A some what disturbing story from my taxi driver

[gumpy]

This morning on the way into the airport my regular driver was busy so I got his good mate who I've had as a driver before.

Anyway today the topic moved on to people missing their flights...

The told me on one occasion where he picked up a guy from Neutral Bay 30 mins before an international flight...

The man calmly called the airline and told them he was stuck in traffic and he'd be late...

The taxi driver's obviously racing when he was told to take his time...

Turns out he was such a high level frequent flyer they actually delayed the flight for him...

They got to the airport, people rushed to the taxi to grab his bags and seems as though he made it on to his flight...

I actually can't believe this would happen but the guy I was with is a good guy, he was quite pissed off that his customer was so calm about it when he was holding everyone up...

 

[awilcockson]

I smell a rat.

Why would someone so important be slumming it in a taxi? Surely they'd be in a car service at the least?

 

[Crowne11]

Was he the pilot?

 

[BAM1748]

I smell a rat.

Why would someone so important be slumming it in a taxi? Surely they'd be in a car service at the least?

Plenty of well off people use taxi's, more anon than a limo.

Back in the day my own father often cut it fine for Ansett flights and they would hold up the plane for a few minutes for him. He liked to step through the front door at the airport while they we calling last passengers. I have the same name as a past CL invitee (and previously Ansett Pass) with the resulting confusion and can confirm airlines will hold a plane if they know you are not far away and are a frequent flyer in first.

 

[bossreggie]

Plenty of well off people use taxi's, more anon than a limo.
can confirm airlines will hold a plane if they know you are not far away and are a frequent flyer in first.

+1 They will indeed! Only ever happened once, but the plane did indeed wait.

BTW I am not one who arrives at the last minute for flights.. This was an exception!

 

[Smackbum]

+1 They will indeed! Only ever happened once, but the plane did indeed wait.

BTW I am not one who arrives at the last minute for flights.. This was an exception!

+2. In fact they normally apologise for not scheduling the flight to my personal requirements and ask me if I would prefer the cabin to myself.

Well he started it!

 

[bossreggie]

+2. In fact they normally apologise for not scheduling the flight to my personal requirements and ask me if I would prefer the cabin to myself.

Well he started it!

I'm soooo NOT the person to arrive late... I hate flying and usually arrive at the F Lounge as early as I can prior to my flight. I also leave the lounge when I hear the 1st announcement as I like time to settle in prior to take off.

This instance was caused by a car accident (I was involved in as a passenger) which held me up.

I was called by QF and advised them of my eta to the airport. They asked about luggage, I advised them I only had carry on and the flight was held.

 

[ButFli]

I've had a QF FA offer to delay an already-40-minutes-late flight 10 minutes so they could get my vegetarian meal that had been forgotten.

If they'll do it over a meal for a ****ty bronze frequent flyer, surely they'd do it for a Platinum or Chairman's Lounge member that was running late?

 

[MatF]

Heh, I was on a BNE-SYD QF flight a couple of years ago (as a WP), and it was well over an hour late departing BNE (closet to 90mins late). I was going to be connecting to SYD-WGA Qantaslink flight over in T2, so I made sure I told the CSM on the BNE-SYD flight about my connection.

It looked like it was going to be touch and go whether I made it or not, and I always connect to the last SYD-WGA flight of the day, so missing it means staying in SYD overnight (at QF's expense and my distinct inconvenience!)

Anyway, not only didn't they hold the plane for me, they took off early! After running from T3 to T2 (and I don't run often), I got to the T2 gate technically within boarding time, and the flight had left!

 

[Awesom Andy]

Anyway, not only didn't they hold the plane for me, they took off early! After running from T3 to T2 (and I don't run often), I got to the T2 gate technically within boarding time, and the flight had left!

I thought only Jetstar does that (sold as a connecting flight). Left about 20 people stranded for 24 hours that time...

Although, this thread reminded me of that time when I was still in the office when the airport website flight status was already showing "boarding" for the international flight... and I still made it. :mrgreen:

 

[ejb]

I thought only Jetstar does that (sold as a connecting flight). Left about 20 people stranded for 24 hours that time...

Although, this thread reminded me of that time when I was still in the office when the airport website flight status was already showing "boarding" for the international flight... and I still made it. :mrgreen:

When I lived in Mascot I once slept in and only got out of bed when my PER flight would have commenced boarding and I still managed to just make it on but I would not like to push it anymore than that.

ejb

 

[JohnK]

Turns out he was such a high level frequent flyer they actually delayed the flight for him...

