Friday, May 30, 2014

May turns to June



                                                        High tea at the O2
                                               Aer Lingus cabin staff on strike!

Bryan Ferry is a really class act.
When the first Aurthers Day was coming he was in my taxi.with 2 other guys.
The conversation was normal when one of the men in the back took a phone call.
 " Mike ! I'm sorry man, I was called away urgently, I tried to call you.
When I'm back in London I'll give you a call. OK?"
Bryan really took him to task.
 "You knew from last month you would be here, yet you let poor Mike go to a restaurant to go and meet you? Then he has put time and effort into this arrangement.
YOU on the other hand couldn't give a shit !
He was sitting there and you wasted his time and money.
You have a phone and a simple call would be nice.
But you didn't care
Now remember this, Mike is a grafter, he is moving up in the world and very soon he won't need you at all.
But sure as hell you will need him in the future.
If we are to do any business together from now on you will be coming from a much lower position in my estimation.
I will consider you as a person not to be trusted, and unreliable.
What do you think John ?"

Pretty well dead on I said.

It should be a good show !



So we had an election and very few people voted for the partys who are now in power.
The election posters have to be taken down by tonight,
Fines will be levied for every sign still in place tomorrow.

Yesterday there was a fatal crash in Fairview at the junction of the Malahide Rd.
It turns out that a car turned around to avoid going through a Garda checkpoint at 2am.
The garda gave chase and BANG !
A bit of a problem is that they did not inform the powers that be at the time and the wreckage was still in place at 6 am. With the road closed chaos reigned for hours.

On the other hand a young ofender was up in court.
He had lead the police on a merry chase with around 10 cars and the police helicopters in persuit.
He went down against traffic on the motorway a few times.
He had something like 29 previous convigtions !
He told the judge that he was a changed man and had learned his lesson.
So the judge let him out on bail again.

Look at this.
"Drug addict kills woman with his car while she was out shopping with her sister"
What did he get?
3 1/2 years !
What a load of Bollox.

There is a real opertunity to make money by building a private prison.
Charge the state for locking them up and reforming the prisoners.
No more softly softly.
Did you ever hear of the tent prison in America?Click here
They are trying to sue him.
"If these conditions are good enough for our boys in Iraq then surely they are good enough for criminals

Talking of lowlife I had 4 scumbags in the car the other day
Shirreff St to Temple St.
One of them started to be the big man so I stopped the car and asked him if he wanted to get out and prove he was the hard nut he thought he was.
Then his tone changed, "I'm only messin mister, can't ya take a joke?"
What they couldn't afford to happen was for the Garda to get interested in them and search them.
I told the boss to keep that nutcase on a lead or there would be trouble in the future...Yes...I got a tip.

But taxi drivers make money when buses are stopped.
My first lift on the morning of the crash was to Tallagh hospital, I stopped the meter at €25, even that was too much to pay just to go to work.
I try to treat others like I would like to be treated..
On that day I was BUZZIN  and I got 4 or 5 runs to the airport.
Now the second and third level students are off on their travels...Canada and the USA are calling.

I must say that I am stunned by a beautiful woman today.
She is here 7 years and a Philipena, long blond hair and really well dressed.
Going to the South Circular Rd.
A beautiful soft voice, but something was not quite right.
Her perfume filled the car and it was time to say goodbye.
Then as I turned around to take my money I noticed her hands, then the Adams apple .
But he really did look fantastic...



Life is so complicated.


Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Tlouble for HailO in London


 Well it has come to pass that HailO the friendly taxi magnet has done the thing that is the ultimate betrayal to its London taxi drivers. They have applyed for a minicab operating license.
The whole idea of HailO was that you got a taxi...with a proper PSV licensed and vetted driver with a meter and a badge which proved that he has done the knowledge.
Mini cabs are a group who operate via radio without using a taxi meter, they hang around night clubs and railway stations enticeing the stupid to employ them.
If you have to use a mini cab you are about to be scammed..

