Taxi Drivers Past and Present - Any Stories To Share; funny, interesting, scary etc.?

[warren t claim]

Part 4/4.

I managed to treat myself to a few hours in car sleep before heading back to work. One of my passengers wants taking to an address near a workshop where I've had the Insignia in for work required for its inspection for the last four weeks! I take the chance to visit Billy the mechanic to collect the keys to the Insignia so I can get it valeted before taking it for test later this week. 

I turn up to see Billy moving the Vauxhall to the car park at the front of the workshop units. Billy looks stressed to fuck so I ask him what's wrong. He tells me that his landlord called the bailiffs in an hour ago and had him evicted for reasons I didn't want to ask him about. The landlord refused to let him empty his tools and equipment out of his unit so Billy cut the new lock that the bailiffs had put on causing the landlord to phone the police! 

Feeling sorry for Billy who's stuff is still in the unit with the landlord blocking the way I offer to help. I come clean to Billy and tell him I used to be a bailiff and maybe I can help negotiate with the landlord. The truth is that the eviction was 100% legit but I decided that appearing reasonable and bluffing the landlord might buy Billy some time to move his stuff. 

I walk over to the landlord and explain that although I'm a taxi owner who uses Billy to maintain my cars I used to be a bailiff and Billy's asked me to go through the paperwork on his behalf. Although my knowledge of bailiff legislation is about as up to date as the Bay City Rollers I still remember enough legal bollocks to baffle most people meaning that I try by asking a Hobson's Choice question regarding the warrant served. 

I ask the landlord if the warrant was signed by hand or electronically signed. This leading question gives him no choice to answer correctly. If he said that it was signed by hand then I'd just tell Billy to throw it into the river claiming that he never got served it and demand the landlord produced a copy. If it was electronically signed then I'd tell the landlord that as the warrant wasn't signed by a judge it's invalid. Both of those statements are total bollocks but as I said them with a degree of authority I managed to negotiate Billy being given to 6pm to clear his stuff out. 

[Pieman]

Seeing this thread back up top reminds me - what was the fate of the infamous MG6?

[warren t claim]

3 minutes ago, Pieman said:

Seeing this thread back up top reminds me - what was the fate of the infamous MG6?

It's still out there earning a living.

[mat777]

Afternoon all, a bit of a Taxi related question....

Are there any ways to check whether a vehicle has been a registered cab in a previous life? I'm currently helping someone look over a Prius PHEV at a car supermarket.  It's a 2018 with 34k miles, and has only been MOT'd once a year with a mileage history that checks out. And it looks very clean inside, so, I'm pretty confident it's not been cabbed.... but of course, you never know and you can't be too careful in these days of "mileage corrections", and its up for a price far less than similar examples with more miles which sets my spidey senses wondering. Of course, I know the risk is mitigated with the Toyota warranty these days, but it would be nice not to get it wrong in the first place.

[High Jetter]

Not all licensing areas want a 6 monthly MOT, but if the MOT mileage checks out I'd say you're OK. Not sure there's and way of finding out if it's been plated, maybe a FOI request from local licensing departments?

[mat777]

1 hour ago, High Jetter said:

Not all licensing areas want a 6 monthly MOT, but if the MOT mileage checks out I'd say you're OK. Not sure there's and way of finding out if it's been plated, maybe a FOI request from local licensing departments?

Ahh fair enough, ta!

[Billy - Medhurst]

On 16/09/2024 at 23:50, warren t claim said:

Part 2/4.

W.T.C. "I'm the only driver who works this area on the night shift (a lie) so if after a couple of days you still feel the same then all you need to do is phone for a taxi as it'll be me".

 

Has she rang back yet?

[warren t claim]

26 minutes ago, Billy - Medhurst said:

Has she rang back yet?

I forgot to add. When she got out of my car I phoned the office and asked them to take my number off any future trips she requests.

[warren t claim]

4 hours ago, mat777 said:

Afternoon all, a bit of a Taxi related question....

