Comments on: The campaign for the abolition of taxi talking starts here http://www.britoutofwater.com/2008/08/20/the-campaign-for-the-abolition-of-taxi-talking-starts-here/ One man's struggle in a foreign land Tue, 20 Jul 2010 15:51:10 -0500 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Alasdair http://www.britoutofwater.com/2008/08/20/the-campaign-for-the-abolition-of-taxi-talking-starts-here/comment-page-1/#comment-1881 Alasdair Fri, 22 Aug 2008 23:52:03 +0000 http://www.britoutofwater.com/?p=291#comment-1881 Dylan - a hackney'd tale, if e'er I saw one ! Lillie - could you have tried the trusty "Chilly, for June, isn't it ?" signal that it is time to move on to safer topics of conversation ? Dylan – a hackney’d tale, if e’er I saw one !

Lillie – could you have tried the trusty “Chilly, for June, isn’t it ?” signal that it is time to move on to safer topics of conversation ?

]]> By: Dylan http://www.britoutofwater.com/2008/08/20/the-campaign-for-the-abolition-of-taxi-talking-starts-here/comment-page-1/#comment-1873 Dylan Fri, 22 Aug 2008 18:39:13 +0000 http://www.britoutofwater.com/?p=291#comment-1873 Paul - I love the idea of synchronised ranting...I'm sure there must be a few more ranters that would enable us to turn it into a team event... Expat Mum - The Knowledge is truly a wondrous thing. Although maybe GPS will put an end to it over time?? Sarah/Jan - moving to Oklahoma is a way off yet...I'm still getting used to NYC. Although if I ever did move, maybe I could become a taxi driver? The fact that I don't drive might pose a small problem, but it's surely not insurmountable... And Lillie, thanks for that story! I can only apologise for my fellow countryman. You have to make sure that you turn off the intercom next time! Paul – I love the idea of synchronised ranting…I’m sure there must be a few more ranters that would enable us to turn it into a team event…

Expat Mum – The Knowledge is truly a wondrous thing. Although maybe GPS will put an end to it over time??

Sarah/Jan – moving to Oklahoma is a way off yet…I’m still getting used to NYC. Although if I ever did move, maybe I could become a taxi driver? The fact that I don’t drive might pose a small problem, but it’s surely not insurmountable…

And Lillie, thanks for that story! I can only apologise for my fellow countryman. You have to make sure that you turn off the intercom next time!

]]> By: Lillie http://www.britoutofwater.com/2008/08/20/the-campaign-for-the-abolition-of-taxi-talking-starts-here/comment-page-1/#comment-1858 Lillie Thu, 21 Aug 2008 22:59:09 +0000 http://www.britoutofwater.com/?p=291#comment-1858 Almost ten years ago, during my second visit to London, I hailed a black taxi in my quest to find an internet cafe. The hotel concierge gave me the address of one (that no longer existed) in Soho Square. I hop into the taxi, and the first question after "where are you going, Miss?" was.."are you married"?. I replied.."are you nuts?"... then quickly changed my answer to .."No, I'm not". He proceeded to tell me that he was divorced and remarried now for 20 years. He'd come home to find his wife in bed with two other guys. (I didn't know how to respond..."lucky her? "... "I'm sorry to hear"...or "Did you join in?".) The next taxi driver was telling me how much he liked Americans, they we were fun lot and good tippers. But, Australians were terrible tippers. (Again, how does one respond to that?) But, the worst was last year. I was returning home late. As soon as he found out I was American, he starts up with his opinion of George Bush. I tried to put an end to that immediately by telling him the truth, I don't follow politics, I don't even vote... and I don't complain about anything either. Just when I thought it was safe to go back in the water, he starts up with 9/11. How it was planned and carried out by the American goverment. A whole big conspiracy. He suggested I write down the name of a web site that had all the information to see for myself. Just to shut him up, I took out my eyeliner pencil, and pretended to write it one of the pages of my passport (I didn't have pen or paper with me) Then he started up about Princess Diana and how she'd been murdered. If it hadn't been 2 o'clock in the morning, I would have asked him to pull over and let me out, in the middle of Kings Cross, or just jumped out while the cab was still in motion. Suffering serious injury would have been worth it. When he finally dropped me off, he smiled, wished me a good holiday, and added.."it was very nice chatting with you, Miss".....and added, "don't forget to look up that web site"... I just smiled...and waved ...and nodded. Almost ten years ago, during my second visit to London, I hailed a black taxi in my quest to find an internet cafe. The hotel concierge gave me the address of one (that no longer existed) in Soho Square. I hop into the taxi, and the first question after “where are you going, Miss?” was..”are you married”?.

