Saturday, April 04, 2009

A Runner


Scotts famous art deco house in Sandycove


James Joyce tower ditto


The 40 foot gentlemen's bathing place


Looking across the bay from Sandycove

Just after finishing the all nighter.

Sunday morning and it looks like its going to be a great day.

The nights work was good too except for something.....There is always something....a damn runner,, well he walked.I suppose looking on the bright side ..He didn't pull a knife or anything worse.
Going from St.Stephens Green to The Lamb Doyle's pub high in the Dublin hills,turn right down the hill, right on to the end.
(Did you see the dead deer on the road, I hope it wasn't John Deer or Bambi)

5.30AM "How much is that?" I told him. "Wait a second until I run upstairs for your money."

Now what you might do in that moment is

1. Sure mate just give me your phone to hold.

2. Wait a second I will go upstairs with you to save you, save you the trip back down.

3.say"If you are thinking of doing a runner there is a video camera in the car"

Or none of the above.

When they do do something like this you back up to get a view of the block, when you see the light coming on you will know which apartment he went into.

Then you get a AK47 and riddle the gaff!!!!

No you have to keep your cool.

Well I know which block he went into.
I know the property maintenance Co,I saw it on the door,
I could see the video camera so should I continue?

You bet ya I will.

Perhaps there should be a black book where runners could be placed on the net,

So that we could compare notes.(Come on Roy)

This guy is a respectable "type", a teacher or such.
They decide in their minds that even though they live in Leixlip or Manooth that they have a plan and they are not going to pay.

One taxi driver I heard once had a Garda do a runner in around Manooth or Newbridge,he caught the guy out when he turned on the lights, the Garda then rang Naas where he was stationed and claimed he was being assaulted,well in the shake down the taxi drivers uncle was a detective chief superintendent and he organized officers from outside the area to investigate.
Wrongful arrest, assault, perjury.

His comrades soon changed their stories when they realized that their own jobs were now on the line.
In every profession you get bad apples.
A free meal here,some cash recovered is "Skimmed",someone with who they have a grudge gets framed, well
The taxi driver got an apology, his return fare to Naas and his fare back to Dublin again.Ie 4 times the fare, but he could have got a lot more.

Still I know that unless you have clout within the force, you, the taxi drive are dirt in the eyes of the Garda.

It was a great shift up to then, people had forgotten about this recession and had come out to celebrate.

Did you see the Grand National?.
I said it would be great Winner at 100/1 or a tenner makes a grand.

Anyhow everyone else was great, so why I let this one upset me I do not know.

Remember if you have not lived here for a long time.
The Pubs, clubs and off licences will be closed for everyone on Good Friday.
Its a holy Catholic holiday and you cant buy alcohol.

I don't care if you ARE A Muslim, No exceptions.

Off to bed now.

Keep the faith.

10 comments:

  1. Keep it up John, I love reading your blog more than anyone elses, ya always have something interesting to say

    ReplyDelete
  2. John,

    I've been trying to send you an email but it's not going through. Can you get in touch ? I'm enjoying reading your blog and will tune in when I can.

    Pat
    pat.ocallaghan@halosecurity.ie

    ReplyDelete
  3. John , not only am I honored that you visited my sight , but adding me to your links with an " I richly deserve it " made my month that much better, Thanks a million mate, your thoughts are well received. In a strange way I feel as if I graduated to a higher degree of acceptance from the taxi world.....and maybe I have, Professor.

    Regards,

    Edward . King of New York Hacks

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous11:07 PM

    Muslims are all good!
    dublin Taxi drivers are all Good
    A Priest is good
    A child is innocent

    Tigers were, and have always been an extinct species. Even celtic tigers.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous11:11 PM

    Never mind Taxis
    Beat the dole cues
    Or go and launder your drug money by gamblin
    Lets go to some illegal gamblin place
    Like atari Expo in the square Tallaght or Omni Stantry
    my 18 year old sister even made a few bob there
    No membership needed. no questions asked

    beats being a banker

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous11:15 PM

    Ireland the land of the free.
    No laws and no control.

    Last place i went to like that was somewhere in south amaerica. and politicians are easier to bribe in Ireland.

    I love Ireland!
    gamblin is legal, prostetution is legal, robbin a bank is legal, driving without insurance is legal, no license is legal.

    All of which even when arrested you won't go to prison for. Brilliant country.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous11:16 PM

    Cheers mate. Could not agree more.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi john,
    Had my fair share of runners in the past 35 years but as long as you go home safe after a nights work to your family, thats all that matters the money is just a bonus.
    I remember doing a runner a couple of times when i was a kid in London. Now when it happens to me, I try to laugh it off as pay back time.

    I love reading your blog as it is all about what cabbing is. Mine has become very political, stressfull to write and is used to campaign against the injustice from the licensing authorities and illegal cabs. Gets you down now and then, sometimes feel like I'm banging on for nothing.
    keep up the good work mate.
    Jim

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  9. Your right Thomas, I read a great book by Alf Townsend. The London Cabbie.
    He says "you gotta wipe your mouth" and drive on. Its a fair book.
    I took a look at your blog. Everywhere its the carriage office against the taxi people.
    Time to get out the guillatene out

    ReplyDelete
  10. How did the "runner" fare out?
    Well I had thereciept with the details of the proprerty management company. I put it on the kitchen table and went to bed.


    When I got up it was gone and no one touched it.
    Not nice that..

    ReplyDelete