Rearview or rearend?

I can't remember the last time I went out on a Saturday night, what with it being a taxi driver's busiest night. But needs must, it was my brothers stag night and as his best man I was tasked with; ensuring that he had a good time (got pissed) and getting him home safely. Anyway if I can say so, I believe that I succeeded on both counts.

What was interesting was getting into a taxi at approx 3am this morning. Instead of looking in horror at the thing (my brother) that was shovelled inside the cab, this time I was doing the shovelling. Does this give me a better insight into how I perceive my night-time customers? Unfortunately not. Why? Because I paid extra; took him home safely through the front door and then asked the driver take me home.

Anyway forgetting all that boring stuff......

Although I have not posted for a while, I have been following Thanet's blogs with interest during the last year and a half. I was disturbed about Micheal's comments http://http//thanetonline.blogspot.com/2010/05/thanet-blogs-and-some-ramsgate-pictures.html regarding the lack of bloggers in Thanet, and I felt the need to dust of my blogger password.

As always though I will be hoping that Chinese planes will be skimming the roof of a new hotel on the old pleasurama site at Ramgate, that the Turner Centre and a re-vamped Dreamland kickstarts the regeneration of Margate. Also that Thanet will offer decent jobs for its working population and cease to become a Londoner's retirement village, where the only jobs available to the locals is wiping OAP's arses.

Sods law!

After three weeks off work, I thought it would be a good idea to make an effort yesterday and show my face. In my defence all the drivers I spoke to have said business was slow, they have described the Thanet town centre's as ghost town's. Before anybody reads to much into this, October is traditionally slow for our trade, hence why I always take some time off.

A very busy day, with plenty of people out day and night. The opening of the new toy store Smyths added a new string to the Westwood Cross bow, trade looked brisk all day, good luck to them. I'm not sure Tesco and Sainsbury will have a similar view, the roundabout between the two was jammed all day. The problem is there is no right turn into Smyths for traffic heading towards Ramsgate, they have to go to the roundabout and do a U-turn.

Last night saw my taxi full of Witches, Zombies, Horny devil's and even a pumpkin. I have a neutral view on Halloween, as it is an American concept that wasn't particularly popular when I grew up. However adults and kids alike seem to spend a great deal of money on their costumes, the results were quite spectacular. One criticism would be parents letting very young children (u8's) roam the streets trick or treating, with no adult supervision. Dark evenings and black costumes on children running between parked cars, is enough to give this taxi driver a premonition of doom.

Sods law- I take three weeks off work and return yesterday. I wake up this morning with Flu. Luckily for me Mrs Taxi driver thinks its only Man Flu!

Thanet to Sandwich via Canterbury

If you have any plans to drive a car to Sandwich from Thanet, Don't bother until after Christmas.

The roadworks between Cliffsend and Sandwich at Richborough power station are officially due to start monday (29/09/08) for 8 weeks, however nobody told the workmen. Work has started, chaos already reigns. Traffic is already queueing from the Lord of the manor roundabout, to get past the temporary lights at the power station. So the alternative is Ebbsfleet lane (between Minster and Cliffsend) except the whole lane was is currently a queue of traffic, also the lane will be closed from the 29th anyway for 8 weeks.

Other alternative is to go down the A253 towards Sarre, turn off for Plucks gutter, head for Wingham, when nearly at Wingham!!!! Turn off for Ash, head for Sandwich.

My advise is get the train.

In the scheme of it, is Chinagate important?

If I had a pound for every time a customer asked me "are you busy tonight". If you've ever done it, don't be embarrassed, its the ice breaker for your conversation with the driver. I am truly in a privileged position as a taxi driver, talking is a big a part of the job as driving. Most of the time the conversation subject is chosen by the customer, thus giving a true insight to which current affairs are more important to them at any given time. Given the huge range of people who use taxi's (age,gender,class and race), surely the taxi customer would be a useful barometer for current affairs.

If you collected a random sample of posts by Thanet blogger's over the last few months, you could be forgiven for believing that Chinagate is a somewhat important issue for local people. However the proposed business park in Manston appears not to be important (to taxi customers), apart from the growing amount of restaurants appearing and the Olympics, the Chinese are not flavour of the month.

So you may wonder (or not), what is flavour of the month? Well at the moment national issues are prevalent, price increases and the credit crunch fill most conversations during the drive across Thanet. With gas and electric price's increasing by approximately 30% over the last 9 months, you can see the genuine concern on some oap's faces, as they talk about wearing an extra cardigan this winter, because they cannot afford to heat their homes properly. The families who have already seen their shopping budgets slashed by mortgage increases, also see the contents of their baskets shrink due to grocery price increases. These are the talked about issues currently and appear to be more of a major concern than Chinagate.

It could be argued that Thanet bloggers should concentrate on local issues like Chinagate , as the national media gives extensive coverage to issues like the credit crunch. Whilst understanding that most blogs are a personal account of the bloggers life and thoughts, some blogs in Thanet appear to be in a popularity contest using promoted issues, which in reality is a thinly veiled disguise at council/councillor bashing. However these bloggers risk alienating their readers by promoting issues like Chinagate, ahead of issues that the reader considers to be more important.

Sad:- News tonight (Saturday) about a serious stabbing near Manston riding school. The victim a male in his mid 40's was assisted by a fellow cab driver, until the emergency services arrived.

Funny:- Sunday Peering over a Garden fence in Park rd, Broadstairs (because nobody answered the bell), to be confronted with the sight of a large hairy naked male cooking on the BBQ (I hope the food didn't spit hot fat).

Folked off

Broadstairs folk week, a Thanet taxi drivers dream (allegedly). The reality is probably in the realms of his/hers worst nightmare.

Saturday evening trip 7pm from Ramsgate to Broadstairs. Male " are you busy", marks for originality '0'. Male " How far into Broadstairs can you take me". Me "bottom of the high street". Male " ok drop me at the dolphin", marks for intelligence '0'. Male " can you come back at midnight to collect us", marks for optimism '10'.

Sunday morning trip 1am from Broadstairs to Ramsgate. Male " Milscchhh bart". Me "sorry". Male to partner " eees mutton", male to me (shouting and spitting) " arbor, milscchhh bart". Me being ignored, conversation between male and partner as interpreted by a driver with many years experience. Partner " have you got a chewing gum, I can still taste the sick". Male" if that beers off and I get ill, i'm going to complain tomorrow". Partner " It was that busy I didn't make it to the toilets, look at the state of my shoes". Male " I know what you mean, you couldn't hear a word over the bands". Thoughtful pause. Male "blinding night though". Partner " I'm going to put my bells away for next year".

Saddest sight of the week:- The police tent over the council offices in Albion place, Ramsgate.

Funniest sight of the week:- Having about 5 different people (including 2 males), answering my shout for " taxi for Charlotte" outside the Natwest bank in Broadstairs. Then all of them trying different doors to get in first.