World's Nastiest Cab Driver

Well, I always thought that San Francisco had the surliest, least helpful cab drivers in the world. I am always embarrassed by how badly my city treats its guests, and the cab drivers are at the forefront of this abuse.

But the guy in this picture, who took us from LuWo train station on the Hong Kong/Shenzhen border out to a meeting in a Silicon Valley-style technology park was the meanest dude ever. He didn't want to run the meter, but wanted twice the normal fare. After my colleague politely but steadfastly refused for 15 minutes, he tried to stop the cab and dump us out on the highway.

Then he got "lost" trying to find the place and then suddenly couldn't understand my colleague's Mandarin (since he spoke a different dialect as his first language). All this over about a difference in $4 in cab fare. I realize 30 yuan is not a trifle in Shenzhen, but I didn't think it was worth this sort of confrontation. Oh well, it was a nice day that day anyway. Felt like Bay Area weather there.