Silver Service

Ever since I've had to frequently catch cabs home from work after hours, I have introduced a Silver Service only policy. I hopped into a few cabs today and (2 Combined and one SS). My experience in each, along with a charming SS driver reminded me why I generally only SS it:

Non SS

• grotty cab (which often smells funny), with vinyl seats for easy cleaning after a protein spill on a Sat nite;
• drivers who (i) insist on listening to talk back (during the day) or Richard Mercer's Love Song Dedications (at nite); (ii) insist on driving with both front windows open in the middle of winter; and (iii) get shitty with you when you ask them to either change the radio station or close the windows;
• drivers often start driving off before you are properly in or out of the cab and have closed the door (happened today);
• drivers who have issues with English (speaking it, understanding it, or listening to it on the radio).

SS

• clean, unoffensive smelling cabs (and drivers);
• comfy seats;
• drivers more than happy to (i) change radio station and (ii) close windows / change air con;
• wont drive off until you're completely in or out of the cab - the driver I had tonite was nice enough to let me know he was going to wait till I got into my car before he drove off;
• willing to have an intelligent, and usually pretty interesting conversation with you, which makes the ride home a lot more enjoyable.

I learnt that you should never make assumptions about your cabbie - I was chatting with my driver tonite and he had one hell of a bohemian and interesting life to date:

• has lived in Dubai, Canada, Sydney, Lebanon, Paris;
• retiring in 4 months (jealous), to his farm house in France, near Nice (super jealous);
• two ex wives (yet still managed to hang onto the farm house - told him that was an impressive accomplishment);
• has worked as a freelance photographer, insurance salesman, and muso (plays piano, violin and something else which I cant remember).

It got me thinking, maybe there is something to be said about being cabbie ... I dont know many lawyers who own property in France ...