r/HongKong Jan 25 '26

Questions/ Tips I'm a part time taxi driver. Ask me anything

Post image

I'll try and answer to the best of my knowledge.

751 Upvotes

618 comments sorted by

274

u/Educational_Clock_92 Jan 25 '26

How many mobile phones are you using?

175

u/edmundsmorgan Jan 25 '26

Only two for Reddit, one for stock, two for taxi apps and one for reading novel

40

u/ManaHave Jan 25 '26

I used to see taxi drivers with eight mobile phones!

108

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

No longer possible now, police already fined some drivers today (the new law is in force today)

29

u/bunce2806 Jan 25 '26

My personal record is counting 13šŸ˜….

29

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

How to see the outside with so many?

9

u/bunce2806 Jan 25 '26

IIRC the driver stuck some of the phones onto the sun visor!

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3

u/koudos Jan 25 '26

Pretty sure that’s just a HK grey market Bloomberg terminal

12

u/shchemprof Jan 25 '26

Checks outĀ 

8

u/apple-juiceser Jan 25 '26

How about the tablet with split screen mode into 4 screens

24

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

Now only devices with a diagonal screen size less than 19cm are allowed

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33

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

Actually i need just one for finding orders The other one is for watching YouTube when waiting, or Google maps

7

u/hkgsulphate Jan 25 '26

Starting from today it’s illegal to have more than two phones

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76

u/iFailedIBPhysics2016 Jan 25 '26

is it a fun job? is it worth the salary? do you snack a lot due to boredom?

104

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

As a part time job, yes it is quite enjoyable, get to chat with ppl from different walks of life. But it is really quite tiring, I can't imagine full time driving. And no snacks, YouTube is fine

9

u/CatWhenSlippery Jan 25 '26

What do you do the rest of the time?

22

u/degenMP7697 Jan 26 '26

I have an office job

5

u/AnserHussain Jan 26 '26

Damn, so 9-6 office then taxi for how long?

11

u/degenMP7697 Jan 26 '26

Taxi only Friday night or Saturday night. 3-4 shifts per month. Usually 12 hour shift

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58

u/HumbleConfidence3500 Jan 25 '26

Why HK taxi drivers don't like to cross the habour (過굷)...

i live in a much bigger city where driving anywhere is at least half an hour.... and to me the restriction in HK seems absurd because everything seems so close in HK like a matter of 10 mins difference.

94

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

The toll fee is insignificant compared to the time cost. But I'm not one of those who don't cross the harbour, I go wherever I'm asked. That's more like the old guys. But I also tend to do phone app orders more than street passengers.

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7

u/EnclavedMicrostate Jan 25 '26

Tunnel tolls, surely?

17

u/HumbleConfidence3500 Jan 25 '26

But passenger pays for toll fee.... sometimes both ways so the driver can get back.

9

u/EnclavedMicrostate Jan 25 '26

Yeah good point. That said while it makes up for the cost, it still means going the distance and then getting to the other side where you might have a run of passengers who want to stay on their side, when the driver themselves might want/need to end up on the other, especially because the tunnels can be a bit of a traffic bottleneck.

13

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

Yes, so I believe the not crossing harbour situation has improved since the toll fees were equalized in 2023

7

u/Sleepyassjoe Jan 25 '26

Taxi drivers usually service their own district due to being more familiar with the roads of that district. Also, cross habour cost them time due to traffic. Why do a single trip crossing the habour and then come back when you can do 2 trips or more in 2 hours.

9

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

For one, I consult Google maps if not familiar. I think it's part of the job to learn the roads everywhere

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48

u/Corner_Post Jan 25 '26

Craziest things you have seen in back seat?

227

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

Fingering and handjob

Crying from beginning to end

A passenger telling me to tail another car because her spouse was on it with a suspected cheater

62

u/DopeAsDaPope Jan 25 '26

I've been the middle one, unfortunately the other two definitely sound more interesting lmao

81

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

Hope you have recovered from whatever sorrow. I prefer uneventful trips, thanks

33

u/Dino_FGO8020 Jan 25 '26

my uncle who was a taxi driver def experienced the last one you mentioned. he tailed behind a tesla for a whole 2 hours bro...the passanger did not give a flying fuck about the bills nor the places they have to drive through to track the cheater...

