The queue wasn't particularly very long, but the wait was.
The cabs were up to their usual tricks - driving aimlessly around the area, not stopping and waiting for bookings. And nope, I wasn't going to call a cab.
It doesn't really help that the people who entered the queue later started to book taxis (aka cut queue). Buying time with money.
Then the guy behind me tap me on the shoulder. He was waiting with his wife and small child. He told me he was a tourist from South Africa, and wanted to go to Allson hotel. He asked about the taxi culture here, because he couldn't understand why there were so many taxis, but the queue hardly moved. I explained to him about the call booking system.
For a while, I felt a little sorry for Singapore's "greedy" culture. I won't really blame the taxi drivers actually, because they don't have the best pay in Singapore anyway. We are all slaves of money. And who is there to pity them in off-peak hours when taxis are in way excess?
I don't blame the taxi-bookers (aka queue cutters) either, though they can get kind of annoying. =p No one likes to queue.
Its a vicious cycle actually.
People call for cabs to escape queues
-> Taxi drivers start getting more bookings
-> Less taxis for those who are queueing
-> (repeat)
What if every Singaporean stop booking when in a queue?
Won't the vicious cycle stop?
Too bad its something that won't happen in a practical society driven by cash.
I told the South African tourist to take bus 133 to his destination instead. Allson Hotel is only 2-3 bus stops away anyway.
He thanked me, and I welcomed him to Singapore.
And nope, I wasn't trying to be sarcastic.
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