Taxi drivers spill the beans

EVERYONE has an opinion on taxi drivers. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, we bet you want to know what they’re thinking. Here’s your chance.

Taxi drivers are having to deal with drug and Ice affected passengers during their shift as the drug epidemic continues to rise. These drivers say they haven't been attacked but know of drivers who have. These passengers are not known to be under the influence of substance. Drivers pick up fares along George Street, Sydney. Pics Bill Hearne

THERE are few professions out there more divisive than taxi drivers.

Sure, there are heaps of cabbies that love talkback radio a little too much, or talk on their phone the whole drive or don’t know where Market St in Sydney or Lonsdale St in Melbourne is. We’re not kidding on that last point.

But there are also many taxi drivers who are hardworking, actually follow the road rules and polite. Those guys are facing a barrage of challenges including drunk passengers, expensive rental fees if they’re not the owner of the taxi and licence, network fees and dwindling profits. Ask any taxi driver on the road and they’ll tell you they’re picking up less and less passengers.

So taxi drivers have spilled the beans on some appalling passenger behaviour. Taxi booking app GoCatch conducted a random survey of its drivers and shared these almost hard to believe tales:

“We sometimes have problems with drunk passengers. One time, the passenger tried to attack me when they woke up and when I drove them to the police station, they tried to punch the police too.”

Hey hens! Maybe take the feather boas off and a cab driver will actually stop for you.

“A passenger started flirting with me. She asked me about sex and whether anyone had ever had sex in my cab and if I’d like to try. The passenger handed me a condom before she left.”

“People have spilled food and drink and even urinated in the back of the cab. They just couldn’t hold on. And women are just as bad as men at that.”

“Let me tell you — hens nights are far worse than bucks nights. Men go to sleep; women just go crazy. If I see a hens party, I don’t pick them up. I’ve lost too many nights out of the cab cleaning up vomit.”

“People often try to hide their drunk friend. They’ll hail a cab, and then just throw their drunk mates in the back, hoping for the best. Once they’re in the cab with the doors closed — that’s basically the end of the story. I’m stuck with them.”

Put your hood down if you want a lift.

“The conversations you overhear can blow your mind. I pretend not to listen but it’s hard sometimes. Anything from people cheating on their partners, to breaking up over the phone to trying to close big business deals.”

And if you’ve ever had problems trying to grab a taxi, especially during busy periods such as December, taxi drivers have these tips:

“If anyone has a hoody on, they won’t get into my cab. If you’re wearing a hoody, there’s a good chance they are trying to do something dodgy.”

“What a lot of drivers do is look for a fellow in a suit with a girlfriend with him. Drivers tend to judge passengers by the way they look. If they’re well dressed, don’t look intoxicated, raise their hand and stay on the footpath, then we will pick them up.”

“A lot of people seem embarrassed about hiring a taxi. Some people just stand there and flip their hand beside their pocket. They should be quite definitive about it and be prepared to yell out ‘taxi!’”