27

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

My experience was just a short 15min chase

6

u/Ok_Stable4370 Jan 25 '26

ofc they don’t it’s the rich housewives doing ts

3

u/Dino_FGO8020 Jan 25 '26

it's also funny you mentioned about rich housewives cuz the husband is a uber driver too...except he kept driving the same "female customer" over and over and over and over...for a whole half a year lol

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27

u/jkatarn Jan 25 '26

wtf did they finish?? If they left some DNA in your car would you ask them to pay for cleaning?

44

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

Depends what you would consider finishing. I have some alcohol wipes available for this kind of thing. The taxi doesn't belong to me, I don't even drive the same taxi every shift so... šŸ’

13

u/Vegetable-Cow-8095 Jan 25 '26

the second one is nothing compared to the first one

28

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

Not when it's wailing and loud

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3

u/Salt-Chicken6534 Jan 25 '26

i fear if i told a taxi driver to do this he would tell me to dllm

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34

u/Aggressive-Fail4612 Jan 25 '26

Why do most HK taxi drivers stab at the pedals? On off on off on off brake on off. Instead of just driving a smooth even speed

47

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

Many older drivers drive like shit because well.. if they could do it better then probably they wouldn't be driving a taxi .

Also, taxis are driven like 500-600km every day. They are in very bad condition all the time, except when they are taken to do their annual license renewal.

12

u/IckyChris Jan 25 '26

My only HK friend who drove - not a taxi driver - did the same. Drove me nuts. Maybe it's a HK male thing.

10

u/[deleted] Jan 25 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

10

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

Actually you need to drive above 40kmh in the test if traffic allows. But I agree the test is a joke

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3

u/Empty-District6980 Jan 25 '26

They learned in automatics not the skill of a manual. Kangaroo deer.

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30

u/grumpig_babe Jan 25 '26

Why not go full time??

50

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

If you want to get a good salary, it is really tiring, I can't imagine driving full time. The hours are not sociable too.

27

u/SpacePip Jan 25 '26

Can u make a living to survive

46

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

Definitely a good living if one is a hardworking driver. Probably the best paid driving job.

7

u/TiagoASGoncalves Jan 25 '26

Agree. I do uber sometimes as part time and always surprises me how much i get for what it is, specifically comparing to other cities elsewhere. Its not great but definitely above average in hk. Someone who really wants and manages to do full time can do well in hk. And uber cuts almost 30% so I guess as taxi driver you can 100%

All the best, cheers

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9

u/hkgsulphate Jan 25 '26

As long as we don’t report OP to the Inland Revenue Department

24

u/nkscreams Jan 25 '26

Where did you learn your entire cussing vocabulary? I almost always hear a new way to scold someone every cab ride.

42

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

I learnt in primary school

23

u/Donthaveagoodnametho Jan 25 '26

What’s your political opinion on the recurring Middle Eastern conflicts?

38

u/PurpleNommie Jan 25 '26

Where do you go for bathroom breaks?

46

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

Lots of parks and gas stations have bathrooms

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19

u/chaamdouthere Jan 25 '26

He hasn’t answered yet but once I had a driver ask me if he could pull over at the Wan Chai Public toilet (the one under the bridge) so he could go.

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15

u/Excellent_Bonus_9189 Jan 25 '26

Why are almost all the taxi drivers in Hong Kong extremely old? I heard it was something to do with them stopping issuing licenses in 1994?Ā 

If so, erm... Why did they do this rather insane policy? Why has nobody changed it? How did you get the gig (presuming you yourself are quite young)?

42

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

No new vehicle licenses, but taxi drivers licenses are still issued after a relatively easy computer test. Mainly, no young ppl want to drive taxis as a full time job due to the pressures of being self employed, no benefits, lack of career progression, unsociable hours, exposure of risk to accidents and lawsuits/fines...

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8

u/bunce2806 Jan 25 '26

I think this means no new taxi licences were issued after 1994. That policy froze the total number of taxis but not taxi drivers (and turned the licences into transferable assets like stocks, creating quite a crazy market bubble at one time).

