Cablog

Dogs

There's not much one can do when passengers jump aboard, uninvited, whilst I'm dropping off a fare. The doors are open, I'm stuck in traffic, and vulnerable to whoever spots the cab first. It's the luck of the draw on Saturday night.

My luck ran out this weekend when scumbags caught me unawares by piling in the cab, then doing a runner. Twice in the space of two hours: Star Casino to Malabar ($45), thence Kings Cross to Marrickville ($40).

After a second visit to the police in one night I gave up and went home, three hours early. This plus an hour spent Sunday afternoon downloading camera images...all in all a very expensive weekend.

The only positive note from the sorry affair was witnessing the download process for the first time, and learning our new cameras retain images for three weeks. The excellent picture resolution and lighting make for definitive identification.

Also encouraging news for drivers is that images can be downloaded and police notified at our convenience. The network employs a camera technician who is licensed to download images prior to obtaining a police request. Another hurdle to drivers which has been removed from the process.

If these dogs are known to police thence some active resolve amongst investigators should see a result. Unfortunately, though, front line police don't have a consistent approach to taxi fare evasion.

As experienced in the past, police responses on Saturday night were either helpful or...challenging, literally. “Mate, what exactly do you want us to do?” Um, take fare evasion seriously would be a good starting point.

However that attitude should become redundant once the transport authority adopts Melbourne's regulation of mandatory pre-payment at night. Once that happens - possibly, not until the next cabbie is killed – then these runners, the bane of our lives, should disappear overnight.

A final thought - my last ten runners (four fares) have all being aged over thirty years old. Why? I only demand pre-payment from 'kids' as one doesn't automatically expect older adults to run from taxis. Yet they run just as much as kids run. Strange.

No matter, as I called out to two dogs and a bitch scampering away in the dark the other night, “You don't rob cabbies - that's a dog act!”

OZ Cabbie

The latest edition of OZ Cabbie magazine has some interesting developments:

• moves to ban hands-free mobile phones
• all Aussies cabs to be painted yellow
• mandatory up-front payment
• respect cabbie campaigns wasted
• and of course the jokes page

Prophetic

Reader Ian sends a photo:

Last time I saw Jimmy Little I took this photo. I thought at the time that it was prophetic and that I was unlikely to see him again. T'was a beatiful balmy evening in the gardens in Darwin and that's how I love to remember him RIP.

Woop Woop

Late last night I carried a woman from the domestic Airport to Campbelltown. The trip took 40 minutes down the M5 in little traffic. The fare of $133 cost more than her airfare.

This is what many passengers face when a second airport is built way out at Woop Woop. No one wants to land in Woop Woop, and I ain't going to Woop Woop, either.

To have a airport so close to the hub of the city is a real bonus and the envy of many world cities.Yet out decision makers are stuck in a time warp, unwilling to utilize the potential of the current facility. To make it work properly here's some suggestions...

1) The curfew must go. Every night after 10 pm empty jumbos take off for...Melbourne! Ha, Melbourne has no curfew and allows international carriers to leave when it suits their schedules. That's Sydney's loss and all because of noise.

2) Therefore route all after-hour flights over Botany Bay, as they do for freight planes. Modern planes can take off and land in unfavourable winds, they do it overseas so why not here?

3) Build a third runway into the Bay for international flights. Extend current terminal and facilities for the increased traffic.

4) Redevelop the commencement of Foreshore Drive. There's enough land there for new terminals and infrastructure to service the old third runway, taking the load off the main terminals.

5) Create road tunnels and fly-overs, whatever it takes to provide efficient vehicle access.

6) Get rid of the useless taxi rank marshals and pay staff with foresight to run a seamless passenger dispatch operation. If they can't do that then sack them. It's ain't rocket science, Sydney Airport. Cabbies and passengers hate it.

It's time planners and politicians forgot about Woop Woop and started maximising resources. Time to embrace the 21st century. When in doubt, they should just think: how would Asia do it?

UPDATE: The do-nothing Federal Minister for NIMBYS, Infrastructure and Transport, the man who torpeoded the inner-west motorway link, argues passionately for a second Airport whilst failing to disclose that his inner-west electorate borders the current Airport.

(Disclosure: I'm a constituent of this electorate).

April 5th

April 5th by Elvis & Co, and something special - vale Jimmy Little:

Speed

Saturday was one long run of 'outs', saved only by grinding it out until 5am. Sunday however was one long run of dream connections, each a home run. Yet the most rewarding fare was one of the shortest.

A fella in a wheelchair waited at at a suburban railway rank for me to swing around. The chair loaded without folding, a cut-down, high performance version and light as a feather. We headed off for a local.

“What happened to you?” I asked. “Motorbike, out west”, he replied. “Two thousand and nine.” “What do they say, is it permanent?” “Pretty much,” he said. “Can you sue anyone?” I joked. “Only myself”, he chuckled in a calm, good-natured manner. A very relaxing presence.

“But hey, I can't complain,” he continued. “Life is actually pretty good.” Indeed. The bloke had just returned from ski training in Japan, preparing for the the 2014 winter Olympics in Russia. “What event?” I asked. “Downhill and slalom,” he said. The big hitters of the program.

It sounded cool, and I told him so.” “Yeah,” he laughed, “I love going really fast.” A man at his happiest. On departure I said, “Mate, I'll be cheering for your maximum speed in 2014.”

From thereon in, reflection on his story throughout the shift produced an easy and profitable rhythm. I slowed down, figuring the best thing one could do for para-Olympians is not join them. Only support them.

Dumb

A dumb passenger stunt involves those sitting behind me who alight by flinging the door wide open, without any regard for passing traffic.

These idiots don't seem to realise or care that besides the potential for serious injury they are also responsible for any vehicle damage.

In particular mothers featured this weekend for dumb stuff involving children...

Smart

Sunday mornings at Kings Cross sees hordes of stranded and wasted kids desperately searching for a taxi. Many give up and start walking in the hope of jagging a cab on the way. I encounter these kids outside a cafe on the perimeter of the KX zoo. “Are you a...

C***

Late on Friday afternoon I had a beer at the Watson's Bay hotel with a young Irish relative who had just arrived in Australia that morning. Our great, great grandfathers were brothers from County Clare. “Australia needs more people”, I told him, “and given our migrant history we may as...

Dragons

These kids sat in the back and requested to go out west. The cabbie asked to see the money. When they refused he threw them out, then gave as good as he got. Welcome to the Year of the Dragon...