I was sent to pick up a fare on Walney Island when I pulled up outside the house and this elderly man from next door came out and jumped in the cab. He asked me where his lady friend was and why I hadn't picked her up first.
Scratching my head I told him that this wasn't his taxi but he insisted that it was and that he wanted to know why I hadn't picked his lady friend up. I asked him where from and it was pretty much around the corner so I thought if I`m only going to be a few minutes then I would take him round the corner.
I did this only for him to find that his lady friend wasn't at home. I knew now what had happened. He had rang a different taxi company at the same time that my fare had booked me and he thought I was for him The best thing I could do was take him back home and as luck would have it, his taxi was outside his house complete with his lady friend in the back seat.
The other taxi driver had panicked wondering where he was and thought he may have fell ill in the house. I managed to get the elderly man out of my car and re-united with his lady friend but with all this happening and not knowing how long I was going to be sorting this out I decided to contact my office and get them to send another car to my job.
The whole incident lasted about 10 minutes and I lost a job through it but I couldn't very well throw a 97 year old man out of my car onto the cold street.
At least all worked out OK for them. He found his lady friend and she was relieved that he was OK. It was just a genuine mistake on his behalf but after talking to the other driver I was told that this couple are a regular fare of theirs and he is 97 years old and gets very confused.
I`m just glad that all was sorted and I didn't mind losing a fare as the health of a 97 year old is more important
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Wednesday, November 11
Monday, November 9
Upcoming event: Wilna will be in conversation with Albert Croce about her experiences and reflections all along her pilgrimage. Friday 20 November
Lancement du livre de Wilna Wilkinson
Vendredi 20 novembre 2009 à 19h00, Centre Aquitaine Langues
« The Way of Stars and Stones »
Conférence dialoguée
Aquitaine Langues Centre is very happy to welcome you to the Launch of « The Ways of Stars and Stones » by Wilna Wilkinson.
Wilna will be in conversation with Albert Croce about her experiences and reflections all along her pilgrimage.
Please come to listen and talk to Wilna.
To mark the occasion Gerrita of ViniSource offers quite appropriately the Cuvée Compostelle du Château Côte de Monpezat 2005
Please book before 16th November
Le Centre Aquitaine Langues et Albert CROCE sont heureux de vous recevoir
Au Centre Aquitaine Langues, à Bergerac, pour une conférence dialoguée sur le lancement du livre de Wilna Wilkinson « The Ways of Stars and Stones » qui retrace ses rencontres et ses réflexions sur le chemin de Saint Jacques de Compostelle.
La conférence sera suivie d’un buffet « Wine and Cheese »
Vin offert pour l’occasion par Gerrita Thiart-Martin de ViniSource
« Cuvée Compostelle » du Château Côte Monpezat, Côtes de Castillon 2005
Prière de réserver à l’avance Entrée 6€
Fiche d’inscription
A remplir et à nous retourner avec votre paiement au plus tard le 16/11/09
Aquitaine Langues, 769 Route de Ste Alvère, 24100 Bergerac
Tel : 05 53 74 17 85 admin@aquitainelangues.fr
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Domaine de la Tour - 769 Route de Ste Alvère
24100 Bergerac - Tel : 05 53 74 17 85
admin@aquitainelangues.fr www.aquitainelangues.fr
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Chateau Lalinde : The perfect venue for your event
Sunday, November 8
Paris restaurant of a million ducks selling 18,000 bottles
If you have visited Paris after your backpacker
and shoestring budget days, you may have had the decadent pleasure of the food with a view provided by one of Paris'most famous restaurants, the 16th century eatery, Tour d'Argent, famed for dishing up more than a million ducks, If not, now is the time to plan to go, because the restaurant is putting some of its exceptional cellar up for auction in December.
The Agence France Press reports that rare vintages common mortals may have read about but never actually seen -- such as a Chateau Lafite Rothschild or a 200-year-old Fine Champagne -- go under the hammer 7 and 8 December, expected to fetch up to EUR 1 million.Bottles on sale were selected from 450,000 stocked in the cellars of the restaurant variously known as the "world's oldest" or "most famous", and undeniably blessed with one of the best locations in the universe, straddling the Seine overlooking Notre Dame cathedral.
The establishment dating back to 1582 is best known for pressed duck and served up its millionth in 2003.
Bought directly from vintners, none of the bottles have ever been on the market. Bordeaux wines include Chateau Latour (1975, 1982, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1994), Chateau Lafite Rothschild (1970, 1982, 1997), Chateau Cheval Blanc (1928, 1949, 1966) and Chateau Margaux (1970, 1990).
Among Loire valley wines is a Vouvray Haut Lieu Huet (1919) while the Burgundy region includes a Puligny Montrachet Referts Sauzet (1992) and Vosne Romanée Jayer (1988).Profits from the oldest bottle, a Fine Champagne Clos du Griffier from 1788, will go to charity -- which have not been named yet.
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Chateau Lalinde : The perfect venue for your event
Saturday, November 7
Access all areas
One of this weeks fares was two ladies, one was elderly and in a wheelchair and the other was able bodied and in her early 50s. I picked them both up from a house in the Town Centre and took them home where upon asking for the fare of £4.20p I was given a £10 note and told to take £7 out of it.
What a generous tip I thought to myself and it was too. I got £7 for a £4.20p fare. I opened the boot of the car and removed the ladies wheelchair. She didnt need it for short distances as she could walk a little bit so her friend insisted on taking the wheelchair in so in effect all I had to do was put in in the boot of the car and take it out at the destination and this earned me the tip.
The elderly lady thanked me for taking her wheelchair and went on to tell me that she felt a burden to people and always paid the extra for drivers to carry her wheelchair. She said she knew she didnt have to pay the extra but felt guilty if she didn't as the drivers are so helpful.