So the HailO drivers stormed the ofice in London and the police were called.
Drivers are deleting the HailO app and are queuing up to have the HailO branding removed from their cabs.

Perhaps the drivers will move over to the "Black Cab App" instead.
It is strange how a contest can be lost when total victory is in sight.





Or perhaps we could go with no Public liability insurance, no PSV license no vetting no tax

Yes folks UBER

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Better lucky


      Distressed mortgage ? Anyhow it in empty house when there are thousands homeless.


1956 V8 BMW FANTASTIC

My old daddy used to say "Better to be lucky than rich"

A wet morning in Dublin for sure today which created a big demand for taxis.
Now if you are working on a system you should look after your customers, at least that is what I think.
Many guys turn off their radios or their HailO system when they see work in plenty on the streets.
You must look after the customers who come to you when business is slack (through the system) and you shouldn't just scoop up the fishes on the street at the cost of your regulars..
First job of the day was a very drunk woman, on and  on she went on about being drunk before 9 am!
On and on only to be dropped off on Great Charles St North which is where D'Lite studios are.

My second job brought me into town properly.
So instantly I had another customer to the Sweepstakes offices, a petite Italian girl, arriving at the office I said goodbye and put the fare on to the system... 10 seconds later it gave me my next job at the Ballsbridge Hotel.  Traffic lights all red it took a few minutes to get back around, I rang ahead to report my progress and got what turned out to be the hotel reception.. When I got there I was told his name and that he was standing at the door.. I called 5 or 6 times "NO SHOW"
A lady who was standing beside me asked if I would take her and her friends over to the RDS (100 yards up the road)  Sure I said and opened the boot of the car.
As I put the suitcase into the boot the taxi driver behind me said
 "That's my job you have there, My job didn't turn up so I get the next one!"" So I gave him the suitcase and the girls jumped into his taxi.
Then at that  instant a guy walked out. Good! you're free !
Take me to Manooth.....€38 fare
Then
Make the receipt out for €50!!!

A great guy he was working for Sky Sports  ..
Even on the road back the HailO found me another €10 fare.
When I got back into town the workers were at their desks, but the trains were coming in at the station and a short hop to Mary's Abbey,a great place for lawyers

Then home for breakfast.

In the afternoon after the grocery shopping then I got a run from East Point to Queen St.
The traffic was static when my customers got out. Then in a flash a job came in on King St. I turned into Benburb St and went along beside the Luas line where a motorbike was stopped short of the lights. After the third change of lights I asked him to pull up closer to the lights as his bike had not activated the sensors on the road. He insisted that he would not move so I put one wheel on the footpath and pulled up beside him.
At this point he started shouting "You are intimating me!"
Thank God the lights changed.
But then he tried to block me going through on green, I went around him and we were the only ones to get through the lights. Some day that asshole will meet the wrong guy who will punch out his lights if he keeps on going like that, I will leave him to meet that guy.
Then my HailO customer  in a who I had spoken to twice rang again to tell me that I had driven past him because he saw my roof sign go past him in a black car. I explained that my car was yellow and I was now 10 feet from him....."Its no use I am getting into another taxi"
So off to the Westbury Hotel to let off some steam, from there I got 2 lovely ladys going to the airport,, They worked in finance for Chanel.
They turned out to be big tippers as into the bargain .

I met a guy who had never seen this, its 6 years old.



This is funny too....

Saturday, May 17, 2014

Loads of visitors


        One of the fleet of cruise ships coming to Dublin this year.
                                  Malahide Castle
             I found a sixpence! dated 1928
   My trusty coin dispenser..Called a piano by London taxi drivers

My youngest son drove into the footpath in my wife's car the other day.
He was letting an ambulance past.
He had burst the tyre and he drove on, no doubt with music turned up to the max !
He didn't hear the rumble from the deflated tyre or feel the drag on the steering wheel.
When he stopped the tyre was in shreds....

