Karwa taxi driver - Apalling behaviour
I've come across many a stupid and arrogant drivers with Karwa, but never been insulted and demeaned by any of them, until today. I got into a cab at City Centre Mall today and asked (politely) for the front windows to be rolled up (I was at the back) and for the A/C to be turned on. The guy ignored me and kept asking me where I was from. I ignored him and repeated the request (more firmly, curt but not rude). Then he went on about how the "fresh" air outside was better than breathing in conditioned air. Anyone who went oustide today would have seen the dust storm which was primarily why I asked for the windows to be rolled up. Later he turned on the A/C but kept throwing around demeaning comments like "where u born and brought up in a 24x7 air conditoned environment? etc". I never responded (two-bit taxi drivers are too insignificant in my opinion to be responded to in such situations), and proceeded to turn on and listen to my iPod (I normaly do this all the time). Later on reaching my destination while I was paying him, he asked me again where I was from, to which I responded. He then made a comment (in a language I did not understand, but I realised he meant it as an insult because he kept sniggering). He was still laughing (guffawing, now) as I got out. I made a (mental) note of the taxi number and time.
I then called up the Karwa call centre and told the operator that I'd like to register a complaint. He took down my number and said I'd get a call back later. Sure enough, after about an hour someone from the company called me to take down my complaint. I gave them the cab number, time, origin and destination and a description of the driver after narrating the incident. This time they apologised, told me they'd noted the complaint and said they'd call again.
Cab number - 663. The driver was in a red turban and beard. Most definitely Indian / Sikh origin.
Just read another post in this thread of a horrific experience someone had. Ofcourse all situations are not as innocent as my previous post implies.
I hope the driver was terminated, infact, am sure he must have been. Karwa is tough with them.
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Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum sonatur.
I have observed many different behaviours from drivers belonging to different country. I understand that a lot of people may find a particular behaviour rude but for the driver, its just acting naturally according to the culture and environment he himself was brought up in.
It's quite interesting actually.
Ofcourse these aren't highly educated men who can understand cultural differences and act appropriately.
For me, i just observe people, be amused or learn something new about a different culture, and if there is anything inappropriate said, i just give it the benefit of doubt.
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Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum sonatur.
If any karwa guy did that to my gf I would honestly break his arms. I don't trust cops in Doha, they generally don't take much action if the victim is a western woman. Not all of the cops obviously but a very good number of them won't do anything.
All of you have complains agaist karwa let me know. but you have to standby your statement (written and must testify in peoson in case of a deciplinery inquiry)
I have a friend in Karwa. He will directly take the matter to HR or whatever they call it.
These baskets are playing with fire.
I am happy to assis you.
A newly arrived friend asked a driver to take her to XXX compound and he said he knew where it was. He didn't. So she started calling her husband when he got lost. The driver stopped the car, turned round and tried to punch her!!!
She is such a nice lady.
I guess he thought she was calling Karwa.
Karwa has a major problem with their drivers. Had to take a taxi recently and had my heart in my mouth all the way, the guy should be replacing Alonso or Hamilton !
I have heard many stories, but suffice to say, the good old "yellow taxis" were so much better.
But in those days everyone complained about old taxis and pathan drivers.
I suppose taxis in Qatar can never give satisfactory service, one way or the other.
i totally agree with u...sometimes they act they are professionals...i guess they are hired from outside where there is no law....
The driver was in a red turban and beard. Most definitely Indian / Sikh origin.
Sorry to say but you are the one showing attitude here.
I was travelling back from the airport in a Karwa taxi about two months ago, the guy answers his phone, I was a little miffed as he was driving a little erratic, then he nearly got us killed on the roundabout upto Landmark, so as we went up the dual caariageway I took it off him and threw it out of the window, I suppose I'm a big person, so he was upset but I told him he would follow if he put me in danger anymore.
He never stopped for the phone I always wonder whether he got it back or not?
Take no shit from them
dont worry mate......
its just opinions from others point of view.
what happened to you is something i dont want to face or anybody else here
hope Karwa does the right thing.
but dont get upset because they cannot just terminate this guy or take harsh decisions......
your complaint will definitely be taken into consideration while training new drivers.....
YOU DONT KNOW ME, DONT EVEN TRY !!!
