Claim's Cabbies Corner. Pay rise time.

[Warren t claim]

Still in the TX this week.

[bub2006]

Normal service will be resumed shortly.

[Warren t claim]

Another chunky update to follow.

[Warren t claim]

Just finished a long shift with a stand out customer tale I shall tell here.

At about midnight I get sent to pick up a young lad from Hoylake wanting to go to Heswall, a trip that should clock about £13.50. As he wanted picking up from outside a small supermarket that closed two hours ago I bell the office to check out his trip history. The lady in the office said that although he'd only used us six times before he sounded nice on the phone. As I'm in need of the money, and local, I trot up to where he wants picking up.

As I turn up he scampers over and after asking me if £20 will cover the fare asks me to wait while he gets his mate from the pub opposite. No problem but I start the clock and hit the waiting time button. After a couple of minutes I exploit the legendary TX turning circle and pull up outside the pub to hurry along proceedings.

He's discussing with a mate whether to go to a club that's under renovation in Heswall that another friend owns. His mate bails on the idea so after waiting for ten minutes I head off with my punter. We arrive in Heswall and he asks me to wait on the road behind the club. I ask for the £16.40 on the meter and at that point he says that he's got to get the money from his friend in the club but he'll leave his man bag on the back seat.

I let him out but after five minutes I start to get suspicious feelings so search his man bag. It contains a pair of headphones, a phone charger and a set of house keys. Fuck! I phone the office and ask if they have an address he normally goes to and he lives in an road that no way a 22 year old could afford to own property in so he clearly lives with his parents. This is a shame because Plan A was just to let myself into his gaff and remove goods to the value of which would both get me paid and be a nice trip down memory lane.

Plan B it is then. I secure the TX as best as I can and head off to try and gain access to the rear of the club he's in. It's a maze there but undeterred, I plough on treating this like one of those 80s Fighting Fantasy books. I first follow the beer kegs, then the door with a glass bin behind it and then just follow the music. Sure enough, I soon find the correct (unlocked) door and let myself in.

As this was an illegal get together I was working on the assumption that there'd be no door staff working and the clientelle will just be similar spoilt kids like him and I wasn't wrong either. I count about five lads in there who don't notice me but I can't see my passenger anywhere. I then see him exiting what must be the toilets so I make a beeline for the unattended bar and stand behind it. He doesn't recognise me at all and asks for a bottle of Bud. I inform him that sadly his bar tab is closed until he pays his cab fare. At this point it dawns on him who I am and he shouts his mates over and the manage to muster a couple of fivers between them. The rest of the money I get from my fare via a contactless payment.

As I'm leaving (after helping myself to a couple of bottles to take home with me) I ask my fare if he wants his man bag back. He pats himself down before remembering that he left it with me!

[bub2006]

Just picture you standing there like you've been there all night. Well played

[Warren t claim]

Just picture you standing there like you've been there all night. Well played

His mates were well pissed off with him for not locking the door!

[bub2006]

I bet he's not having any Charlie tonight.

[Warren t claim]

I bet he's not having any Charlie tonight.

He was trying to procure some during the trip.

[bub2006]

Well he's fucked now then.

[Warren t claim]

I was asked to bring the cab into the garage today at 11am as the owner wanted to give it a good going over as its plate expires on Halloween. I drop it off and ask that I will be getting this back later, won't I? I've got some hefty bills to cover over the next couple of days and can't afford to be off the road. I was assured that I'd get it back later. At 4.30 pm I phone and get no answer. I visit the garage to see it being worked on by his mechanic. He took it for a test and it failed on a tyre, fucked handbrake and a little welding required.  In all fairness, this is a pretty easy fail sheet but It's going to be off the road for at least two days. 

I hot foot it to Claim_Garage to see whether my E7 is in a workable condition. The various suspension work has been done but it still needs a regulator, the DPF sealing and an injector seal replacing. Although I can work with those faults, there's no way I can swap my insurance over after 12 noon. Bollocks. As I have a trader's policy I take the E7 home. I can drive it but not work it. I'll swap the hire and reward insurance over tomorrow.