I Thought I Knew Better!!

Well, it was raining again!!! It seems that is the normal event for Friday evenings during the Beijing
summer. The problem is that when it rains there are no taxis to be had for 'love or money!' Working
on this particular night is fun, because the center is quiet and I have time to work on my blog, but has also become another reason to stay indoors longer as there are no taxis to be had!

We are situated close to the embassy area, so there are lots of ex pat popular restaurants in the vicinity and finding an empty or even available cab, near impossible. So last night, I braved the elements and stepped out into the stormy night. Puddles were deeps and I saw a number of bedraggled people, with limp from the torrential rain umbrellas, sighing and bemoaning the lack of cabs. So, I decided, even though I was in my yellow well worn Crocs, that are non too safe on the
slippery pavement, to start to walk further along to another main road to see if I would fare better.

As has happened to me a number of times in the past, a car pulled up and asked me where I wished to go. I usually immediately refuse the offer and wait patiently, but due to past experience the previous week, having got caught for over an hour in the downpour, I decided to accept his offer and showed him my paper as to where I wished to go. We squabbled over the price of 30 to 20 yuan and set off on our way. Let me at this point explain that there are a number of Beijingers, who work as a private taxi service, not wishing to pay the high price for the taxi licence, but usually take
only those that they know. On this particular occasion, I felt sure that he thought that this dumb foreigner, could be 'taken for a ride!'.

As we set off, I gave him directions and soon enough he began to become really agitated, insisting
that I was taking him the wrong way (of course he had misread the paper as there are two places with similar names) and that the price should be 50 yuan!! He had locked the door to the car and when I told him that I would get out and make my own way, I found that the door could not be opened. Strangely though, he had left the window down, but when he saw I was trying the handle from the outside, drove faster.

By this time I was being sworn at. I was not overly worried, because I thought that I could always beat him off with my umbrella, but his eyes kept going to my handbag and I was not going to give that up without a fight!! After all, I too work hard for my money. As luck would have it, we pulled up at the next lights and a police car drew up beside us; through hand gestures I showed him that I would attract their attention or scream through the open window if he did not pull over and stop!

There were a number of people standing on the street, all stranded without a cab, so I made out as
if I was about to call out and he pulled over, at first refusing to open the door. After a moment he did and I calmly climbed out. No money was exchanged as I did not trust myself to open bag amd I walked off in the opposite direction, towards where a group of people were standing.

But, he did not go!! He stayed in his car, next to the kerb, waiting to see what I would do next.
The people began to filter out and he began to put his car into reverse. I moved quickly and turned the corner and hailed down a cab as quickly as I could, keeping an eye on the car coming in reverse in my direction!! Due to the heavy falling rain, I felt sure that he could not see me, so I dove in, crouched down on the seat, to the amazement of the cabbie and we drove off into the night!!

A few quick glances back to ensure that we were not being followed and I promise you that I learned my lesson!!