I'm Going On Hiatus!!

Hi folks

I’m still
here but for how much longer?

You will
have all heard of Uber by now. Uber is a taxi company that has been allowed to
operate in London to the detriment of our iconic and illustrious trade. I don’t
have anything against anyone making money but my gripe is with our (London
Taxis) governing body, Transport for London or TfL. They have allowed Uber to
operate in London as a separate entity to the licensed trade. Their pricing has
attracted the lion share of our custom and our 300 year old trade is now in jeopardy
of going down the toilet, in fact it is already in the u-bend!

In a few
days I will have completed 25 years as a licenced cabbie, I doubt whether I’ll
complete 26 years. I am already actively seeking gainful employment elsewhere.
I’m looking forward to going to work without spending the whole day physically
looking to get people inside my cab when only a year or two ago it was easy. To
not paying high rent for the vehicle I need to earn my living. To not paying
for fuel. To not having the taxman chasing me for unpaid dues. To having paid
holidays and paid bank holidays….the benefits are endless.

I should say
that my wife lives in Suffolk and I have been working my cab on weekdays and
going to stay with her weekends. I had thought that I could commute backwards
and forwards from Suffolk to London but only if I had been able to make the
money required to pay the bills. Alas, this hasn’t been the case and Jane’s
getting a little bit disillusioned with the present arrangement and I don’t
blame her hence the need to try something different for the sake of the
relationship and also for my own sanity.

So folks,

for the moment, as soon as I secure a job elsewhere, I will be putting my taxi
driving days on the back burner.

Updates to
my employment status will appear here periodically.

Take Care

Out There.

London Cabby