Where'd the taxis go?
Across the river from Bur Dubai is Deira. Not as touristy but still nice to visit and do some shopping. But one thing becomes painfully obvious, a lack of available taxis. Dubai is too big for walking. I like buses but I can't always figure out where they're going unless I know the end destination shown on the front. The previous day in Bur Dubai I took 6 taxi rides. I never waited more than 10 seconds. Right when I needed one it was there.
At the end of the day, I ended up in the Golden Souk (that's how they spell shuk) where I purchased this very sharp looking dishdash (made in China)
When it's time to leave, everyone else had the same idea. There's no designated place to wait for taxis. The only taxis that come are snapped up quickly after dropping people off. It's not an orderly process. The odds are against me and my taxi hailing abilities. The bus station is right across the street. So I hop on one, not to go home, but to go somewhere with better odds of procuring a taxi. Buses are cheap, around 50 cents. We get to a bus terminal which seems like a good place to find a taxi. And there are a lot there, but only long distance shared taxis. I couldn't believe it. My odds had not improved. Taxis waiting for people who want to go far. People waiting for taxis that will go nearby. So inefficient. I'm getting hungry and frustrated. I walk along the road, I walk to nearby stores. Nothing. Sensing that I'm in need of a taxi, someone approaches me offering a ride. I appreciate the entrepreneurial spirit, addressing the needs of an unserved market. It's tempting, but the business of private unsolicited drivers gets too much bad publicity these days. Sorry. So I board another bus that sounds like it's going in the right direction and amazingly it gets me home. I made it.
Tip for taxis in Dubai: No problem with taxis if you're near the fancy parts of town, hotels, malls, financial district, etc. Go somewhere not so rich or touristy and you might have a problem. Solution: have the taxi wait for you. Waiting charge is around $11/hour. Or get more familiar with the bus system. It's a good system if you know where you're going.
At the end of the day, I ended up in the Golden Souk (that's how they spell shuk) where I purchased this very sharp looking dishdash (made in China)
When it's time to leave, everyone else had the same idea. There's no designated place to wait for taxis. The only taxis that come are snapped up quickly after dropping people off. It's not an orderly process. The odds are against me and my taxi hailing abilities. The bus station is right across the street. So I hop on one, not to go home, but to go somewhere with better odds of procuring a taxi. Buses are cheap, around 50 cents. We get to a bus terminal which seems like a good place to find a taxi. And there are a lot there, but only long distance shared taxis. I couldn't believe it. My odds had not improved. Taxis waiting for people who want to go far. People waiting for taxis that will go nearby. So inefficient. I'm getting hungry and frustrated. I walk along the road, I walk to nearby stores. Nothing. Sensing that I'm in need of a taxi, someone approaches me offering a ride. I appreciate the entrepreneurial spirit, addressing the needs of an unserved market. It's tempting, but the business of private unsolicited drivers gets too much bad publicity these days. Sorry. So I board another bus that sounds like it's going in the right direction and amazingly it gets me home. I made it.
Tip for taxis in Dubai: No problem with taxis if you're near the fancy parts of town, hotels, malls, financial district, etc. Go somewhere not so rich or touristy and you might have a problem. Solution: have the taxi wait for you. Waiting charge is around $11/hour. Or get more familiar with the bus system. It's a good system if you know where you're going.
Labels: dubai
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