This got me thinking that its really nice to have praise for our drivers but why should an elderly disabled person feel compelled to give a large tip just because thet are in a wheelchair?
Its not right that they should feel like this and I suppose its down to the individual driver if they accept the tip. If you do accept it then you feel as if you've got extra because she is disabled. If you don't accept the tip then you offend the person that's giving it you, so you cant really win.
I just don't think its right that elderly or disabled people that need a little help from the driver should feel they have to tip a lot more as a way of saying thank you. After all, helping our customers in and out the car with or without any luggage is all part of the job description and people like this shouldn't have to feel compelled to pay more.
We don't charge any extra for wheelchairs and never will do. Its all part of the service that we provide. We look after the customer but some customers that feel they have to give a large tip because we took their wheelchair and helped them with it.
As in her words and not mine "You took my wheelchair and lifted it in and out the car for me and I feel guilty that you have to do this and I dont want to be a burden to anyone so please take it". were her exact words.
I didnt want to take the extra money after hearing this story and tried to give her it back but she insisted and told me that if I didn't take it then she would feel guilty about asking for my help.
What a generous tip I thought to myself and it was too. I got £7 for a £4.20p fare. I opened the boot of the car and removed the ladies wheelchair. She didnt need it for short distances as she could walk a little bit so her friend insisted on taking the wheelchair in so in effect all I had to do was put in in the boot of the car and take it out at the destination and this earned me the tip.
The elderly lady thanked me for taking her wheelchair and went on to tell me that she felt a burden to people and always paid the extra for drivers to carry her wheelchair. She said she knew she didnt have to pay the extra but felt guilty if she didn't as the drivers are so helpful.
This got me thinking that its really nice to have praise for our drivers but why should an elderly disabled person feel compelled to give a large tip just because thet are in a wheelchair?
Its not right that they should feel like this and I suppose its down to the individual driver if they accept the tip. If you do accept it then you feel as if you've got extra because she is disabled. If you don't accept the tip then you offend the person that's giving it you, so you cant really win.
I just don't think its right that elderly or disabled people that need a little help from the driver should feel they have to tip a lot more as a way of saying thank you. After all, helping our customers in and out the car with or without any luggage is all part of the job description and people like this shouldn't have to feel compelled to pay more.
We don't charge any extra for wheelchairs and never will do. Its all part of the service that we provide. We look after the customer but some customers that feel they have to give a large tip because we took their wheelchair and helped them with it.
As in her words and not mine "You took my wheelchair and lifted it in and out the car for me and I feel guilty that you have to do this and I dont want to be a burden to anyone so please take it". were her exact words.
I didnt want to take the extra money after hearing this story and tried to give her it back but she insisted and told me that if I didn't take it then she would feel guilty about asking for my help.
Tuesday, November 3
Mr Jobsworth
This week I was parked outside the local "Subway" shop when a traffic Warden... Oops, I mean Civil Enforcement Officer (Thats what they are called now) came up to me and told me I couldnt park there.
I looked around and there was no yellow lines and no signposts saying I couldnt park but he was adamamt that the whole area was restricted. This could easily confuse a lot of drivers as part of the street has double yellow lines meaning dont park and the other part of the street doesnt have any markings which now means "Don`t park" I didnt argue with him as I couldnt be bothered and just moved off.
About an hour later I was waiting at the local train station for a fare when one of their own private wardens approaced me and told me I couldnt wait there without putting money in the "pay and display" machine. This annoyed me and I told him I was waiting for the train to arrive as I had a fare and he was having none of it so I moved to the near by telephone exchange about 20 yards up the road and waited there.
He approached me and warned me to move otherwise he would give me a ticket. I told him that it wasn't railway land and he was out of his jurisdiction to which he started taking photos of where my car was parked so I got out and took a photo of him.
He then changed his tune and said that he would give me a verbal warning not to park there.
It was only a few week ago that Bob (The owner of this blog) had very similar issues and probably with the same Jobsworth.
I have been told by the local council that their wardens are not on any bonuses relating to the number of tickets issued but I beg to differ. There are lots of tickets issued every day and of those that are appealed then it seems the council are not prepared to listen and innocent motorists have been issued tickets.
I do think that traffic wardens get more bonuses the more tickets they issue but ask any of them and they will deny it.
I found a rather comical clip on the internet (below) and seem to get the impression that this could really happen
I looked around and there was no yellow lines and no signposts saying I couldnt park but he was adamamt that the whole area was restricted. This could easily confuse a lot of drivers as part of the street has double yellow lines meaning dont park and the other part of the street doesnt have any markings which now means "Don`t park" I didnt argue with him as I couldnt be bothered and just moved off.
About an hour later I was waiting at the local train station for a fare when one of their own private wardens approaced me and told me I couldnt wait there without putting money in the "pay and display" machine. This annoyed me and I told him I was waiting for the train to arrive as I had a fare and he was having none of it so I moved to the near by telephone exchange about 20 yards up the road and waited there.
He approached me and warned me to move otherwise he would give me a ticket. I told him that it wasn't railway land and he was out of his jurisdiction to which he started taking photos of where my car was parked so I got out and took a photo of him.
He then changed his tune and said that he would give me a verbal warning not to park there.
It was only a few week ago that Bob (The owner of this blog) had very similar issues and probably with the same Jobsworth.
I have been told by the local council that their wardens are not on any bonuses relating to the number of tickets issued but I beg to differ. There are lots of tickets issued every day and of those that are appealed then it seems the council are not prepared to listen and innocent motorists have been issued tickets.
I do think that traffic wardens get more bonuses the more tickets they issue but ask any of them and they will deny it.
I found a rather comical clip on the internet (below) and seem to get the impression that this could really happen
