Hitchhiker's guide

Once again, it's the time of the year when everyone, regardless of age, gender, nationality, political views, etc unite and join each other in raising their hands, ...and desperately try to hail that passing taxicab.

But of course, they'll fail, because here in the Philippines, especially during Christmas season, prospective passengers are treated as hitchhikers by cab drivers. First, the driver interviews the passengers about their destination, and if it's not a place that's along his way, he'll of course refuse to give them a ride.

Maybe it will be smoother if the passengers are the ones who will ask the driver first where he wants to go. Or to make it even more faster, maybe the driver can hang signs in the windshield indicating where he is going, they can even paint their destinations on the side of their car. Oh wait, I forgot we already have that, we just call them jeepneys.

But don't worry, if you are really desperate to hitch a ride with a cab driver, there are ways. As seen in the conversation below that usually takes place before a stranded passenger is able to hitch a ride with a taxi:

Driver: Where to?
Hitchhiker: Can you take me to [name of any place]
Driver: I can't go there, because [choose one or two: It is too far/The traffic is bad/The roads are under construction/The area is too dark/The people are dangerous/My car is broken/It isn't on the same island that we're in/I don't know how to drive/etc]
Hitchhiker: I'll add 50 pesos to the meter.
Driver: Hop on in.

So, as can be clearly seen from the above conversation, the way to a cab driver's heart is through his pocket.

Now, I realize that I may be generalizing a bit here, so in the spirit of fairness, I want to say that there are still a number (eight) of "honest-to-goodness" types of cab drivers out there. I hope they can join us in telling the other drivers, "Please be noble enough to understand your duty to ferry passengers to their destinations, even if the traffic is horrendous, even if the place is too far, even if ... Hey wait! Don't drive off! I'm not yet finished! I'll add 50 pesos to the meter!"