So when I started my day I put the wheel into my car and headed over to Drumcondra Advance tyre place.
But the HailO system kicked in and brought me from East Wall Rd to City West in Tallagh instead.
Heading back into town I picked up a job in Kimmage again on the HailO system, but for some strange reason the Garmin SatNav was having a joke and wanted to take me on to the M50 to pick him up. A few short calls later I was on my way to Manooth, another great job.
Then I picked up again on Conningham Rd via HailO to the Marker hotel, where I picked up my first street passenger...To Howth harbor yet another fantastic job.
I was going into Nickie's fish shop when the HailO went off again and brought me back into town to Baggott St, my passenger had been in my taxi before and she is a sculptor in Porcelain I saw her website.

Anyhoooo
Now I pulled into the taxi rank outside the Voila coffee shop to make a phone call and decided that I needed coffee, coming out 2 people approached me looking for directions. I gave them a map and directions putting my coin holder on the roof of the car while I spoke to them. Then I offered to take them there for €4.
They said no so I jumped in and said that the meter should start at €5.10 for such a trip and it would be 45 min. walk for them. So they jumped in and I brought them to the Burlington which now has a new name the 2 trees..
Saying goodbye I headed towards Ballsbridge and the HailO gave me another job which they cancelled when I was within 50 yards of pick-up. Turning down Ailesbury Rd. I got another HailO job from the Vincents private hospital over the East link and through the port tunnel to Swords.
Arriving at the housing estate I pulled up to turn right when something came clattering across the roof sliding down the windshield , bumping off the bonnet and onto the road...

My coin holder with around €80 in it!!!!!!! So amazed at my luck that I bought a Lotto ticket.

As my poor Daddy would say"whats seldom is wonderful"


The customer was giving out about the girl next door who is selling drugs from her house.
It was a comical scenario in one way to hear about the carry on,but deadly dangerous in another way.
While I was putting the coins back into the holder 4 young girls came over to the house and walked past me, they were giggling to each other with nerves. They were around 12 to 15 years old. One of them was very striking looking, there is a lot of heartbreak in drugs.

Someone should do something...

To be continued........

Only a day like this day could be better!!


40 years ago today

40 years ago today the Dublin and Monaghan bombs exploded.
26 people and an unborn baby died when 3 car bombs exploded without warning in Dublin and hundreds were injured.
Then in Monaghan town another car bomb exploded killing 7 more people.
It was the biggest loss of life in a single day during the troubles.
No one has ever been convicted.

Read more..click here

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Fool me once




  This will be your kids wages on Job Bridge

                     RockN Roll dresses in the Georges St market


A sad day for my oldest son. He is home for the funeral of a friend
31 years old with  young children, Just starting to live.

Cancer is killing a lot of people.. Let us all hope it stays away from your door

So Ryanair have a "New friendly face"
 He booked with them the day before for £70 and went to the airport.
"You didn't check in on line, so it will cost you another £69 almost the same again just to get on the plane.".

I guess we and they will never learn, but it will be a long time until we give them another chance.

The return flight home is booked with Aer Lingus for sure

One of the HailO drivers brought an unfortunate passenger around the M50.
From Drumcondra to the Dundrum shopping center.
Now he finds himself suspended from the system.
His protests are falling on deaf ears.

The other day I picked up a young girl going across the city to Milltown.
After the first few mutterings I asked her what she did for a living, to my utter surprise she said that she was an airline pilot.
She was so young!
She told me that she had qualified 14 years ago!
I told her that she must have learned how to fly sitting on her Dadys knee.
No I started as a fetus she said...
It must be great to look so young, perhaps some day on my way to San Francisco we might meet again.

All of my customers are interesting. But why would I tell tales about them ?
Did you know that there is a big cartoon factory in Smithfield,they make stuff for Disney and all the big names there. I met a lady who works there last week.
Happy in her work??? Yes."Pippa Pig" is her work.
I told her I was taxing my car last month and found myself surrounded by Hippys It was like having fallen through to the 60s.. Yes thats us..Happy Hippys

Last time I was talking about regrets, Deloris Keane was on television yesterday talking about her big regrets in life, her fight with Cancer and Alcohol..And the loss of that fantastic voice.



