r/polandball • u/Zebrafish96 May the justice be with us • 1d ago
contest entry Best Driver
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u/Saotik Proud former EU citizen in Finland 1d ago
I don't mind a little chat, but just a few days ago I had a cab driver here in Helsinki go into detail about the evil of bike lanes and tram lines, and how everything should be parking spots for car drivers who pay road tax.
In this case, I'd have definitely preferred a quieter ride!
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u/kharnynb 1d ago
the quality of the cab drivers in finland has plummeted since the market changes
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u/Theron3206 Australia 1d ago
I had one that spent half the drive discussing with his cousin who was going to drive the taxi that evening and where they should leave the driver's ID card...
Probably not something to discuss with a passenger right there (sharing ID gets it cancelled and a can license is like $50k).
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u/Additional_Meeting_2 1d ago
Was the cab driver from Finland? Many are immigrants these days
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u/Saotik Proud former EU citizen in Finland 1d ago
Yep, a Finn. In my experience, immigrants are slightly less eager to share their hottest takes.
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u/Clair_Osbcurious 1d ago
As an immigrant, I’d be reciting NotJustBikes lore verbatim.
Also, Helsinki airport bus is perfectly fine. Affordable, fast and warm in winter.
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u/Impressive_Rent9540 1d ago
I agree. Because of my job, I take a lot of cabs, and immigrant drivers are generally quiet unless they have something to say about the route or I ask them something. Some Finnish drivers like to chat, while others don't, but only a few actually initiate a conversation.
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u/GoldenSun__ Andalusia 1d ago
Agree. As former immigrant, one takes the say "never talk with strangers about politics, religion or sex" to the very extreme. Just in case, only a polite and necessary exchange of sentences and that it's to call the day.
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u/VihaanLoskaa 1d ago
Not a single immigrant taxi driver would start to rant about their shitty political opinions like that. They drive you to your destination politely. It's only old Finnish men who have started to rambled about their shitty boomer takes to me. I'm a Finn and I very much prefer the immigrant taxi drivers.
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u/Zebrafish96 May the justice be with us 1d ago
Korean ver...Although translation is barely needed for this comic tbh.
I've heard that there are 'silent taxis' in Japan, in which the drivers don't talk to passengers unless the passengers talk to them first. A lot of people would appreciate this type of taxi, especially introverts.
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u/Hans-Hammertime 1d ago
Every taxi is a silent taxi if you’re socially anxious enough
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u/LakEth2n 1d ago
Especially in China, many drivers worry about receiving negative ratings. If passengers appear reserved, the drivers may feel even more nervous than the passengers, and keep silence.
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u/YoumoDadi 1d ago
When I traveled to New York I met an Algerian taxi driver who was talking about how much they hate the French for 10 min. Later he said they’re proud of footballers like Zidane and Mbappé
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u/shipitholla Texas 1d ago edited 1d ago
In my experience in the US, Uber drivers are usually talking away in another language on their phone the whole time, which is honestly just as good. Always hate it when I get someone with a typical American name though because they’re probably going to be chatty.
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u/Rymayc Porta Westfalica 1d ago
You mean English name.
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u/Angwo 1d ago
Maybe it's American name like Bubba Mcdonald jr.
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u/hagamablabla Taiwan 1d ago
I think I went to school with that guy.
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u/XDSHENANNIGANZ 1d ago
He grew up in the same neighborhood as Gunner Hunter Copperhead.
Good kid, dumb parents.
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u/shipitholla Texas 1d ago
American first names aren’t necessarily the same as English first names though. Like we don’t have that many Liams but we have tons of Brads
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u/Available_Slide1888 1d ago
Here in Sweden you can sometimes book a "silent haircut".
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u/jedstrailerpark 1d ago
If you get the slightly nicer tier of Uber here in the US you can request chattiness levels and temperature. Mines always set to “silent and freezing”
It works maybe half the time lol
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u/Available_Slide1888 1d ago
Silent and freezing seems like an appropriate setting for us swedes as well.
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u/MakoRedactor 1d ago
What ever do you mean? Everytime I have been to Sweden I have to stay in solitary confinement for a week to recharge because you talk so much
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u/friebel 1d ago
Even introverts sometimes like to talk about something, especially if it's their favorite topic. Introvert does not equal social anxiety.
But also, "silent taxis"? Like bro, I am using taxis/bolt a lot, if I want - I will start the topic, if I don't want, I'll just tell them that I'm not in the mood right now, nothing personal. It's not that hard and people should not hide their own insecurities under intovert disguise.
