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]
(
rob, Wed 26 May 2004, 21:44)
« Go Back
So many drivers, so many p*ss-takers......one memorable Ghanaian bloke picked me up at the George Robey in Finsbury Park. (It was from Club Dog, so that must be going back 13 years or so.) The 4 1/2 mile journey back to Leytonstone is effectively a straight road apart from two turns, at Stamford hill and at Clapton roundabout. None-the-less he had to be guided every inch of the way (including stopping at a pelican crossing and then saying "Do we go straight on?" when the lights changed).
We got back to my gaff & I realised I had no cash. "Ok, we'll just pop up to the bank & I'll get some money" says I.
After a quick tour of the one-way system via the cash point we got back to my place. The fare had gone up by 2 quid!
Angry confrontation ensued - me, getting out of car & waving arms about, he, threatening to call the filth. I walked round the front of the car to discover that his number plate was made of cardboard held on with string. I tore it off and threw it at him. "Go on then, call the police" says I, grinning.
This led to a tirade about how he didn't have to do this and I was a very rude person and he would have me killed if we were in Ghana.
Then he drove off without taking any money at all. Result!
*Disclaimer* Every other Ghanaian cabbie I've had since then has been great. Nice chaps. Now the Nigerians, well, don't get me started...
PS: Why do ALL mini-cabs driven by Africans have an abundance of vanilla magic trees? It makes me retch after a skinfull.
(
Dunks, Thu 27 May 2004, 17:10,
Reply)
« Go Back