Every taxi journey, in every country, leaves me disappointed and bewildered. Let me explain.
Ignoring how one summons a taxi, and whether or not you have luggage, once inside, there are only a few variables any driver controls:
- Route
- Temperature
- Conversation
- Music
- Speed
Yet no driver asks about these. Perhaps I want the scenic route, or silence to make a call. Perhaps I’m cold, or want to pick the music. And perhaps I want some top-quality banter. But no—I’m never asked for my preferences.
Given that drivers could maximise tips by tailoring the experience, why don’t they? Maybe they think they lack an incentive or see no reason to break from the status quo. It’s baffling. Perhaps this is simply how things have always been—and always will be—until driverless cars, which I saw all over Silicon Valley back in March, come calling.