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adey - Why should I not post his car number??? Well, I regret not clicking a picture of him with my mobile. I would have posted that too here. Just to serve as a warning to others.
thifanny_16 - Absolutely shocking. I'm surprised you're husband didn't call the police.
tallg - "Two, I lost all sympathy for you when you said that "two-bit taxi drivers are too insignificant in my opinion to be responded to in such situations". I wouldn't even let you in my taxi if I knew you held that sort of opinion!"
You missed the point - I said "in such situations". When a taxi driver behaves that way, he just a two-bit nobody to me. I didn't mean to generalise. Most of the times you'll finding me having good conversations with cab drivers. Always the most efficient method to get to know about a new place / country. Also, the guy was a Sikh. I have a lot of respect for them, especially their work ethic and positive outlook. Back in Aus, (or even in the UK) you'll find most of the Indian cab drivers are Sikh and I've always had the best cab conversations with them.
tiger9p - Regarding music, I always get them to turn it off, unless it's the radio. They've always obliged.
Fair enough. I don't have any experience with making complaints to Karwa as I've never been dissatisfied enough to complain. I was just impressed that they even bothered to call her back.
As for booking a taxi, I've always got an answer usually within a couple of rings, though it takes longer at peak times understandably.
i agree with you xonic ... most of the time they will call back ... but you will never hear from them again until you pick your phone up for the next complain. lol
tallg
karwa is not ready to pick up their phones to book a taxi, u talk about complaints. Even if they took complains they have done nothing about it.
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"Be Like a Flower, Which gives off it's fragrance
even to the hand that crushes it.
"two-bit" is often used as a derogatory term. I think it can basically be translated as "cheap" or "insignificant".
(In the back of my mind is something about it's origin coming from 2 bits being equal to 25 cents, but I could be totally wrong).
bad experience with taxi drivers is happened in all countries not specialy in Qatar. You just have to take wisely and ignore such a thing unless is matter life and death
Everybody is right Everybody is wrong, it depend where we stand.
I am not getting this term , who are 'two-bit taxi drivers'?
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I'm not trying to defend the way the taxi driver behaved, but in my opinion the "two-bit taxi drivers" line completed ruined any credibility Weasel may have had.
two-bit taxi drivers are too insignificant in my opinion to be responded to in such situations How derogatory, I spose one should be grateful that that 2 bit taxi driver got you home alive and well!
Well spotted, I didn't notice thet sentence but I had the feeling that the driver was being looked down on from the start. As I've learnt from QL it may be Indian v Indian problem
"Deaths in the Bible. God - 2,270,365
not including the victims of Noah's flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, or the
many plagues, famines, fiery serpents, etc because no specific numbers
were given. Satan - 10."
It's not just the behaviour that I can't stand, it's the way they drive, their sense of directions and much more. I also hate it so much when they listen to their music so loud (non English music). Karwa should come up with a better way to select each driver.
My wife also faced almost same problem with this karwa drivers. few months back she took the karwa for picking up our child from nursery. she done a blunder by putting her bag in the car and went to pick our child. In two minutes time she returned, but the driver sped away with her bag.
That's so scary....
I can imagine the schock ...
When I just here for 3 weeks, karwa is my only way to get the kids from school, I also get harrasment from karwa driver ...
Not as bad as you, but it made me very unsecure for weeks after that.
So, after that I always called limo which cost much more... (I have no option), and if the driver try to make any conversation, I just call my hub or anybody to avoid the conversation with the driver.
The less they know me the better, that's what I'm thinking.
Then I force myself to take the driving school, get the lisence and throw myself to the scary trafic Doha. At least it still better than harrasment driver :).
I don't think they do anything with the complains, People have been complaining since long and still the behaviour has not changed but gone to worse...I hate karwa taxi drivers...I think the complain section is just to fools us!
Two things;
One, it's good to know Karwa are willing to listen to complaints from customers, even minor ones like this.
Two, I lost all sympathy for you when you said that "two-bit taxi drivers are too insignificant in my opinion to be responded to in such situations". I wouldn't even let you in my taxi if I knew you held that sort of opinion!
Tell me about it... When i hate a karwa driver, i give them the worst overtake in history, leading them to crash into a wall or sidewalk. These idiots were suppose to be professional dirvers. There was this idiot who pissed me off the most, i almost smashed his head on his own windshiled, the dumb son of a B* kept flashing me and i was driving on the exact speed limit, I stopped the car infront of him and walked towards him, he started shivering and probably peed in his pants :P. Then he drove on the slow lane. Seriously sometimes they just get on the nerves.
