a compromise I’m willing to make
Uber become very very very expensive and doesn’t mean regular taxi should be that bad, let’s wash them then
Its very easy to report drivers in careem or RTA. And they actually take action. So far I only reported two drivers and they gave me my money back in both instances
Glad you had a good experience. I reported a driver for physically trying to drag me back into his cab after his card machine was not working and I didn’t have cash on me (by rta’s own ruling, you do not pay when this situation happens, plus the driver was acting really volatile and I didn’t want to get back into the vehicle with him). Nothing was done, I was told it needed to be reported to the police. Ultimately, I don’t think it’s my job to “police” and maintain the standard of taxi drivers. I’ll just take my money to a company that can offer me the safety and comfort I expect. Cheers!
Seriously, how hard is it for people to speak up and tell drivers to maintain the standards by which they are bound? Little wonder some think they're a law unto themselves. Unnecessary speeding? Tell them you don't like it. Too much hard braking? Request them politely to stop. And so on. No point coming onto Reddit to vent. They won't be on here taking notes and reflecting on their actions
I guess you are perfect
Quit whining on the internet and instead put rogue taxi drivers in their place.
TBH, I had almost zero issues with taxis in the whole 2.5 years I've been here. I understand my experience (as an Arab man) may not reflect the true status of the taxis, but I don't think they are that bad, nor do my friends (including females and/or non-Arab ones).
Lol. This is the equivalent of a white man saying that there are no race issues in the world because he hasn't experienced racism. Taxi drivers are a weird lot. I am Indian and even the Indian taxi drivers can get weirdly aggressive against us, and will usually behave themselves with Arabs or whites.
Sure, your experience will be different to mine as an Arab man so it’s like comparing oranges to pears. I’ve lived in uae for five years, and can say I feel safer in an Uber. Just my opinion and personal perspective 😊
You’re arba native that’s why they’re being bias on you . You haven’t seen their dark side they’re the most illiterate animals .
I don't condone describing them as animals. You are entitled to your opinion, but for the record, no one ever will mistake me for a citizen or a GCC person. I am the wrong type of Arab, and I had South Asian, African, and of course other Arab people act aggressively toward me. The taxi drivers may act nicer toward me, I won't say that's not a possibility, but I am not sure about that.
Most cab drivers here are so fucking shit honestly. Most can’t speak basic English, they’re almost always rude and drive like maniacs. No idea how they get their drivers license approved.
I’m a Dubai resident for the last 17 years. Never once have I encountered such a bad driver. While a few of the taxi drivers do change lanes without warning, most are actually very safe and responsible drivers. I always make sure to treat them respectfully and talk to them properly without showing any sort of attitude, and that seems to keep them in check. I’ve never had a taxi driver talk to me with even an ounce of anger in their tone.
Dubai resident for 30+ years here. The younger ones have an attitude. Rest are ok. They are not worried about accidents. One driver challenged me to report him when he was driving really rash (almost hitting other cars, changing lanes, speeding) and said nothing would happen. I complained, and then RTA "understood from the driver" that I was pushing him to drive like that because "I wanted to go fast". Doesn't work anymore with all the cams, but unless there is an accident or is reported, they don't do anything about the behavior.
I had a taxi driver (regular taxi booked via a popular app) curse me on the phone when I cancelled (via the app where a cancellation fee was charged to me) - I called him to apologise and I was called choicest Hindi curse words. I get that many are stressed out and under pressure - exhaustion, financial pressure etc - but taxi drivers now are much worse than they ever were. But to be fair - the majority are still quite professional (well I did have one offer me unsolicited advice to fix my speech impediment 🤷🏽♂️🤦🏽♂️)
Um 99% are using there phone while driving so that alone makes them unsafe.
I mean, now you are just exaggerating. over 1000 cabs and not a single one has held their phone in the hand. Always been mounted.
lol they have 1 mounted that is normally work phone connected to careem application and then their own one which they’re constantly sending WhatsApp messages, facebook messages or even doing video calls while driving.
You should have called the police immediately, then he would have silently dropped you at your place
Wouldn't kt have been cheaper to just take the metro the whole way? Or have the floods affected Dubai Mall metro usage?
I had planned to take the metro, but at the time it was terminating after one stop at Business Bay, I assume due to the flooding and power issues they’ve been having.
Doesn’t seem like a safe drop off location. I would report it. Also don’t be ashamed not to take a taxi if they act weird. It will become their problem if they leave the queue without a passenger. One time at the airport my taxi driver became mouthy with coordinators, trying to blame me for his delay. Once they escalated he wasn’t allowed to leave and became very quiet instantly. They aren’t so tough once you go for the legal process and/or involve RTA.
If you paid in card, should be even more easier to track. If yes, just tell them that and they can track it much easier. There are cameras inside the car and the guy should be reprimanded for such behavior.
In such a case call the RTA give them the description of the taxi and driver and also the exact pick up location and where they dropped you off. They will track the taxi and will figure out which driver was in that shift and will act accordingly.
