To expect an apology?

[Owlsintowels]

Taxi was 20 minutes late picking me up, 3.50 instead of 3.30
This is from a business park, no schools especially near.
The taxi was booked at 8 this morning

The route to my business park is slightly longer than usual due to a closed road, but tree road has been closed for a couple of weeks.

I was stood in heels waiting in the icy cold for 22 mins, I was 2 mins early. I get taxis at this time most weeks, I've never had one late before except last week when it was 5 mins late, driver apologised profusely

Today:
Driver: how are you today?
Me: a bit cold! What happened?
Driver: yeah the x road is closed so it's slower
Me: oh don't you usually drive up this way?
Driver: yeah, I do these roads often
Me: Oh, the road has been closed for about ten days now, didn't you know?
Driver : yeah, think its two weeks now

No apology for leaving me waiting on a hill in the icy wind for so long, just an admission that he knows the roads and knows the route is slower than usual at the moment

I know worse things have happened today in the world but this is rude right?
I am sat in the taxi fuming. I'd been in the middle of ordering a new one etc, been hassling security guards to help me find numbers, phoning the person who booked it for me to get the name of the company etc

AIBU to think its basic manners to apologise if you're 20 mins late for a customer?

I'm in a mad rush to get back to work to catch my liftshare home now, and won't have enough time to help my new colleague out with something before she goes home, so that's another job delayed and pushed into tomorrow
Grrrr

He should have apologised but why didn't you wait inside? I wouldn't stand out in the cold.

I don't think I have ever had a taxi driver apologise to me for being late.

It isn't his fault the traffic was bad and equally it's not unreasonable of you to be miffed but you should have stood inside and waited surely? All taxi firms text you when they arrive now, don't they?

They r usually later the further in advance you book! I don't know why! I don't book in advance anymore! I now have an app and book via that, and they arrive within 2 to 10 mins of booking via the app (usually there in 5 or 6 mins!)

When I used to book via phone, especially when booking in advance, I factored at least 30mins into the arrival time for lateness!

Yeah he should have apologised but you could have gone back inside, phoned the company and asked where he was. Or got an Uber. And not stood in the freezing cold.

Next time wear shoes with socks

Didn't think to include but my office is a 5 min walk behind a security gate, up a hill. So by the time I've walked up there to the public pick up point I'm a long way from inside.
Security have a small heated hut which I eventually went into to try and poke people, but even that is a minute walk from the car park, and no line of sight to car park.

It might not be his fault traffic was bad, but a) he should know it would be worse since he works there and is aware of road closure and b) he should bloody apologise!

I didn't know which company it was, the office PA books, and she uses 3 diff companies.

My work is a bit in the middle of nowhere and since the PA books taxis and pays for them from work purse, booking in advance makes the most sense

It's fine, my colleague dad late leaving so I got to show her how to do the thing so we're ahead for tomorrow.
Grumble over

He should have apologised, but why on earth didn't you wait inside?!

He may well have known the road was closed but you wouldn't have been his only job that morning. 2 minutes in traffic on a few other jobs, a couple of passengers scrabbling around in their purse, a person of limited mobility that might take a time to get in and out the car always adds to time. Yes he could have apologised but probably not his fault he didn't get there in time. Either book when you need one or allow time for things like this.

There is no inside!
Think high security site. Most people drive.
You pass through the security barriers, do ID check. Then it's a quarter of a mile down the road to the actual office, all car park and open space

Yes. I hope you didn't tip him.

X-post with you. Can't the taxi drivers come past security to collect you?

Nope, no one past security.
It's a big employer so everyone local knows what's what. This guy just clearly had no manners.
I'm over it

Don't they send a text when they're on the way? I'd never go outside until I get the message.

If the person that booked it didn't give them your number, that's not the taxi's fault.

Use Uber. Then you can see where they are and only go outside when they're due to arrive.

Hmm, I don’t know. You were arsey with him first, probably put his back up. It’s a bit irritating but ‘fuming’ seems OTT.

YANBU. He should've apologised...everything else (traffic,where you waited and whatever minute thing posters choose to hang on) is irrelevant.

You're late you apologise be it friends,family,customers,clients etc.

If its after work it's rush hour, so I wouldn't ever expect bang on time in that time slot really. Usually at least 10mins late in rush hour in London, so I factor in a half hour. Uber instead as pp suggested, so you can get ETA.

Regardless of what time you book your taxi at, our system sends the job to car 7 mins before pick up time. So if you book through office rather than an individual, please be aware the actual driver isn't responsible for allocating jobs.

Rush hour at 3:30?

Use Uber?