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u/Lannium 1d ago
The problem is you can’t exactly tell the driver “you’re not in the mood”. Because
1. In Japanese & Asian culture you can’t be too harsh with your words like that (especially to older ppl).
2. Remember you’re an introvert you can’t really dismiss ppl comfortably.Trust me cause I lived in the culture.
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u/friebel 1d ago
Remember: I am introvert and I can dismiss people. Just because I like silence and solitude, does not mean I am socially inept and can't speak to people and voice my needs.
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u/Zebrafish96 May the justice be with us 1d ago
Indeed, a lot of people confuse introvert with being socially awkward.
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u/EmberOfFlame 1d ago
Yeah but that just means you’re better at being an introvert than a lot of introverts who are so wracked with nerves they’d rather do social interaction than social confrontation.
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u/Mother_Egg_5050 1d ago
Some people have social anxiety which is a real disorder. It's not as easy as you paint it to be. But hey good for you for not having it!
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u/darkslide3000 Niemand hat die Absicht sich einen Flair-Text auszudenken! 1d ago
lol, I have no problem turning every taxi I'm in into a silent taxi. Even the most gregarious Uber drivers have yet to succeed against my gauntlet of disinterested one-word answers and "mhmmh"s.
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u/Kambhela Finland 1d ago
Wait I could have sold the default service as an extra perk back when I was driving a taxi here in Finland?
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u/Thundorium Funniest king names 1d ago
“Selling the default service as an extra perk.” Congratulations, you are now qualified as an American corporate executive.
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u/Wijnruit Brazilian Empire 1d ago edited 19h ago
There's a quiet ride option you can activate when searching for an Uber Comfort or Black here at least, it works more often than not ngl
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u/Davemusprime 13h ago
I loved the Korean cab drivers. They were all certified uncs. Some would have candy and talk shit in English. And they were affordable. I miss Seoul so much
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u/Syndiotactics 1d ago
Huh? I would LIKE to talk to taxi drivers here in Finland, but almost all of them are silent as heck.
A typical trip is like in this comic.
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u/Strawbreevee Viva la Thailand! 1d ago
Narita or Haneda?
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u/GoldenPotatoOfLatvia The potato is of in name 1d ago
Haneda would be my guess I don't see the point of taxi for Narita with luggage this small, unless you have a spare 100 euros. Tbh, even Haneda by taxi is justifiable only at night. Japanese public transport is goated.
Also. No one said it's Tokyo. Might be KIX or even a regional airport.
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u/PringlesDuckFace 1d ago
If we want to be very pedantic, maybe it was a Japanese immigrant working as a taxi driver in Leeds.
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u/Hughley_N_Dowd Breitenfelt? Anyone? 1d ago
I'm a proud "shut up and get me to my destination"-type passenger.
Then, on occasion I get a ride with someone... special. Like the guy who asked me if I thought that a hearse would make a good campermobile.Or the ones with very strong opinions on this or that. Or that one guy who hadn't figured out how Google Maps work and was cursing me under his breath, as if it was MY fault that he failed Navigation 101.
Nod, smile, pay and go on my merry way thinking: wow! That was something.
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u/insertadjective United States 1d ago
Well, do you think a hearse would make a good campermobile?
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u/Gigantopithecus1453 1d ago
Like my taxi driver in Naples who explained that Italy had 2 mafias, the regular mafia and the government
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u/Thundorium Funniest king names 1d ago
I once had “oh, you’re a physicist? So you know evolution is bullshit?” That conversation took 2 years off my life.
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u/GameXGR Cyber Pakhtunkhwa (Pakistan) 1d ago
It's crazy how how similar the riding experience is similar to mine, I too get to meet those 3 types occasionally except the fact that the one guy I met who wasn't good at G-Maps was nice af. I do talk here and there but if I don't want to I naturally respond with close ended answers and that gets the point across
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u/0xKaishakunin GroßDeutschesReich, Bezirk Magdeburg 1d ago
me if I thought that a hearse would make a good campermobile
It's a great blues mobile, eh metal mobile. I got a used one for very cheap after my already cheap Golf 2 died. It was huge and we could get in all the instruments. And it was registered as a commercial lorry, so I paid only very low taxes.
And the best part: the police did not stop me when I was driving back from club on a friday night.
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u/TempLoggr 1d ago
It's got a hearse motor, a 440 cubic inch plant, it's got hearse tires, hearse suspensions, hearse shocks. It's a model made before catalytic converters so it'll run good on regular gas. What do you say, is it the new metalmobile or what?
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u/Makere-b 1d ago
I don't mind talking or being silent, but when the taxi driver is talking on the phone (hands free usually) for the entire trip in a language that I don't understand, makes me annoyed.
