Apple's taxis...

[TEXASMAC]

Emailed Apple at 10:36 am today. I have the ticket, the room and now hopefully a taxi.

[Steff]

Good stuff.
Tell her Steff is pissed at her for sending another driver to take me to Swampy and over-charging me!!! :-) Some dyke type!

[TTChang]

I was charged an extra 100 baht by her driver deputy (uncle/brother?) too! - he showed me the sheet where Apple (presumably) had written down 1400 (BKK Soi4 to Pattaya).

So that's what i paid, in line with Reflection's post of 29 April:   ... she is reliable and very sweet and dont "haggle" with her because she is so sweet and trustworthy and provides excellent service you will want to give her more Baht.

She's running a business, after all, and the quality of booking/car/driving is excellent.  However if 'Introductory special offers' are now coming to an end, perhaps it's time for us to compare notes on her pricing?

[TEXASMAC]

I havent heard anything back as of yet. I used Mr. Toon once and it was okay and the PBR picked me up once. I have the ticket, the hotel, the pig roast now I just need to get from the airport.

[pacman]

If you haven't heard by tomorrow, send her another email. You have to give her time to check her emails. She likely doesn't have a computer & she likely needs someone to write her replies.

Everything works here.... eventually. Don't expect US standards of efficiency. TIT.

[Steff]

I wrote Apple an email last night (July 12th) complaining about her deputy driver who charged me 600baht from Soi 4 to Swampy. I reminder her of our 500baht deal and if she wanted she could pick me up tomorrow when I return to BKK. She answered this morning saying she would pick me up for sure and the price would be 500. I will have a stern word with her tomorrow and remind her that she has been getting business because of the word on the street. She can lose that business just as fast.

TexasMac if you want to give me your name or email address in a PM I will give it to Apple tomorrow and ask her to take care of you. Otherwise please send her another email and put "Recommendation Steff" in the subject header. I am sure she will answer sooner or later.

TT,
Do you want me to mention your complaint?

[katoeylover]

500bt from soi 4 to the airport?

Meter cabs including tolls are 350?

[TTChang]

(Steff @ Jul. 13 2010,13:49) I will have a stern word with her tomorrow ......

Wooooo ..... Disciplinary verbal warning?   ...... Always goes down well with Thais!  

TT,  Do you want me to mention your complaint?

No, it's ok - I will mention it to her before I use her again.  I used Mr T to get back to BKK today. Not necessarily good value at 1000 baht, as we drove one metre from the cars in front at 70+ km/hr, and avoided the motorway. Saved him the tolls, then he had the cheek to ask me for a tip. Told him he'd already made the 70 baht I was going to give him. I am becoming a real grumpy old fart ...... (some of you guys meeting me in the bars already noticed, I fear!)

By the way Paccie, Apple does have a computer I think - because she usually answers my emails within a couple of hours.

[TEXASMAC]

Well I will do both. I will email her again and PM Steff.

[kahuna]

You can walk up to the public taxi stand at the airport and get a taxi to take you to Pattaya for 1500 baht all in...

Why go though all this trouble to save 100 baht...

[TEXASMAC]

Until I learn mpre about BKK and Pattaya I like the comfort of sameness. I paid 1800 when the PBR picked me up.

[kahuna]

Ain't much to learn mate...Collect your luggage and go down to the lowest level...
You'll see the public taxi stand...Tell them you want to go to Pattaya and the young lady
will call over a taxi and hand you a slip of paper...The driver will load your luggage and take
you to your hotel...It ain't magic...If I can do it, it's gotta be pretty simple...

[pacman]

  That is all true & life should be so simple. But there are sharks out there who think nothing of taking advantage of a newcomer. And when didn't a taxi driver ask how many times have you visited Thailand?

Telling him it is your first or second time MAY give him ideas as to how he can make this months rent.

I don't mean to cast aspersions on all taxi drivers, it is to avoid the few that I suggest Apple is a good option. The driver who filled in for her when she was sick (her bruddah) charged me 1300 baht to get to Pattaya. It wasn't the 1100 that Jimslim wrote about but it was still 300 cheaper than my last trip.

And I have heard stories of problems getting here only this week. It isn't a huge problem but why take the risk?

And yes TT, you are probably right about her computer. She is usually very prompt in replying. I wonder if her failure to do so this time has anything to do with the taxi mafia being upset with someone picking up business the 'easy way'? And charging only 1100 baht!!! That wouldn't be tolerated.

There are many dark forces at work here in LOS today.

[jimslim]

Guys the reason I recommended her and started this thread were -

1) She is a good and safe driver .

2) She is reliable and won't rip you off .

3) I like her and will give her my repeat business and recommend her to my friends .

In terms of cost I'm sure there is cheaper (as there is a lot dearer ) but I like to go with someone I know is going to be reliable .

She has a computer in her room but like the rest of us if she's busy she won't get a chance to check her emails , but I would assume she would within 48 hours or so .

Any complaints should be passed on to Steff the Taxi Ombudsman of Thailand  

[Steff]

Guys, I came into Swampy today from Phuket. I had arranged for Apple to fetch me which she did through a surrogate driver. He was there. He was prompt and called my cell once I got off the plane. He told me where to go to meet him. As we walked to his car Apple called to tell me the price she arranged with him was 500baht. All was well initially. However there was a huge downpour of rain and the traffic from the airport into BKK was horrendous. It took us THREE long fucking hours to get into the city!!! That driver committed to 500baht for what normally would have taken 30 minutes of his time. He contributed close to four hours of his day to my welfare. In the end I gave him 800baht for his time and effort. AND it was worth every penny. If I had been on a meter it would have cost much, much more.

So, I am fine with Apple. I like the familiar. Like most things in life the close things count.