Getting a Cab
Trip Start
Jan 10, 2007
1
13
72
Trip End
Jul 03, 2007
Dubai,
United Arab Emirates
Thursday, February 1, 2007
I went to go ask someone who knew, and I had kind of a strange experience doing it, which I have tried to duplicate here as closely as possible:
"Excuse me", I said popping my head through the door. "I was told you can tell me how best to get to Sharjah airport from here."
Knowlegeable woman: "You go by taxi. I know that the private ones cost 70-80 dirhams; I'm not sure about the regular ones."
"Uhh...What's the difference?"
"A regular taxi is the one you normally ride; a private taxi is owned by a private company, and you call them in advance and have them pick you up."
"Which one costs more?"
"The regular ones
Your Taxi
. Do you want me to give you the number for a private one?""Um, I dunno. I mean, I guess I could just look it up myself online..."
"No, they're not listed anywhere. You only get the number from word of mouth; do you want me to give you the number?"
"Umm, yeah", I said, crumbling slightly from the minor defeat of the internet, "you better do that."
Suddenly, she got very tough with me. "Excuse me?" she asked, smiling in a way that you could just see the iron fist under the velvet glove.
"What?"
"I don't like your tone of voice...I better do that?"
I was very much taken aback. How old am I again? And what was wrong with my tone of voice? That much I will probably never find out, because I hastily informed her, "I didn't mean to be rude or anything. I just meant...uh...it would be a good idea for you to give me a number to call, if that's the way to do it."
I'll never understand it, but I suspect I offended some sort of power etiquette--perhaps I should have been on my knees staring up with admiration gushing from my eyes? One thing's for sure--I certainly do have a knack for making a bad impression on people.
No matter. She gave me the number and instructions, and I politely said thank you several times.
And that is how you hail a private cab.
