Mini Cabs From HellWe've all taken a dodgy cab in our time. One guy asked me to give him a back-rub in exchange for letting me off the fare. I was like, "here's the cash mate." Another chappy claimed to be Paddy Patel - a child actor from UK TV series Tuckers Luck - he drove like a speed freak and regaled me with stories that "playing a black Irish boy. England wasn't ready for it." So go on - tell us your worst and we'll tell the world.
[edit: for those confused by the term mini-cab, London has two sorts of taxis: highly regulated, licensed and salt-of-the-earth black cabs that you see in films and a whole bunch of unlicensed, uninsured, random cars driven by nutters who aren't supposed to pick up from the street (you have to phone for them). They are universally rubbish]
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rob, Wed 26 May 2004, 21:44)
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Redbeard the IrateOnce called for a cab at my friend's halls. Was waiting for it to turn up and I got a call from the guy saying he was outside, sounding really irate cos he'd been waiting.
Anyway, I get into the cab and see a bloke looking not unlike a young Osama in his punk phase wearing a fire-red beard.
Unphased I relax into 'been out, ready to pass out' mode for the ride to the station and am gruffly asked "What network you on?". My out-of-brain auto-reply states "Hrmph?", "What network you on??". Somewhat alarmed I answer O2. This seems to disconcert him further "Oh MAN! You're wasting my money MAN! I had to call you from a different network!"
I profess my apologies and settle into a somewhat more defensive slumber.
"Where are you going?" This startles me as we've been driving for a while...
Me: "To the station...?"
Bin Redbeard: "Where from the station?!"
Me: "Oh! Home." (Feeling very defensive)
Bin Redbeard: "What station??"
Me: "Why do you ask?"
Bin Redbeard: "Because I got a call saying ones been cancelled! What? You think I'm lying??"
Me: "No, no! I was just a bit cautious!"
Bin Redbeard: "Why??"
Me: "I've just heard some bad stories." (Panic sweat, can I jump from this car I wonder?)
Bin Redbeard: "About cab drivers??"
Me: "Er, a few..."
Bin Redbeard: "LOOK! LOOK! Over there! Those cabs are picking up people from the cancelled train!! See? You still think I'm lying???"
Me: "No! No!"
Cab pulls up outside station.
Me: "How much?" (somewhat sheepish)
Silent pause
Starting to wonder if he's psyching up for a killing frezy...
Me: "How much?"
Bin Redbeard: "Five."
I give him the cash and move like an oiled lightning bolt out of the car and back into safe inviting downtown Reading (by comparison).
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TechImp is trying to be nice (with great difficulty)., Thu 27 May 2004, 20:33,
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