Are there any ways to check whether a vehicle has been a registered cab in a previous life? I'm currently helping someone look over a Prius PHEV at a car supermarket.  It's a 2018 with 34k miles, and has only been MOT'd once a year with a mileage history that checks out. And it looks very clean inside, so, I'm pretty confident it's not been cabbed.... but of course, you never know and you can't be too careful in these days of "mileage corrections", and its up for a price far less than similar examples with more miles which sets my spidey senses wondering. Of course, I know the risk is mitigated with the Toyota warranty these days, but it would be nice not to get it wrong in the first place.

The PHEV cars aren't very popular as taxis as they have very little luggage space. Having said that, I'd be very suspicious of any London registered hybrid I saw for sale.

[warren t claim]

2 hours ago, High Jetter said:

Not all licensing areas want a 6 monthly MOT, but if the MOT mileage checks out I'd say you're OK. Not sure there's and way of finding out if it's been plated, maybe a FOI request from local licensing departments?

A few months ago my licensing area moved the age limit for needing 6 monthly inspection from 6 years to 8.

[mat777]

43 minutes ago, warren t claim said:

The PHEV cars aren't very popular as taxis as they have very little luggage space. Having said that, I'd be very suspicious of any London registered hybrid I saw for sale.

Ta! Ah yes I'd neglected the luggage consideration, the boot does almost rival the Insight for being as shallow as the average Tinder profile.

This one is WA18...., which I believe is Exeter? (Which also means it's come a long way to be up for sale in Manchester!)

[warren t claim]

5 hours ago, mat777 said:

Afternoon all, a bit of a Taxi related question....

Are there any ways to check whether a vehicle has been a registered cab in a previous life? I'm currently helping someone look over a Prius PHEV at a car supermarket.  It's a 2018 with 34k miles, and has only been MOT'd once a year with a mileage history that checks out. And it looks very clean inside, so, I'm pretty confident it's not been cabbed.... but of course, you never know and you can't be too careful in these days of "mileage corrections", and its up for a price far less than similar examples with more miles which sets my spidey senses wondering. Of course, I know the risk is mitigated with the Toyota warranty these days, but it would be nice not to get it wrong in the first place.

Judging by the lack of shiters beating a path to my door for the £400 64 plate Astra it seems ex taxis aren't exactly popular here.

[warren t claim]

1 minute ago, mat777 said:

Ta! Ah yes I'd neglected the luggage consideration, the boot does almost rival the Insight for being as shallow as the average Tinder profile.

This one is WA18...., which I believe is Exeter? (Which also means it's come a long way to be up for sale in Manchester!)

An 18 plate Prius will be fitted with old tech batteries that can be rebuilt. May I ask what the asking price is?

[mat777]

7 minutes ago, warren t claim said:

An 18 plate Prius will be fitted with old tech batteries that can be rebuilt. May I ask what the asking price is?

They're asking £14500 for 34k miles, a Business Edition (whatever that means) in a fetching shade of turquoise I've never seen before.  I would link the ad but as the car is reserved it's been taken down. 

The suspicious bit is there's plenty of 50-70k mile ones in plain white or black for £16-18k, but it's a big national dealer I've used before so we're willing to trust them. I know the 19 plate ones onwards got the updated infotainment, this one has the same irritating touch sensitive buttons as my Hilux but that's hardly a deal-breaker. It also lacks the solar roof, but by my calculations from Toyota's marketing spiel on its generation capacity, that'll cost a whopping £20 a year extra in electricity 

[warren t claim]

1 minute ago, mat777 said:

They're asking £14500 for 34k miles, a Business Edition (whatever that means) in a fetching shade of turquoise I've never seen before.  I would link the ad but as the car is reserved it's been taken down. 

The suspicious bit is there's plenty of 50-70k mile ones in plain white or black for £16-18k, but it's a big national dealer I've used before so we're willing to trust them. I know the 19 plate ones onwards got the updated infotainment, this one has the same irritating touch sensitive buttons as my Hilux but that's hardly a deal-breaker. It also lacks the solar roof, but by my calculations from Toyota's marketing spiel on its generation capacity, that'll cost a whopping £20 a year extra in electricity 

Toyota refused to pay for the rights to use Android Auto or Apple Car Play until 2019.

