1/10/2008
What went wrong with the taxi fare hike?
The taxi drivers are the people on the ground who fully appreciate and understand the situation. They were hit hard and need to lower cost or maybe raise fare a little to cover the rising cost. They knew their customers well and how much they could afford to bear.
Those who think that a hefty hike is the way are people with a lot of money and think that taxi passengers are as rich as them. This is the first out of touch premise. If they have listened to the taxi drivers, they would not push the limit that far.
The second mistake is to forget the cardinal principle of little increases, bit by bit, and tell the passengers that the small increases are affordable. Then increase a little every few months to get the passengers use to the higher prices.
This principle was forgotten in the heat of the moment. Insanity creeps in and we have the hefty and justifiable increases.
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And who says there is anything wrong with the taxi fare increase?
The taxi companies and LTA says all will be normal in time. The taxi drivers and public says this time it will not be normal as always. Which side are you on redbean?
of course i am right, or on the side that is right. : )
Markets adjust. But some people are slow to change their outlook, and prefer to seek out their favourite "should-be's" instead of facing, and accepting what is.
more hikes means more gst takings means more profits means more pat-on-the-back promotions. therefore more hikes is good.
I have lived in HK for close to a decade now.
I think the main difference between HK and Singapore with regards to consumer matters is that in HK, the government CLEARLY states that HK follows a pro-consumer policy. Whether its public transport, utilities, telecommunications etc, the govt will look towards protecting the consumer and consumers' rights. So whenever companies want to raise or reduce prices, the govt will question - at what impact to the consumer?
Singapore unfortunately is Singapore Inc. They look to shareholders first (which funnily enough, when it comes to transport, utilities, telco, the shares are mainly owned by Temasek). LTA and other govt bodies dont look at consumers' needs and rights.
Where else in the world can a body like LTA be "profitable"?
in singapore it is the consumers against the whole world.
In Singapore it is the consumers against the the whole world and we boast of having CASE to fight for consumer's rights. How laughable! Which side are they really on? I guess they are also on the side that is 'might'.
Who runs CASE????
All residents are slowly but surely becoming slaves... sorry but it is true...
Who makes the money this round???
So what if you have a big nanny government?? we all probably just stay afloat at the deepest end of the ocean....
Oh the irony...
HK is part of a (larger) communist system - albeit been given 'autonomy' by Beijing.
However, I have heard S'pore described as The Best Communist Country In The World...and S'pore is supposed to be a 'free' constitutional republic.
What a topsy-turvy world!
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