It's a small world ...


If you want an interesting opinion just ask a taxi driver. As someone who's only been driving a short time really I have spent many years getting taxis from a to b. Occasionally to work, the bus station, home from the supermarket and on a night out. When I'm home there's one company I usually fall back on because I know all the drivers and I don't have to hear stories about how they used to pick blackberries up this road. There's one old guy from another taxi firm (and I'll be damned if I can remember which one) who, every time he's turned up the slip road my parents live on, tells me about this aspect of his childhood and I try and look fascinated instead of saying oh really, that's great and I'm surprised every time you tell me.
unfortunately in cities taxis are more of a lottery system with everyone hoping to get the one guy who doesn't do much in the way of small talk (or is that just me)

 Anyone who's ever gotten into a taxi is probably familiar with this phenomenon. I understand that at times driving a taxi must get boring, particularly if you have the misfortune to be working late ferrying the drunken miscreants of any given city or town to their destination of choice. Even taking all of that into account you can only explain away the fact that many drivers feel the pressing need to make small talk with every fare but not the topics that they often choose to hone in on. I have heard some of the more interesting takes on immigration policies in the back of a taxi and you would wonder if it even occurs to them that you may not share their viewpoint or in some cases you might even be offended. Apparently not.

 Once on a hilarious taxi ride in Limerick city, some friends of mine hailed a taxi and I opted to sit up front which meant I could hear them tittering in the back as the driver firstly warned me about the evils of coca cola (admittedly I can now see he might have had a point) telling me that allegedly there's an ingredient in coke that's also used in estee lauder cosmetics and sometimes when estee lauder run out they have to borrow it from coke. I don't believe we actually got around to discussing how he was privy to such information but my guess would be he made it up to back up his argument. He then proceeded to tell me how he'd had cancer but then cured it himself. He didn't actually give me the full details on how he managed this but from what I gathered it was down to the power of his mind. It would probably be impressive if it wasn't bullshit.

 He was without a doubt the strangest I've encountered in my time but I've spent much time in taxis trying to bite my lip to stop myself arguing with some of the ridiculous opinions I've had volunteered. I've learned a lot about view points on racism, drinking, politics and unemployment to name but a few topics and honestly for the most part I'm happy to just make a little small talk and then get to my destination quickly and cheaply so I'm pretty certain my polite comment on the weather or how busy it is wasn't actually a precursor to discuss Ireland's immigration policy.

 I remember once getting a taxi to work and I'd left it a little late or maybe just enough time to get in there so I didn't exactly have time to waste so I wasn't impressed when the taxi arrived and then drove across the road and parked while he fetched tea and made small talk in the local shop and then when he returned, he proceeded to tell me this story about a friend of his that got stabbed last night. I didn't know what to say but what I really wanted to say was that's way too much information and also we are not friends so I don't need to know that kind of stuff unless I don't have to fork out €8 for this experience.

 Now I have a car and live within walking distance of town so It's not often I find myself in a taxi and I can't say that I mind all that much. Not to talk myself up or anything but I drive with me all the time and I'm actually much better company than any taxi driver.

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