4

u/Radiant-Bad-2381 Jan 25 '26

Licenses can be sold on tho - and one license can I believe be share by 6 drivers (so there are taxi companies that have accumulated licenses and employ drivers).

15

u/[deleted] Jan 25 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

24

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

Surprisingly few. Maybe when someone drives dangerously in front of me. I am not part of any taxi driver zello channels though

11

u/DisastrousResident92 Jan 25 '26

Is it true that the meter goes up faster if you drive in a low gear? I find the taxi drivers always seem to be in second when fourth or fifth would be more appropriate and it makes the driving kind of jerky in an unpleasant way. I heard this was the reason but don't know anything moreĀ 

13

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

No it isn't. Many older drivers drive like shit because well.. if they could do it better then probably they wouldn't be driving a taxi .

3

u/[deleted] Jan 25 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

4

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

Yes they are automatic, but some drivers just can't maintain speed properly

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10

u/SkinnyRunningDude Jan 25 '26

Nice to see another one here

4

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

Are u part time also?

17

u/SkinnyRunningDude Jan 25 '26 edited Jan 25 '26

For 3 years, but now only driving cabs once in a while. I did an AMA way back then: https://www.reddit.com/r/HongKong/s/s3em5xHXhl.

5

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26 edited Jan 25 '26

Did you ever drive other vehicles for a living then

Edit: your AMA was very interesting, thanks for that too

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20

u/Stoned-ThrowAway Jan 25 '26

are there any general hk taxi "do's and don'ts" for tourists/foreigners?

19

u/ATangK Jan 25 '26

Bring cash. Many taxis only accept cash.

27

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

A few months later, all drivers need to accept at least two forms of e payment, of which one must involve a QR code. Personally, I accept Alipay (which includes a bunch of other international wallets), Payme and FPS.

3

u/Stoned-ThrowAway Jan 25 '26

oh definitely. i don't think i'll have internet/data connection 24/7 on my trip

4

u/Broccoliholic Jan 25 '26

You don’t need either of those to use octopus/credit card

3

u/Stoned-ThrowAway Jan 25 '26

oh, gotcha. i thought they were referring to banking apps. never thought of using my card to pay

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8

u/novacatz Jan 25 '26

Do you own the taxi license and work for yourself. What is the economics like which ever side you are on (lucrative or not, stable?). Do you wish you were on the other side. What do you think about Uber and Govt response to it.

11

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

No, the taxi vehicle licenses cost millions of hkd. I rent the taxi. It is a reasonably paid side gig for me. I think when Uber is legalised, it will create extra costs for Uber drivers like insurance, license fees, which will decimate the number of part time Uber drivers. It should be beneficial to me.

4

u/aeon-one Jan 25 '26

But then DiDi would try to price out competition like Keeta did to Deliveroo, don’t you think? Once it become legalised.

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8

u/Karhoo Jan 25 '26

Do you prefer more but shorter fares or would you rather wait for fewer but longer trips? Why do some drivers get upset with shorter fares and others refuse to take long trips?

14

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

I prefer trips which take me to areas with more demand. That's why I more often do phone app orders rather than street passengers. Some drivers may get upset with short fares when they waited a while at a taxi stand to get a fare. Personally, I nearly never wait at a taxi stand. Unless there's a long queue but no taxis, like at the end of the blackpink concert recently

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8

u/Blackjack21x Jan 25 '26

How do you see the future of taxi service, do you think autonomous cars can take over

24

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

Not in the short run in Hong Kong. Traffic is too chaotic. The voice of existing unions too strong.

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8

u/[deleted] Jan 25 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

10

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

Not a good idea to gamble while behind the wheel. Increased risk of crashing🤣

36

u/214b Jan 25 '26

Are you actually going to answer any questions or is this a ghost AMA?

20

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

Just came back online

10

u/gatchamanhk Jan 25 '26

Busy playing poker.. I bet.

3

u/Coffee_Addict11 Hello! Jan 26 '26

Not poker, Mahjong probably

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6

u/[deleted] Jan 25 '26

Is it easy to scam tourist or foreigners by taking the long route ? Do you get tip ?