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"Be Like a Flower, Which gives off it's fragrance
even to the hand that crushes it.
I'm so glad you reported him. That is the only way they can improve their service :)
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gawd... what an awful awful experience!
so sad you had such a bad experience, esp when u were pregnant... and thx for posting it as a warning to other ladies to be more alert...
and I agree.. that the driver should be prosecuted... not just terminated...
Thanks for reporting him I have asthma and I don't want to breathe the dirt thats in the air and it was really bad near City Center due to the construction taking place. I complained about the Karwa buses as they drive like maniacs especially at roundabouts. Hopefully they investigate it as no one should be demeaned doing their job. In fact if you curse at someone in a civil service job you can end up in jail here. If more people complain when the driver is bad maybe those drivers will watch their behavior for sure the driver that molested the women should go to jail not just fired.
hijack again, I watched Barney at the Farm, infact it had been on for precisely 3 hours and 22 minutes.....sorry.....
LOL. That's great! ...and I love that film! Hilarious!
Dug it out after watching 'Dogma' the other night.
Matt Damon as Loki the Angel of Death - "think yourself lucky, you didn't say 'bless you' after I sneezed" ha ha
sorry for hijack
"Deaths in the Bible. God - 2,270,365
not including the victims of Noah's flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, or the
many plagues, famines, fiery serpents, etc because no specific numbers
were given. Satan - 10."
That's a great signature! I wonder how long it took someone to research that! LOL
btw, sorry for the hijack
I nearly hit one of those Karwa driver up few days ago. Going to turn inside my compound ... 200 metres before i put my indicator on ... and this stupid karwa's taxi driver speed up trying to over take me from the left side in full speed. IDIOT !
OMG Thiffanny...what a horrible experience you went through...That is terrible.
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its bad..
But don't publish his cab number here, you complained, no need to persecute the guy.
"Deaths in the Bible. God - 2,270,365
not including the victims of Noah's flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, or the
many plagues, famines, fiery serpents, etc because no specific numbers
were given. Satan - 10."
1st case
i will never forget what happened to me, i was like 6-7 months pregnant with my 2nd child. from work i went straight directly to my son's daycare to fetch him. i was riding a Karwa Taxi, an indian driver with curly hair. On our way I told him to just wait for about 3 mins coz im gonna go and pick up my son who was 2years old at that time. And the driver agreed.
While driving he was too kind enough to tell stories, ask where im from blah blah blah.. I was answering in a casual way. And so when we got to my son's daycare, i went down and he told me so stop and turn because something was on my back. and then he said oh it's nothing go on! I just ignored that.
So i went back in with my son and suddenly the driver stoppped at a dark street alley. And i told why did he stopped? he said that he just wants to hold my tummy because he can detect wether i have a boy or a girl. And I started to get scared and so i told my son to sit on my lap. And the driver kept on reaching for me and he's trying to put my Blouse up. And I said at the top of my lungs that Im gonna call the police if he will not start the engine or we will jump at the window or scream if he will not step on the gas.
He got nervous I bet, and 2 buildings away from my flat we went down, where there are lots of people walking and too much establishments/store on both streets. I was shaking and my son was crying and im pregnant.
As i reached home i called my husband and told him what happened. I was crying and shaking to death. i looked at the window and i saw the driver still parking on th place where i went down. After talking to my husband I called Karwa reported it and they made actions. I even spoke to one Australian guy and I told them the details. They told me they will termnate the driver but I dont know what happened.
my life revolves around them... best gift ive ever had...
1st case or second you are talking about?
i dont quite get one thing...you are from India...he is from india...why would he swear or curse when you told him where you're from?
Your case is much better then my ! I was kicked out from the car in the middle of my destination coz he stop by some people in the road (i recognize from the language he talk with them that they could be from the same Country). He turn his face to me and very "politely" told me to leave the car coz he must to take this guys urgently! I did it coz I was afraid that maybe they can attack me. More than half hour I was waiting for another taxi , but I wasn't smart to take the number of the car !
YOU DONT KNOW ME, DONT EVEN TRY !!!
Cut the guy some slack.
I don't go to mythical places with strange men.
-- Douglas Adams, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul.