The Delusions Of Idiots Are Truly Amazing...

And amazing furthermore that they are usually college students! Tonight was a night I NEVER want to repeat, but it will from time to time.... over and over. I had a string of three orders that didn't show up, cancelled when I got there, or worse still, call a friend at the same time and cancel while they were getting IN the cab!

So, seeing as most of my in-town dispatch orders were eaten up with stupiditis, I opted for an order outside of Charlottesville, which only went three miles.... Now, I'm starting to get disgusted.

Coming back into town, the dispatcher is calling for a van on the far end of town the entire fifteen minutes I'm driving back in. The order is dispatched to me, and it becomes a Mongolian clusterfuck.

The phone number is not right, so I can't call them. After three attempts circling the building, I give up and leave.

When I am 15 blocks away, the dispatcher asks me to return because these idiots are "coming outside now". I return, and after calling these morons back, they are NOT at the address given, they are around the corner at the other end of the lot!

Now, I'm getting pissed. Surprise, surprise. Same group of silly bitches that cancelled the cab because their friend showed up right after I did. They get a message that the party they're going to is getting shut down, and say something about getting out of the cab (the meter was only around $2.30 by then). Now I'm going nuclear. Then they ask the STUPID, stupid question, "What do you do when that happens?"

I finally lost it. I simply replied, "I do my level best not to try to answer their call again."

Again, a STUPID, stupid question. "Why is that?"

I replied as calmly as I could, "Because I buy my own fuel, upkeep my own vehicle, and I don't have time, money or patience to drive across town to pick someone up that isn't worth wasting it on. I've made two trips across town for you tonight, one of which you cancelled when I got there, one of which you made me make two trips and then want to stop before you get two blocks."

Needless to say, after dropping these idiots off, I asked dispatch to note in their computer system to NEVER send me for that phone number again.

There's One In Every Crowd....

Gotta love this one just for the irony...

First, let me start out by saying last night was rough. Steady, but rough. Seems like most of the drivers for this company went home at midnight. I guess they were going to turn into a pumpkin...

Anyway, after a string of bad luck, I was sent to a "prestigious" bed and breakfast east of town. People that stay at this place are notorious for being cheap, at least in my experience.

I arrive for the pickup at 3 am. I should have started the meter when I got there. Despite calling their front desk and being informed that the customer had been told the cab was there and waiting, it was 3:25 before we actually got moving, because A) one of these morons had an open beer, which is against state law to transport, B) another of these morons couldn't find her purse, C) once she found her purse, she couldn't find her phone. Are any of these MY fault? NO.

Even though moron #3 was in the cab around 3:15, she asked that I STILL not start the meter. Figuring they would make up for it in tip, I stupidly did not, costing myself $10.00 in wait time.

Long story short, these morons kept me waiting 25 minutes and tipped me less than a dollar. What kept me from giving it back and saying they needed it more than I did, I'll never know. I think I was just resigned to the fact that the night was going to suck.

Where am I sent once I dropped these idiots off? Right back to the same "prestigious" bed and breakfast. Turns out the couple I was picking up that time were supposed to have caught the ride with the idiots I had just dropped off.....

Once I heard that, they got a FULL report, and they were embarrassed by the way their friends had acted. I'm sure they mentioned it to their friends.

I found out that these people were here for a wedding, which was costing them nothing. And they want to fuss about paying for wait time holding up a taxi?! My new rule is: If I come to pick someone up, they get two minutes. Meter starts at that point, and I don't care how much you whine or bitch about it, because I can't count on you tipping that much.

People, when you call for a taxi, it's not the driver's fault if they arrive before you're ready. It's your fault for calling for a cab before you're ready. Every minute you hold us up is time lost from another fare, especially when you're stupid enough to keep a driver waiting nearly a half-hour. You're keeping us from making our living. Get over yourselves.

Wow, It's Been Awhile...

Well, to update.... I have shut down my own trade name and put my van into a larger company to use their dispatch service.... the money is only marginally better, but it is more consistent...

I find it interesting that some have called me a sell-out in doing so, when they were the very people trying to torpedo me in the first place!

I have an interesting dilemma now, and not quite sure what to do with it....

After the fiasco of a long-distance relationship going south, I decided that relationships in general just are not in the cards for me. Therefore, I do not plan to pursue one with anyone. I simply feel I am too damaged to contribute usefully to such an arrangement.

A girl nearly 14 years my junior and I have been seeing each other recently, and I believe she is starting to want more than I can give her right now. Not sure what to do with this, because I do not want to hurt this person, she has been hurt many times before.

*sigh* Why does life have to be so damned complicated?