Will The Real K@#$%^ B@#$%^ Please Stand Up
Let this be a warning (especially to Newbies to Bali) to check you get the real McCoy as your Driver
I was there from 27 August - 1 September - so I've had a chance to cool down.
I have decided not to print the chap's name and number to give them another chance
I just spoke to him to tell him to be honest and he just gave me another round of bull
Wonder if I should just print his name & number after all . . ..
As I got a lot from this forum - I am compelled to warn others about such things.
Though no harm came to me - just be careful who you deal with or should I say claim to be with.
I want it to be a warning just to be wary and use your thinking hats about every situation.
Won't bore you with details but in essence the person I used was not K@#$%^ B@#$%^ the driver highly recommended by quite a few on BTF recently. I don't doubt the honesty nor sincerity of those who recommended him - but this chap is not honest at all - though he must have put up a hell of a show. I just used him for 2 and half days out of 6.
Like I say I wasn't taken advantage off, though his impostor tried many times, only because I've been to Bali on 3 previous occasions: the last two trips on self drive around the whole island lasting 2 weeks each.
Like I said I just spoke to him to tell him that he did the wrong thing by sending an impostor - he should have just told me he's not free before arriving, and I would have used someone else or just simply say he's sending a replacement and it would be up to me to decide to accept that or not. Instead he sent someone dishonest which then makes him just as dishonest in my eyes. Just now he said he was sorry and that he had an accident before I came and that his car was at the police station and until now had no income - BULL - I let him know that I called him twice and twice he said he was in Kuta driving his customers around. His impostor gave me a 2nd number as soon as I met him and said his original phone number is being used as his house phone.
BTW I contacted another driver recommended by others, Dean (Didin Hapiden), and he immediately said he was not free and recommended another driver as his replacement, one that he can vouch for cos he says he has a reputation to up hold - I should have used him of course, maybe next time - but still Caveat Emptor.
How did I know he wasn't the real McCoy?
1. Straight away gave me new number to use
2. He drives a Dark Blue Kijang DK1189 not a van as posted by others
3. He doesn't have an esky as posted by others (after the 1st round of water by him we had to buy our own)
4. He doesn't like to sing at all - contrary to what was posted by others
5. Did not help with aggressive hawkers at all (just sat in the car) - contrary to what was posted by others
6. Asked for 400K Rp a day - contrary to 300K Rp as was posted by others
So if you expected a great driver and quickly find he's not as he claims. Change him. Let him drive you to your hotel and tell him straight your changing him. I had names and numbers of the other 2 drivers I contacted and another 2 just in case.
I had at best an average driver who tried to put on some tricks on me but didn't get away with - but it was still alright cos like I said I knew my way around - but for those First-Timers please don't let them rob you of having a special time in Bali - insist on getting an excellent caring honest driver to enjoy the good side of Bali. You find that you'll meet nice honest people there (yes they do still exist by majority) and they are the ones that should benefit from our patronage to the island. Thanks for reading and good night all!