Queue of taxi cabs outside of the extremely posh Imperial hotel Ōsaka. Japan has an estimated 260,000 taxis operating nationwide working from 333 different companies, however, the connivence of taxis does not come cheap. While all Japanese taxis have meters, when the left rear passenger door automatically opens for you have 710 yen (+ ~100 yen/500 meters traveled) handy for the driver (tipping is not expected). A vacant taxi displays 空車 in the front window, if occupied 賃走, and each company uses its own design to identify its vehicles and its drivers; who are dressed in the company livery including a hat and white gloves. Oh, and don't try to open or close the door yourself - that can stress the mechanism and make for a very unhappy driver.
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I think if each taxi driver turned their engine off while waiting for a fare, they could cut emission gases by a LOT! (love the bokeh on the photo!)
ReplyDeleteI completely agree, I hate walking past these lines of cabs they seem to have their own weather and smog pattern from all those idling engines with the drivers lying back and catching a nap or reading the paper.
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