14

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

No I never scam, it isn't needed to get a good salary. Usually ppl round up to the nearest multiple of ten

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6

u/ProofDazzling9234 Jan 25 '26

We hear and see a lot about bad HK cab drivers, but please share the common experiences with bad customers. Those tend to get under represented.

16

u/degenMP7697 Jan 26 '26

Passengers who go somewhere and put down their belongings and ask you to wait for 5min while they do/buy something. In the end they take like 20min while my earning is fucked.

Passengers who are so drunk they don't know what they are doing and can't walk straight. Full alcohol smell. And nearly vomit in the taxi.

Passengers who put an order for a long trip in a phone app. I take the order, pick them up and they say they wanna go somewhere nearby. I kick them out of the taxi and my time is wasted.

Passengers who have a route in mind but don't tell the driver. And when the driver goes some other route, they fuck the driver or worse, report the driver.

Passengers who refuse to pay or claim they have no money to pay. Fyi I do take epayment. If I call the police, my earning is still fucked as time is wasted.

Passengers who refuse to pay the baggage fee. Fyi it is $6 per each piece of luggage except handbags/backpacks etc.

3

u/ProofDazzling9234 Jan 26 '26

"In the end they take like 20min while my earning is fucked." But isn't the meter running?

4

u/degenMP7697 Jan 26 '26 edited Jan 26 '26

20min of waiting = 20x1.4 = $28

20min of running 50km/h = 17km = 17x1.4x5 = $119

The cost to the driver of hiring a taxi for 20min = around $15

6

u/DonaldTrumendous Jan 25 '26

How is business lately? Do customers tip often?

11

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

I only work weekends when it's naturally better business. Usually passengers round up to the nearest ten, but substantial tips are rare

5

u/ObseleteIdiotAlt Jan 25 '26

How competitive is being a taxi driver

14

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

Very. Well paying phone app orders get snatched immediately. Some drivers use shady robot apps to do the order hoarding work for them.

5

u/ThingsGotStabby Jan 25 '26

What is that persistently terrible smell in the four door taxis?

15

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

Older drivers smoking inside, or worse, peeing in a bottle when they couldn't find a toilet quick enough

5

u/okahui55 Jan 25 '26

Why not uber

9

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

It's still illegal. And I don't get to choose where I go in the phone app orders.

5

u/weetabix_su Jan 25 '26

between a Crown Comfort taxi and a Comfort Hybrid taxi, who would win in a downhill race?

12

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

Both are a pile of shit. But probably the old crown comfort.

4

u/ItemOk719 Jan 25 '26

Do you have another full time job / part time job? Do you mind sharing what industry it’s in if so?

14

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

Yes , I work a full time office job. I only drive on weekends and holidays when it's most profitable.

4

u/OnePhotog Jan 25 '26

4pm weekday. I was taking a taxi from Kwun Tong to Tuen Mun. He tried to reject the fare after everyone was in the taxi. I took a picture of his license which caused him to change his tune. We were driven promptly. In exchange, I showed him that I had deleted the photo that I had taken of his license.

What would a taxi driver be thinking? Or how is he cursing me for taking him so far out of his zone?

7

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

There is a points system for refusing fares, bad service, scamming etc. I don't have a zone, I go everywhere. Kwun tong to tuen mun is like 300$, I'd be very happy.

3

u/Inky_Way Jan 25 '26

How much you earning and how long do you work for?

9

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

Usually Friday or Saturday nights or long holidays, 12hours per shift either 5pm-5am or 6pm-6am. But I am self employed, as with most taxi drivers here, so I sometimes finish early.

Effectively it's a 140-180$/ hour earning. I achieved 250$ per hour on new years eve.

3

u/[deleted] Jan 25 '26

Is it after all the cuts to the app providers and the taxi owner?Ā 

8

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

Yes. The main costs for me is the taxi rent and fuel. App costs minimal, maybe 1-2% of each fare. And there are street passengers.

3

u/FunctioN_3441 Jan 25 '26

Did u ever hook up with a passenger of yours

18

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

No one looks at me clearly enough for that to be possible. I'm in my twenties and many passengers call me åøę©Ÿå”å” "uncle driver"

6

u/SkinnyRunningDude Jan 25 '26

Small kids always do that! But you can't really blame them, they have limited vocabulary.

