@HFCAMPO
If you would have correctly you would know that he didn't drive me around for 30 min but the overall duration was 30min for something that would have taken 10 minutes.
Unfortunately my taxi drivers are not that understanding and don't let go that easy, when told that they take the wrong way. And due to my job and sometimes having guests I can't just change the taxi several times.
You seem to have really nice 'bad' taxi drivers, mine couldn't care less if they break the law, especially since most of them know.
And three or more times they dind't exactly announce their stops in good old pilot style, and before I had a chance to say.."What the..." they were already out.

Anyway the point is cabbies here don't know how to get cheap or fast to the destination. Even when I go Xuefu lu they still squeeze themselves through the electronics market traffic jam rather then take the Xuefu lu overpass, by turning right at the zoo. Literally all of them would do it if I wouldn't tell them and then asking me if I would like to get out there (about a mile short), so they can avoid the traffic jam.
When I say know they are already whining or upset.

There is no way that nobody else experiences the drivers here being all diva and giving you the feeling that you are serving them if you are conveniently fitting in on their way home or before the shift ends.
Because a lot of my friends (chinese btw.) always seem to have some crazy taxi story in Kunming. But maybe they are all just as unlucky as I am.

So in my experience they are just crappy, not as rude and mean as in other cities in China but not very competent.

@Magnifico
Yeah I did he was talking non stop even though I was busy writing notes on my phone. So I was just honest because I knew it would probably bother him and he would shut up. I wasn't rude or impolite just answered his questions honestly.

It sometimes happens that the drivers would quickly turn towards another longer route before you have the time to say anything. Not all roads allow drivers to make a u-turn and it's also not always convenient to simply decide to take another taxi. So, I usually prefer to first tell them my destination and then mention which major roads I prefer to take before they start to drive. They are always keen with that.

I am very interested in knowing how people handle the situation politely when they realise that the fare or route aren't normal, because I always sound like an asshole to the driver when this happens.

@tigertiger, this may sound stupid, but do you have some examples of what you tell them when you keep the situation amicable?

Sometimes I have had drivers do dumb stuff that works against them. Like not taking the overpass, driving down to the traffic lights, then going striaght across and joining the same road.

This would suggest to me that drivers are creatures of habit. e.g. Q. 'Why did you go this way?'
A. 'I always go this way.'.
Sometimes they may be on autopilot.

Sometimes they just aren't the 'sharpest knives in the box', and that is why they became taxi drivers.

I use my smartphone and point where I want to go on it.
They can never take the wrong road as I have my own navigation on ^_^

It also helps to mention and point to which road / direction you want them to take :) It tells them you know the way / know the city, even if you don't speak Chinese or if they don't know how to get there most efficiently. lol

The longer but faster road isn't always cheaper. Being stuck in traffic because of an accident on the freeway can drive up the price significantly.