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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think this man is a possible contender for worst taxi driver?

107 replies

ItsAllMehMehMeh · 12/12/2016 13:57

I booked with a local firm to take us to the airport and collect us on our return and paid in advance. I gave all the flight details in case we were delayed etc.

Our outbound journey was quite early (6am). As soon as we were loaded up etc. he began hacking his guts up every few minutes, at times opening the window to spit out if it. I also caught him checking his hand to see if he'd 'caught' anything. He tail-gated on the motorway at speeds up to 90 mph. The most upsetting thing happened when he ran over two cats in a residential area. The DC were in the car and DP began arguing with him whilst he denied that he'd hit them but we felt them go under the wheel and he swerved too late Sad. He was saying 'let's go back and check then' but we would have missed our flight. When we arrived (with minutes to spare for check in) he demanded to take the receipt the firm had provided so he could get paid by them even though it was my only proof that I'd already paid for both journeys Hmm

Our return flight was significantly delayed but he'd not bothered checking and complained that he'd been waiting. He then sped up the motorway, again at 90 mph, tailgating so close I had to shut my eyes. There is a stretch of road that is very windy and borders a reservoir with a steep drop. There have been so many accidents on this stretch yet he continued to drive too fast and close to other vehicles. DP had to tell him to get off his mobile too as we were so scared on this particular stretch.

I know I should probably complain but I don't like to make a fuss. Not the best start or finish to our holiday!

OP posts:
Original poster
ItsAllMehMehMeh · 12/12/2016 16:11

Goody fucker? How was I trying to goad anyone?

I've been around long enough to know that threads go one of two ways and that's the risk you take when you post. I was upset about the cats and upset about how awful and scary the journey was but thought people would post to agree or post similar stories in a problem shared is a problem halved kind of way. Like I said, the holiday was stressful for a few reasons and it's only now we're home that I'm again thinking about it and feeling upset about it. I just wanted to talk about it. Sorry.

Can't see how that is goady.

OP posts:
Original poster
ItsAllMehMehMeh · 12/12/2016 16:14

The DC didn't know what had happened, they just felt the taxi swerve same as me. It was a minibus and they were in the back row, I was on the second row behind the driver. DP wasn't arguing loudly, just saying 'you hit them', taxi driver saying 'no I didn't', DP saying 'yes you did'. But we were trying to stop them from finding out for obvious reasons.

OP posts:
YelloDraw · 12/12/2016 16:23

I was driven to the airport by someone two years ago who ran two red lights, fell asleep at the wheel and then pulled into a petrol station about 5 mins from Gatwick and was in there for over 20 mins doing I don't know what. Probably having a shit.

I complained to the licensing authority and to the police and never really got anywhere.

ItShouldHaveBeenJingleJess · 12/12/2016 16:28

I'd go with your gut - this is clearly eating away at you and making you unhappy. What should have been a lovely family holiday has now been tarnished. Start by ringing the cab firm and go from there. What does DH think?

baconandeggies · 12/12/2016 16:42

Why do you have a rule that you don't complain about anything OP? How does that benefit you and your loved ones?

Imknackeredzzz · 12/12/2016 16:48

Cannot believe your put your children at risk again- that's totally unacceptable- sorry but don't buy the fact you had literally no money for another cab, sorry don't buy it

wasonthelist · 12/12/2016 17:09

Can't see how that is goady.

It isn't OP. Goady has been redefined for MN only as anyone another poster doesn't like or disagrees with.

wasonthelist · 12/12/2016 17:13

I complained to the licensing authority and to the police and never really got anywhere.

I suspect that's why all the taxis I've taken around here have been just as bad - there is something rotten in minicab licensing all around the country outside London.

Before I totally gave up, I used to get speeding, moaning, late, phone using drivers using vehicles with dashboard warning lights lit up like a Christmas tree.

One time I tried to get into the second cab in the rank outside the station because it was pissing down, but the first one was too busy playing with his phone to deal with pesky customers - the second guy refused. It's a ridiculous cartel and scam, the whole edifice.

Crowdblundering · 12/12/2016 17:16

It's wrong but this thread is making me laugh Grin

Aquasport · 12/12/2016 17:25

Me too crowd Grin

We once had a horrendous taxi driver who said he didn't like motorways but not to worry as he knew a "back way" to the airport. He then proceeded to hurtle through residential areas like an F1 driver, almost knocking down an old woman. DH told him to slow down to no avail - horrendous.

A taxi driver also once drove off as DH was strapping DD into the car - we were lucky he wasn't seriously injured.

Theoretician · 12/12/2016 17:27

I had a taxi driver who, if he had any sort of licence, must have bought it in his country of origin. (This was DW conclusion, she comes from such a country. People pay a bribe to get a licence because it's much easier and cheaper than passing a test.) He took a very strange circuitous route, drove agressively, and lost a wing mirror to a car travelling in the opposite direction. He was supplied by the official taxi firm recommended at a major London teaching hospital, we were taking a newborn home.

