recession blues

Okay. Short break from report-writing. I'm having Red Bull-induced palpitations. Oh the things you have to do to fight off sleep. Hay.

Anyway, I had an unpleasant experience this morning. And it basically confirmed that yes, recession is here to stay in the UAE.

I take a cab to the Bur Dubai bus station in the morning. I ride the bus to go to Sharjah after a weekend at Kahlil's. I usually pay 6 dirhams for a short cab trip to the bus station. So imagine my surprise when the cab driver demanded 10 dirhams this morning.

Apparently, over the short weekend, while I was so wrapped up with watching Heroes Season 2, spring sale shopping for summer wear, and attending a birthday party barbeque, the RTA (Road Transport Authority) changed the cab flagdown rates.

For any point within Dubai, the minimum fare is 10 dirhams. Which means even if a trip to the bus station is just 6 dirhams, the cab gets 10 dirhams. Talk about rip-off. And to add insult to injury, flagdown rate for Dubai-Sharjah trips is now 20 dirhams.

The Pinoy bus driver said this was implemented because the cabs have been complaining that there are less people taking cabs now and they're not getting enough commission because:

-there is a huge exodus of expats out of the UAE because of the recession

-those people who took cabs last year are now starting to take the bus because its cheaper

But see, it doesn't make sense at all. With this exorbitant price hike, they are discouraging people even more to take cabs. Bus nako forever!

Hay. Kung sa Pinas pa to, nag-rally na. Imagine, from a minimum of 3.50 dirhams (which was the old flagdown rate), you now have to pay a minimum of 10 dirhams! Golly gulay!

More than ever, on top of my neverending credit card bills and daily expenses, this new price hike is making me feel the slap of recession bigtime.

Pakshet.