Metered Taxi in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Taxi in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia *

Metered Taxi, Please!

One accessible means of transportation in Malaysia is via taxi.  Like in any major countries, taxi drivers could be a total rip off.  In around 10 times that we've rode a taxi, we only encountered 2 who would stick by the meter.  I've already known this modus operandi of some taxi drivers even before coming to Kuala Lumpur.  And I know through extensive research that you should let the taxi driver know that you want a metered taxi before hopping in.  If they won't agree to it, then you have to let them go and find another one who would.  Armed with that information, I always screamed "meter meter" way before the taxi would slow down to stop.  I didn't realize that I have been doing this until my friend told me, which he found silly.  Well of course it was indeed silly and stupid.  How could the taxi driver hear me when he's still meters away from me? 

Taxi Choosing Tips

Anyways, it was suggested before that you only choose the ones away from tourist areas.  Those taxis are less likely to rip you off.  Taxi drivers in tourist places would tell you that the place you wish to go has traffic congestion and too far, so they would ask for bigger charge, usually up to RM10.  I suggest you try to ask people around to see if the train station is nearby.  If it is, then it is best to just walk towards the station and take the train.  It's the cheapest and fastest way of going around the city anyway.

What about you?  What is your favorite mode of transportation?

*Image not mine