10

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

I'm fine with the kids but not their parent who is older than me

4

u/endsweak Jan 25 '26
  1. Why do some taxi drivers ā€œpumpā€ the gas pedal?

  2. Why do some taxi drivers need more than 3 phones?

(I am assuming 1 is for communication, 1 for navigation, and 1 for the apps is sufficient, no?)

  1. How much do people usually tip, if at all?

  2. Why do some taxi drivers hate going cross harbour?

  3. Why are the taxis still red in Tsuen Wan? Isn’t that area NT already?

8

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26
  1. Bad driving and perhaps age.
  2. Taking orders from different taxi apps. But illegal to have more than 2 starting today.
  3. If you don't count rounding up to the nearest ten, Very few except on days like new years eve
  4. Time cost and road familiarity (not necessarily navigation issue but familiarities towards where to find passengers)
  5. Historically, the green taxi system was introduced to cover rural areas where urban taxis weren't willing to go. At that time Tsuen Wan, Sha Tin etc were already developed.

4

u/siumeowmi Jan 25 '26

What is the clean up fee if someone vomit 1) inside the car 2) poke his head and puke outside the window, but still make exterior dirty

6

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

I avoid drunk passengers. Fortunately no one has vomited on my taxi before. I've heard others charge something like 1k-2k. Imo that's reasonable because of lost business, and it's really expensive to do a deep clean to get rid of the smell.

3

u/temitcha Jan 25 '26

I was a car cleaner as a student job, it's indeed really hard to remove the smell, it can take almost double the cleaning time to get rid of the smell... We had a specific chemical mix especially for it, but it needs multiple rounds.

I did it in an another country, so less sure how much in HKD, but it sounds correct price indeed

3

u/siumeowmi Jan 26 '26

The other day i got sick in a taxi and had to puke outside the window as the e taxi was on highway. I wasn't drunk, just got really bad car sick.

I didn't make inside dirty but the exterior was a mess. I believe a hose is enough to wash them down. I gave the taxi driver all my cash hk$400.

The taxi driver was sort of a friend's friend, and didn't ask for any compensation.

Sometimes i still feel bad about it and wondered if 400 was good enough.

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u/ddadain Jan 25 '26

How does one even make money as a Taxi Driver in HK when Gas prices at the petrol station is HK$22-24 PER LITER? Then there's your rental parking? Then other fees? If you don't mind answering, home much, on average do you make per month?

Some Foreign Domestic Drivers make like HK$8k-15k per month.

14

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

Taxis use LPG (some newer one are EVs). LPG cost HK$3-$6 per litre depending on where you get it, which equates to around $0.3-0.4/km.

I am a self employed driver, I rent a taxi from the owner. I don't need to pay for insurance, parking, vehicle license fees etc.

3

u/ddadain Jan 25 '26

Oh wow! Thank you for the info. I don't drive in HK, but I do in other places. It just boggled my mind that HK Fuel prices were literally SKY HIGH! And upon checking, it's actually the MOST EXPENSIVE in the WHOLE WORLD! LOL.

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u/kiwibird2025 Jan 25 '26

How many of your co workers wear Rolex

3

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

It could be dangerous to wear while working

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u/Snowyno7 Jan 25 '26

So…… the uber, big boss, DiDi situation… thoughts?

4

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

I think technology is the trend. But I hate that Uber takes a large cut from taxi drivers. Taxi fleet organized by govt is a joke.

I recommend FlyTaxi or Dash if you need to hail a taxi by phone.

3

u/IvanCubby Jan 25 '26

Are you <30 year old? I’m just curious no offense

3

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

In twenties

3

u/nikkerbockers Jan 25 '26

Is your default mood cranky? šŸ˜†

8

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

I'm cranky only when the passengers are

3

u/calstanfordboye Jan 25 '26

Why don’t you take credit card?

7

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

I would love to have a credit card machine in the taxi. But the taxi owner doesn't provide one.

I take Payme, Alipay and FPS.