If that is true that is extremely disappointing.

I actually can't believe this would happen but the guy I was with is a good guy, he was quite pissed off that his customer was so calm about it when he was holding everyone up...

If people do this intentionally then they clearly do not have any respect for anyone other than themselves. Very sad that these type of people exist and breathe the same air as the rest of us....

 

[el_rooto]

Scariest taxi story I have heard in sydney:

The best cab story I ever had was the time I was coming back from Sydney Airport, and the driver missed my exit.
I informed him of this, and late at night on one of the major Sydney roadways, HE THREW THE CAB IN REVERSE AND GUNNED IT BACKWARDS. I'm gripping the seat, wrenching my nails into the upholstery and hoping to god I didn't die, and the cabbie gets onto the exit, cab intact.
This mother****er, seeing my obvious terror, said in this wonderful fruity, clipped British Indian and says "Oh don't worry, I do this all the time".

Source: quatters comments on Taxi Drivers of Reddit: Has anyone ever jumped into your cab and shouted 'follow that car!'

 

[awilcockson]

Scariest taxi story I have heard in sydney:

I can beat that:

New Years Eve, in a cab with 2 friends heading to Australia's Wonderland (yes it was that long ago) for the fireworks. As the cabbie is flying down a 60km/h zone at approx 100km/h, he says "sorry I can't go any faster, I only have 1 point left!" :shock:

But that was beaten by the night in the city where I was trying to get a cab back across the bridge to pick up my car and drive home. My mate jumped in the front seat and told him where we wanted to go. The cabbie said "no, get out of my cab". My mate started arguing that he had to take us. The cabbie pulled a knife (seriously, I',m not making this up), shouted at hiim to get out, and then with my mate half hanging out of the car took off up George St!!! Unfortunately it all happened too fast to get his number plate.

There's a reason I moved away from Sydney.

 

[medhead]

My mate jumped in the front seat and told him where we wanted to go. The cabbie said "no, get out of my cab". My mate started arguing that he had to take us. The cabbie pulled a knife (seriously, I',m not making this up), shouted at hiim to get out, and then with my mate half hanging out of the car took off up George St!!! Unfortunately it all happened too fast to get his number plate.

The response from the cabbie was totally wrong. However, you mate was totally wrong as well. Cab drivers have the right to refuse any hiring. For a number of reasons but the big one being safety.
Another reason being financial. Taxis are mostly hired by the driver on a set time period. If they are late handing the taxi back into the next driver then they have to pay penalties to that driver. Did the taxi stop for your mate, or was it sitting on the side of the road and he jsut jumped in?
When I drove tazxis I used this refusal right once, when I felt unsafe from the passengers. I dropped them off near a taxi rank with plenty of other taxis.
I was also refused by a driver after I accused him of taking me the long way to rip me off. He stopped the car and asked me to get out. I obliged, it is his right. (also helped that I was 500m from my destination) But have requested that I get out, I was no longer required to pay him.
The idiot followed me back to the office and called the police. An hour later they turned up and confirmed that I didn't have to pay him. When I told them the story, at the point that I said he asked me to leave the taxi, the police jumped in and said that "I must do that". I replied that I did get out immediately and that I was not required to pay. They agreed.

Personally, the worst passengers I ever had as a taxi driver were the bush lawyers - you must take me.

 

[awilcockson]

Cab drivers have the right to refuse any hiring. Another reason being financial. Taxis are mostly hired by the driver on a set time period. Did the taxi stop for your mate, or was it sitting on the side of the road and he jsut jumped in?

He pulled over when we flagged him down. He didn't want to take us because it was only a "short" trip across the bridge, and he would have preferred a longer trip (bigger fare). Bad luck. And seriously, to pull a knife on a passenger?

I hate to quote nonews to back me up on the refusal of fares rules, but here it goes

Cabbie cheats face sack for refusing fares | News.com.au

edit: here's another one from a couple of months ago:

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...laying-fare-game/story-e6freuy9-1225942928531

Transport Minister John Robertson said he would continue to crack down on drivers who refused fares.
"One of the biggest passenger complaints is about drivers not accepting fares or trawling through busy areas, refusing passengers while they look for a better fare," he said. "This isn't on. Taxi drivers will be fined if they refuse a ride purely because the journey is too short or not on their preferred route.

