Suzhou: Again? Spill the Tea.
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Sigh, I have to tell you all about it. I just saw a post that made me feel a little upset too, as an experienced traveler.
Here's what happened:
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A sister from somewhere else visited Suzhou for the first time.
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According to her, she took a ride-hailing car (that's like Uber or Lyft, you know), and ended up being cheated by the driver. She didn't say much more, but likely she was overcharged or taken on a detour. Such things do happen, sigh.
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Angry at this, the girl posted something on Little Red Book (a popular Chinese social media app similar to a crossover between Instagram and Yelp), saying that she would never come back to Suzhou again.
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Here are my views on it:
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First of all, I understand her disappointment and anger if such things had really happened; anyone would be unhappy. The intention to have fun was completely ruined, and if that had happened to me, I'd probably also fly off the handle!
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However, discarding the entire city because of one terrible experience with a driver seems a bit over-stretching, don’t you think? There are plenty of things to see and enjoy in a big city like Suzhou, and most people there are friendly toward tourists anyway.
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I know for sure that this incident serves as a reminder for Suzhou authorities that reputation and the impression of the region are important; otherwise, such things could potentially ruin the tourist experience.
Travel Notes & Tips to Avoid Falling into Pits
- Be cautious of these potential traps:
- Drivers who take wrong turns or negotiate prices: Some selfish drivers will intentionally take longer routes, or they might not charge based on the fare estimate from their application. They may also ask for extra cash upon your arrival.
- Illegal/unregistered taxis: There may be certain individuals at the station and around attractions who try to get business from visitors and offer taxi rides. However, many of these services can often cause trouble and overcharge you.
- How to avoid unpleasant experiences:
- Use official apps to order: Use trusted ride-hailing apps instead of informal means (such as Didi Chuxing, the most popular service in China). Before departure, double-check the license plate and make sure that the information displayed matches the driver's profile.
- Make payments through the app: Paying within the app eliminates disputes about actual fares. Normally, an estimated fare is available beforehand on the app. Having a clear estimate keeps you well-informed.
- Set up a navigator: After boarding the vehicle, use your own smartphone to set a navigation route and compare it with them. This way, you can tell if a detour has occurred or not.
- Report problems immediately: If a driver tries to scam you, don't sit on your complaints – report it inside the app or contact relevant authorities.
To be honest, there are some bad eggs in every city. But let's keep our minds open and not dismiss an entire region solely based on a bad experience. When travelling, we should be more vigilant and attentive!
Now, a question for you: supposing you faced a situation like this, #when given the chance, would you still consider visiting Suzhou for a tour [Opinion]? Share your thoughts!
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Any Suzhou locals here who can shed some light? Do you guys experience this kind of thing with drivers too? I absolutely love your shengjian (pan-fried pork buns), but running into a driver like this is truly heartbreaking.
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Suzhou is a city where non-locals make up a significant portion of the population. This influx brings both talented individuals building the city and, unfortunately, some less desirable elements from elsewhere. I'm not trying to be discriminatory or look down on anyone, but it's a fact that some opportunistic individuals from outside the city have negatively impacted Suzhou's tourism – like touts for day trips near the train station, Shantang Street, Pingjiang Road, and the Humble Administrator's Garden, aggressive rickshaw drivers, and sellers of fake local delicacies. There are quite a few traps. So, when locals see posts on Xiaohongshu saying 'Avoid Suzhou' or 'Never coming back,' their frustration is understandable. Ultimately, Suzhou welcomes all tourists. If you have a bad experience, please try to understand the context and direct your complaints fairly.
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So it's outsiders ripping off other outsiders, and then they ask us locals what we think? How about we just watch – standing, sitting, or lying down, take your pick.
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And now someone's bound to say, 'How can you be so sure the driver was an outsider?' or 'You locals are just trying to shift the blame!'
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Sure, no problem. Go ahead and say you'll never come back to Jiangsu, or China, or even Earth, or the entire universe. It's all fine by us.
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Makes sense.
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They won't listen to local advice anyway. They practically want to fall into these tourist traps. So yeah, 'avoiding Suzhou' is great! Maybe it'll finally give our old town some peace and quiet.
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They don't like sweet food, but they insist on eating it anyway. Then, after they're done, they complain Suzhou is a 'food desert'.
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The ratio of actual Suzhou locals to non-locals here is probably 8:2, maybe even 9:1. I still strongly suspect that driver was an outsider.
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Just look at this year's list of banned drivers. As of July, out of 32 drivers banned in Suzhou this year, only one was a local. Yet, those who don't understand the situation in Suzhou are quick to accuse us of being 'xenophobic' or 'discriminatory'.
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So the tourist isn't from Suzhou, the driver isn't from Suzhou, only the license plate is from Suzhou (Su E/U). On matters like this, we Suzhou locals prefer not to comment. Maybe just impound the car and report the whole thing to the central authorities.
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Lesson learned.
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The other day, a Suzhou local driving a ride-hail car maliciously cut us off and scraped our car. He then got out and berated my partner for not yielding, even though we were going straight and he'd aggressively cut in. He was cursing my partner, calling him 'xiao chi lao' (a local insult like 'little punk') and so on, then drove off – a hit-and-run. A bystander even said, 'This guy is a disgrace to Suzhou people.' Later, when the traffic police arrived, an officer said, 'Must be an outsider.' I corrected him, 'No, he was a local; he even called my partner 'xiao chi lao'.' The officer went silent... Seriously, stop blaming outsiders for every bad thing that happens in Suzhou.
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You can check Suzhou's list of banned drivers for hit-and-runs. This year, out of over 30 banned, only one was a local – that's less than 5% locals. While it's wrong to say 'it's definitely an outsider,' it's statistically very likely to be an outsider. That's a fact.
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I almost feel like I took advantage of my ride-hail driver. I stubbornly hailed a ride right from a tourist spot in Suzhou. It took him 18 minutes just to reach me. Then, with traffic, the ride to my destination took an hour. I checked my phone, and the fare was only a little over 17 RMB. When I got out, the driver even cheerfully said, 'Bye bye, enjoy your visit!' I felt a bit embarrassed by how cheap it was.
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Don't just 'feel' like it, you definitely did! Own it.
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Yes, please share more 'how to avoid Suzhou' tips! Hopefully, tourists will become fewer and fewer. As a local, I genuinely wish the roads would be less crowded.
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Fine by me. Don't come. None of you should come.
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Excellent!