Taxi Hell

[customersruinmylife]

So I think I’m going to have to boycott my usual taxi company!

I met a friend and his girlfriend for a couple of beers. We were not the slightest bit drunk. The night ended well and the three of us decided to walk to the taxi office and share one home. We order the taxi and take a seat. Everything is fine.

Suddenly, two chavs walk in (I can’t be bothered explaining what they are. Google it ) they order a taxi and for some reason take immediate interest in my friend. I know their type right away. The type of guys who go out of their way to look for a fight, no matter how unprovoked. I’ve seen it a million times working at the pub.

Chav1: Hey, your girlfriend is hot.
Friend: OK. Thanks.

My friend is not confrontational at all.

Chav1: I’d do her.
Friend: That’s nice.

My friend and I have the same mentality. With these types of idiots the worst thing you can do is bite back. It gives them a reason (in their minds) to hit you.

The chav then started listing all sorts of things he would like to do to friend’s girlfriend, stuff that I’m not even going to put on the internet it’s that vile. It’s also very important to note that the woman working behind the office desk was about a metre away from us and could hear everything.

Friend: Right, OK then, we’re just going to go outside now.
Chav1: Are you some sort of pussy? You’ve not even reacted.
Girlfriend: That’s because he’s not inbred like you.
Chav1: WHAT THE FUCK YOU SAY? YOU FUCKING BITCH!

At that very moment our taxi pulled up.

Me: *to friend and girlfriend* Get in the taxi now.

I bundled the two of them in and sat in the front. The chav was still yelling insults at us. The three of us express our shock to the driver. Suddenly, the radio goes.

Radio: Taxi, have you just picked up two guys and a girl from the office?
Driver: Yeah, why?
Radio: Bring those fuckers back here right now! They’ve been starting fights!
Us: What???
Driver: Fights?
Radio: Yeah! They started an argument between those two guys and now they are fighting in the office! The police are on their way!

So these idiots failed in their attempt to fight with my friend and decided to fight with each other! We explained to the driver what happened. The radio kept going.

Radio: Are you bringing them back? Bring them back! Especially that red haired bitch!
Girlfriend: What did she just call me??
Radio: Get them back here right now. I want them arrested.
Me: Arrested?? For what? What did we do that was illegal?
Radio: Are you bringing them back??

The driver replied.

Driver: Yeah. I’m turning around now.
Me: Right! Everyone out of the car!
Driver: What? You can’t do that!
Me: We are not going back there. We did nothing wrong. Those two guys are there and they will certainly pick another fight. I’m sorry that they’re fighting in your office but that’s their fault.
Radio: Where are you? The police are on their way!

The driver stopped the car and the three of us got out. Luckily we were only a couple of streets away from my friends so we walked there.

[Kittish]

I think that would merit more than just a boycott. A very clearly detailed letter to the owner of the company, possibly even with copies of said letter being sent to whatever government agent regulates taxis in your part of the world plus to local news agencies would be quite in order I think.

[KatherineB]

Frankly I would even go to the local media about this! That's disgusting on the part of the taxi company!

[Pixilated]

Does the taxi office have any kind of security cameras ... ? That might be extremely helpful if you decide to take up Kittish's suggestion and write to the company.

[Jay 2K Winger]

Echoing that sentiment. Letter to the company head. Letter to the media.

That's plain fucking wrong. The chavs were being twatrockets, and when Girlfriend expressed her opinion at the opportune moment, you and your friends did the right thing and left the vicinity. That the chavs started fighting with each other (or someone else) after you left is irrelevant. You had left, and they were the ones getting aggressive and violent.

Let Taxi Hell have it with both barrels, CRML.

[customersruinmylife]

Friend's girlfriend contacted the office this morning. She is absolutely furious. We're still all confused about why they wanted to drag the three of us back to the office. What exactly were they going to do to us?

[NorthernZel]

Friend's girlfriend contacted the office this morning. She is absolutely furious. We're still all confused about why they wanted to drag the three of us back to the office. What exactly were they going to do to us?

Perhaps they'd like you to be there to give a statement to the police before they took the chavs to the station. But nevertheless, it was a very, VERY unprofessional conduct.

What did the office say?

[LillFilly]

I agree with everyone; how in the world was any of that your fault!? Did the office worker think your deflection of the obscene comments was paramount to encouraging them? Maybe call the police yourself to explain what happened. Besides, you were out of the office when the fight started.

[Draco]

Perhaps they'd like you to be there to give a statement to the police before they took the chavs to the station. But nevertheless, it was a very, VERY unprofessional conduct.

What did the office say?

If that was the whole reason, there was no point for the radio operator to say "Are you bringing them back? Bring them back! Especially that red haired bitch!"

CRML, I'd have left too. Then again, I'd have been telling the office to call the police much earlier on.

[Fudgethatkay]

I hope you can keep us updated on the situation
The radio person...wow.
Even if you were at fault, that behaviour should not be acceptable of a professional

[PepperElf]

I think that would merit more than just a boycott. A very clearly detailed letter to the owner of the company, possibly even with copies of said letter being sent to whatever government agent regulates taxis in your part of the world plus to local news agencies would be quite in order I think.

This.

Especially since the dispatch called your friend a bitch. And because they tried to force you to stay in the cab once you wanted out.


makes me wonder if dispatch was friends with the chavs

[Seshat]

I can see a legit & reasonable case for dispatch asking for you to be taken to the nearest police station - if only to make a formal statement.

But to take you back to the people who you were supposedly 'fighting with' is just risking making drama - or violence.

[customersruinmylife]

We're not going any further in terms of police matters. Dealing with the police is stressful and we've done nothing wrong so we don't see the point in dragging out with them. Also, we didn't even witness this fight we apparently started and I can't even remember what the two idiots look like.

We have had a response from the company. They have offered us "free journey" vouchers. Friend's girlfriend turned it down, saying she wants an apology from the worker who called her a "red haired bitch"

[Sapphire Silk]

We have had a response from the company. They have offered us "free journey" vouchers. Friend's girlfriend turned it down, saying she wants an apology from the worker who called her a "red haired bitch"

Good for her. She's owed an apology from the person who created the problem: the office worker.

She didn't need to drag the three of you back into this. The two chavs were fighting, she's a witness, that's all she needs to call the cops and press charges.

Even if you and your friends had "provoked" the chavs (which I don't believe for a minute), that doesn't excuse the chavs for actually fighting. It's up to them to control their own behavior, and they didn't.

But on reading this, I had to wonder if the chavs hadn't gotten a hold of the radio and were the ones demanding the return of you and your friends. I suppose not since the Driver seemed to know who he was talking to.

Which makes me wonder if the chavs weren't friends with the dispatcher, and she was making up a bogus story so you three could be returned back into a hostile situation.

The whole thing stinks to high heaven. Your friend should insist on an apology.

[firecat88]

We have had a response from the company. They have offered us "free journey" vouchers.

Ahh, the good ol' "If we distract them with something free and shiny, they'll go away" mentality. I'm glad to hear that the offer was turned down, honestly, because free stuff doesn't change what happened or suddenly make it right (does it ever?). I kinda wonder the same as Sapphire Silk, though, about whether or not the dispatcher knew these guys and, thus, was taking their side automatically.

Also, considerable fail on part of the driver too, for apparently not batting an eyelash at the dispatcher's angry mob-style reaction and actually agreeing to turn around to take you back to the office.