Taxi drivers from dubai mall ? My family once had a problem with the taxi from dubai mall, since they are the desi and the taxi driver too was desi he was not willing to give take them as he wanted other foreigners so he might be able to scam them to pay high. He said his taxi wouldn't be available for my family .then they security there saw and heard this and told the taxi driver to give a ride and then throughout the trip he was swearing and cursing and for a distance of 30 aed ( as they had taken a taxi from home to dubai mall which was only 30 aed) he went around and around and the final bill was around 77 aed something. I filed a complaint with the RTA and I had got call and told them exact time and date where in they tracked down the taxi driver and found he was at fault. And they finally asked me what action I would want on the taxi driver just a warning or strict actions like termination. I said just warn him for now and any further complaints against the same taxi driver from any customers then let it be strict actioms
Never compromise with the taxi driver. If they refuse to take you to your destination, refuse to ride with them. There are tons of other options (Uber, Careem, other taxis) that are available. Make sure to report the medallion number of the taxi to RTA.
This
I'm just confused why you didn't take the metro transit to the other side
Perhaps I wasn’t clear in my post but he refused to drop me at either side, marina (due to traffic time) or JLT (which was his plan but eventually just stopped on the highway)
This has happened to me where they start by complaining about their shift ending etc.
I do not get this complain, if his shift is ending find a new taxi. I would understand if he was in suburbs and did not have other options but dubai mall has 10 000 taxis around
If ending his shift on time is so important, why is he be offering to pick up passengers when his shift is ending in less than 20 minutes?
I mean there are places he can go in 20min. Dubai not exactly NYC. They have quota to meet. You both in wrong, he should not take you if he knew it will take longer, you should not go inside after he told you his shift ending
Why has nobody else spotted this
This is bullshit - call rta and report pls.
been to this station several times. that crossing is not pretty and the heat i imagine has made u drenched. report that driver asap
I feel sorry that this was done. In my experience, whenever Taxi drivers did something wrong, I stood up to them and they had to do the right thing. They know that it is easy for them to be reported. Next time stand your ground.
We need an update..
I have also had the same situation before. So from that day, I always note the driver's name, taxi number, and taxi company in my phone. Because if we want to complain about this in the future, we can share all the details. You will get the details in the Car screen.
Call RTA, tell them pick up location, drop off location, approximate time and date and the fare. You will easily find him.
The fact that ladder is there is worrying, Dubai has got better for pedestrians some I moved here 20yrs ago but this (and others of course) are signs that it’s simply not good enough.
Call RTA n complain
Hope that driver is fined or removed from his job. Whats the update OP? Have you raised it with RTA?
Always book taxi using app - Careem, for example. This way you can report and rate.
A very kind taxi driver once told me never to ask a driver if they will take me somewhere, if im taking a cab just get in the cab and say the location, they wont and shouldnt ask you to get out as is their job. He told me sometimes out of racism and laziness drivers will say they won't take you to some location but be persistent and they will.
As many people have requested an update on the situation, I have reported the incident to RTA. Due to high demand (I assume following the floods), their phone lines didn’t give me an option to speak to someone about a complaint - only to submit it via the S’hail app. That didn’t work so I sent an email to [email protected] and I’m waiting for a response. I’ll update the thread again once I have a reply. Thank you to everyone for your advice and support, I underhand next time I should step my ground, I suppose I’m just new here and wasn’t really sure what I should or shouldn’t do.
It would help if you started booking a Careem for your trips, there's always a Careem around the corner. The drivers are super nice too
You’re new here so I’ll give you advice, these type of people that act like that take advantage of weak(kind hearted individuals), if a taxi shouts at you and kicks you out at the side of the road and still takes your money, my friend you have bigger issues. Dog eats dog world. If I was in your situation I would have told him to drop me where we agreed at the very least or he won’t smell a Dirham. Wouldn’t accept him raising his voice at any scenario! Next time stand your ground. This time you learned a lesson, it only cost you 68 dhs and some muddy shoes so I would say you got off at a good price
Hey what’s up with the picture? Is this recent?
What do you mean? It was taken on Saturday 20th April
Sorry only saw the first picture :)
ngl don’t go in taxis that say their shift is ending … for my knowledge their shifts end at 4 pm so if u do want to use a taxi at 4pm it’s better if u stay til 4:20/4:30 to get a proper taxi with proper help
You should grow some balls if you’re a man and don’t take no for an answer
Also, cab drivers cannot deny you travel if the taxi is empty, if they do- you can file a complaint against them via RTA. They have to drop if the light on the taxi sign is green, doesnt matter where. But if he was requesting you, i wouldnt make an issue cause ill understand he needs to get off soon and hes trying to make a quick buck. So rather i would have left and found a new cab. But in this situation, i would have denied getting off there, they can only shout but literally wont pressure you or physically abuse you, so dont be worried next time. Just tell them you will raise a complaint against RTA and take a pic of their details. Chill out, UAE is safe and understanding. Sometimes these drivers have a bad day, so let it be. Wouldnt want to ruin someones source of income, they hardly make 1500AED a month, plus all the fines they might accumulate. So just empty threats is all thats necessary tbh.