I replied..”are you nuts?”… then quickly changed my answer to ..”No, I’m not”. He proceeded to tell me that he was divorced and remarried now for 20 years. He’d come home to find his wife in bed with two other guys.

(I didn’t know how to respond…”lucky her? “… “I’m sorry to hear”…or “Did you join in?”.)

The next taxi driver was telling me how much he liked Americans, they we were fun lot and good tippers. But, Australians were terrible tippers. (Again, how does one respond to that?)

But, the worst was last year. I was returning home late. As soon as he found out I was American, he starts up with his opinion of George Bush. I tried to put an end to that immediately by telling him the truth, I don’t follow politics, I don’t even vote… and I don’t complain about anything either.

Just when I thought it was safe to go back in the water, he starts up with 9/11. How it was planned and carried out by the American goverment. A whole big conspiracy. He suggested I write down the name of a web site that had all the information to see for myself. Just to shut him up, I took out my eyeliner pencil, and pretended to write it one of the pages of my passport (I didn’t have pen or paper with me)

Then he started up about Princess Diana and how she’d been murdered. If it hadn’t been 2 o’clock in the morning, I would have asked him to pull over and let me out, in the middle of Kings Cross, or just jumped out while the cab was still in motion. Suffering serious injury would have been worth it.

When he finally dropped me off, he smiled, wished me a good holiday, and added..”it was very nice chatting with you, Miss”…..and added, “don’t forget to look up that web site”…

I just smiled…and waved …and nodded.

]]> By: Jan http://www.britoutofwater.com/2008/08/20/the-campaign-for-the-abolition-of-taxi-talking-starts-here/comment-page-1/#comment-1850 Jan Thu, 21 Aug 2008 03:44:20 +0000 http://www.britoutofwater.com/?p=291#comment-1850 Sarah's right. There are no cabs in rural Oklahoma. There is a minivan that will pick several people up at a time and transport them around, but needless to say, my town is not on their route. Going out and getting hammered is a thing of the past, now we have to stay home and get drunk. :-) Sarah’s right. There are no cabs in rural Oklahoma. There is a minivan that will pick several people up at a time and transport them around, but needless to say, my town is not on their route. Going out and getting hammered is a thing of the past, now we have to stay home and get drunk. :-)

]]> By: Sarah http://www.britoutofwater.com/2008/08/20/the-campaign-for-the-abolition-of-taxi-talking-starts-here/comment-page-1/#comment-1849 Sarah Thu, 21 Aug 2008 03:22:14 +0000 http://www.britoutofwater.com/?p=291#comment-1849 LOL dayum that guy needs to be on a reality show! Couldn't agree more on the ban :-) Otherwise move to rural Okieland where there are no taxi's!! LOL dayum that guy needs to be on a reality show! Couldn’t agree more on the ban :-)

Otherwise move to rural Okieland where there are no taxi’s!!

]]> By: Expat Mum http://www.britoutofwater.com/2008/08/20/the-campaign-for-the-abolition-of-taxi-talking-starts-here/comment-page-1/#comment-1847 Expat Mum Thu, 21 Aug 2008 02:18:27 +0000 http://www.britoutofwater.com/?p=291#comment-1847 I was always quite astouned at their general knowledge (as well as Knowledge) I have to say. The thing I hate in Chicago is when you get in a cab, give your destination, and they ask which way you'd like to go - which is taxi-driver-speak for "How the hell do I get there?" Oh for the Knowledge. I was always quite astouned at their general knowledge (as well as Knowledge) I have to say.
The thing I hate in Chicago is when you get in a cab, give your destination, and they ask which way you’d like to go – which is taxi-driver-speak for “How the hell do I get there?” Oh for the Knowledge.

]]> By: Paul Sheffrin http://www.britoutofwater.com/2008/08/20/the-campaign-for-the-abolition-of-taxi-talking-starts-here/comment-page-1/#comment-1838 Paul Sheffrin Wed, 20 Aug 2008 21:19:26 +0000 http://www.britoutofwater.com/?p=291#comment-1838 Have you ever wondered what happens when a hairdresser takes a cab? Do they have simultaneous monologues? Perhaps we could have a new Olympic sport: synchronised ranting! Have you ever wondered what happens when a hairdresser takes a cab? Do they have simultaneous monologues? Perhaps we could have a new Olympic sport: synchronised ranting!

]]> By: Mike http://www.britoutofwater.com/2008/08/20/the-campaign-for-the-abolition-of-taxi-talking-starts-here/comment-page-1/#comment-1833 Mike Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:07:06 +0000 http://www.britoutofwater.com/?p=291#comment-1833 Spot on, as usual. Spot on, as usual.

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