TAXI RIP OFFS, SO ANGRY

I AM SO ANGRY RIGHT NOW. OH MY GOSH.

Today has been a terrible day for transportation. L and I tried going to Paragon to get our shop on but the traffic on the freeway was so bad that after sitting in one spot for 20 minutes, with the fare steadily increasing, our driver and others reversed out of the traffic and onto the faster part of the highway so that we could be dropped off at a BTS to then walk to our destination.

Think that was bad? No. NO. Just now, after watching "Avatar" for the second time, but this time in 3D at the Paragon Cineplex, we got a taxi back. I wish I could elaborate more about how much I adore that movie, but my anger is presiding over that sentiment right now. Anyway, our ride back normally costs 130 baaht MAX, seriously MAX. But this cab driver decided to play dumb and take the longest route possible. I did not recognize any of the landmarks and I have taken this route back many times before. To make matters considerably worse, the meter was RIGGED and the fare increased every 2 seconds, I timed it. I was getting so angry during the drive that I muttered that my father is in the mafia to try and deter him from his evil ways, but he didn't hear me and even if he did, he didn't understand English -- er, "he didn't understand English." UGH.

A ride that should have cost 130 baaht cost 277 baaht by the time we arrived at our apartment.

I. was./am. fuming.

I know it's not a smart decision for two foreign girls to get in an argument with a Thai taxi driver who knows where you live, but I couldn't help it; I do NOT like being taken advantage of especially when you now that the other party knows what he is doing but acts stupid, which is exactly what this guy did. I yelled at him for a good five minutes about how he took the wrong way; the price he was charging us was exorbitant; and that we should go by the KM charge, which was like 180 baaht (still too much). But he just played dumb the whole time.

He acknowledged that his meter was broken but "he no know!" And that "he meter, he meter!" Right, I'm sure you metered it but you RIGGED your meter. BS. Complete BS. He was acting like my 9th grade students who act like they have no idea what I'm saying, but I know they're just too lazy to speak in English and act dumb. At one point I remember him saying "I need money." Ya, and so do I.

I am still fuming. I stayed outside on the curb after he dropped us off and I paid the lesser amount of the half I supposedly owed (Linnea gave in a paid the difference, which I can't say I'm grateful for because I almost wish she had held her ground too...someone needs to show them they can't keep taking advantage of farangs) and glared him down and pretended like I was memorizing his plate number so I could call and complain. I wanted to go Avatar on him and shoot a bow-and-arrow through the car window, straight into his scheming chest.

I HATE that these taxi drivers have the upper hand on foreigners, especially as women. It's scary to know that all these random guys know where we live so we're at a disadvantage when our modes of transportation rip us off like tonight. I get particularly angry because I'm on a tight budget as a teacher here who wants to travel. I can't go around dishing out all this cash every time I need to get home!

Need to do something to calm myself down. This is just unacceptable. "Mai Pen Rai" (Whatever/No Worries/Hakuna Matata) just won't cut it right now.