Changing China

While Beijing will be keen to show off gleaming new subway lines built specially to whisk people between Olympic venues and other tourist hot spots, many of the 2.5 million visitors expected to hit town over the Games period will find themselves at the mercy of a local cab driver at some stage or other.

For visitors lacking a basic grasp of Mandarin, this can be quite unnerving. As earnestly as Olympic organisers have tried to improve cab-drivers’ basic English, and while there are notable exceptions, it would be safer to assume that your driver does not speak a word beyond “hello”, “ok” and “bye bye”.

It is also wise to assume, beyond major tourist spots and some commercial buildings, that your taxi driver probably doesn’t know where your destination is.

Preparation is obviously key here. Those at star hotels can obviously ask desk staff to help write down addresses in Chinese to hand to drivers, while better hotels conveniently provide business cards with tourist sites listed.

For less cashed-up visitors, expat magazines like That’s Beijing and Time Out also helpfully provide addresses in Chinese to restaurants, bars and night clubs.

Still, cab journeys across China’s sprawling capital can be a harrowing experience, both for drivers and their passengers.

The following provides a few tips on how to survive a cab-ride in Beijing.

KNOW THY TAXI:

Long-term expats often go misty-eyed reminiscing about Xiali taxis — the ultra-cheap rattle-trap sedans that were stripped from the roads two years ago due to their high emissions.

Now, Beijing’s 70,000-strong taxi fleet are more environmentally-friendly, but still a bargain at 10-yuan flag-fall and 2 yuan per kilometre.

Look out for the Hyundai Elantra taxi if you want a particularly smooth ride. The less fussed can hail the Citroen Fukang, a JV-model made out of the nearby port city of Tianjin, usually red in colour. They can be a bit cramped for the tall in body, and petrol fumes are pretty much standard.

Be suspicious of any offers of a ride from drivers without a meter and without a taxi lamp on the top of their cars. Beijing crawls with these “black taxis”, which admittedly can be a god-send when cabs are scarce, but often end in tales of woe from tourists dropped far from their destinations for far too much money.

Never negotiate prices with cab drivers. Always use the meter.

KNOW THY DESTINATION:

Knowing your way around Beijing’s vast urban sprawl is an exercise that takes months, rather than days. Spare a thought for some of Beijing’s recently recruited cab drivers, who may not know much more than you do.

Street names and numbers are rarely helpful for many drivers who navigate using the names of highway overpasses and archaic monikers for districts often not listed on maps.

So, in addition to a Chinese address and detailed directions, if possible, get a phone number for your destination in case your driver gets lost. You can pass it to him to call and ask for directions, if he pulls over looking befuddled.

THE INS AND OUTS:

Another local quirk to be aware of is that you should always get in the cab on the right hand side of the car which faces the pavement. This is not merely for safety reasons, but simply that the other side is generally locked.

Always be on the lookout for oncoming bicycles, tricycles, mopeds, pedestrians and the silent killer — the electric bicycle, which glides noiselessly at speeds of up to 40 kph, and can do you serious damage.

Also be diligent when disembarking. Many a time have I failed to look over my shoulder before opening the car-door, only to scare a pedalling pensioner half to death and cop a profanity-tinged spray to boot. 

THE RIGHT CHANGE:

Often a tough demand to meet after a number of cab-rides, but drivers are perenially short of change, and will almost always ask you for small bills when settling up. Be conscious of this.

But, if you really don’t have the change, don’t be brow-beaten into running off to break a large note at a nearby shop, as some drivers are wont to ask.

PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE:

Beijing has promised to fix its appalling traffic in time for the Games, probably by banning odd and even number cars from hitting the roads on alternate days.

Until that time, visitors are advised to be prepared to sit virtually motionless in snarled traffic for extended periods, particularly during peak hours.

Avoiding clogged roads can be quite a sport for some drivers, so passengers are advised not to be alarmed if the driver makes a strange turn or takes a seemingly circuitous route.

Many expats can credit their serviceable Mandarin to long periods spent chatting with taxi drivers, who are generally gregarious and delighted to talk to foreigners.

So be patient, and try out a few Chinese phrases to pass the time. Happy travelling!