Taxi Driver Online

That´s what I have already asked on the German forum and what I am now asking you, my dear English colleagues.

Now, is this request anything substantial, anything worth to be asked for, anyhow?
Or is it something way over the top, that does not have anything to do with day-to-day problems that concern and bother us each day?
Does soemone even has the right to ask such a question in public, when he obviously has a little bit in his mind the idea that he might has to say a word or two about this matter himself? (For this is ecactly the point that brought the German forum up against me and I really don´t want this to happen another time. So let this not be about me and the maybe unusual things I have done so far.)
So, do you know now someone, who you would think of being very famous?
Or, do you even think that there would be a point in having a contest about it or not? That it might cause some positive attention to the trade, moreover, maybe help us change the way we look at ourselves, when we say that even a cab-driver can become world-famous, or not?
Or do you think this whole idea is complete bollocks anyway?

This is in short what the German forum has thought about it:

Predominantly the tone is, there is no such thing as the most famous cabbie in the world. Each cabbie doing his job is famous in his ways. "We all are the best and don´t need any trophy for that! The only one who doesn´t belong there is you!" Well, well, the one who thinks he deserves the crown won´t find anybody bestowing it to him. "This quest for fame and attention" is not tolerated. "To you the title does not belong, anyway!" One even questions the right for such a post on the forum "what´s it got to do with us?" or another one even calls me without further ado "the most annoying cabbie in the world".
The reflection of a down-to-earth trade of many little blue ants with a sign on the roof that says taxi? One knows his place, ambition does not pay, patience does? "Society looks down on us cabbies and therefore this concern is pointless. What means are there that can you get famous in our trade? None." "We all try to make ends meat with tough underpaid work. we don´t get famous with our job, it only rests a foot-note in the history of celebs, paying their way into fame."
Still, "are we not all little cranks somehow, reaching for more than life holds in stock for us?" is asked, in the end, obviously even the realms of us streetworkers on wheels are not entirely beyond having any dreams and visions, in Germany. Moreover, the "Iron Gustav" is mentioned, a German cabbie in the twenties of the last century, who indeed has become world-famous and a point of culmination too, in terms of counter-acting against the trade´s down-turn, then.
Finally, there´s definite agreement when it comes to the point for necessity of the trade being more organised!

So what do you think? The cab trade... all a bunch of silent sufferers, only world-famous in their own little worlds?
Every black cab in London deserves the title, for he´s got the brain of a genius and still works like a slave?
Or is it even in and amongst us cabbies that nagging thought. That thought that mere dilligence and hard and patient work is not glamorous enough.
Is there even in us - a touch of Hollywood?

The link to the discussion on the German forum:
http://www.taxiforum.de/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5209&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

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Jochen Lembke, Europe´s cab-driving writer and author of the best Hitch-hiker´s-Guide-to-the-Galaxy-volume-six ever written. Or else money back (haha.)

Derrick Bird If not now he soon will be

Ouch. Completely forgot about him and how England must be under shock. (Hmmm, should have done this another time, damnit )
No, hopefully this post will do a tiny wee bit to help focus on better things. Cheer up, England, greetings from Switzerland and don´t take this personal, cab-wise!

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Jochen Lembke, Europe´s cab-driving writer and author of the best Hitch-hiker´s-Guide-to-the-Galaxy-volume-six ever written. Or else money back (haha.)

easy

danny de vito (or robert de niro)

Fred Housego mastermind winner

Danny de vito... when it comes to famous fictional cab-drivers I think still no one can be beat good old Travis Bickle, alias Robert de Niro. Sadly it still inspires the media heavily, in the sense they all emphasise it was a taxi-driver who went amok. Sadly, this negative-image of the cranked-out cab-driver sticks to us like glue, since that movie.
Time for a change, then, ey?
But it should be real-life drivers, shouldn´t it and they should be still alive and still in the job! Moreover, no alibi-drivers, like those TV-guys passing themselves as cabbies for some TV-show. Real-life drivers, making a living with it!
Fred Housego, yeah, heard of him before and his still in the job, isn´t he? So, that probably makes him the UK-candidate.

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Jochen Lembke, Europe´s cab-driving writer and author of the best Hitch-hiker´s-Guide-to-the-Galaxy-volume-six ever written. Or else money back (haha.)

ive been driving for a living now since about 1992, 7.5 tonners (haulage/fleet truck/trailer parts), multi-drop catering supplies, my own (running 3) lwb courier vans, taxi/private hire now averaging 40,000 miles at least per year

driving is now not a pleasure, and thats quite apart from the rising bills which put more pressure than ever on anyone self employed

combine traffic with diminishing income, long hours and before too long you hit the point where something has to give, 1 small thing can be the last straw, the punter who doesnt know you gets in the car, hes been out drinking, wants to look big in front of his missus, ive been there (as the driver) after a 10 hour shift at 2am, and hes your last job.....

ive pulled over and told em "no, this isnt the long way, but you can have this far as a freebie, goodnight, the ranks heaving, good luck"

Well, wannabeahack, sounds familar somehow. I´ve been were you´ve been, believe me. I´ve been doing this job now since 84, filled four books with all the abuse heaped upon me and have been treated like a piece of s... now in three countries, it doesn´t make any difference in what language it takes place, believe me.
Isn´t this unfair, someone works his butt off in a low-paid job and no one gives a damn about him - until he cracks and all that takes to get him world-famous then is a rifle and enough ammo to make the head-lines.
Life is cruel and injust sometimes and to get rich and famous is not given to all of us, but all you can do is try.
And I do think that this makes the best stories, how oneself has worked himself out of misery - and all the better if by fair means, out of sheer will and maybe a little bit of luck. I think there are many cab-drivers who don´t spend too much time on holding a grudge, yet do something positive. And given the job as it is it´s even more impressive!

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Jochen Lembke, Europe´s cab-driving writer and author of the best Hitch-hiker´s-Guide-to-the-Galaxy-volume-six ever written. Or else money back (haha.)

THAT'S the one I use hack!! It's great when the wife or girlfriend has to apologise for the other halves drink laden ignorance, it has been that the bloke's got out after a bust up and I've taken the missus home, got the fare AND a good tip, once offered a cup of tea, but politely refused

Got to be Captain Cab.

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IDFIMH

Well, yeah, 13600 posts, that´s quite impressive! And I really dig his avatar! WishIhadonelikethat :mrgreen:

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Jochen Lembke, Europe´s cab-driving writer and author of the best Hitch-hiker´s-Guide-to-the-Galaxy-volume-six ever written. Or else money back (haha.)

Me.

Sure, sure, GBC. Mooost definitely.
Erm... and that´s why...again?

_________________
Jochen Lembke, Europe´s cab-driving writer and author of the best Hitch-hiker´s-Guide-to-the-Galaxy-volume-six ever written. Or else money back (haha.)