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[Elite Pete]

I used to live on a less desirable estate outside Chester and there are 4 groves with a footpath running at the rear of the houses off the grove. Every Saturday night I used to get a taxi driver knocking on the door asking for money. The taxi would pull up outside the house and the fair would say he didnt have enough money so he will have to go in the house to get some. He would get out of the taxi and walk around the side of the house out of sight of the taxi driver and leg it out of the rear gate and onto the footpath which gave him access to the whole estate. I used to really get my goat when the taxi driver stood there arguing with me for money at 3am. In the end I removed the gate and put a fence up but I still got the odd knock on the door so I covered the top of the fence with dog sh**e. [smiley=laugh.gif] [smiley=laugh.gif]

[Taxi_Driver]

I used to live on a less desirable estate outside Chester and there are 4 groves with a footpath running at the rear of the houses off the grove. Every Saturday night I used to get a taxi driver knocking on the door asking for money. The taxi would pull up outside the house and the fair would say he didnt have enough money so he will have to go in the house to get some. He would get out of the taxi and walk around the side of the house out of sight of the taxi driver and leg it out of the rear gate and onto the footpath which gave him access to the whole estate. I used to really get my goat when the taxi driver stood there arguing with me for money at 3am. In the end I removed the gate and put a fence up but I still got the odd knock on the door so I covered the top of the fence with dog sh**e. [smiley=laugh.gif] [smiley=laugh.gif]

That is one of things we have to put with.....runners!
Its actually theft....and we have the right to report it to the police.....but i never do and loads dont either, its not worth the hassle
Another thing i dont do is get of the car to go after a runner......you never know if he has his mates waiting around the corner.....then its not only the fare you lost but also entire shift takings as well.....plus a whacking....and it has been known your car as well!!

Its about making a judgement when a punter says that.....'i just have to go get your money'....on our screens in the cars you can tell if the punter withheld their phone number.....if so hmmm why?
If this happens and im sus about it, i usually say leave your mobile or wallet......if they say i havent got mobile or wallet on me.....then its leave a shoe!! unless its wet! (im not that cruel hearted!) at least then if the do a runner.....they only have one shoe on.....and have to buy another pair!!

I think its a sad world when this happens.....but i guess this is society now!

[Taxi_Driver]

But taxi drivers always have the upper hand - lets face it, usually when I get in a taxi, its because I'm in no fit state to drive home, so not at my best to notice a con  

Ok then Jaime.....i'll give you one piece of advice  
When you get in a cab....and the driver asks which way u wanna go, if theres more than one way....then suggests a route.....you think about it.....it sounds a fairly quick way....so you say ok m8.....its more than likely its a longer way round! so costs you more  

If you get asked....always say "the shortest m8!, I do this trip several times a week"  

[Markjay]

A few months ago, I took a black cab as I sometimes do, and told the driver ‘Kings Cross’. The cab started going, and he seems to be heading the wrong way, but I let him go, thinking he knows a better route as cabbies sometime do.

After a while I realise that we are going further and further away from Kings Cross. At this point I tell the cabbie ‘Are you sure you know the way to Kings Cross?’ (an odd question to ask a London cabbie …). The guy says ‘Kings Cross? Sorry mate, I though you said Finchley Road’. I’m thinking to myself in which language do they sound similar? Anyway he was very apologetic and offered to reset the meter. He then sped up Finchley Road looking for a place to do U-turn. Feeling very silly about all this, he also offered me his Sun newspaper presumably as some sort of good will gesture.

So there I was at the back of the cab reading the Sun (guess which page?), when the guy slams the brakes in panic. While he was speeding up the congested road, the car in front of him stopped and he managed to pull to a halt less than an inch from the rear bumper.

The problem is that reading the newspaper I was totally unprepared, and the rear seat in the old black cabs is wide and made of slippery plastic, so I flew forward and crashed on the barrier. I sort of half swung while flying so actually crashed with my shoulder ahead and the rest of me toppling over.

The driver then went red in the face and mumbled something about how I must think this is a taxi ride from hell (well he was right about that), kept apologising all the way and finally dropped me off at Kings Cross. And charged me the full amount, though needless to say I left no tip.

The shoulder was no laughing matter – it was soar for a couple of weeks and I couldn’t really use the arm properly, though it recovered eventually.




 

[Auto Addict]

Never heard of seat belts MJ?

[Markjay]

Never heard of seat belts MJ?

Yeah but lets be honest who ever uses seat belts in a black cab???  

[Auto Addict]

 

[TheBoy]

But taxi drivers always have the upper hand - lets face it, usually when I get in a taxi, its because I'm in no fit state to drive home, so not at my best to notice a con  

Ok then Jaime.....i'll give you one piece of advice  
When you get in a cab....and the driver asks which way u wanna go, if theres more than one way....then suggests a route.....you think about it.....it sounds a fairly quick way....so you say ok m8.....its more than likely its a longer way round! so costs you more  

If you get asked....always say "the shortest m8!, I do this trip several times a week"  

Thanks for the tip

But you're assuming I can talk coherently after a quiet drink...  

[Taxi_Driver]

But taxi drivers always have the upper hand - lets face it, usually when I get in a taxi, its because I'm in no fit state to drive home, so not at my best to notice a con  

Ok then Jaime.....i'll give you one piece of advice  
When you get in a cab....and the driver asks which way u wanna go, if theres more than one way....then suggests a route.....you think about it.....it sounds a fairly quick way....so you say ok m8.....its more than likely its a longer way round! so costs you more  

If you get asked....always say "the shortest m8!, I do this trip several times a week"  

Thanks for the tip

But you're assuming I can talk coherently after a quiet drink...  

I am surprised then that you ever end up where you want to go  

You dont do the falling into cab and slur 'take me home' bit??.......coz altho cab drivers are suppose to be the fountain of all knowledge...suprisingly we dont know where you fooking live  

And it does happen  

[TheBoy]

lol, I think I'ce done it once too often, coz some of the ones in Aylesbury did used to know where I lived...  

The others probably pushed me into the canal....

[Taxi_Driver]

lol, I think I'ce done it once too often, coz some of the ones in Aylesbury did used to know where I lived...  

The others probably pushed me into the canal....

In that case....then you fair game to be taken the long way home....then overcharged....then short changed   Its in the taxi divers bible  

[TheBoy]

Probably just as well we don't have taxis in the town I currently live in then...    

[Taxi_Driver]

Probably just as well we don't have taxis in the town I currently live in then...    

But i heard your moving again?
 

[TheBoy]

When the house is old enough to need painting, time to move instead

[Markjay]

I must say that as a rule London cabbies are very good (though not cheap...). It's very rare that anyone takes me on the longer route (I cover the same routes regularly so can tell the difference), and I have never come across a cabbie not having change any time day or night (though I would usually leave a tip anyway).

Only a couple of times I have been asked 'do you take this route often gov' or 'which route would you like me to go' which suggests the cabbie is up to something, but out of hundreds of rides with no incident (other than the imbecile that knocked me about in his cab) these are the odd ones out.

So as far as I am concerned it is thumbs-up to London cabbies - no disrespect to other-towns cabbies, it's just when I go out of town I usually drive myself so have no experience with them lot....