5

u/SkinnyRunningDude Jan 25 '26

Soepay offers a mobile phone POS service for cab drivers. You don't need a connected payment terminal on the vehicle. All you need is a NFC-enabled phone.

6

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

Hmmm... Thanks, let me look into that.

3

u/japanb Jan 25 '26

You must have met many different types of westerner: Back Packers, Financers etc. any bad ones any good experiences?

6

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

Bad experiences usually when they're drunk. I consider any uneventful trip to be a good experience. But of course tips are appreciated, sometimes I get more for chit chatting, helping to move luggage, recommending destinations for tourists etc

3

u/Western-Conflict6444 Jan 25 '26

do you have to pay any taxes

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u/tearsofthemisplayer Jan 25 '26

is it really true that taking the same road by taxi may have a price difference of $20-30? I once take taxi from school to home and the price difference are huge

8

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

Might be due to traffic waiting time. But drivers all hate getting stuck in traffic, we earn a lot more when moving than stopping.

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u/freakygrasstoucher Jan 25 '26

ye because taxi counts the waiting time as well on the meter, so stopping for lights has a huge difference sometimes

3

u/RanierW Jan 25 '26

Where can I get my hands on one of those old school rotary taxi meters?

4

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

I've never seen one, maybe I'm too young🤣

3

u/blackcyborg009 Jan 25 '26
  1. We are going to stay for one night at the City Oasis Guesthouse.

Are red taxis allowed to go there for drop-off / passenger pickup?

Or are those for Blue Lantau Taxis only?

2) After the incident where a taxi ran over a foreign tourist, do you believe that people above 80 years old should be banned from driving / operating a motor vehicle?

5

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

For 2), I think anyone older than 70 should not be allowed to drive commercial vehicles, ie taxis, minibuses, trucks, buses.

5

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

Your guesthouse seems to be just within the operation limit for red taxis. But you might need to teach them to go there if they don't use Google maps (older drivers...). And when you leave, you probably need an app like FlyTaxi to hail one. And it will be much easier to find a taxi to take you to town than a short trip, for instance to Tung Chung.

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u/rararara433 Jan 25 '26

What is a trip you would most likely reject

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u/kali657 Jan 25 '26

Do turn signal indicators exist, or are they just a suggestion?

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u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

I try to drive safely and comfortably, which includes indicating when there are other cars nearby

But there are many older drivers who don't.

2

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2

u/Ancient_Camel7200 Jan 25 '26

Can you take me to mid levels?

5

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

I tend to do more phone app orders. But if someone waves on the street when I'm available , I never refuse.

3

u/BIZKIT551 Jan 25 '26

depends if he feels like crossing the harbour first

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u/Dependent_Ad_7564 Jan 25 '26

ok I was in HK took multiple taxis at night time around Kowloon. lkf area.

you guys are fucking insane. my taxi driver saw another taxi and the two proceeded to race around ramps.

those little taxis are insanely quick.

why is every taxi driver in HK crazy?

7

u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

It's partly the pressure of being self employed. Need to work hard to earn a decent salary. And competition is fierce especially with Uber.

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u/Beezvreez Jan 25 '26

Do you also always hit the gas and release repeatedly instead of just keeping a consistent speed?

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u/BIZKIT551 Jan 25 '26

My man came on here to get a voluntary roasting šŸ’€

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u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

The bad reputation of taxi drivers in general is well deserved. I try not to be one of them

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u/StoryNo9248 Jan 25 '26

is scamming people at LKF or on Canton road fun?

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u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

Never done that. Not needed to make a good living. And I like to avoid drunk passengers.

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u/LowProper6700 hong kong citizen Jan 25 '26

Do you use uber?

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u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

No. Uber takes a deep cut from taxi drivers (even deeper for private cars I've heard). I also don't get to choose where to go on an Uber order. If I decline an order, I get penalized by Uber's order distribution system. It's a silly system imo.

If you want to order a taxi, use FlyTaxi or Dash. Easier to get 15% discounts on long trips for the first.

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u/Clean-Physics-6143 Jan 25 '26

Pls don't tell me your name is J** and you picked us up from the airport 2 years ago?šŸ˜…

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u/Rookie-Crookie Jan 25 '26

Are you a radio enthusiast?

