Summer Time

This morning marked the start of British Summer time and if you havn't already done so then please put your cloick forward one hour.

Lighter nights on the way. I like this. It means the start of summer and hopefully a good one this year as after a hard days work its a nice thought of a few beers, a beer garden, a few mates and a barbeque. What a great recipe to relax.

Enjoy the summer cos if its typical UK weather then it won't last.

I wonder how many people forgot to put the clock forward. Thers at least one every year.

In a roundabout way

Some people would say that Taxi drivers are the worst drivers on the road and that they think they own the roads. Others would blame trucks, buses or white van drivers. Either way, these people are professional drivers as they use the roads for their business every day and therefore have more experience.

This doesnt stop an accident from happening but one momentary lapse of concentration could cause an accident as seen in the CCTV footage below taken from the forward facing camera in the taxicab.

We encounter various traffic scenarios every day on the roads and have to be alert all the time. This is one of the reasons why you have to take a special driving test to become a taxi driver and sho awareness at all times.

Look out for the car approaching from the left and driving straight into my path

Mothers Day

A typical mothers day. Always guaranteed to be a busy one as I found out yesterday. I didnt get started til around 1pm due to a very late night the night before and I ran non stop all day as mothers from all walks of life were being taken out and treated for dinner.

It made a pleasant change than taking drunks home late at night and all in all it looks like everyone was having a lovely day with their familys.

Now, if only every Sunday could be as busy as this.

This leads me on to one elderly lady that I picked up with her daughter and son in law who went on to tell me how her family had always been there for her no matter what and as she is now 99 years old she feels she is a burden on them as they have to do everything for her but as her daughter explained to me that she didn't mind and that "mam was there for me when I was younger and now its my turn to be there for her and repay all that kindness over the years".

Good old family values, You don't see much of that these days

Google Street View

Earlier on today Google decided to make street imagery available for most of the UK. Meaning you can now see what its like in our local streets with a virtual tour. Go to www.maps.google.com and enter the post code LA14 1ED to find our taxi office and see it as you take a virtual drive along the street

Immature sad chav

This weekend just gone, one fare that stuck in my mind was one that I thought wasn't going to be a pick up.

First off, the operator took the call for the job in Ulverston (About 8 miles away) but was reluctant to send a car as the person on the end of the phone sounded young, childish, giggling a lot and the staff assumed it could be a false call.

As luck would have it, I took a fare to Ulverston so thought I would check it out on the way back. It was a genuine fare. Two girls got in the car. One was quiet and the other didn't know how to shut up.

Both looked around 14 or 15 years old and were heading for a night out in town. The eight mile journey seemed to take forever as this one young girl told me of how she was charged £27 for a fare of around 4 miles. She then went on and changed her story about 5 or 6 times giving different prices and saying that she didn't complain as she was too drunk.

Personally, I didnt believe a word she said as she carried on to accuse every taxi driver in town of ripping her off as every time she rang any company they would always charge her between £10 and £20 over the proper fare.

She then asked me to stop at an off licence so she could buy a bottle of Vodka. As I stopped she asked me to go and get it for her. I refused this as she obviously didn't look old enough and so she started verbally abusing me for the rest of the journey saying how taxi drivers are the scum of the earth and only want to rip people off.

The whole journey sounded as if she had tourettes as every other word began with F. She rambled on about how she threatened to beat up people she doesn't like and when she gets into town tonight she is looking for a fight as a night out isn't a night out without a good fight she said.

This girl was about 5 foot 2 inches, slim, wearing tracksuit bottoms and what looked like a home made tattoo. She had a scruffy jumper on and dirty trainers and spoke in a very grating voice just like your average chav.

Not exactly the way to dress for a night out and I guess she would probably be refused entry in every club.

It just makes you think that she's got a bad attitude, dresses scruffy, wants to drink and fight everyone and she is definitely under age. What sort of adult life is she going to turn out to have?

Anyway, at the end of the journey she paid the fare and as she got out the car she shouted to me that she was going to lay me out with one punch. I jumped out the car and told her to come here and say that. She was off like a shot.

Typical, all mouth and no action. I really do hope she gets her fight that she wanted and that she comes worse off. It would serve her right. Some people just don't want to listen or be educated.

