To just HATE calling to book taxis?

[ClawHandsIfYouBelieveInFreaks]

I always seem to get a confused operator!

Me: Can I book a taxi for 3.00 please, from 99 Claw Street...going to X Street and also, I'd like to book one to take me back home at 5.30?

Taxi: What?

Me. I'd like to book a taxi please. From Claw street at 3. It's going to X street. Then I want another to come and pick me up again at 5.30.

Taxi: A taxi at 3.00 then? How many for?

Me: Well it's just for me...but I also want one coming back at 5.30.

Taxi: What?

WHY? WHY? WHY?

It goes on and on.

YANBU, I hate it too.
I've been relying on them a lot since losing my licence and always feel as if I'm speaking a foreign language when I call.
Even more annoying is the "we're very busy at the moment, can you call back later" which has happened 3 times recently including when I was trying to get DH home from hospital.

It's not the rigmarole of booking that bothers me, but that constant doubt that what you're saying is being logged anywhere. At least 50% of taxis fail to turn up.

I once phoned for a taxi at the end of a big event with hundreds of people milling about. I gave my surname, saying it very clearly because people often get it wrong.

I asked every taxi driver who came by who they were looking for. None of them said anything remotely like my name. After a while the taxi company phone me to ask where I was. I told them exactly and waited a bit longer - again, a few taxis went by, none of them giving a name anything like mine.

Eventually I noticed there was a taxi hovering a little way away and I went to see if it would be waiting for me. I soon realised it was one of the same ones I had spoken to already as they were giving a name I'd heard before, and showed no recognition when I told them my actual name. But then the driver said, "Hang on a minute, are you going to X Road?" and I realise it was my taxi, they had just been given a version of my name so garbled that neither of us had realised it was supposed to be the same. I have a long surname and they thought they were looking for someone with a short first name that isn't exactly like the beginning of my name, but is vaguely like it - let's say I'm Mrs Bedingfield and they thought they were looking for a "Ben".

I always give my first name now, which is as short and recognisable as a name could be.

I used to get a very eccentric taxi. You rang them up and asked to be picked up it went like this

"Hi can I have a taxi in about half hour to town?"
" oo is it?"
" it's sizzles.......I work at x place in local town"
"Ok, see you in a bit"

Then during the journey bits of taxi would drop off, the phone would ring with pissed people wanting takeaways picked up and Pringles, always Pringles.

When booking a taxi home from a hen do, I had the following conversation:
Me: I'd like a taxi please
Taxi man: When would you like that?
Me: At some point please. When do you think would be good?
TM: We should be able to manage about ten minutes, that okay? Where would you like to be picked up?
Me: In town.
TM: What town?
Me: The town, of course.
TM: Do you mean XXX town?
Me: Well obviously.
TM: Where in town?
Me: Where do you think? I could be anywhere. I'm in a pub with a blue carpet.
TM: Ideally, you'd tell us where to pick you up.
Me: Anywhere is fine

And so on. I put the phone down in a rage. I imagine the poor taxi man has conversations like that many times a Saturday night. It's probably a really irritating job.

Oh my. The taxi firm I used to use regularly should read this thread. They're nowhere near as bad as I thought.

I have an app. I love it! Hate speaking to strangers on the phone

I use taxis a lot. always the same company. I'm on their database, no probs. when I've been away I phone them from the coach/train about 5 mins before I arrive and they're waiting. And if it's raining they Phone me, tell me to stay in the dry and they'll come to fetch me with a brolly.

notnow not to be rude, I'm just curious, why didn't you tell him where you were? don't really get it, were you trying to Wind him up?

Get Hailo, I just used it last night. A very useful app.

I hate ordering takeaway.

Modern problems.

Our number is similar to that of a local taxi firm, and every so often we get drunken calls at 2 and 3 a.m. demanding a cab. DH deals with it better than I do, he just mutters "Wrong number" and puts the phone down. If I'm sufficiently enraged, I've been known to agree to send a cab round and then unplug the phone and go back to sleep. Well, if you phone someone at 2 a.m. I reckon you've got an absolute duty to get the number right.

Velour, notnow was phoning after a night out hen do....perhaps she was 'tired and emotional' after her last night out with her single friend? I know I'd be