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u/GlumCalligrapher6487 1d ago edited 1d ago
Not gonna lie.. Sometimes cab driver or grab or uber driver can they shut up little bit or watch people face whether they have mood to talk or whatever..Have some ability to read the rooms. Some of driver asking people why are they sad or why are you crying ..Mate just shut up and just drive the passenger to destinations..And some of young driver also asking other phone numbers..Man can you guys be professional, you are in your workplace ..Be professional and stop being nosy with other people private life
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u/GlowstickConsumption 1d ago
What? Never seen a grown man wailing and sobbing for a full uber ride?
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u/GoldenPotatoOfLatvia The potato is of in name 1d ago
Idk if there is a punchline. This is really how it is with me - less talk, happier me.
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u/kevincsy33 1d ago
👍 As an introverted American, I HATE when drivers try to start a conversation with me here in the States...
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u/NoFeedback4773 1d ago
I used to drive a taxi. I’d say “hello” when a passenger got in and confirm the destination. Then I’d be quiet and wouldn’t say a word unless the passenger spoke to me first and wanted to have a conversation. Many people just want a moment to relax
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u/Grey_D_Black 1d ago
Honestly this is very accurate! This is how you get a best reviews from finns. I can personally confirm this.
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u/Mahcheese 1d ago
I lowkey thought that the punchline of the comic was going to be the passenger taking a cab from Tokyo centre to Narita Airport and finding out the hundreds of dollars of cab fee.
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u/hateexchange 1d ago
It reminds me of when i asked my american friends how to rate uber drivers. "If your not killed or raped and get to your destination it's 5*"
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u/PrincessOfZephyr Blue Banana Stronk 1d ago
Got killed on my last ride, so I gave a 3.5
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u/EaterOfSeagull 23h ago
I mean you lived so getting killed couldn’t have been that bad. 4 seems appropriate.
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u/PrincessOfZephyr Blue Banana Stronk 22h ago
Ah no, I had AI make a model of my reddit persona and this model is what's commenting now. I'm 100% dead.
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u/selfStartingSlacker UN 1d ago
me and my search for hairdresser that does not require me to talk to them and is not insulted by the fact that all i want is a hair cut
(i am so jealous of men and their barbers)
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u/Gregor_Arhely 22h ago
Barbers can be chatty too. Not a bad thing in my case, tbh: a Cuban dude I go to gave genuinely good advice instead of just doing small talk.
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u/Realistic_FinlanBoll Finland 1d ago
Omg, this is so true! I rarely laugh out loud, but now i did. 😂
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u/Wolvenworks 1d ago
I prefer silently browsing too but i don’t mind a good chat if the driver throws me a good bone to start with.
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u/introverted_loner16 1d ago
my mom is a chatterbox. whenever i get to a taxi with her, she'd start a convo with the driver on the news, issues, celebrity gossip, life, politics with the driver. it's quite fun haha. for me, i prefer quite rides, though sometimes i'd start a convo.
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u/Objective-Ad7330 1d ago
Not really Poland related, but what kind of introvert am I that dislikes silent taxis and would rather have a conversation than silence the whole way to somewhere. The silence makes me anxious.
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u/EaterOfSeagull 23h ago
I’m also fine with taxi drivers that do a little fishing to see wether or not the passenger is in a chatty mood, since sometimes i am, but like don’t just assume i want to talk and leave me no polite way to be quiet.
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u/CertainlyRobotic 1d ago
ITT: People making their social awkwardness other peoples' issue
Normal people like to talk to others.
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u/megadea 1d ago
It is also completely normal not to talk. If you feel it is awkward to be in silence around people, then you have the social awkwardness issue.
I (amd many other) don't feel awkward at all to not have any conversation e.g. during a taxi ride or for example in the break room during workday if a collegue comes there too
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u/ALCATryan 1d ago
I thought the joke was the lack of an incident what with Sweden being 4/5 on the terrorism incidence scale and japan’s… history. I sincerely apologise to both countries for my misinterpretation.
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u/MelodicDeer1072 Aztec Empire 1d ago
Am I in the wrong here? I am naturally an introvert, but I feel awkward if the whole uber drive is silent. I always ask the taxi driver about their work, looking for a chance to find someone whose line of work/life give them a particular persoective of this or that.
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u/TacticalSpackle 1d ago
“I am naturally an introvert” but then you describe the exact behavior of an extrovert.
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u/wulfzbane Canada 1d ago
Depends on the day. I had another woman as a driver once and it turned into one of those support sessions you had in a bar bathroom with a bunch of strangers at 18. Other times I want to doom scroll and be in my head.
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