No answer

I was sat there listening to the taxi radio when the operator shouted up a driver and there was no response. She then shouted another driver and again there was no response. This went on for about 4 different drivers then all of a sudden all I heard over the radio from the operator was

"Is anyone rogering me tonight or not" I think I knew what she meant but the way iot came out sounded more like something else if you know what I mean. I just went into fits of laughter

Roger - Over and out

Airport Journeys

Recently I have done a few airport runs picking up foreigners who need to be brought to the home town. Its not a bad run down the motorway and the journey can be completed in 2 hours each way so there's always a time for a good craic with the passengers assuming they speak good English.

This is actually usually the case and you can talk about all sorts of things with them and feel that after a 2 hour journey that you know them. Some just talk about work and some just grunt the odd English word at you.

One guy I picked up this week couldn't stop eyeing up the girls. It was beautiful weather and the girls were out wearing next to nothing and every female we past no matter what age or what they look like, he remarked saying that English girls very beautiful.

Another gentleman I picked up who couldn't speak much English was listening to music on the car radio and he kept joining in with English songs and words but well out of tune. I think he was trying to learn the language

The best of the lot really is what most foreign passengers do when you take them to the car... They try and get in the drivers side as they are not used to the fact that we drive on the left.

System Upgrade

Its been one of those weeks where I have spenmt more time in the office than out on the road as the firm is changing over onto a new system for the taking and dispatch of taxi fares to the driver.

The new system uses GPS technology together with a PDA , internet and a mobile phone network allowing the taxi driver to work in a safer environment without having to use a two way radio.

We have been phasing this technolgy in for a few week and the drivers seem very happy about it. However, it has meant me spending a lot of time in the office dealing with this and I guess the same is to come for the next few weeks and trherefore it means that not as many storys can be told if I`m not out on the road to hear them so bear with me til things get back to normal. I`ll try and keep you updated with latest events.

Meanwhile, you can now book your cab by text message or you can do it on line at the website www.838383.co.uk

Figuring it out

I picked up 6 girls and took them into Barrow. They asked me if I could turn the music up on the radio and so I did. My radio display is part of the cars computer and this is what is normally displayed.


To explain it a bit it shows the time, the temperature and the radio station. (The 218 miles was how much fuel I had left)


Anyway this computerised thing in the car tells you when you have a blown bulb or if your oil or coolant level is low and also tells you if your windscreen washer fluid is low.



I was really surprised to hear the girl sat in the front seat say this and I quote.
"Is there really a radio station called "Washer Fluid Level"?"

I was so surprised by what she said that I told her that there must be if that's what it said and she went on to ask me what frequency it was on. I didnt have the heart to try and attempt to explain to this dimwit that it was warning me that my washer fluid was low.





At the end of the journey I asked for an £18 fare to which she took out her mobile phone and used the calculator on it to divide the £18 into 6 people and then blurts out to everyone that it will be £3.00 each but then asked if one of her friends could check it on their phone just in case her calculator is faulty.

I`ve said it before... Some people are only alive cos its illegal to shoot them

France Bleu Radio comes to the Dordogne

The delightful - and colourful! Eugène Lampion from France Bleu drove over from Libourne this morning to the Aquitaine Langues Language School to interview a motley crew of expats living in the area.

Much laughter and fun was had by all as we waited our turn to be 'taken outside for grilling'. A bit like waiting for your turn in the oral exams at school, except none of my teachers or professors had quite the charm of this 'examiner'!

Because he did not want any of us to know what the others were saying, each one was taken outside in the sunshine to be interviewed - and somehow the warmth of the sun struggling to get through the clouds did help with the fluency of thoughts and language. Afterwards -- should it have been before? - there was a table beautifully laid with every delicious bit of cheese and fruit and some special wine that Albert Croce, our French language guru, had brought back from his recent trip down to the south where he had presented a week's writing course.

Sweden, the Caribbean, Taiwan, London, Scotland - from every part of the world they come to settle in beautiful Dordogne

The interviews are short little 'portraits' of a few minutes each that will be broadcast on Friday afternoons on France Bleu at 17h40, each a small account of an expat who has come to settle in this area. It should make for very interesting listening!
Click on Link:

Chateau Lalinde : The perfect venue for your event

Relocation Orientation in France

Aquitaine Langues Language School, Bergerac