OK, give me the Chinese title.
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Here comes the English translation:
In these past three days in Shanghai, there were always surprises, mostly related to the drivers of "Didi," a taxi hailing app. I wouldn't like to say that every driver we encountered was nasty, but due to my unfortunate experiences over the three days, my impression of Shanghai wasn't quite favorable.
On Day 1, the driver refused to take us:
When heavy rain suddenly fell and neither of us had an umbrella, we still carried the elderly and our children. We ordered a car through the app with the drop-off location set right at the restaurant entrance. However, the driver parked the vehicle on the opposite side of the road.
With family members in tow, crossing the street was not very convenient, so we called him and requested him to drive closer to the door to pick us up.
You’ll never guess what happened next — before waiting the required time specified by the app had lapsed, he hung up the phone and drove away…… That was it, end of story!On Day 2, not only did we take a detour, but there was also a minor accident:
In the early morning hours during our visit to Disneyland, our driver, an older gentleman, drove against the GPS route three consecutive times - where the GPS asked him to turn left he insisted on turning right.
We sensed something amiss and inquired as to what might be happening. He claimed he was new and found it difficult to navigate using the app; for a while, he was asking us to guide him through.
Lo and behold, while changing lanes mid-drive, he bumped into another vehicle that was traveling forward (fortunately, no serious damage occurred). We could not proceed, and only left for Disneyland after calling another car. We were late for our ride, unfortunately.On Day 3, I ended up arguing with the driver:
Alas, here’s how things went poorly – this driver’s attitude was quite bad. Right after we got inside his car, he began venting all sorts of frustration incessantly, which was unbearable.Summing up, we made six trips via Didi. Apart from encountering a deaf-mute driver, a non-Shanghai local driver, and the aforementioned inexperienced but amicable driver, the rest three drivers had some negative traits regarding their attitude.
I’ve traveled to over 20 Chinese provinces, and for the first time, I was quite astonished by the disparity of taking taxi services in Shanghai. It makes me wonder why this happens.
After searching on Xiaohongshu (which is similar to Instagram), I discovered that many people felt uneasy when calling a Didi car in Shanghai too.
Therefore, here’s some advice to foreigners traveling in Shanghai:
You might encounter unsatisfactory drivers: Be prepared mentally, as some drivers may show impatience or complaints due to various reasons like being dissatisfied with traffic conditions or the trip fare being insignificant.
If there are minor complaints, try to ignore them. If a driver's attitude becomes extremely unpleasant, consider ending the journey early and report them through the app for poor service.Drivers may deviate from the GPS route or take a detour: This might happen mostly with drivers who claim themselves as "newbies" or "unsure about the road."
Use your own GPS or another navigation app such as Google Maps or Baidu Map (Baidu Maps' international version) and monitor your location to avoid getting lost. If you face any issues, ask the driver politely. In case of no communication, request the driver to follow the route suggested by the GPS, or end the journey and leave the car.During rush hours, it may be difficult, or even impossible to hail a cab, especially when you're stuck outdoors, raining or snowing:
Avoid these peak times; if it’s rainy or snowy weather, try taking public transportation, including metro which is quite well-developed in Shanghai. In case the driver stops the car at a place where it wasn't easy to exit, try to negotiate with him. If you can't, cancel the order and call again, keeping app's cancellation rules in mind so you don’t accidentally incur extra charges.When there’s a minor accident:
Although it doesn’t often occur, it would cause your trip delays. If it happens to be just a small bump, inform the driver and others present and move away by hiring another car. Note the license plate number and stay vigilant, just in case you need to appeal later on the app platform.And my mood has greatly improved after posting this! Continuing my "City Walk," Shanghai is still impressive!
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You're right, I need to make a correction. Regarding those three drivers with poor attitudes, I couldn't really tell if they were 'laoxiang' (from the same hometown/region as me). It's more accurate to say they were Didi drivers I encountered in Shanghai. Thanks for the reminder, I just became aware of this distinction.
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Just a heads-up: very few premium car service drivers, or even taxi drivers, in Shanghai are actually local Shanghainese. Many have only been in the city for about 1-2 years. I've chatted with a few, and they all seem to be here to make a quick buck.
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Ever since the old-school local Shanghainese 'uncle' drivers retired, the taxi and Didi services in Shanghai have become a complete mess.
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Ah, those 'Yeshu' (older Shanghainese gentlemen) drivers! They must have a certain flair, right? I haven't encountered one yet, but I'd love to have the chance.
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Really? I've used Didi so many times. It's always: first, they confirm the last few digits of my phone number, and second, they say 'I'm here.' I've never been refused a ride or gotten into an argument. However, when I travel, I have been refused a few times. No offense to any particular place, but I remember this happening in Chongqing – perhaps the trip was too short, and the driver wasn't happy with such a low fare. When I returned to Shanghai, I even remarked how much better ride-hailing is here, as they never refuse a ride, no matter the distance.
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On my very first day here, the first car I tried to hail refused the ride. I watched it drive right past us, and then I had to wait another 10 minutes for a car...
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It's because most Didi drivers in Shanghai are non-locals doing gig work. They're under immense pressure to cover car rental fees, so their attitude is bound to be poor. If you happen to get a local Shanghainese driver, you'll see the difference. They usually own their cars, are just looking to make a decent day's wage, and are often happy to chat.
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The work pressure must be immense then.
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Didi in Shanghai is absolutely terrible. (I take short trips daily and endure so much frustration.)
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I always give them a piece of my mind directly and file a complaint. There's no way I'm putting up with their nonsense.
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Folks from the same region shouldn't give each other a hard time.
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I'm a tourist from out of town, and I posted on Xiaohongshu (a social media app) out of anger because of the rude treatment I received. However, um, it's not really about regionalism. I just genuinely think that my experiences over the past few days should be enough for Didi to seriously reflect on their service quality and oversight issues.
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As a Shanghai local, I don't even dare to use the 'Tehui' (budget/express) Didi option. There's a high chance something unpleasant will happen. The premium Didi services ('Zhuanche') are much better. If it's expensive during peak hours, I just take the subway.
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How do you hail a 'Zhuanche' (premium Didi service)?
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You don't get Shanghai. When you get in the car, don't talk to them and sit in the back. Don't worry if they take a longer route unless you're in a real hurry. If they ask for directions, just tell them to follow the GPS. If the fare is higher than expected when you arrive, complain directly.
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He really said that first. After learning our lesson the hard way the first time, we don't dare say much when we get in the car anymore. We feel so timid and subservient in the car.
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I've been in Shanghai for 3 days and already had arguments with drivers twice. Their attitude is terrible.
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That's terrifying! What you're all saying makes me want to head home right now.
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Most Didi drivers nowadays are non-locals, and their attitude isn't just bad, it's atrocious. They'll outright refuse short-distance fares. I'm a Shanghainese local, and I can't understand what kind of people Didi is hiring in Shanghai these days. Does Shanghai owe them something? If they don't like it here, they don't have to come!