Most of us use public transportation modes like buses and trains. But, admit it – given a choice you’d rather be sitting within the cool comforts of a car when getting from point A to point B, right? Then again, not all of us have the moolah to buy our own car with the so-out-of-reach-I-think-I-can-only-afford-in-my-next-life car prices in Singapore.
The next best option? Instant private-chauffeured rides such as GrabCar and Grab Taxi. Now, these are my preferred transportation modes due to more reasons than one – and it’s not what you think.
1. No more wrinkles
I am not a spring chicken anymore, and I’m starting to realise how important looks are to being a famous celebrity blogger or should I say, influencer. (Don’t snigger, ok?) So I need to take care of my looks, and standing under the oh-so-evil sun while waiting for a cab is a definite no-no. The GrabTaxi app allows me to know if a GrabCar is available, and when I book it, it gives an accurate estimated arrival time, so I can wait in the wonderful-for-my-skin shade while waiting.
I think bad emotions are also no good for the skin. With the GrabTaxi app, there is no frowning uncertainty how much longer the ride will take to come, because I can track the GrabCar position in real-time. (No frown lines.)
2. No more sprained wrist
To be honest, I’m not sure if anyone has sprained their wrist from trying to hail a taxi, but from some of the enthusiastic chicken-flapping that I’ve witnessed before in others, trying to hail a taxi is definitely a physiological risk. With GrabCar, the worst possible physiological harm you are risking is only your finger (you with the phablets, you know who you are).
No taxi in sight? That’s when it’s easier to Grab!
With just a few taps on your smartphones, I can book a GrabCar without having to dial, wait and speak to a taxi-booking operator anymore.
3. No more dirty looks from taxi-drivers
Unless my driver is Kate Upton, dirty looks are not appreciated from chauffeurs. I my fair share of dealing with the other kind of dirty looks from taxi-drivers who suddenly turn grumpy once they know I’m headed to Changi Airport. You see, I stay in Tampines which is really close to Changi Airport, and depending on the time of the day, the airport is not the best drop-off location, especially for a short ride out from Tampines. I have also gotten equally dirty looks from taxi-drivers as a result of payment by cards instead of cash, or when I offer large notes.
With GrabCar, none of the above is an issue. The GrabCar chauffeur already knows my destination, and my ride is automatically charged to my credit card.
4. No more lost belongings
After I alight from my taxi, I have a habit of taking a pause before I shut the taxi door and looking back into the taxi. No, I’m not waiting for my imaginary friend to alight with me; I have a fear of leaving my belongings behind in the taxi.
From the many stories that I’ve heard from family and friends, leaving stuff behind in a taxi is surprisingly common. With a regular taxi, I might have trouble trying to identify the taxi and contacting the driver, especially if I have hailed the taxi on the streets. GrabCar provides me with the contacts and identity of the chauffeur that just dropped me off, so it would be a breeze to call him or her, and retrieve any misplaced belongings.
5. No more splitting up
GrabCar provides 6-seater and 13-seater options if your family does not believe in birth control measures. I jest; if you do need to travel in larger groups, regardless of your contraceptive beliefs, you can now book the larger capacity GrabCar and arrive in style together with your family and friends. In fact, if you check the rates for these larger GrabCar options, you’d be surprised with how affordable they can be for larger groups of passengers.
GrabCar by the GrabTaxi app offers more alternatives for me to get around in comfort, and when I feel like pampering myself a little, even in style and quality – the GrabCar fleet also offers executive sedans like BMWs and Jaguars. (I’m a VIP, you know. I need to arrive in style.) All these mean I have less excuse for sweaty patches on my shirt, or queuing for buses with guys with Tourette’s Syndrome.
