Sunday, May 16, 2010

Things to never say to a Carioca taxi Driver

There are numerous things you should never say to a taxi driver in Rio de Janeiro. For starters, Flamengo sucks.  Not the birds, the soccer team.  Like 98 % of all taxi drivers are Flamingistas.  Hell, 98% of all Brazilians are Flamingistas.

I learned the second thing last night coming home from Cathy's birthday party in Lapa.  I got in the cab and said "Laranjeiras por favor, rapidinho".  That translates to "Laranjeiras please, quickly (actually little quickly but we don't say that in English).

Thank goodness for the new seat belt law in Rio that require taxis to have seat belts in the back!  I thought I was going to die. I tried to say a prayer and realized I forgot all of them.  All those church years down the drain.  I'll google them later.

I was sitting thing wondering if this guy was just a fast driver or if he actually took my quickly comment seriously.

We took tunnel Santa Barbara and once we got to the other side, my driver was oh so proud.  He looked at me via the rare view mirror and said "4 minutes! Not bad!  See, I got you hear quickly" It takes between 10 and 15 minutes normally, depending on traffic.

At least I now know how it feels to be in a race car on the streets of Monaco.

Rule 2: Never tell a Carioca taxi to go quickly... unless you really mean it!

How about you?  What rules do you have when it comes to taxi drivers?

3 comments:

  1. their normal is fast for me... crazy. With all the lanes that are just a suggestion...shooting between busses...while talking over their shoulders. No wonder Daniel used to laugh at me in the US when I would get upset about your father's driving..."you won't survive in Rio" You dad is a little old woman on a back country road comparison to your taxi drivers.

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  2. Ok, remind me to never invite you guys to drive with my father... or myself.

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  3. As long as you have seat belts Thais...

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