Taxi driver has just wound me up!

[onthepier]

Had to take a taxi from a school event today, so I'd have time to get ready to come home, sort myself out for work etc.

My phone rang while in the cab and it was my sister asking if I'm free at all today. Told her what time I'd be back from work and she said she'd call round. Taxi driver overheard and said after the call, "WORK? You don't work do you?" Explained what I do, ok it's very part-time between 11.30 and 1.30 every weekday.

He said he'd always assumed I didn't work as he sometimes sees me in town in the afternoons He snorted when I told him what I did, (catering!) and said it's not a proper job and what a life of luxury I must lead with my dh working fulltime! I said well I may be part time but tbh with the morning and afternoon schoolruns, work in middle of the day, housework/food shopping and then homework helping/cooking etc in the evening in addition to one of my dc's being special needs it sometimes feels as though I work fulltime, especially with dh being away sometimes with work.

He said "Oh I know you've got things you need to do but it wouldn't have suited my wife when our kids were young, she's a working girl and always has been. Why, she's chief director of such and such department now, I'm well proud of her!

I said good for her, paid my fare and let myself in. Would anybody else have found his comments rude?

Has he been stalking you? lol. Taxi drivers usually have a bit much to say for themselves to be honest, I'm sure he didn't mean to be rude (although he was a bit!).

I always LOL a little at 'working girl'...snigger.

Oh I had a similar lecture about letting my "poor husband pay all the bills" once from some twat selling electricity round the doors. I think I was still childminding at the time, or if not had just started making birthday cccakes. I still feel a little violent towards him when I think about it now more than two years later...

Cccakes? I actually rapped that part. Yes, I am THAT cool...

Taxi driver was a nob.

I just try to ignore whatever rant I have to listen to when in a cab. One guy kept banging on about how there were too many "black folk" in South London (not that I'm implying that all taxi drivers are racist, but this one was!). I had to get out the cab early as couldn't stand it. It's a blessed relief when they say nothing imo.

And your working arrangements are his business exactly how?

I do have to walk past the main taxi rank in order to get into town and often hear a loud toot, you've guessed it, it's him! I wave back but tbh I find him irritating and overbearing, (I try to choose a different cab if I can if I take taxis from that rank!)

I admit he's punctual and does all the right things, holds the door open, helps bring shopping to the top of my drive etc, but I feel uncomfortable with him.

We often to go the same place for our summer holidays, (dc's first choice every time!) and last year we went somewhere else. He said "Gosh I almost fell over backwards, you're not going to such-and-such? Why's that then?" Odd for him to be so interested seeing as he doesn't actually "know us" as such! After Christmas one year I saw him in town and he asked if we'd had a "quiet one". I said no very hectic actually which it was! He expressed surprise and said he'd assumed our Christmases would be quiet!

I don't say much if in his cab because he makes me feel intimidated so he probably takes that for being quiet and shy! Well I suppose the thing to do is keep avoiding him when I can. He even told my dd he remembers me being slimmer before I had her! He's far too intrusive, there are other drivers on the rank in their 20's who I find much easier, say hello, quick chat about weather etc, may need directions, thank you and bye! Isn't that all you should need from a cab driver? He's in his late 50's/60's I'd say, I thought it was supposed to be the younger generation who lacked manners!

Since returning to work one day a week when dd was 7 months I have been knocked back by the lack of respect child rearing garners in our society. People (read men and childless women) are always going on about how amazing it would be to work one day a week and how jealous they are of me. How easy etc etc. Odd.
I suspect that I was very much like them pre dd too though. Something is missing in society somewhere.
YANBU to find his comments rude - they are!

Onthepeir, your cab driver sounds decidedly creepy. Steer well clear and maintain a frosty exterior when he's about, I say.

I agree that childrearing is not valued at all in this country, it is tragic really. Especailly since its pretty important to society that the people doing it do a reasonable job. We went to cuba last year, and it was amazing how differently mothers were viewed over there. There were slogans on walls celebrating mothers everywhere, it was quite heartening!

wow , he does seem to have taken a interest in your life.

I used to get sneered at by an old lady I looked after who told me that she just 'couldn't understand' mothers who worked and left their children and what a bad parent I was putting myself first.

For the record, I work nights. I put my son to bed, go to work (he's left with his father/my partner), work all night and then come back in the morning. My partner then goes to work and I take him to school.

Tried explaining to her about having buy food and pay bills but I really couldn't get her to understand.

People should keep their comments to themselves. Different things work for different people!

Horrible. Registration number, report.

I've been considering reporting him for a while, and asking cab office not to send this particular driver when I order a cab (which is several times a week for supermarket trips, after school clubs etc as I'm a non-driver. One thing that's put me off though is if the office forget on occasion and send this driver out, what would the atmosphere be like in the car once he knows I've reported him. He's ridiculed me before about being a non-driver too

Anyway, had just come out of supermarket this morning when I heard a familiar shout and he was standing at end of taxi rank, talking to another driver. He said "Look at you with all your shopping! I remember before you had kids you'd come out of supermarket with about 3 bags! What are you doing now, quick bit of housework before hubby and kids come back?" (Said sarcastically of course)!

I just turned round and told him he's making me feel uneasy with his constant comments/questions about my lifestyle and if he doesn't stop I'll report him! He said I take it you don't want to come in my cab then and I just said no, I'll take this one and got in the one in front. He looked at me open-mouthed, shrugged and got back in his car.

That really wasn't easy for me to do as I'm not normally that assertive but I'm so glad I did, maybe he'll finally get the message!

wife would have to have a well paying job if he was a lowly taxi driver :)

What a stalky weirdo, I'd watch out. Don't use him again.

Yay, just read your last post, well done!

Well done onthepier, he's getting far too familiar and stalker-ish! How dare he think it's perfectly OK to comment on you and your life like that... creep.

He is far too interested in you. He sounds bordering on bloody obsessed!

You should not have attempted to explain or justify your life or work to him. He isn't entitled to it.

I think you should stop having him as your taxi driver.

I think you need to stop interacting with him. He is far too invested in your life.

In your shoes, I think I'd be saying something along the lines of "I don't know why you are obsessed with my life but you need to keep your opinions to yourself. You are far too interested in what I do, where I go and how I live my life. I don't know what your problem is, but your behaviour is unacceptable. You need to stay away from me."

And find a different taxi firm. Then there's no chance of him ever coming to you again.

Well done, onthepier, that was a brave move, and needed to be done hope that puts a stop to his ridiculous comments

I think its just typical of his age, being nosy he has nothing else to do but observe, he sounds very old school.

Thanks everyone, I feel better now I've said something to him, I just hated the viewpoint he seemed to have of me as a typical 1950s housewife! As it is I know several other mums who don't work at all outside the home, I'm not saying they're "1950ish" themselves at all but you know what I mean!

maybe as he sees you a lot in the taxi driving capacity, he mistakenly thought you were mates and overstepped the boundaries a bit

I would definitely report him, especially accosting your like that outside the supermarket. That would really freak me out!

Honeybee - yes I had that down in London as well. I just told him "I hope you are not expecting me to agree with you because I don't". I was absolutely fuming! Needless to day he didn't get a tip