Taxi driver freaked me out

LegacyUser

I went out last night- I had no intention of going out till my mate rang me at 10pm- we stayed in the club till 1am then went back to her house for a few drinks- I had already had a few drinks, I was merry but very aware of what was happening. We had a few drinks and watched TV and at 3am I called as taxi, it was the same taxi that collected us and the same driver. He was in his 50s and seemed very nice we chatted and this is when the conversation turned weird.

He was asking me was I married and I said no

Him- So you’re single?
Me-No im engaged for the last 3 years
Him- That’s nice, do ya love him
Me-(in a jokey way) ya I do but ya know men are nothing but trouble ill have to trade him in
Him- I see

At this stage he drove right past my housing estate

Me-Ah you passed my estate
Him-Huh?
Me-You heard me I said ya have missed my estate
Him (Putting his hand on my leg) I thought we were going to go somewhere?
Me- WHAT!!!!!!!!!!
Him-Were ya just messing with me?
Me-I have no idea what you’re on about just take me the hell home!

At that stage I was very aware of the fact it was gone 3am and I was in a car with a strange guy I didn’t know(sounds dumb I know) Luckily my best friend called me right then and as I answered the phone he muttered "Ill take you home"

My friend stayed on the phone until I got home, When I was getting out of the car my battery died-He yelled after me” Give me a snog and you can have the cab for free" I threw the money at him and went in home.

I woke my fiancé as I was so freaked out-Im feeling ok now the morning has come but I didn’t release how stupid I was getting into a taxi with a guy I didn’t know even if he was a taxi driver. My best friend says I should complain to the taxi company but maybe I should just leave it after all it’s my own fault

Victor

taxidriverwoe wrote: »

maybe I should just leave it after all it’s my own fault

What did you do wrong?

---

Personal safety tip: sit in the back of the taxi, on the opposite side to the driver. this is safe you you and the driver.

LegacyUser

Victor wrote: »

What did you do wrong?.

i got into the car with a stranger and then made that stupid joke about replacin my fella , how else did i expect him to take it!

Victor

taxidriverwoe wrote: »

i got into the car with a stranger and then made that stupid joke about replacin my fella , how else did i expect him to take it!

Not like that.

Feel free to make a complaint to www.taxireg.ie also.

coolhandc

hes a scumbag...you did nothing wrong.what did you fiancee do?id be pretty pissed if i were him and someone did that to my fiancee...

LegacyUser

coolhandc wrote: »

hes a scumbag...you did nothing wrong.what did you fiancee do?id be pretty pissed if i were him and someone did that to my fiancee...

He was pretty pissed was gonna call the taxi firm but i asked him to leave it the last thing i need is him kicking off

i just feel disgusting

briantwin

Screw that, what a creepy old fu*ker. I'd strongly recommend you make a complaint. Who's to say he doesn't go further with a drunker girl who is less capable to manage the situation. Complain to the taxi regulator and also to the company he works for.

NextSteps

You need to make a complaint to the taxi regulator. This is unprofessional and intimidating to you. You did absolutely nothing wrong. That driver should get his licence revoked for that.

eamon234

Absolutely - report him straight away or he'll be doing it to someother poor girl tonight most likely and she may not be so lucky.

MrVostro

Complain.
If you dont and you ever hear of a girl getting raped by that taxi driver you'll always blame yourself.

He probably does it all the time, with drunker girls than you were.

