Taxi drivers are annoying...

Took a taxi today. Made sure I had change (i changed a 200 lei bill into smaller ones). Fare was 25 lei. Of course, taxi drivers never have change. Make the guy show me his wallet. Doesn't have anything small, claims he just started working, even though i can smell the butt stench from the other side of the car, indicating that he had probably been working for at least 12 hours. This guy ruined it for me - it was the final straw in this oscillating tipping war I had been waging in my mind: to tip or not to tip. I used to, being the nice foreigner. Now I don't, unless I am a regular patron of the establishment in question. Foreigners are stupid, I readily admit it. But work ethnic is to be expected, as is preparedness for any given job. As a taxist, you should have some f*cking change.


As anyone knows in Chisinau, crossing streets is dangerous. Look both ways - twice - before attempting. So i was in a hurry to get to the post office near the Primarul on Stefan cel Mare. A thirty-something Moldovan lady hurries into traffic (it's a crosswalk, mind you). The first ongoing lane was temporarily clear, but there was traffic in the pipeline. A small group of ongoing cars were approaching. She darts to the center. It's like Frogger...

Anyways, lady makes it safely to the middle, sees an oncoming bus slowing down, hops past the bust and SMACK! Mister taxi, meet well-dressed thirtysomething Chisinau resident. Thank god she didn't have full-on contact with the hood. Only marginal contact, but a definite 70km/hour taxi hitting a lady walking into it. Stunned, she dazily walks to the sidewalk in shock. People stare, nobody offers help, merely just sit there judging her for walking into traffic. Even hear a few snickers. I'm too shocked to do anything. Like an upstanding, well-dressed urbanite, after wobbling for a few steps, she begins clearing off her now muddy coat (all cars are dirty this time of year) and going about her business. Oh, what a wonderful world...