In China, Changde (Hunan Province) taxis are out of control. Drivers routinely pick up more than one fare. After I flag cabs in the city, I am joined by other strangers who seemingly go in the same direction. The worst part of this is that when I am first to get off and when I want to pay only a share of the fare, cabbies demand the full price of what is on the meter; they are all rude about it while the others are still sitting in to be driven further. How the local licensing officialdom works is beyond me; how I’ll deal with the next cabbie hopefully not within my reach.