I picked up two passengers who spoke a language that
sounded like Thai but somehow I couldn't confirm.
The lady was fair, pretty and well dressed. The male companion was young
fairly good looking.
* Good afternoon, and where are we going * cantonboy asked.
* WALARIN * she replied.
* Excuse me ? *
* WA - LA - RIN BUILDING * she repeated and slowed down.
* walarin ? I'm sorry I don't know where it is ! I remarked.
* Just drive - it's near ESPLANADE * she said.
* OH ! ESPLANADE ! I know.... and so if I drive you there
will you show me which building is walarin ? * I felt a relief.
*OK ! I show later. * she replied.
* Any route preference ?*
*You decide ok ? Which is faster you go* she instructed.
*OK I take CTE to Orchard then Straight all the way to Esplanade*
Upon arriving Orchard road traffic was not heavy and she said,
*Why Jam ? Why so many traffic * she queried.
* No ma'am , this is normal traffic situation during peak hours * I attempted to
appease her.
Then the guy said * You should take NORMAL route *
*Yea why no take NORMAL ROUTE * she added, by then I felt my temperature
raising.
I replied , *I asked you which route you intended to take and you said left to me.*
* Now you say take normal route ? What is normal to you? It may not be normal
to me ! * I protested.
YOU TAXI DRIVER YOU SHOULD KNOW !!!! ( comes the classic cliche )
*Of Course I know - CTE to me is the Normal route* I retorted.
*Can you name me your normal route?* I requested .
*I don't know the names of the roads. You seem to go longer way
you not sure ah ?* she blared. [KNNBCCB ( uncle hotting up )]
I let go : * Uncle here is a SINGAPOREAN 50 years old and you are
telling me you know SINGAPORE ROADS BETTER!!! ???*
YOU CAN"T EVEN NAME ANY OF THE ROADS in your so call normal route.
Approaching DURIAN * Hello , to the right is the Esplanade and where is the walarin building? * cantonboy asked.
*There next to it WALARIN ! * she gladly pointed out to me.
* OH I see you meant ONE RAFFLES LINK * I was happy too that the mystery
was solved. *Ma'am this place is called ONE .... R A F F L E S . . . LINK *
YOU STUPID DRIVER- every taxi know when I said walarin only you
stupid dun know !!! YOU SPEAKING SINGLISH !!!
( walau I almost collapsed and DIED of a heart attack )
These people whom I suspect are from KAMPUCHEA ( I asked for their Nationality but
they were to embarassed to even mention where they are from )
Just because they have the opportunity to work overseas thought extremely highly
of themselves - tried to equate Spore taxiuncles to their 3rd world taxi drivers which left
me totally flabbergasted. This is my first time being accused of speaking Singlish..
HAHAHA what can I say ????
almost same thing happen to me
1 man n a lady board my taxi at concord hotel. lady: grand eaglehospital pls. me:??? lady:GRANDEAGLE HOSPITAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!U NEW DRIVER??????itook out street d******* and show her,gleneagles hospital? yes she said. CCb!!!(in my heart)!!!
My fellow esteem bros/sis, Singapore is a multi-racial country and being a cosmopolitan city with people from all over the world visiting our little Red Dot, it's inevitable that we as taxi-drivers will meet these people who speak different languages or English with different accents. It's our job and responsibility to find out what exactly they meant and send them to their intended destination. That in itself is the very basic duty of a cabby. I don't think it's right to make fun of these pax if they can't pronounce names of places properly. Many of our fellow cabbies also don't possess a good command of English. A pot don't call a kettle black.
My fellow esteem bros/sis, Singapore is a multi-racial country and being a cosmopolitan city with people from all over the world visiting our little Red Dot, it's inevitable that we as taxi-drivers will meet these people who speak different languages or English with different accents. It's our job and responsibility to find out what exactly they meant and send them to their intended destination. That in itself is the very basic duty of a cabby. I don't think it's right to make fun of these pax if they can't pronounce names of places properly. Many of our fellow cabbies also don't possess a good command of English. A pot don't call a kettle black.
for me i would not "laugh" at them, but from sharing it just make driving more interesting, de-stress
-- Edited by gg138 on Friday 18th of September 2009 04:59:22 AM
for me i would not "laugh" at them, but from sharing it just make driving more interesting, de-stress --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes, agree, interesting encounters.
-- Edited by gg138 on Friday 18th of September 2009 04:59:22 AM
our singlish road names R pronounces in our language... not their way of language.. it could be 100 miles apart.. since they r here to work they shd learn to pronouce it in our way
an angmo board and tell me go to ten pine.. where huh??? a condo in ten pine... HUH??? after a while i guess its tampines.. i ask him is it at the east side? he says yes.. i pronounce it to him and ask him is it familiar to u like how yr friend tell u? he says yes.. then i go..
bukit buttock?? we dont pronounce it like this!! be dog?? we have a mixture of english, malay, indian, hokkien in our road names.. ITS OUR ROAD not in any other part of the world
Ok ! I have a lot of problems with Xmm's language too. So Let me start a "Singlish Thread in the Feedback section.Hope everybody will contribute for the good of the many different races here.
-- Edited by Drive on Friday 18th of September 2009 12:55:19 PM