Taxi Walker
New Products ( 11 )
If you needed an added incentive to forego that taxi ride home in favor of a brisk stroll, this should do the trick. In addition to logging distances walked and calories burned, this pedometer from Happinet Toys also tells you how much money you’re saving by striking out on foot rather than hailing a cab. Dyed-in-the-wool pedants will particularly enjoy the “ryokin up” function, which counts down the final 50 paces before your hypothetical fare rises again. Being tight-fisted never felt so good.
Available for 2,079 yen at major electronics stores, Amazon Japan and other retailers.
Metropolis magazine
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11 Comments
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sk4ek
As someone whose only real luxury is taking taxis, but who is trying to walk more, this is a nifty idea, and reasonably priced, too.
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bicultural
I want!
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some14some
I shall wait for the price to go down - Y100 shop - made in china is ok !
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JohnBecker
Being a pedant has nothing to do with walking. A pedant is someone who makes a show of knowledge or trivial minutia. The word you're looking for is "pedestrian".
Cute little toy, but I'm with some14some.
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XXXXX
I don't have much use for it since I already know more or less how much my fare costs. Just another silly trinket :b
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Pukey2
Unless you're disabled, there shouldn't be any excuse to take the taxi. Total rip-off.
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JohnBecker
@Pukey: I live in the U.S. When I visit Japan, it's for at least 2 weeks. That means luggage and a weary soul who has to get it from Tokyo Station or TCAT to his hotel. Walking isn't an option, and I wouldn't want to use the subway out of consideration for other riders. That means taking a taxi, without apology. I'm more than happy to spend 800 or 1000 yen for help with my luggage and a pleasant ride spent looking out the window.
Once I'm settled in the hotel and ready to venture out, using a taxi doesn't cross my mind. I'd rather use the subway or walk.
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Pukey2
JohnBecker:
If you're old, then fair enough, but otherwise, I'm not surprised you come from US. I'm always coming back to Japan, and I have a 2.5hr journey, I live on top of a hill and it's a horrible journey, but I always manage without being ripped off. 800-1000yen? That's only a 5min ride.
I've also managed to take my dad in his wheelchair on the subways and railway in Japan (they are getting more and more 'barrier-free' - the London Underground, for example, is horrible in comparison).
I'd be less critical of the taxis here if they weren't such a rip-off. Korean and Hong Kong taxis are far far cheaper (and they know the roads). I once had to pay 2000yen for a 10min ride - never again. A friend who came to visit me from abroad decided to take a taxi to my apt. The driver lost his way after one 40 seconds, and mistakenly thought there was no road up the hill to my apt - my friend still ended up being charged over 600 yen - and he was not happy.
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JohnBecker
@Pukey: if you consider 50 old, then I guess I'm old. I'm also reasonably fit, which doesn't seem to jibe with your stereotype of Americans. If you consider taxis a rip off, that's fine. But when I arrive in Japan, the prospect of walking 3 km with 20 kilos of luggage after 18 hours of flying makes taking a taxi look like a pretty attractive option.
As I said above, that's the only time I use a taxi in Japan. I love the subways and I love walking around. But not when I'm already beat and loaded down and looking forward to getting checked in, walking a block to Lawson's to buy a beer, and settling back in my room to plan for the next day. Even you can't begrudge me that, can you?
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jason6
Sure, taxis are a rip-off for single customers, but they usually have 4 seats (and if you're feeling crazy, maybe even 6) for the same fare paid. So naturally taxi drivers are charging for what services they could potentially be providing. If you charter a bus, do you complain about the astronomical prices if you are the single one paying? Think about it.
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Pukey2
I thought about it for one second, and no, it's still not worth taking the taxi even if there are four of us. The last rip-off was 2000yen, and that was a journey that lasted less than 10 minutes for 3 of us (another 2 had to go in another taxi). I wasn't aware the metre would go up that quickly after a few minutes. And since my father had dificulty walking and I brought a wheelchair, I thought a taxi would be quicker and more convenient. I should have stuck with the bus, which would have cost each of us 300yen approx. Never again.
We would only have saved money if the journey lasted lass than 5 minutes. By all means, take the taxis if you want, but I certainly won't be taking the Japanese ones again. Half the times, they have no idea where they're driving.
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