Yet another incident came to mind about people who don't know how to act, and are too stupid to realize they're out of line.I don't just charge higher rates and force people to ride in a jalopy. My cab has a nice, clean interior with leather seats, and whatever the car needs repair-wise, it gets it as soon as possible.
I also put a little money into little touches that make things a little nicer for the customer -- such as using my laptop to play a good all-around mix of music for the customers' enjoyment, as well as mine. I am currently in the process of expanding that capability to playing movies for longer trips, out-of-town airports and such.
So I really am about serving the customer to the best of my ability. I'm not out to just grab all the money I can.
About six months ago, I picked up a group of frat brats in the Corner area near the university. A couple of really great songs came into rotation, and these jackasses go full-on mosh pit right there in the car. It wasn't even hard-driving music, I think it was "No Rain" by Blind Melon.
All of a sudden one guy in the backseat empties a water bottle on the guy in the passenger seat, of which about 20% roughly went all over my laptop.
Of course, I am infuriated. There is no sense in this. Bunch of 20-somethings horsing around like 5-year-olds.
Fortunately, quick thinking and action saved the laptop, at least for awhile. It hasn't been right since, mainly because the processor fan control shorted out. The processor has been overheating, and it is now dying. (Thank you, frat brats! The computer I am replacing it with cost me $400.00 I wouldn't have had to spend otherwise!)
I shut it down pronto, pulled over and grabbed some rags out of the trunk and began wiping it as best I could, turning it upside down to allow the residual water to drain. Quite frankly, I am amazed it didn't fry on the spot. The jackass in the front seat then tried to pour water on the meter, which was still running. I grabbed the bottle and said, "Are you remedial?"I then turned and looked at the frat brats and said, "Okay, guys, ride's over."
"Wha...?" one guy says.
"You heard me. Out," I said.
"You can't do that," he says.
"Oh, yes, I can, and I will," I said.
"Can you take us another mile, at least?"
"No, sir. I'm done. You guys have spilled water in my $400 laptop, and intentionally tried to pour water on my $250 meter. You're trying to destroy my equipment, and I'm not going to allow that. You guys need to get out."
"Another mile? Come on, man...."
"What part of 'I'm done' do you not understand, sir?"
They got out reluctantly, arguing with me the whole time. My car is not a mosh pit, nor is it put together for people to tear up. That includes any and all equipment inside. People wonder why some cab drivers are so rude. I know why, and I will tell you. Because of morons like these. Not everyone acts this way, mind you, but it only takes one jackass or group of jackasses to ruin a perfectly good shift.
As a side note, Dell builds one tough computer, I'll give them that. This one is an older Latitude C610. It has run for over 4 years in the cab, 10-14 hours a day on average. In another application it ran 24 hours a day for 5 months, and the Dell that took its place in that application has run for over 2 years now, 24 hours a day. The C610 still runs to this day, but it is getting extremely quirky and sometimes refuses to cooperate. However, not one part has been replaced in the five years I've had it, and until now it has pretty much done everything I've asked it to (reasonable or not).
Considering what it's been through, I would have actually recommended Dell until I bought a C840 to replace the C610. Seems that if I don't know the original owner's name, I can't get tech support on a used Dell. Can't justify buying a new Dell when they won't help you with the one you own.
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