(By "recommended" I mean there was an official sign with taxi firm number next to the payphone in reception.)

ohtheholidays · 12/12/2016 18:53

Can I just point out I never said cats were more important than people in my post!

I was left for dead when I was 9 years old because I'd been involved in a hit and run accident and the arse in that car was driving like the one the OP described.

I have 5DC and there is no way I'd have stayed in the car holiday or no holiday let alone trusted him to drive my DC back home again.

I just couldn't believe that someone could think they're holiday was more important than the fact that the taxi driver had very likely killed 2 pets!

wasonthelist · 12/12/2016 20:35

I just couldn't believe that someone could think they're holiday was more important than the fact that the taxi driver had very likely killed 2 pets!

Not sure what your point is here - are you saying that they should have stopped and almost certainly sacrificed the entire holiday (by missing the flights) because the taxi driver ran over 2 cats?
I think it's pretty difficult to measure the relative "importance" of a holiday vs the lives of 2 cats - but it's not as if the OP instructed the driver to mow them down.

ohtheholidays · 13/12/2016 09:10

I would have stopped.

I honestly wouldn't have been able to carry on in that taxi with that driver especially with my DC in the car,I'd be terrified he was going to end up killing us all with his driving.

Original poster
ItsAllMehMehMeh · 13/12/2016 09:16

Thank you wasonthelist, you seem to understand where I'm coming from.

I guess it's easy to say what you would have done but the taxi driver was aggressively denying he'd hit the cats and had no intention of stopping. He suggested we go back after several minutes of fast driving, if he'd been bothered about the cats welfare, he'd have stopped immediately.

The holiday cost ££££s and our DC were excited to see Santa. My middle DC we suspect has some sensory processing issues (which I've posted about under another NN) and she was panicking about is missing the flight as it was. We were trying to make this a good experience for our DC.

I didn't personally run the cats over and we just made the best of a bad situation but yes I felt very sad about it and it marred the holiday and I also felt scared in his vehicle but it felt imperative to get home.

I have decided to complain to the taxi company but I don't hold out much hope of them doing anything about it.

OP posts:
wasonthelist · 13/12/2016 10:50

I would have stopped.

How? You weren't driving. Yanked on the handbrake?

Are you saying you would've abandoned the holiday due to running over 2 cats?

Sparkesx · 13/12/2016 12:41

You need to report him! It may be worse next time for someone else not so lucky.

I had to complain about attempted rape by a taxi driver two years ago. Please contact the taxi company AND the police.

Please get the taxi drivers registration number and company if you don't know his name. The date and time you used his services and the person you speak to when you complain. Keep copies of any e-mails/texts booking the service too.

If you don't get it sorted with those two, write to the Taxi Licencing. I contacted all three to ensure it was sorted.

I feel you OP, it puts you off taxis for life!

SpidersFromMars · 13/12/2016 12:49

You would never have made the flights if he'd driven sensibly.
Next time, leave more time. Get to the airport with a few hours to spare.

ColdTeaAgain · 13/12/2016 12:59

It sounds an absolutely horrendous experience OP.

In all seriousness, he sounds very dangerous. I think I would report it all to the police tbh. Including the fact that he acted aggressively etc. He's going to end up killing someone.

CondensedMilkSarnies · 13/12/2016 13:07

Complain to the council or public carriage office or whoever regulates taxis in your area .

I was very seriously injured in a RTA where the driver was speeding . You owe it to the public .

Alabastard · 13/12/2016 13:09

Jesus.

I was once in a taxi at 2am and the driver got pulled over. He was pissed.

That was a fun journey home.

kali110 · 13/12/2016 13:12

You left the fucking cats Angry
eyes Yes i would have fucking stopped too!
I couldn't live with myself wondering if they were dead, in pain and then the owner wondering what had happened!
I would have gotten out then as i wouldn't trust this guy driving.
Whole thread makes me sick

DeepanKrispanEven · 13/12/2016 23:52

How would you have stopped, kali, if you weren't driving? Indeed, how would you gave got out of a moving cab?

SingingSands · 14/12/2016 00:09

You can complain to your local council, who provide the licences to taxi firms. Taxi firm won't do anything. Sounds like a journey from hell and I can appreciate that you were effectively trapped in the taxi, stressed to high heaven, putting a brave face on for the kids and just praying you get to the airport on time.
DH and I had a journey like that in New York about 10 years ago, also on our way to the airport. I was actually sick when I got out the taxi!
Some taxi drivers are absolute dicks and it can be frightening being in a car with them.

YelloDraw · 14/12/2016 00:29

That terrible taxi journey I posted about - I should have had more balls to have stopped it.

He was 30 mins late (for airport run) then proceeded to turn north up our road (sat nab said turn south) whilst I think "maybe he knows a back way". After about 3 mins I was like "Gatwick is the other direction, the way the sat nav is saying".

At that point I should have got Him to drop me at a black taxi rank and sucked up the cost (this was pre uber). But I didn't. After the second red light we were in the middle of nowhere (well, no where I knew home to get to the airport from).

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