I've always said that "Its nice to be nice". What the hell happened to chivalry and manners and politeness. It doesn't cost anything.

Embarrasing Names

Quite often when one of our telephonists takes a phone call from a customer, they don't always hear the name correctly. This could be for a number of reasons such as loud noise in the callers background, An unusual to pronounce name, The callers too drunk to say their name properly as well as operator error where the telephonist hasnt listened properly or has hit the wrong keys on the keyboard and spelt it incorrectly.

Not too long ago I got sent for a job in the name of "Proudcock", When I did pick up the fare, it turned out the name was "Proudfoot". Makes you wonder what was going through the operators mind at the time of the call.

However, earlier on today was the best so far as the image shown on the PDA unit below shows.

The name was "BASTET". Now if I try to say this as its spelt then it can very easily be mistaken for the word "Bastard" and I thought that theres no chance of me risking having my face used as a punchbag by someone if I pulled up outside the pub and shouted "Is anyone a Bas**rd.

I double checked with the radio operator and it turns out the name was BASSET.

Has anyone else ever picked up passengers with strange names or given to you incorrectly by a radio operator

A reminder : ‘Le Printemps des Poètes Couleur Femme’ in Saussignac

If you haven't booked yet, do it now -- everyone is talking about this amazing event!




This year, to celebrate not only our beautiful contemporary French poetry, but also the amazing heritage we have in the poets of the last many centuries, Albert Croce of the Le Centre Aquitaine Langues is offering an unprecendented and generous programme for everyone!


The Centre Aquitaine Langues is happy to launch two events for the National Celebration of ‘Le Printemps des Poètes Couleur Femme’ in Saussignac

1. One week French course with the theme: ‘ Contemporary Women in Poetry’ From Monday 8 to Friday 12 March 9.00-12.30pm at the fabulously affordable cost of 196€

2. A ‘Soirée’ on 13 March to highlight the Célébration with a special guest the talented writer and poet Christophe Marmorat followed by poetry reading, a concert of songs by Contre Façon and a buffet
The featured poet this year is the wonderful Andrée Chédid. She was born in 1920 in Cairo and came to Europe at the age of 14. Later she returned to Cairo to attend the American university and then lived in Paris from 1946. Andrée Chédid wrote a large collection of anthologies, a few pieces for children, theatre pieces, essays, and novels. In 2003 she received the Prix Goncourt for poetry.

Here is a taste of the treat you are in for!

L'Autre -- Andrée Chédid

À force de m’écrire
Je me découvre un peu
Je recherche l’Autre

J’aperçois au loin
La femme que j’ai été
Je discerne ses gestes
Je glisse sur ses défauts
Je pénètre à l’intérieur
D’une conscience évanouie
J’explore son regard
Comme ses nuits

Je dépiste et dénude un ciel
Sans réponse et sans voix
Je parcours d’autres domaines
J’invente mon langage
Et m’évade en Poésie

Retombée sur ma Terre
J’y répète à voix basse
Inventions et souvenirs

À force de m’écrire
Je me découvre un peu
Et je retrouve l’Autre.

Christophe Marmorat, the poet who will be the special guest and read a few of his beautiful poems from his latest work, has been writing for 20 years and syas of his writing:
La musique et l'image sont au coeur de mon univers, et c'est uniquement en écoutant en boucle de la musique que j'écris des textes...très visuels.

Contact Aquitaine Langues or Albert Croce at aquitainelangues@wanadoo.fr to book -- but be quick -- there is a limited number of places to these excellent events!





Click on Link:

Chateau Lalinde : The perfect venue for your event

Relocation Orientation in France

Mobile Phones

Is it me or are the public at large generally thick when it comes to using mobile phones.

Normally if you can't hear the person on the other end then you would turn up your volume a bit but a passenger in the car this afternoon was on a call and he couldn't hear what his mate was saying and demanded that his mate "Turn HIS volume up so that his mouth is louder". (His words, not mine)

When you turn the volume up on a phone you are increasing the level in the ear piece. Not the mouthpiece. He then went on to say to his mate that he couldnt hear him for all the music in the background. Wouldnt it have made sense if that person had left the room and moved somewhere quieter before attempting to make the phone call.