 

[medhead]

He pulled over when we flagged him down. He didn't want to take us because it was only a "short" trip across the bridge, and he would have preferred a longer trip (bigger fare). Bad luck. And seriously, to pull a knife on a passenger?

I hate to quote nonews to back me up on the refusal of fares rules, but here it goes

Cabbie cheats face sack for refusing fares | News.com.au

edit: here's another one from a couple of months ago:

Flag falls on taxis playing fare game | The Daily Telegraph

Well that is another thing. (I did agree that the driver's response was wrong) But I think you missed this bit in the news paper report:

Ms Cain said the council cannot support drivers who abuse the taxi regulations and every complaint is taken seriously

Note the reference to the taxi regulations. If this is abuse of the taxi regulations then that means there is a regulation that allows drivers to refuse a fare. Now you can guess why they refused and News limited makes a big assumption on that for their 82 drivers, but the fact remains that you the driver can refuse a fare. Note also that the 82 drivers are going in for an interview. They haven't been fined or disiplined, yet.

A limited google revels the following from NSW transport http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/taxi/guide.html:

The driver can refuse to take you if you are likely to cause a nuisance or annoyance, or eating, drinking, smoking or unable to pay the estimated fare.

Now if I was a driver being interviewed (well I wouldn't have refused the fare, more on that later) I would simply say that I thought they couldn't pay the fare.

As for the refusal of short fares. Short fares are actually how taxis make most of their money. Everytime the meter is turned on bang $3.30 - to get that money from actually having a passenger in the car takes about 2 km or like 5 minutes of waiting. If I can cycle 20 short fares in an hour then I've got $66 for just turning up. The really money is in the turn over not the long fares. Any taxi driver who doesn't realise that doesn't know how to make money. Equally the public that thinks that think long fare are best also don't know what they are talking about.

But then this is news limited, just like for aviation, it seems that news limited are very poor at their job.

 

[Smackbum]

As for the refusal of short fares. Short fares are actually how taxis make most of their money. Everytime the meter is turned on bang $3.30 - to get that money from actually having a passenger in the car takes about 2 km or like 5 minutes of waiting. If I can cycle 20 short fares in an hour then I've got $66 for just turning up. The really money is in the turn over not the long fares. Any taxi driver who doesn't realise that doesn't know how to make money. Equally the public that thinks that think long fare are best also don't know what they are talking about.

You should tell this to the Melbourne taxi drivers who hail from the sub-continent (about 90% of them) - even in a queue of 20 taxis you can struggle to get one to take you to Lygon Street from the CBD.

And those who live close to the airport in Sydney will have numerous tales of unpleasant trips from T1.

 

[medhead]

You should tell this to the Melbourne taxi drivers who hail from the sub-continent (about 90% of them) - even in a queue of 20 taxis you can struggle to get one to take you to Lygon Street from the CBD.

And those who live close to the airport in Sydney will have numerous tales of unpleasant trips from T1.

Well it's not my job to correct their stupidity. Although I have had a detailed discussion with a Melbourne taxi driver in this very topic. Bear in mind it only works when it is busy, flag fall running relies on being able to pick up quickly after each job without needing to get back into a rank. If there are 20 taxis sitting there then it wouldn't be busy enough. But also in that situation they should be happy to be moving somewhere that might have more work.

Airports are another matter completely. It might be different in Sydney but generally you need to remember that a taxi would have been waiting at least an hour for an airport pickup. A short job will probably put about $5 or $10 in the drivers pocket, for an hour or more work! Sure that is a risk of the business. But this situation represents the fundamental problem with the industry and why there are so many bad taxi driver stories.

 

[Jobu]

As for the refusal of short fares. Short fares are actually how taxis make most of their money. Everytime the meter is turned on bang $3.30 - to get that money from actually having a passenger in the car takes about 2 km or like 5 minutes of waiting. If I can cycle 20 short fares in an hour then I've got $66 for just turning up. The really money is in the turn over not the long fares. Any taxi driver who doesn't realise that doesn't know how to make money. Equally the public that thinks that think long fare are best also don't know what they are talking about.

not to mention that I always feel bad for asking for a short fare so I always pay more than the meter reads to compensate somewhat. But I have to agree, I think Melbourne taxi drivers are the worst in the country on average.