Usually I have no problems with taxis in Hong Kong, especially when you compare them to that of New York!!!
Now those are horrible, refusing you on a whim!
Here is Hong Kong, they will usually take your fare, beside some exceptions and here are some tips:
1) Wrong Region (red, green, blue) as mentioned earlier, then its really not that fault
2) During shift times
- You have to put yourself in their shoes..... sometimes they have to pay a late fee if they miss their shift time
- and most needs to refill on gas before the shift change
- the most typical shift time is around 3:00-4:00 pm, so if you trying to have a long haul trip (esp. cross harbor) don't be surprise if they don't take you
- during those times I am more understanding, other than that, if they refuse to take you across harbor, not because of shifts, but just don't want to make the trip back across the harbor, or because of tunnel traffic, go ahead you have the right to play play hard ball, like many bros have mentioned "they are obligated" according to law to take you, but for me I rarely force the issue, unless I have in a hurry
3) Cross-harbor taxis:
- also it helps to know where you can get cross harbor taxis, since they are all red, you might not notice the difference between Hong Kong and Kowloon taxi (they are both red and legally can travel anywhere.....)
- take the advice of some of the bros here, with the hand gestures, esp. you see a taxi with the "off-duty sign", if its not shift time usually they are trying to wait for a cross-harbor fair, approach those taxis and make the hand gesture, works most of the time
- and if you cross the harbor a lot (like me..... everyday) it helps to know where the official cross-harbor taxi stands are, and also the "unofficial" ones (where its not a taxi stand but cross-harbor taxis just hang around there)
* lastly if you really need to cross the harbor during shift time, and the taxi refuse you, you can consider asking them to take you to the nearest cross-harbor taxi stand.... sometimes it ends up faster that way (as any other Taxi you hail will be trying to make it for shift change on their side of the harbor, during that time any other taxi you encounter will probably refuse you too) and you save return tunnel fare by taking a taxi at a cross-harbor taxi stand
** sometimes you are lucky even during shift time where you get a taxi that will take you cross harbor, sometimes they think they can make it in time for the shift, or sometimes they have abnormal shift times (e.g. 5-6 instead 3-4), but this is really down to your luck
4) Be polite:
- taxi drivers are people too, be polite, add please or thank you (don't me thrifty with your words, they are free)
- my experience with driver both in Hong Kong and New York (notorious attitude), if you are nice to them, they are nice to you, simple
- or even start a little light-hearted conversation, they love talking..... locals, talk about new, travelers talk about places to see, some love to "represent" hong kong (pride) other love practicing their english, after a couple of sentence and no responsefine... let it be, maybe the driver is not a talker
- i've even experience cases where they are really rude SOB's (can tell when they yell at other drivers/pedestrians, on the phone) but when you speak to them with manners, they respond with manners
-- cases where I get free rides (taxi driver didn't have change), rounded DOWN the fare (taxi driver didn't bother looking for coins) or just rounded down (like $62ish to $60) just for my convenience to not search for coins, its always free to be polite
Last advice, some bros mentioned the legal obligation.... you can try to push the issue. But you'll end up with an unpleasant ride, and if you are new in the area, the driver might take you for rounds........
Hope these advice helps, from my long time experience with dealing with HK and NYC taxi drivers.
Cheers!
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