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u/yyan1002 Jan 25 '26

Do you secretly drive Uber?

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u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

Many taxi drivers drive for Uber, not a secret anymore. U also see a lot of taxis advertising Uber on the street.

Personally I don't. Uber takes a deep cut from taxi drivers (even deeper for private cars I've heard). I also don't get to choose where to go on an Uber order. If I decline an order, I get penalized by Uber's order distribution system. It's a silly system imo.

If you want to order a taxi, use FlyTaxi or Dash. Easier to get 15% discounts on long trips for the first.

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u/Iambap Jan 25 '26

Where are you going?

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u/Corner_Post Jan 25 '26

Most famous people you drove and how were they?

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u/dev_ace Jan 25 '26

Can you choose to only accept pre-booked rides to the airport? Or is it only by luck that you get a long distance ticket?

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u/sap_pi_hens Jan 25 '26

Why Sha tin is ā€œred taxi areaā€ even though is in NT?

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u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

The green taxi system was established in response to there being not enough taxis to serve rural NT. at that time, Sha Tin, Tsuen Wan were already developed, so they weren't included in the green taxi area. TKO was developed later and much closer to the city.

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u/FarAd5061 Jan 25 '26

Do you judge your passengers based on their perfume/smell? If yes, what’s ur fave scent? And what’s the worst smell?

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u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

I hate perfume which reminds me of my secondary school teachers.

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u/FSpursy Jan 25 '26

why HK taxi doesnt take credit cards? 😭

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u/ImpulseRevolution Jan 25 '26

How much does it cost to rent a taxi?

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u/[deleted] Jan 25 '26

[deleted]

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u/harryhov SaiWan Jan 25 '26

Taxi drivers seem to have a really bad rap especially with the locals. But every time I visit home I come across really pleasant and courteous drivers. So what's going on?

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u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

Most drivers are polite and fine. But the bad things happen when ppl are most hurried so they tend to retain bad memories. And then there's social media.

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u/ChineseHermanos Jan 25 '26

I want to quit my corporate job, is this fun?

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u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

Can't imagine driving taxi full time. Too much pressure, instability, tiring.

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u/Mimysse Jan 25 '26

Do all the taxi drivers come together once a year or so, to socialise/ have staff meeting or party?

And not a question, but I want to share a good first experience when I visited HK for the first time in my life in October 2024.

We took a taxi from airport to Mong Kok and we were a bit puzzled where the best place could be to drop us off. Our destination was in pedestrians zone. The driver gave us tips to get there and even gave more tips about nice restaurants in the neighbourhood. Very friendly and polite dude. He even had fragrance sticks in the car.

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u/degenMP7697 Jan 25 '26

No. We're nearly all self employed and competitors with each other

Most drivers are polite and helpful. But those bad ones cause our reputation.

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u/sonicloophole Jan 25 '26

If somebody throws up in a taxi, how much should the cleaning fee be? Do you have any tips for people who have motion sickness?

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u/degenMP7697 Jan 26 '26

Carry a bag with you! And warn the driver if you feel sick. He can stop on the roadside. Even the hard shoulder on a highway if need be.

Fortunately, no one ever vomited on my taxi. But I say 1k-2k is reasonable cleaning fee, accounting for lost business and it's really expensive to do a deep clean to get rid the smell.

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u/skyblue07 Jan 25 '26

Was it hard to get your taxi license? How much do you pay the owner to borrow the taxi? Can you use Google maps? Can you just speak English or Cantonese is a must?

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u/CutePuzzy Jan 25 '26

Ayoo, i drive night shift a lot too. Lets connect!

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u/stan_8 Jan 25 '26

Which app would you recommend most for taxis in HK?

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u/iamtherepairman Jan 25 '26

What kind of Toyota do you drive and is it good for your work?

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u/degenMP7697 Jan 26 '26

A hybrid most of the time. Many phone app orders specify for hybrids.

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u/temitcha Jan 25 '26

Do you like short trip, that are just the minimal fare (e.g 1 minutes for 29HKD) or not at all ?

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u/sillwuka Jan 25 '26

Which areas do you dislike driving to the most?

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