Stereophonic

Nail Him !! Always take note of the drivers name on the ID card displayed, id never use a taxi without drivers ID shown on dashboard... nail him as hes a sick pervert

SarahSassy

Definitely make the complaint to keep you and the rest of us safe..... What a scumbag..... As a deterrent I always sit in the back....

mastermind2005

"nail him as hes a sick pervert" lol

Id say he was just being a red blooded man working all night and got the wrong impression from yourself

He crossed the line when he drove past your estate and also touching you and that should warrent you reporting him...

hotshots85

hi how you doing now my father is a taxi driver here in dublin and he hears stories like yours every day from passengers .the fault here in his opinion lies with the way any lowlife can now get a taxi plate and drive the public around .sure my own sister had the same sort of experience with a taxi a few months back .his job as he puts it is to take passengers from a to b in the quickest time and if they want to have a conversation then thats grand but the way the taxi business is today in ireland some drivers think that they can perv by using their taxi plate .
a bit of advise always take the name from the id that should be on display in the car plus the roof sign number. You wouldnt believe some of the stories he has heard from passengers about other scum taxi drivers.

There might be more taxis on the road now but how safe are you when any perve or scumbag can drive without being checked out.

Femelade

you should report him, he could do the samething to a girl tonight...and everyother night until he is stopped. He had no right to do that to you, you really should do something about it.

Seth Brundle

Scary!
+1 for reporting!

fricatus

taxidriverwoe wrote: »

Victor wrote: »

taxidriverwoe wrote: »

maybe I should just leave it after all it’s my own fault

What did you do wrong?

i got into the car with a stranger and then made that stupid joke about replacin my fella , how else did i expect him to take it!

I know this happens all the time, but a first-hand account is seriously shocking. I'll repeat what others said: IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT. Not in the least little bit. Take it back to the beginning:

taxidriverwoe wrote: »

He was asking me was I married and I said no

Him- So you’re single?
Me-No im engaged for the last 3 years

He started it by asking a lone, tipsy woman in a vulnerable situation a question that obviously leads into the whole sexual arena. He had no business doing that. As a guy, I don't mind sitting next to the taxi driver, but if I were a woman, I'd always sit in the back.

I know we have this "friendly" thing in Ireland about sitting up front, but it's an aberration in the developed world. In NY or Paris, if you try to get in the front, the guy will whip out mace or a gun. If a taxi driver gets the huff about you sitting in the back, then threaten to get out and say you'll call another taxi company. Remember, you're paying the guy to get you from A to B in safety. That includes driving safely, never mind say not hitting on you. And again: you're paying. He's a professional and you're a customer. If you don't want to talk to him, you don't have to.

Report him and make sure he gets his comeuppance. He seems like a nasty piece of work and you don't want another woman to experience what you did. As for yourself, luckily you're only a little shaken. Chalk it down to experience and never forget that you did absolutely nothing wrong.

_Kaiser_

Definitely report him. The fact that you booked the taxi (rather than hailed it off the street) will make it very easy to identify the guy, as well as the time.

aidan24326

taxidriverwoe wrote: »

I woke my fiancé as I was so freaked out-Im feeling ok now the morning has come but I didn’t release how stupid I was getting into a taxi with a guy I didn’t know even if he was a taxi driver

How did you not know? Was it not a proper cab with roof sign etc?

My best friend says I should complain to the taxi company but maybe I should just leave it after all it’s my own fault

How is it your own fault? Taxi drivers are hardly allowed to fondle their passengers and purposely driving past your estate was very dodgy. That's just not on. In this case you should definitely report to him to the taxi regulators and also the company he works for. If I was your boyfriend/fiancee I'd have done so already.

Badabing

Reprt him please, im a Taxi driver and im sick to death of hearing stories like this, my job is to get people home safe and quickly as traffic allows, women bein harrased or leared at is disgusting i feel much better about myself when customers of mine are home safe and sound and not a statistic the next day.

hotshots85

hotshots dad here i,ve only emerged from the cot and my son told me of the thread .can i just say firstly REPORT that piece of sh/t . he has no right to put any passenger through anguish like that .now its its alot of hassle the way the regs office want you to go about it but persevere and follow it up . as my son said and another post my job is A to B in a safe quick manner .
there are loads of new drivers coming onto the scene every day and they get little or no checks made on them so whereas years ago you could feel relatively safe when you took that taxi home its not that way any more .
90% of drivers out there are good guys but its that 10% that have to be rooted out of the biz .
would you believe that i could pass my driving test today and in six months be a taxi driver NO S/IT or i could come into ireland from wherever and in about the same amount of time become a taxi driver .now please dont take any racist under tones from that last statement .but do you the travelling public not think that if you get into a taxi you should get to your destination in the shortest ,safest way by a fully trained taxi driver your paying after all
sorry for the rant but i see and hear such stuff every day and it makes me sooooo mad

