Korean Taxi Drivers

October 22. 2008

Taxi drivers are insane here. Half the time you speak Korean to them asking where to go, and they look at you like you don't know what you are talking about. You keep repeating the same phrase to them and usually they will figure it out after pronouncing it exactly the same way.

The most annoying this is when I try to take a cab to school. 75% of the time the cab drivers only need me to say "Iro Chodem Hakyo" (or Iro Elementary School) once or twice and then they take me to the right place.

10% of the time they do the annoying pronouncing the phrase the same way and then they get it.

The other 15% of the time I say my phrase and they either repeat it back the same and take you to the wrong place, or repeat it differently and won't listen to you at first, thinking they know better than you.

It's not just going to school either, it's any time you take a cab to a place that there is another place with a similar name that they think you meant.

Last week Cody and I were on our way to a restaurant called VIPS to celebrate Fallon's birthday with her. We told the cab driver the phrase that means take me to VIPS, as well as the phrase for restaurant. It took us 3 cabs to actually get there because 1 cab had no idea what we were saying, and the other one actually said "No speaka English," even though we were speaking Korean. Believe me, it is more than frustrating