Back in the fold

Well I've been back out there on the streets of good old London.
Despite the recession people still want to use the iconic London Taxi revered the world over as the best, and me, I am now one of them. Managed to find a Taxi proprietor about 5 minutes from where I live in Sutton and it's another Fairway which I picked up on Friday. Taxis come in 5 types now Fairway, Metrocab, TXI , TXII and the TX 4

So went out on Friday for a few hours and did a good stint on Saturday plus a few hours Sunday. As per usual I was intent on making sure I got as many jobs off the touts as possible and nicked a good few off them Saturday night. 1 such job was I picked up 4 Americans from Nobu restaurant, under the noses of the usual tout suspects, and to my glee they said Kenton in Harrow please.
Straight away I thought s*** where is it lol. But that's why I did those suburb runs a few weeks ago and it all cam flooding back so off I went.
They were the usual brash Americans ,and pissed ones to boot, but they were amazed that I got them there so quickly and without using a sat nav , their words not mine, and I must admit so was I hahahaha. A nice tidy sum on the meter in my sky and not in one of the touts pockets.

I don't think a lot of people are aware of the battle we ,us Licensed Taxi Drivers, are having in Central London at a few venues. Taxi drivers are by law the only ones allowed to "ply for hire" in London and any other cab has to be prebooked. Despite this you will still find all these vermin , and some of them are vermin, trying to nick our work from under our noses. As a new boy to the trade I knew it was happening but not to this extent. Only reading on LTDF forum www.londontaxiforum.co.uk the many posts on this subject did I feel I had to get out there and help. There are some amazing people on that forum and they certainly have started pulling everyone together including radio circuit drivers.
The venues mainly being targeted by LTDF members are
Nobu
Jalouse
Zuma
Oxo Tower
Abacus Bar
Smiths of Smithfield
Swallow St (Regent St)
Tiger Tiger
Amika

Having a well earned day off today but will be back out there tomorrow night.

Remember if it's a tout stay out. TAXI's the only way to go.

1st days jobs

As promised here's my list of my 1st days jobs as a London Licensed Taxi Driver. Here goes it's quite a list.

1. Kings Rd to marylebone High st - more about this in my first post
2. pall mall to daily telegraph - 111 buck palace rd sir - wow good knowledge mate -
3. kings rd to gatwick express via Burton Court
4. kens high st - aldwych theatre
5. fleet st to allen and overy spotal sq
6. grays inn rd to frognal close -school run nightmare traffic took forever but all on the meter
7. kings rd old marylebone rd
8. st george st to ebury st
9. victoria station to euston station
10. euston station to marriott regents park - good knowledge line this one
11. acacia rd to philimore gardens
12. high st ken to redcliffe gdns
13. redcliffe sq to beaufort st
14. kings rd to warwick way
15. new bond st to kildare gardens
16. westbourne grove to paddington - should have walked
17. praed st to kendall st - again should have walked but hey all on the meter
18. knightsbrdige to pj's bar and grill - fulham rd
19. fluham rd to atherstone mews
20. knightsbrdige to shepherds bush
21. shepherds bush to harlesden
22. berkeley sq to emperors gate via Young st
23. fulham rd to embargo club

Then i got bored of writing them all down but it was a busy old night as you can see and was quite pleased with myself only didn't know where Atherstone Mews was but with a bit of help from my passenger it was no problem....

More later

1st Week in the Job

Well decided to do a week in a Taxi to dip my toe in the water to see what it's like. Obviously I'm still working and as it is a recession needed to see if financially it is worth my while jacking My day job in.

Started last Friday about 1.30pm made my way towards the Kings Road from sunny Carshalton and I was told if you can;t get a fare from Kings Road you're doing something wrong. Anyway I nervously turned right from Bagleys Lane made my way up New Kings Road and sure enough out came a hand. Initially I thought she was waving to someone , hahaha, then pulled myself together and pulled over in my rented Fairway and opened the window. "Marylebone High St North of Blandford St please" and in she gets. Straight away I thought go through the park ,"Hyde Park", and over we go. For some ridiculous reason I changed my mind and decided to Park Lane it etc.
As we hit Park Lane she starts moaning at me I've gone the wrong way and should have gone through the park. I concur and apologise but still get her there on time, forgot to say she said she needed to be there by 2pm.
As I pull over onto Marylebone High St I tell her the fare is free, gratis and on the house because as a tradition in the London Licensed Taxi Trade the 1st fare for a new boy is always free. She looks at the £17 on the meter and immediately starts apologising for moaning about me going the wrong way she tipped me a fiver and off she went.

I drive off and think s*** where am I going to go now. I head off to Mayfair thinking what will I get next.

The rest of the day is a blur to be honest although I have written down a full list of the jobs I will dig that out and blog it here. It turned out a decent enough day considering I was fairly clueless where to go and I really enjoyed it.

Unfortunately I am back at work wistfully thinking of being back out in the cab.

More to follow.

Laters.