The taxi awareness in Kuala Lumpur

Back in Kuala Lumpur as a local, hoping that I wouldn't be the first one to get ripped off at 9 pm right smack in the city, I finally managed to catch a cab to send me back 4 blocks away. (It's just stupid to walk if you have not been here) . First, the cabbie said RM10 if not no ride. Fine! I was in a rush to get to my car so that I can go home and rest. Traffic jams as usual and such and by the time I reached to my destination the meter was actually RM 12.50. So yeah I saved RM2.50 by prepaying that nut RM 10. The following conversation is what he told me about how the taxi haggling system works.

1) If the taxi man gives you a flat rate, TAKE IT!

2) Take it because you might end up paying more.

3) Take it because he said, if the customers refuse to take the offer (which is normally ridiculous but sometimes makes sense) he will drive them through traffic jams and make them arrive really late and the meter would be way higher.

4) Take it because the cabbie loves to hold grudges against passengers who refuse to take their offer because the cabbies always thinks they are right

5) It if it is peak time, just take it cause KL cabs only want to camp at Hotels hoping to get a customer that wants to go to the airport.

6) It the cabbie can admit something so evil and be proud of it, he will definitely do it and preach it to other cabbies.

7) They like to get stucked in traffic jams because being idle, the meter jumps faster.

8) You do not need to pity them because they make alot of money conning customers.

9) I was once driven in a blue cab (executive taxi) round and round KL because the stupid taxi man's GPS kept making him turn around and around and he kept fiddling with it to recount routes and thought I was stupid just cause I picked up a cab from the Hotel which was my firm's client.

10) Be nice and friendly to them so that they don't pick on you.

11) If you still insist not to pay inflated prices, u can try queuing up in taxi stands at shopping malls which would take forever for your turn.

The cabbie had the guts to give me his name card and said to call him whenever I needed a ride. His cab stinks and so does he.