The most frightening taxi ride I have experienced in Thailand was a journey from Bangkok Hualamphong train station to Pattaya. The vehicle was a mini van, the driver was a male. There was 6 of us in the van. I’m not sure if the van actually became airborne, but the tires screeched in a very similar fashion to those of a plane landing on the runway.
Our heads hit the van roof in the style of a fighter pilot making an emergency ejection, during which his cockpit canopy remained in place. “Never mind” I know these undulating dips and rises on highway 7 can easily catch you out. Especially when you are falling asleep !.
In hindsight I would guess the runway landing jolted him back to life. I did notice his head rolling around prior to my own head nearly penetrating the van roof, but I never thought too much of it.
I became a little apprehensive, and nervously watched the road ahead. The driver’s head started to roll again. He put his sunglasses on, took them off, put them on, took them off. He occasionally slurped on a drink. he sometimes tailgated a car or 2.
He made what would have been considered a skillful maneuver on a F1 track. Just inches behind the car in front, he pulled out in an apparent overtaking maneuver, narrowly missing a car which was passing in the right hand lane. He seemed to take a jolt, then pulled back into lane.
We continued on, his head continued to roll, just momentarily his chin dropped towards his chest. I looked in the mirror, his eyes were closed. I called out “hello”, he woke and I asked him if he was OK. This was the point at which I started fearing for our lives. I told the wife he’s falling asleep, tell him to stop the first chance he can.
She relayed the message, and mentioned my concerns about him sleeping. There was a heated exchange between him and my wife, after which my wife remained silent. But he carried on, I had no idea what he was saying at the time, but the tone of his voice was angry.
He never stopped to let us out, but his head sopped rolling, he was angry but he was wide awake. He got us home, and I deleted his number from my telephone.
It was only once we were home my wife told me that during his outburst he proclaimed his van was worth more than our lives.
Time For a Change
That was just one bad ride too many for me. It was by far the worst, nightmare Thailand taxi experience I have had but by no means the first. Taxi drivers make me feel ill at ease when they are tailgating, conversing on the telephone and scribbling notes at the steering wheel.
And then there’s the incessant need for speed. I’m not interested in their vehicles top speed downhill, and I’m not ever going to tell them I’m impressed by their high speed cornering skills. I just want to get from A to B.
So from now on it’s female taxi drivers for me. I might be wrong, I can’t give a verdict yet. But I feel women don’t suffer from that “aggression overload” which many male drivers do once they get behind a steering wheel. Maybe I’m being a bit of a grandad, but there’s only one person I trust to drive fast, and that’s me.
Female Taxi Drivers in Pattaya
I know of 2 for sure at the moment, I have seen many recommendations for both of them. I have used Tan’s taxi to take my parents to the airport. They had a lady driver, and their verdict was, best yet.
Tan’s Taxi: There are 3 female drivers and 1 male, so make sure you request a female driver. Email: tanstaxi@gmail.com – Website: http://www.tanstaxi.com/
Nam’s Taxi: All female drivers according to the website, but again make sure you specify female driver, things change fast in Pattaya. Website: http://www.namstaxipattaya.com/
You can also find these 2 female taxi services on my Pattaya taxi services page.
If you would like to recommend any more female taxi drivers in Pattaya or Bangkok, please use the comments form or contact me.