How do you deal with taxi-drivers wanting to chat?
 

Are you more:



(shut up and drive)

Or are you the sort of person who's ordinarily up for a bit of chit-chat with your taxi (and despite the trend that's grown over the past seven years it definitely doesn't have to be Uber) driver?

I don't mind it but people, on the other hand, who turn libraries into social hubs and let their screaming kids run around in there are a different level of annoying.

Edit: and when I say I don't mind it I literally mean when it's low-key and here-and-there. People in general who just won't shut up are annoying as hell and that goes for taxi drivers.

A brief bit of small talk is fine but I'm not looking for a full on coversation... I also had an experience before we had a car when I was regularly getting taxis back from work late at night, and got the same creepy guy several times and I think he started to believe we were friends. He stopped me for a chat in the supermarket once. And called me by name. Just really weird behaviour :bawling:. He was probably only in his late 20's but an absolute oddball.

The nomenclature/brand-niche-ing of taxis in more recent years, on a slightly unrelated note, is another thing that's funny. Ubers are cool and everything but those of us who are plenty-old enough to have booked taxis with non-Uber firms by-default for many, many years (because that's all that was available, obviously) don't automatically gravitate towards Uber and insist on only riding in one of them. I have the app (amongst others) but I think I'm one of the few people who actually call up local taxi firms sometimes and books that way. Like landlines it's a practice what's dying out and that's one of the things I just don't understand.

the worst is to and from the airport when they want to know all about your business, where youve been/going.

Especially to-and-fro Gatwick (in the past) and Manchester airports. For the whole ride you wouldn't know peace and that's fine if you're the sort of person who likes to talk. With any kind of customer-service I expect people to at least smile (and I find people who don't to be quite rude) but the two-way conversational reciprocity needs to be based on how much the other person wants to talk to you, not just your burning need to run your mouth to anyone with ears. But that one doesn't bother me too much.

tbh i never get taxis but i am happy to chat for a bit. I hate if they talk about the weather because 9/10 its inaccurate stuff.

But i do like to watch tom the taxi driver

Unless the two people have an interest in meteorological geography small-talk about the weather that goes on for any more than 90 seconds is one of the worst conversational ice-breakers there is.

I’m Naturally a talker and people find it easy to talk to me

God help any of you if you got stuck in a lift

my face tends to say do not talk to me 99% of the time

That explains a lot
I was told if you don’t ask you don’t get
Women love a good chat

Why would you give him your name in the first place?

my best taxi ride ever was in LA and the driver was a trump supporter. It was quite bizarre and i kept wondering if he was going to turn round and shoot me :laugh:

I'd keep an extra pair of eyes at the back of my head if I was riding anywhere in that country besides San Diego and the northern states (which are pretty quiet and safe). There's always some sort of trouble in America, nice taxi-driver or not. You ain't trying to close your eyes in the back of the tab in a place where wahala-dey to such a massive extent.

This was in ye olde times when you had to call up for a taxi and give your name... so more accurately - he was just calling me by my surname :umm2:. Shouting after me down the dairy aisle for a chat. So uncomfortable.

Was he mentally unwell?

If they don't chat to me, I instigate a conversation and then they're away....they love talking usually.

The irony that’s annoying for a lot of people is when they misread/ignore the vibe and point out to a passenger that they’re too quiet when they don’t want to make small-talk with the driver in the first place. Some people love all that (clearly) but many others just want to be left alone and enjoy a peaceful ride.

Just chat back, poor guys work awful hours for **** money a wee blether probably cheers up an otherwise boring mundane shift for them for a few minutes

I dont mind a bit of chat...in fact if they dont say anything I normally instigate it by asking them if they have been busy and what time do they finish...


Off topic slightly but we have a problem like this with the Waiters at our favourite Indian Restaurant....we are sociable people and we do chat but when we go for a meal they keep coming over and chatting whilst we are trying to eat and its really putting us off going there...which is a real shame...But what do you say to them without causing offense???

crikey, you cant really i would just not go there

Tell them to Sod orf

The customer is always right.

Then they might spit in our food...:hehe:

Last two occassions we have been elsewhere...but the food isn't as good.