Upper-Intermediate - When the Taxi Takes the Long Way (D0514)

师傅，你怎么走这里啊？
shīfu ，nǐ zěnme zǒu zhèlǐ ā ？
Driver, how come you're going this way?

那条路在修，只好走这条了。
nà tiáo lù zài xiū ，zhǐhǎo zǒu zhè tiáo le 。
That road is under construction, so we have to go this way.

我前天才走过，明明可以走的嘛。
wǒ qiántiān cái zǒu guo ，míngmíng kěyǐ zǒu de ma 。
The day before yesterday I just went that way. It was clearly fine.

就是昨天才开始修的。我天天在路上跑，不会胡说的。
jiùshì zuótiān cái kāishǐ xiū de 。wǒ tiāntiān zài lùshang pǎo ，bùhuì húshuō de 。
Yeah, they just started work on it yesterday. I'm on these roads every day. I know what I'm talking about.

那你应该先问我一声呀。怎么自作主张呢？现在走了一条最堵的路，我肯定要迟到了。
nà nǐ yīnggāi xiān wèn wǒ yī shēng yā 。zěnme zìzuòzhǔzhāng ne ？xiànzài zǒu le yī tiáo zuì dǔ de lù ，wǒ kěndìng yào chídào le 。
Then you should first ask if it's OK. How can you just act on your own? Now you're taking the most congested street. I'm definitely going to be late.

不走这条走哪条？现在只有这条路可以走了。而且现在是高峰，哪里都堵。
bù zǒu zhè tiáo zǒu nǎ tiáo ？xiànzài zhǐyǒu zhè tiáo lù kěyǐ zǒu le 。érqiě xiànzài shì gāofēng ，nǎli dōu dǔ 。
What street can I take if I don't take this one? Right now this is the only route I can take. Besides, it's rush hour. Everywhere is backed up.

你明明可以不走这条的。现在好了，既耽误时间，又浪费我的钱。你不是故意绕路吧？
nǐ míngmíng kěyǐ bù zǒu zhè tiáo de 。xiànzài hǎo le ，jì dānwu shíjiān ，yòu làngfèi wǒ de qián 。nǐ bùshì gùyì ràolù ba ？
You clearly could have chosen another route. Now look what you've gotten me into. You've both held up my time and wasted my money. You're not purposely taking the long way, are you?

绕路？我有这个时间，不会去多做点生意？而且我们是大公司，管理很严的。顾客投诉一次，就要罚款、搞不好还要处分。你说，为了几块钱，值得吗？
ràolù ？wǒ yǒu zhège shíjiān ，bùhuì qù duō zuò diǎn shēngyi ？érqiě wǒmen shì dà gōngsī ，guǎnlǐ hěn yán de 。gùkè tóusù yīcì ，jiù yào fákuǎn 、gǎobuhǎo háiyào chǔfèn 。nǐ shuō ，wèile jǐ kuài qián ，zhíde ma ？
The long way? If I had time for that, why wouldn't I be looking for more business? Besides, we're a big taxi company. Our management is really strict. If we get even one complaint, the company fines us and maybe even punishes us. Now tell me, would that be worth it for a little extra change?

这可不是几块钱的事。你这样开，起码多十几块。
zhè kě bù shì jǐ kuài qián de shì 。nǐ zhèyàng kāi ，qǐmǎ duō shíjǐ kuài 。
This isn't just some change. Since you went this way, it's going to be at least 10 RMB more.

你说话要有根据，不要乱说。我现在就开过去，你自己看看是不是在修路。
nǐ shuōhuà yào yǒu gēnjù ，bùyào luànshuō 。wǒ xiànzài jiù kāi guòqu ，nǐ zìjǐ kànkan shì bu shì zài xiū lù 。
You should have some basis for these things you're saying. I can take you over there right now and let you see for yourself that the road is under construction.

我才没这个时间呢。你看，现在才开了一半路，钱就已经超过平时了。总之，我是不会付钱给你的。
wǒ cái méi zhège shíjiān ne 。nǐ kàn ，xiànzài cái kāi le yībàn lù ，qián jiù yǐjīng chāoguò píngshí le 。zǒngzhī ，wǒ shì bùhuì fùqián gěi nǐ de 。
Like I have time for that. Look, we're only halfway there, and the fare is already more than it usually is. Anyway, I'm not paying it.

你这是无理取闹。修路、堵车又不是我安排的。我一点都没绕路，你不满意可以去投诉。到时候我们看谁有道理。
nǐ zhè shì wúlǐqǔnào 。xiū lù 、dǔchē yòu bù shì wǒ ānpái de 。wǒ yīdiǎn dōu méi ràolù ，nǐ bù mǎnyì kěyǐ qù tóusù 。dào shíhou wǒmen kàn shéi yǒu dàolǐ 。
You're just purposely causing trouble. It's not like I arranged the road construction and the traffic jam. I didn't take a longer route, and if you're not satisfied you can file a complaint. When the time comes we'll see who's making more sense.

好，光凭你这种态度，我就要去投诉！
hǎo ，guāng píng nǐ zhè zhǒng tàidu ，wǒ jiù yào qù tóusù ！
Fine! Just because of your attitude I will file a complaint.

要去尽管去。我又没做错，才不怕你！现在像你这样的顾客我见多了。
yào qù jǐnguǎn qù 。wǒ yòu méi zuòcuò ，cái bù pà nǐ ！xiànzài xiàng nǐ zhèyàng de gùkè wǒ jiàn duō le 。
Please do. I haven't done anything wrong, so I've got nothing to fear. I've had plenty of passengers like you.

Vocabulary

明明	míngmíng	clear, obvious
自作主张	zìzuòzhǔzhāng	to act on one's own; to take something upon oneself
高峰	gāofēng	peak
耽误	dānwu	to delay, to hold up
绕路	ràolù	to take the long way; to make a detour
投诉	tóusù	to make a complaint
处分	chǔfèn	to discipline, to punish
起码	qǐmǎ	minimum
无理取闹	wúlǐqǔnào	to cause trouble intentionally
骗	piàn	to deceive
拖延	tuōyán	to put off
路况	lùkuàng	road conditions
宰人	zǎirén	to overcharge someone
黑车	hēichē	illegal taxi
正规	zhèngguī	regular, standard