Check that it's not a grey import.

[High Jetter]

1 hour ago, warren t claim said:

A few months ago my licensing area moved the age limit for needing 6 monthly inspection from 6 years to 8.

Oh hang on, you can keep your hleaps healthy cabs running for even longer?

[warren t claim]

High point of today involved taking a 50 year old lady to her job at Asda.

She told me that she'd just left a pair of red knickers in the bin if I fancied fishing them out so I could sniff them. I declined.

[High Jetter]

2 minutes ago, warren t claim said:

High point of today involved taking a 50 year old lady to her job at Asda.

She told me that she'd just left a pair of red knickers in the bin if I fancied fishing them out so I could sniff them. I declined.

I hear you, bending down is shite, declining is easier - as long as your knees don't touch the floor 😀

[warren t claim]

2 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

I hear you, bending down is shite, declining is easier - as long as your knees don't touch the floor 😀

She spent the entire 3 mile journey talking about her knicker collection. 

[High Jetter]

3 minutes ago, warren t claim said:

She spent the entire 3 mile journey talking about her knicker collection. 

 M8, I have launderettes, have dealt with everything from tiny thin thongs to big blousy bloomers. All laundered & neatly folded. As you were, did you visit the 'collection'?

[warren t claim]

Just now, High Jetter said:

 M8, I have launderettes, have dealt with everything from tiny thin thongs to big blousy bloomers. All laundered & neatly folded. As you were, did you visit the 'collection'?

Fuck no! I didn't want to burst her bubble by enlightening her of the fact that the only interest us men have in a ladies' knickers is getting them of the lady ASAP.

[High Jetter]

4 minutes ago, warren t claim said:

Fuck no! I didn't want to burst her bubble by enlightening her of the fact that the only interest us men have in a ladies' knickers is getting them of the lady ASAP.

I kinda think most of them know that 😀

[warren t claim]

1 minute ago, High Jetter said:

I kinda think most of them know that 😀

You'd assume that wouldn't you?

[High Jetter]

4 minutes ago, warren t claim said:

You'd assume that wouldn't you?

No. That would make an ass...

[warren t claim]

1 minute ago, High Jetter said:

No. That would make an ass...

Finding discarded female underwear in the rear of a hack isn't that unusual.

[High Jetter]

12 minutes ago, warren t claim said:

Finding discarded female underwear in the rear of a hack isn't that unusual.

For sure. I preferred the discarded females tho, easy fun.

[Cento16v]

On 20/09/2024 at 16:34, mat777 said:

Afternoon all, a bit of a Taxi related question....

Are there any ways to check whether a vehicle has been a registered cab in a previous life? I'm currently helping someone look over a Prius PHEV at a car supermarket.  It's a 2018 with 34k miles, and has only been MOT'd once a year with a mileage history that checks out. And it looks very clean inside, so, I'm pretty confident it's not been cabbed.... but of course, you never know and you can't be too careful in these days of "mileage corrections", and its up for a price far less than similar examples with more miles which sets my spidey senses wondering. Of course, I know the risk is mitigated with the Toyota warranty these days, but it would be nice not to get it wrong in the first place.

The London private hire database has you covered (to an extent, that extent being London).

https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/taxis-and-private-hire/licensing/licence-checker

If you check various county council websites they exist in most of them.

 

[warren t claim]

Last shift was certainly a mixed bag but sadly with only one offer of a shag.

[sheffcortinacentre]

More offers than I've had for years.

[Lord Sterling]

Not driven a taxi as a profession but have driven a couple of vehicles that were at the time, working taxi cabs.

The interior of this C-Max below was one of the worst I had ever been in:

I literally barely fitted into the vehicles there was do many hanging bottles of hand sanitiser etc... this was back in 2021 just off the back of Covid. I never felt uncomfortable driving a vehicle.