Wrong way

Woolly hats for sale on O'Connell Bridge


This is the better view to the right of the other photo from the last posting


Englishmen arrive for a Stag do.


Guttering emerges from a forming machine in the back of the truck.


A poor Injuin out in the wind

One thing about driving a taxi that is very annoying is when your passenger says "Driver,why are you going this way? I have never been brought this way in my life! I know the way to go. You are going the wrong way."
The problem is that there is no right way to handle it.
And so it came to pass it happened to me yet again!
She got in near Zhivago's at the bottom of Parnell St.
She was going to a clinic on Westbrook Rd.in Ranelagh.
If she had stopped me 20 yards further back I could have gone up Capel St.
After a few hundred meters it started.
"Why are you going this way?
I know the way, I have never been brought this way before.
I am late and now you are making me very late."

Today I would stop the car and ask her to direct me to go in whichever direction she wanted me to go or get out and go in another taxi,yet you try to remain calm.

She was still pretty frantic as we went up Charlemont St., so I stopped the meter at €10, in spite of this she was insisting that she had never paid more than €8 for that journey !
There must be a formula for dealing with this ?

Once late at night I had a young girl did direct me,left, right and straight ahead until we reached her house. I laughed to myself because we had followed her bus route exactly, in and out of housing estates etc.
But I do know the feeling when the taxi driver starts taking the scenic route.

My most favorite recollection of just such an incident happened at the Conrad Hilton on Earlsfort Terrace many years ago.
I had stopped at the rank on a Sunday morning.
A car pulled up beside me and asked me for directions to Baggott St. As I was showing her the way the concierge started blowing his whistle.
I drove forward and he put the bag in the boot.
The man and woman got in.
"Airport" (No please or thank you.)
I told them that they were making a movie around the corner with 1920s cars and buses, so I drove them past Fitzwilliam Sq to see the sight.
As I got closer to the square the "lady" leaned over.
"Driver were not fucking stupid, you're going the wrong way"
I told her that I would follow any route she wished but to get to this point where we were I would have to go the wrong way down 2 one way streets.

Now in fact what I might have done was to stop and tell them that they have to get another taxi.

"You are telling me I am a dishonest person so we must part company"

I drove on anyhow and turned on the radio.
They were having a row, it was like the rumbling of a cement mixer going on all the time.
When we got to the airport I knew there would be no tip in in for me.
As I handed him his change and suitcase I said.
"I hope you are in time for your flight?.
The change of hour really fucked up my day"
"Whats you fucking talking about?" says he
"The clocks, they went forward last night, its Summer time"

As reality sank in the expression on his face changed from rage to horror in slow motion.

So you see what happens if you don't moderate your behavior.

Shit happens !

I did tell an actor once that he had too high an opinion of himself if he thought I would drive him around just to get a few extra pence, what I want is to be rid of you as quickly as I can and get on to the next job.

Strange thing happened I met the girl with the flat battery again yesterday, this time she was off to see her sisters new baby.


Today we are having the most beautiful morning ever.



This is the one I was looking for