Filthy Friargate

It’s such a shame how Friargate has been allowed to deteriorate to the level it has. Of course I’m talking about the stretch from Ringway to the Adelphi roundabout, particularly the bit near to the taxi rank.

If you’re familiar with this road you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. The place is a mess nowadays, boarded up shops and flats, long standing businesses closed for good. The doorways of the aforementioned are now used as public conveniences by many a reveler, and just look at the pavement up by the taxi rank… It’s a filthy disgrace.

Friargate could and should be Preston’s jewel in the crown, it has great pubs, it’s got a few restaurants too, and it’s even got a 24 hour convenience store.

There’s so much potential but it just needs some investment. (As I type this now, there’s a group of street drunks shouting and cursing at the top of their voices, such scenes doesn’t leave a good impression to an out of town visitor.)

Back to investment, yeah, the Bello restaurant that closed earlier this year, that building has huge potential. My colleague Mark and I were discussing what would work in that spot and we both agreed a Bistro French type party restaurant would be great, but whether it would be viable is a different story in the current climate.

Also, I think there are too many takeaways on Friargate, for me they make the place look dingy with their neon flashy ‘come and buy from us’ signs, I suppose a bit like our ‘For Hire’ signs.

Boarded Up Shops

Test post from iPhone

Hello, should I revive this blog?

Time does not equal money

At 3:33AM this morning a young lady got in the cab, sat herself down and said “can you reset your meter please?”

I turned around and said “that’s the time sweet heart”.

She said OK and off we set.

When I got to her destination I asked if she’d experienced hiring a taxi with the meter already running, and to my disappointment she said she had. I told her if it happens again she must note the cabs number and report it to the council.

Apart from Christmas and New Year, the price you need to see on our meter when setting off is either £2 or £2.70; if it’s any more insist the driver resets it, but make sure you don’t mistake the time for money.

We do get asked a few times why the meter is already on £3 or £4 or £4.50 etc but that’s when they do mistake the time on the meter  for money, (when meter is off the time shows in the screen) if it’s 3AM or 4AM or 4:50AM, it shows in the meter screen as 3.00 or 4.00 or 4.50 so I can see how easy it is for people to make the error.

Speed Humps do Good

So Lytham Road has been fitted with speed humps I believe. I’ve not seen them myself yet, but my colleague Pete has and he says they’re good. He went on to say that they’re smooth to drive over and they slow you down efficiently without feeling like you’re driving on the surface of the moon. I suppose Lytham Road is one of them roads that do see a lot of speeders hurtling down at 50 plus mph, but there’s not a right lot pedestrians down there compared to say… Friargate. If there’s a road in Preston that needs something to stop these pathetic idiots in hot-hatch cars from driving at excessive speed, then it’s Friargate. The place is busy with shoppers by day and drinkers by night; it has a hill brow that you can’t see over until you’re on top of it, it’s got a pedestrian crossing and it has a taxi rank with cabs U-turning on and off all night. Yet, Friargate suffers from these idiots who race up and down it at speeds as high as 60mph almost every night. It’s not just the boy racers with their extra loud exhausts and booming speakers spewing out rubbish they call music. No, last night a van came hurtling towards the Adelphi Roundabout doing at least 60pmh. If a cab was pulling off the rank when the van was approaching the brow, there would’ve been an accident without a doubt. No one should begrudge the residents of Lytham road their new traffic calming measures, I myself want to see speed humps on my road. They do a job; they slow nutjob boy racers down and other irresponsible drivers who speed. But places like Friargate, that has a high number of pedestrians, needs to be calmed as soon as possible, whether that be by humps or cameras.

Indecent Exposure

Last night I picked up a couple of ladies from Friargate going to Fulwood.

When we reached the Adelphi Roundabout I had to slow down for someone who appeared to be struggling to cross the road.

Upon closer inspection it became apparent why this young man was taking so long to cross; he only had his pants, including his underwear, down around his ankles while he shuffled across with his bits exposed.

As funny as it was, there was no-one else around; usually student pranks like that are done for a laugh among mates. Maybes there were people watching from the Adelphi pub windows.

Anyway, once he crossed I said to the ladies “did you see that man crossing the road with nowt on?” and one of the ladies replied “no I didn’t, can we go back for another look”.

The stuff I see

I’ve been doing this job for over two years now and I can tell you I’ve seen some stuff. I’ve seen the grit and grime and the polish and shine of Preston. I’ve taken millionaires to mansions and drug addicts to crack houses. I’ve had six or seven non payers, and I’ve taxied quite a few football players. I’ve had one indecent proposal that took me by shock; but being a married man, I said, “I’m afraid not”. I’ve had the cab kicked, punched, shook and eggs chucked. It’s been bottled too just for fun, and not to mention being shot with a paintball gun. I’ve seen dozens of fights, beatings and the odd kick to the head. But this stuff is a rarity, as most fares are people who just want to go home to their bed.

Looking for Partner

The owners of the cab I drive have been looking for someone to share with me since the last driver left a few months ago.

They need someone who wants to work the day shift, which are any hours between 6AM to 6PM.

Up to now there have been no takers, unfortunately.

I’ve got a mate who has expressed an interest in becoming a taxi driver, so with a bit of luck he’ll breeze through the appropriate tests and get his badge if he decides to go for it.

If he doesn’t go for it, I suspect I’ll soon be given an ultimatum by the owners, to either rent it full time myself, or relinquish it to someone who does want it full time. I couldn’t blame them for this, as they’ve been losing money on their investment since my last partner left the trade.

The thing is; I can’t afford to rent it full time, for starters I don’t work enough hours to justify it, because I like to take nights off and go for a beer. My nightly shift is usually from 8:30PM to about 4:30AM five nights per week, which equates to 40 hours in my working week.

If I was to take on the cab full time I’d have to slip in another shift every week to pay for the difference in rent. So in effect I’d be working an extra eight hours for the same wage I’m on now.

I work to live; not live to work.

Sure, when I’m wanting of something I’ll bang in a bit of overtime, like at Christmas or before a holiday (what’s a holiday?) , but not every week, no chance.

Anyway, fingers crossed and let’s hope you’re not reading The Adventures of an Unemployed Man anytime soon.

Cab Puncher

Cab Puncher

What is with some people?

I was heading back to town to pick a regular up who’d phoned me minutes earlier.  Because I was ‘not for hire’, I deliberately turned my big bright glowing ‘FOR HIRE’ sign off.

So on my way into town two lads who were stood in a pub doorway saw me approaching; one of them preceded to walk into the road with his hand out trying to hail me. When he saw that I’d moved over into the other lane he got the message that I was not available, and turned back. His mate however wasn’t having any of that, he carried on walking into the road and as I past him he smacked the cab with some force.

If you’ve got your ‘for hire’ light on you have to stop for flag downs, it’s in the by-laws I’m sure. But if you’re booked with someone waiting for you, you can’t stop and explain to every person flagging you down that you’re not available.

The light not being illuminated should be enough to say that you’re not for hire.