It was close to 4am on Spring Garden: My friends and I are trying to get a cab, with the whole other slew of club-goers who invade the street post closing time. Okay, cool, waiting for a cab isn’t my bitch- it’s an expected part of my weekend night.
What happened after we got in the cab was what really boils my blood. My friends aren’t from Canada and all speak fluent arabic. The cab driver, also arabic. We’re all chit-chatting, weee this is fun. Somewhere along the commons the cabby got a call- apparently from his nephew in Herring Cove. His nephew wanted to be picked up. The cabby then proceeded to TELL (not ask) us he was going to take us to Herring Cove to pick up this guy, and that he’d drop us off after. Uhhh… Ok. I didn’t really care until he said he’d be leaving the meter on since we were already making him go out of his way (Clayton Park). WTF? We said no, that wasn’t fair, and asked to be taken to our destination first. He said no, and continued driving. Disagreement escalated until he stopped the car on a street I’d never been on, and kicked us out.
The cab drive would’ve been close to (or over) $45 if we had let the cabby do what he said- there was no way that was fair. I didn’t get the cab’s car number, so I couldn’t call the company.
I’m not sure why this happened- it wasn’t until after my friends said where they were from and that they had been drinking that this went down. News Flash! I’m from here and I was sober. And where do you get off throwing people who aren’t familiar with the city and have been drinking in an area a local didn’t even recognize? I don’t think this was a race thing, but my friends insisted—a lot of people from their country are known for having a bit of cash to throw around. Was it the cabby thought we were loaded and wouldn’t care? Was it both? All weighed in, it doesn’t matter why it happened (even the 2nd cabby agreed): YOU’RE A DICK. —Hope your car breaks down
This article appears in Jan 27 – Feb 2, 2011.
What. The. Fuck.?
This cabbie is a fucktard of the highest degree. He actually thought you’d pay him to pick his nephew up?
Jesus christ, he’s doing a job — if anyone pulled shit like that in any other job they’d get fired — I know I would (“Oh sorry, I can’t *do whatever it is that PK does* right now because I have to go pick someone up, but I expect to be paid overtime for the time I’m gone” “yeah, you’re fired, PK.”). Even saying he had to pick his nephew up in the first place was really unprofessional and your group was more than reasonable because you didn’t have an issue with it, OP. So I can totally side with you on this, no question.
Did you get his roof number?
Report him to the Taxi Commission
Call the company, describe the car (i.e. color, type (sedan), etc.) and the driver. Tell them the time of day and where you got in the cab. Give as much info as you can remember so you can nail this guy. Maybe report him to the cab commission in addition to the cab company. Don’t let it go too long. Good luck OP!
Another excellent reason to stay home and snuggle up with a bottle of Jack Daniels.
Ahhh TTFN… you’re my kinda thinker!
Oh wow…this cabbie takes the cake! I would do what someone already said, call the cab company and tell them the number you called from and the time and everything you can…if you used a cell phone you can probably get the exact time and such. I can’t believe Clayton Park is now considered ‘out of the way’. I had enough trouble getting to Dartmouth from Halifax when I used to live there. I’d say Herring Cove is more out of the way than Clayton Park, frig.
Wow, that guy is a major douche of epic proportions. I agree with everyone else – call the company and give them as much info as possible.
Wrong OP, just driving to Herring Cove from downtown is around $40 cab fare… so if he were to drive all the way there and back to Clayton park it would have easily been over $80. Probably closer to 100 even. Are you sure he didn’t say he was picking his nephew up on Herring Cove Road (which extends all the from Herring Cove to the rotary)? I think that’s more likely, as I find it hard to believe even an asshole cab driver would think it’s fair to go all the way out to the boonies and back in the middle of a run, with or without leaving the meter on. Doesn’t matter though, because what he did was totally unprofessional even if he were just going to Herring Cove Road, and even if he wasn’t going to charge you for it.
You didn’t get his number ?!?
How the hell you get in a cab & not check the roof number ?
You really , really , really don’t want to travel to other countries OP.
Chances are you take a cab & you’ll get robbed or killed . There’s lots of places with fake Taxi’s & if you’re not careful, you will really P A Y !
Lucky you’re in Canada.
Shoulda just called the cops and said you were being kidnapped/held against your will. That would have learn’d him!
Isn’t it against the rules to stop for anyone if a cab already has a fare?
I don’t know if you’re right or wrong there TheBlackRose… I do know out here in the boonies (we have cabs now) that you call the local cab company (by celphone) & if you’re..say heading to Shooters & there’s room , I’ve been asked if I minded the cab picking up someone along the way who is also going to shooters…it has worked the same thing heading home.
IF you agree, you split the fare.
The cabbie’s say it allows them to do a better job, & there are only 2 or 3 cabs on out here at anyone time ! Because they’re busy, they want to ~G A S P~ be quicker for their customers, even though it might cost them another full fare or 2 ! ! ! ! ! !
Its crazy that its easier to get a cab at night outside of Elmsdale than it is to get one at night in Darkmouth or Helifax ! ! !
i don’t mind ride buddies as long as there is no spewing
We don’t have the traffic at nite, like you can find in the city. You can literally stop & puke,in seconds…not that it has ever happened to me, but I’d not be surprised to hear its happened to the friendly cabbie’s out this way.
What a douche bag. It doesn’t surprise me though. Many of the cabbies in this city are jerks.. not all, but many.
It’s called kidnaping. Call a cop
Maybe the cabby had to divert to pick up his relative to attend the Hosni Mubarak is past his sell by date rally held today?