 Still it brought her around the world and brought a tear to many eyes.. The RTE player would have it to listen to the show again.

Students are sitting exams and getting J1 visas to go  America for the summer.
When you are getting your Visa you have to hand in your passport to the embassy and then you have to  go to the DPD depot down in the docks to retrieve your passport, a hard place to find if you have never been there before.

The saga of whistle blowers within the Garda, is causing ripples which are passing through our society.
One story which came to the front involved a female taxi driver who picked up a guy in Kells who then tried to kill and rape her. The only thing that saved her was that she had an earpiece under her hair and she was able to all call help without hold ing a phone to her head.
He was arrested and charged with the most minor of assault charge.that
The next day he was released without bail and without the taxi drivers statement being taken into account.
On the day of his trial for that offense the Garda in Bailieborough rang the taxi driver and told her acccused would not be going for trial that day and there would be no need for her to come to court. 
So he got off Scott free
Shortly after that he tried to abduct a child but he was stopped.
A few weeks later he abducted a young lady and killed her...He is now detained in a mental hospital.

So the Garda commissioner, the minister of defense and probably the person in charge at the Garda Ombudsman office have resigned or will go shortly..
 A rake of heads will come under the hammer in the Civil service as well.
Once corruption gets into any business it is very very hard to cure it.
Read more click  here

Tuesday, May 06, 2014

The Giro D'Italia


    My grandson pulls his luggage along...He is in South Africa now
               Earthquake on Sheriff St ?
              If you are getting help with your election posters, don't employ an idiot
                       Under the dashboard  Loads of electrics.
 Welcome to McDaids pub on Harry st.One of Dublins finest pubs.

The big bicycle race will hit the streets of Dublin..Click here for more.

Designed by Computer

Manufactured by Robots

Driven by idiots.

The subject is cars !

I got a call while on the way to the airport the other day...Standard stuff to reject the call and ring back when it was safe. Before calling him back I popped into the Fliers cafe at the" Kesh" where taxi drivers are detained before going back into town or elsewhere.
So I put the tea on the dashboard while I made the call.only to learn that I had to be somewhere else so I put the car into gear and headed off.
Now the tops on the paper tea cups served at the cafe are not a snug fit, so when I shot off the tea tumbled over popping the lid off. As I watched in horror the sea of tea flood over the dashboard I was not quite ready for part 2.
The tea suddenly vanished down through the slots in the dashboard.
Next all the lights in the dashboard came on Red Amber and buzzers sounded as If I had not already noticed that something was going on.
Power steering gone I pulled in and after 3 goes I managed to switch the car off!
I ripped the top and front panels off the dashboard and started mopping up the tea.
No point in crying I drove the car home though she seemed to be on her last legs..

My car is a Toyota Prius Hybrid car. Very Hi Tec ! Not a good car to pour tea into the computer of.

The next day I tried it but a good few lights were coming on.so after another day I tried it again  I plugged in my "Scan Gague2" into its computer and cleared the faults.(look it up on Amazon.com)

Now she runs once again like a Toyota should.

May Day the workers Holiday

The May Day workers holiday was a special event for me.
No not for work but for MAGIC !
"Shenanigans " the Irish magic convention.

This guy was here.



Now here is a guy who knows a thing or 2 about magic. He entertained the magicians until 5.am every morning.
He is one of the most practical working magicians in the world.
He doesn't need camera tricks to do his magic !

 Next on the agenda was John Archer  the only magician ever to win a BAFTA award.



Then there was

Time Travelling Magicians Morgan and West

 

Bernard Copan shared his secrets...!!

Sorry that Ramon "Rrioboo is in Spanish..

 

New guy on the block Joe Barry.

 

Then from Ireland we had Quentin Reynolds.

Imagine so much fun from a hankie ! 

 

 

Then we had David Williamson

 

All in all a really great weekend