I am always skeptical of taxi drivers wherever I am since over the years I’ve bumped into quite a few that inflate prices or intentionally take detours to jack up the fees for the journeys. So, when I flagged down a taxi in Istanbul to take me to the airport I expected much of the same.

    As we left the congestion of Taksim the driver pulled over into a gas station to buy water. I noticed the driver had a bad limp as he walked and possibly had a fake leg. I also noticed the fare meter was still running so I thought this was a little scam to up the fare but, such is life, we all have to eat. When the driver returned, he gave me a bottle of water and we resumed the journey.

    As we drove towards the airport, I kept my eye on the fare meter and it was rising fast. The fare from the airport had been around 400 Turkish Lira (USD 20), and I had to correct that driver because he asked for 4000 Lira… Bad English apparently…

    When the meter in this taxi reached over 1200 Lira, I told the driver the fare was too high, I would give him 1000 Lira, no more. I have a flight to catch and no time for fighting with disabled taxi drivers. The driver spoke broken English and seemed puzzled at what I was saying. I don’t hold it against anyone if their English is bad because it’s always far better than if I am trying to speak their language. With the help of a translation app on his phone, he explained I was looking at the wrong numbers on the fare meter and that he would never scam a client as it was Haram. We talked for the rest of the journey, and it was clear he was a good man and the water he had given me when we started was just him being kind.

    When we reached the airport the fare on the meter was cheaper than what I paid on the journey from the airport. I paid the driver almost double the fare, why? because he was an honest man and because he had taught me an important lesson. He ensured I understood the fee before taking the tip and he thanked me.

    This taxi driver, whose name I do not know, humbled me. He showed me kindness and I accused him of cheating. I am a very cynical person, and my opinion of humanity in general is low but this taxi driver with a disability showed me that there are still some very good people left on this planet.

    This was a lesson that I will never forget, one that I needed, and I know things always tend to happen for a reason. I still think taxi drivers always need to be viewed with suspicion, but this lesson could not have come from a more unexpected source.

    So, please, if you are ever in Istanbul and you notice your taxi driver has a limp or false leg, give him a decent tip. If he is taking you to the airport and buys you water, please tip him well because if it’s the same man that took me then he is a rare kind and good person working hard to provide for his family and to share his kindness with others!

Orlando “Andy” Wilson

Books on Amazon!
Social Navigation: A Practical Survival Guide For Human Interactions
In this book I’m sharing some of my experiences, in addition to giving you hard love advice on how to deal with those who you encounter.
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