The spirit of blogging -- a beautiful little gem I discovered this morning

Every now and then, if you are lucky, you chance upon something so special that it makes you smile - slow down - stop - and reflect - and then it makes you want to share it with your friends.

Chancing upon Cyndi Finkle's new blog, called "practical and meaningful" this morning, thanks to a good friend, Kimberley Lavato's comment, created such a moment.
Cyndi captures life's beautiful moments in words, and within the lens of her camera and she describes herself as: I am a practical person who lives a very meaningful life. In order to create the life you want, engage in things that make you happy, work hard, be organized, eat well, love well, work harder, and save money.

Treat yourself and go spend a beautiful ten minutes reading Cyndi's blog -- you will thank me for the suggestion!

An excerpt from Cyndi Finkle's new blog, called "practical and meaningful"

the spirit of blogging

Blogging is a whole new world for me. I am inspired by all the information that is available because of blogging.

What moves me most is the spirit of the bloggers. Sharing things. Telling things. Inspiring people. Teaching skills. Engaging communities. Giving information. Giving of themselves. People are open and informative. They are real and exposed.They are engaging the world through their blogs. I am really enjoying the process and the product.
Photo Cyndi Finkle Copyright
In my opinion, blogging is making the world a friendlier place. I like that. A lot.







Click on Link:

Chateau Lalinde : The perfect venue for your event

Relocation Orientation in France

A different sort of day

Looking back through the blog about a post that was made by Bob a while back saying that Taxi drivers do more than just taxi. (http://taxistorys.blogspot.com/2006/04/skills.html)

Today I had to visit Blackpool (about 70 miles away) to install a sound system for a niteclub Which took up most of the day. It was a good little job and these jobs don't come along too often for me but its right what Bob syas about Taxi Drivers, most of them can turn their hands to any skill. So next time you are in a cab, don't just think the driver is your ordinary run of the mill Cabbie.

I`ve even heard of Cabbies that are also part time firemen and Cabbies that do voluntary work as well

Armagnac and Slow Food get together - for the 700th birthday party!

Alexandre Peyrille from AFP and Expatica reminds us of the 40 virtues of Armagnac as France's oldest spirit celebrates its 700th birthday this year.

The first mention of Armagnac dates back to 1310 when Prior Vital Dufour wrote a treaty on medicine in which he laid out the 40 virtues of the liqueur produced in southwest France.

"This water, if taken medically and soberly is said to have 40 virtues," wrote Dufour. "It enlivens the spirit, if taken in moderation, recalls the past to memory, renders men joyous, preserves youth and delays senility."

Dufour also credited the amber-coloured brandy with curing hepatitis and "drying tears".

A group of Armagnac producers from the spirit's home region will travel to the Vatican in March to bring back a copy of the treaty considered a near-sacred text for distillers. The document has been preserved in the Holy See's library since 1531.

France sold 6.5 million bottles of Armagnac abroad in 2008, a small slice of the worldwide market for spirits and far behind the highly-popular Cognac, now the drink of choice for American rappers.

"Armagnac is not a bar drink," said Pierre Tabarin, president of the Armagnac producers' association. "This is a spirit for connoisseurs, for gourmets attached to the traditional values of French gastronomy."

Producers are hoping to boost annual export sales to between nine and 10 million bottles by 2013 and in particular win over the thirty-somethings who have shied away from the spirit.


Producers have recently met with leaders of the Slow Food movement to make the point that they too contribute to good, healthy, clean cuisine.

"It's really a shame to confine Armagnac to being a digestive. It can be very nice before or after a meal," said Sebastien Lacroix, director of the trade group of 800 vineyards in the Armagnac producing-region. "After all, Scotch managed to become an aperitif, why not Armagnac?" he said.

Armagnac accounts for 0.04 percent of worldwide sales of spirits while Cognac takes one percent of the market, according to the BNIA trade group of Armagnac producers.

For many years, Britain was the main export market for Armagnac, but Russia has recently moved in and taken up the top spot.

The brandy is distilled from white wine grapes and is aged in casks made from black oak.





Click on Link:

Chateau Lalinde : The perfect venue for your event

Relocation Orientation in France