Hermy

HI OP,
I'm sorry to here of your troubles. As a taxi driver myself this sort of thing disgusts me. I know I'll be repeating a lot of what's been said already but heres my tuppence worth for what it's worth.
Firstly, and this cannot be repeated often enough - You did nothing wrong!
Whether the taxi driver is a complete stranger or not, you should be able to get into any taxi, anytime of year, night or day, and expect to be brought to your destination safely. No matter what you say or do, the driver is not permitted to put a hand on you in the manner you describe.
I'm not 100% sure of the latest complaint procedure but I would strongly suggest making your concerns known in writing to the taxi regulator. Maybe a visit to your local garda station might also help, particularly if the taxi firm is a local one. I would also send a letter of complaint to the taxi firm in question, and as mentioned by someone else, if the taxi was pre-booked then the taxi firm should be able to identify the culprit.

Victor,
In my experience a lot of female passengers traveling alone in my taxi do sit in the rear of the taxi but rather sit directly behind me. Perhaps this is because they feel safer for not being in line of sight of the rear view mirror while they have me, the driver, in their line of sight. That's a shame but I'm glad to say there are plenty of pasengers who are quite happy to sit up front and chat about the weather and the traffic - 'Is it busy tonight Mr Taximan?':rolleyes:

Mastermind2005,
Your contribution to this matter is unhelpful and unwelcome. While on duty a taxi driver is not allowed to 'get the wrong impression' from any passenger. If a passenger attempted to give me the wrong impression I would terminate the hiring immediately, calling the guards as well if necessary!

Mr. Presentable

Stereophonic wrote: »

Nail Him !! Always take note of the drivers name on the ID card displayed, id never use a taxi without drivers ID shown on dashboard... nail him as hes a sick pervert

He's probably not a sick pervert, he was trying it on. However, he crossed a line by putting a hand on you. That's reportable. I'd suggest the Gardai if you have his licence number, or the Carriage Office. If you make a formal complaint they may be able to ID him through his company if you have that.

But he could be the taxi driver involved in serious sexual assaults over the last few years.

Never get in the front. Always note the licence. Don't be too friendly (which I think you were, but that's not excusing him).

Hermy

nipplenuts wrote: »

Never get in the front. Always note the licence. Don't be too friendly (which I think you were, but that's not excusing him).

Unfortunately I have to agree with what you say nipplenuts, but it's such a shame that an intending passenger has to be so cautious. I'm sure most taxi drivers are good people and it can break up the day or night to have friendly, chatty customers on board. Sadly at times both driver and passenger are equally wary of each other and a taxi journey can seem quite cold and hostile.

tritium

Op, first off, as everyone else has said, you did nothing wrong. You hired a taxi, you were paying for a service to get you home safely, not to have some pervert grope you.

You need to report this to the regulator. Firstly for your own sake, you've had a pretty nasty experience here and I honestly think that reporting might help give you some closure, secondly for every passenger who has to use a taxi and might come across this scumbag, and thirdly for every taxi driver who's doing a good job and doesn't want scum like this on the road. I know its hard, and I realise that it takes courage, but please don't doubt that you're the victim here, or that this pervert isn't gong to stop doing this to others just bacause you got away.

