CATHERINE RIGOD (journalism) writes:
In Shanghai, one of the most interesting ways to get around the city is to travel by taxi. There are taxi stands strategically placed near intersections, hotels, and places of interest, and with one push of a button, cabs are supposed to respond to the call.
However, that would be in an ideal situation, and everyone knows that things never work like they’re supposed to. Cabs are incredibly cheap in Shanghai, starting between 11 and 14 RMB per fare (or about two dollars)—just as long as you can get one. Today it took us approximately 40 minutes to get a cabbie to pick us up. Demand outweighs supply here in Shanghai, leaving people lining up on the side of roadways just trying to get somewhere.
The general practice is as soon as a taxi pulls over to drop off a passenger you must immediately enter the cab before they finish paying in order to claim the ride. If you don’t act quickly, someone else will.
There are also other cabs available where you negotiate an agreed upon fare, but being that these taxis aren’t exactly legit, it’s a little risky to hope that you will actually get to your destination. I remember using these underground cabs in London, but since I have such a huge language barrier here in China, I think I better learn some patience and simply stick to the real cabbies for now.
Catherine Rigod is a senior in journalism.
