#892 [Work] How to deal with difficulty catching a taxi 💡
During busy periods, such as the end of the year or the end of the fiscal year, I think there are times when it is difficult to catch a taxi.
It is not exactly a secret trick, but since many people may not be aware of it, I would like to share some measures for when it is difficult to catch a taxi 🚖
Please note that this article assumes you are trying to hail a taxi on the street, so it may not apply outside of Tokyo.
Especially when returning home from a downtown area after the last train, I think there are quite a few people trying to hail a taxi in the direction heading away from the city center.
I understand the feeling, and I used to do the same thing.
I also had the desire to save on taxi fare while getting a little closer to home...
However, especially during the time after the last train, many people use taxis to get home from downtown, so to catch an empty taxi, you should wait in the direction heading toward the city center to target taxis returning to the downtown area.
Some people may be concerned about getting in a taxi going in the opposite direction of their destination, but when it is hard to catch a taxi, I think it is better to prioritize getting in one rather than worrying about the direction.
It is fine; if you pretend you do not know the direction, there will be no problem at all.
Also, I see people waiting in lines at taxi stands in downtown areas, but rather than waiting at a stand for a taxi that you do not know when it will arrive, you should wait before the stand to target empty taxis heading toward it.
Since it is a moral issue if you are too close to the stand, I think it is better to raise your hand at a place somewhat away from the stand.
There may be cases where they will not pick you up due to local rules, but this is an effective method that can also be used when there are always lines at taxi stands.
Finally...
When it is particularly difficult to catch a taxi, such as at the end of the work year or the end of the fiscal year, waiting near highway exits (for example, Iikura or Shimbashi) is also an effective method.
That is all; this may have been obvious to those who already knew, but that was how to catch a taxi during busy periods 🚕