arab bus or taxi?
In Jerusalem there are these Arab busses, that are cheaper than the Israeli busses (only 3.5 shekels) and run on Shabbat when the other ones don't. They are great fun and take you all over the city. Yesterday I opted for a taxi because I was going to a specific address to try to meet up with a friend. When I got in the cab I told the driver I only had 20 shekels and asked if he could take me there. He told me it would probably cost 35, but to get in anyway and he would take me,and use the meter. When we arrived at the destination, he told me 35 shekels. I told him I only had 20 (which was what I had when I got IN the cab). so I offered to give him the 20 shekels and get out down the street. he was not into that.
as I tried to get out of the cab, he yelled "NO"! and grabbed onto my bag, pulling it towards him. I was frightened. I told him that was all the money I had and I needed to meet my friend. He told me if I did not give him 35 shekels he would call the police. So I said the only way I could do that is with credit card (which he said he could not accept) or to go to the ATM. so he angrily agreed to take me to the ATM, and immediately raised my price to 90 shekels. I told him I wanted to go to the ATM we passed on a street with several coffee shops, and i strapped my bags around my body snugly. as soon as he pulled up to the ATM he said, "leave your bag in the car" and I was like "yeah right"... as I opened the door and got out of the cab. I could feel him tugging at my bag again. i slammed the door and did not look back, as I ran for my life down the street in the pouring rain!
I wasnt sure whether he would follow me so I ducked into an alley and through a garden, ending up at a dead end in someone's garden courtyard patio. there i found shelter from the rain, while I stood shaking and my heart was beating fast. I crowched down and waited for what seemed to be an hour, and tried to breathe normally. I decided to call the girl i was supposed to meet up with, but of course she was not home, and i spoke to her mother, explaining that I was lost and would not meet her. Just then an elderly woman opened the "back door" of her home, opening onto the courtyard I was in. I told her I was a student, from America, and that I was lost. she suggested I go back out to the main street. I thanked her for the shelter and told her I liked her garden. After a few more minutes in her backyard, i made my way to the nearest coffee shop, all the while on the lookout for the man in the taxi. Fortunately I did not see him again.
I should have stuck with the Arab bus. It's cheaper, and generally the people are more friendly. I did finally make it to my destination, several hours later.
as I tried to get out of the cab, he yelled "NO"! and grabbed onto my bag, pulling it towards him. I was frightened. I told him that was all the money I had and I needed to meet my friend. He told me if I did not give him 35 shekels he would call the police. So I said the only way I could do that is with credit card (which he said he could not accept) or to go to the ATM. so he angrily agreed to take me to the ATM, and immediately raised my price to 90 shekels. I told him I wanted to go to the ATM we passed on a street with several coffee shops, and i strapped my bags around my body snugly. as soon as he pulled up to the ATM he said, "leave your bag in the car" and I was like "yeah right"... as I opened the door and got out of the cab. I could feel him tugging at my bag again. i slammed the door and did not look back, as I ran for my life down the street in the pouring rain!
I wasnt sure whether he would follow me so I ducked into an alley and through a garden, ending up at a dead end in someone's garden courtyard patio. there i found shelter from the rain, while I stood shaking and my heart was beating fast. I crowched down and waited for what seemed to be an hour, and tried to breathe normally. I decided to call the girl i was supposed to meet up with, but of course she was not home, and i spoke to her mother, explaining that I was lost and would not meet her. Just then an elderly woman opened the "back door" of her home, opening onto the courtyard I was in. I told her I was a student, from America, and that I was lost. she suggested I go back out to the main street. I thanked her for the shelter and told her I liked her garden. After a few more minutes in her backyard, i made my way to the nearest coffee shop, all the while on the lookout for the man in the taxi. Fortunately I did not see him again.
I should have stuck with the Arab bus. It's cheaper, and generally the people are more friendly. I did finally make it to my destination, several hours later.
posted by :: Lisa :: at 3:26 PM
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