To wonder about the flamboyant frog?

[grimupnorthLondon]

I went to the DIY superstore this evening to pick up stuff that turned out to be bulkier and heavier than I had expected. So I had to call an Uber to get it back home. His car had a big boot and I was very apologetic about how much stuff I had as it took a few minutes for me to hump it from the trolley into the boot. Driver got out to open the boot then got back in the car - fair enough, it’s raining and he’s not a delivery man. When we got home he got out and watched as I lumped it all onto our front step as quickly as I could. I apologised again and he drove off.

Just got a text from the driver and I ran it through google translate and it came out as “She fucks a flamboyant frog in the twinkle”.

Is this his way of commenting on my breach of Uber etiquette?

He got out and watched?

I'll be boring, and suggest he probably meant to send it to someone else. A lovely image, though - if someone said it of me I'd be quite pleased .

Maybe copy and paste original here, someone might know the language.

But instinctively I understand this to be a description of a woman who is really proactive in bed! 😁

How did the uber driver have your number?

They get your number to call you if they can’t find you at the pickup. He called me asking why I wasn’t waiting at Argos when I had selected B&Q as the pickup. Text came from the same number.

I think the language is either Greek or Turkish. See below if anyone can help?

Gamiseta kouvalei mia plaster ne bq do ta shduk fare

Of course it could just be Google Translate being poetic

The message is garbled but the first half is Greek. It says

Fuck it, he/she's carrying a

Plaster onwards in no longer Greek.

Could 'bq' be literally that, assuming that was the DIY Superstore you used?

He probably was having a go at me for carrying so much stuff then. Quite glad I didn’t tip him now. He was smiling away at me too - the two-faced little piece. It wasn’t plaster either - it was bags of tile adhesive that didn’t leave the slightest dust or stain - I know as I was hugging them against my good work coat as I lugged them around....

Good point Screaming - I assume it was. I think I preferred google’s version.

Surely if he had meant the message for me it would have been in English. Do you think I was out of order to use Uber for something like this? Or is he out of order to slag me off? Or (c) should I just move on with my life?

I think he was moaning to a mate, and sent the message to you by mistake. I've never used Uber, so don't know the etiquette, but it isn't as though you asked him to carry it for you, or that it was something that would mess up his boot, so doesn't sound unreasonable - but I suppose everyone has the occasional work-moan about nothing very major, so I'd just write it off as one of those things and forget about it (other than the interesting Google version, which was inspiring )

Oh that’s weird. I always thought they could only call you through the app, so they never got your actual number. I really don’t like the thought of every uber driver I use getting my phone number!

Ah ok, this answers my question! (From the uber website)

The number you see listed for the rider is not the rider's actual phone number. Similarly, when you call or text, riders will not your personal phone number. Instead, they'll see a unique anonymous number. For safety purposes Uber uses a number randomization software so that riders and drivers never actually have each other's personal phone number.

So it seems like it would be quite difficult for him to text you by accident He would have had to go into his app and message you from there.

Ah that’s interesting Frieda. Am slightly tempted to text him back and say that I read Greek but he does know where I live and, as Screaming says, everyone likes a work moan.

If you decide to text back write

Kourastikes polu na me koitas na kouvalao?

Did you get very tired watching me carry stuff?

PS I bet you anything that replying in Greek will turn you from annoying foreigner to sacred compatriot whom he failed to help - a massive sin!

Maybe he was texting someone who was waiting telling them why he was delayed? Someone complaining that he was taking too long for the ride and he said it was because his previous fare was carrying a fuckload of plaster from b&q?

Booboostwo thank you! I have to text him now

Liars, I held him up for a maximum of 2.5 minutes each end (probably less) so I don’t think he was massively inconvenienced

Please report back when you have, grim! I love Booboo's theory that you'll then be his beloved compatriot (or flamboyant frog)

Can you reply in Greek asking if he is crazy frog?

Bother. I think the messaging system may only work while you are on the trip or just after. I got a bounce back from Uber saying they don’t know who I am trying to message. What a shame

Perhaps you'll get him again on another booking! I would say you could memorise Booboo's phrase, but then you'd be stuck if he started chatting away to you in Greek.

That would be good but I hardly ever use Uber - this was an emergency as I was expecting the adhesive to be like bags of flour I could put in my backpack and they turned out to be 20kg sacks that I couldn’t really take on the bus....

That must have been a real 'aargh' moment, grim!

It was. I am clearly an idiot for not noticing the weight when I ordered them online. The 13 year old who served me was clearly a bit alarmed as I struggled out with my trolley - he asked “sure you can manage love” in the tone I imagine he uses to address his grandmother (I am 43)