StormWarrior

I think you should report him to the police. What if the next girl is not so lucky? What if he has done something before? He must have mental problems to think you were giving him a come-on. Women should be able to feel safe in registered taxis. You did nothing wrong! I can't imagine how scary it must have been for you!

mastermind2005

Hermy i feel your being a hypocrite as nipplenuts said more or less what i did... unless you only agree with the quoted part....

and actually FYI ive suggested to report him i dont see why u think that is "unhelpful and unwelcome"

Overheal

what was said above: you have to report him - it might be frightening or awkward to but it really has to be done. Think about the next person after you: do you want this perverse bastard to keep driving around town and picking up drunk girls at night??? What if the next one isn't as lucky as you?

sharkman

You need to report this creep . Firstly contact the company you booked the cab with and speak to the manager , get the drivers details from him and make him aware that you are reporting him to the Taxi regulator and the gardai .

Then follow through on it . As a taxi driver myself I hate to hear of scum like this carrying passengers .

cazzy

Report him

Evil Phil

Report him. Phone the Carriage Office in Dublin Castle : http://www.garda.ie/angarda/trafdiv/caroff.html.

Hermy

Mastermind2005,
Whether the taxi driver in question is or is not a sick pervert is not a matter for speculation. His conduct was highly inappropriate and no-one is in any doubt but that he should be reported. Attempting to excuse this mans behaviour by saying that “he was just being a red blooded man” or that he “got the wrong impression” is beneath contempt. You did go on to say that the taxi driver should be reported but only after this pathetic attempt to justifying his actions, and that is hypocrisy indeed.

ballooba

hotshots85 wrote: »

hi how you doing now my father is a taxi driver here in dublin and he hears stories like yours every day from passengers .the fault here in his opinion lies with the way any lowlife can now get a taxi plate and drive the public around .sure my own sister had the same sort of experience with a taxi a few months back .his job as he puts it is to take passengers from a to b in the quickest time and if they want to have a conversation then thats grand but the way the taxi business is today in ireland some drivers think that they can perv by using their taxi plate .
a bit of advise always take the name from the id that should be on display in the car plus the roof sign number. You wouldnt believe some of the stories he has heard from passengers about other scum taxi drivers.

There might be more taxis on the road now but how safe are you when any perve or scumbag can drive without being checked out.

BS. If people don't complain the taxi regulator can do nothing. We're better off with more taxis. Your dad might not make as much money but there are other jobs. Anyway, taxi deregulation is not the topic of the thread.

OP complain to the taxi regulator or his next customer might not be so lucky. You know it's the right thing to do. He was 100% in the wrong.

a) You were in a vulnerable position. Alone with drink taken.
b) He was in a powerful position. In control of the car and the locks.
c) His response to the conversation which he initiated was wholly inappropiate.

The taxi drivers on this forum might correct me here but I believe the person to report this to is the taxiu regualtor and not the carriage office. Although in this instance you local Garda station might be very interested.

bronte

Please report him op.
I'd be terrified if that happened to me.
I urge you to do this, you never know who you may save.

flangeman

hotshots85 wrote: »

the fault here in his opinion lies with the way any lowlife can now get a taxi plate and drive the public around;

There might be more taxis on the road now but how safe are you when any perve or scumbag can drive without being checked out.

Ease up there bud. 'and lowlife' can get a plate. From what I remember any lowlife could get a plate so long as he could buy the badge. I can assure you scumbags have always been around every industry has them.

He's a bad fella, complain to the taxi reg and the Garda. It wasn't your fault.

mastermind2005

Hermy,

1.) "Attempting to excuse this mans behaviour by saying that “he was just being a red blooded man” "

I did not try to excuse his behaviour, try read more carefully.

2.) "You did go on to say that the taxi driver should be reported but only after this pathetic attempt to justifying his actions"

I did not try to justify his actions, try read more carefully before making sweeping staments such as the above.

Reku

Complain, if it was genuinely some kind of misunderstanding of your intentions then at least he'll get a warning and the next young lady who humours him and replies to the chatter will be safe. If he has a record for this kind of thing then perhaps it'll get them to revoke his license or something.

Dr.Nightdub

taxidriverwoe wrote: »

Luckily my best friend called me right then and as I answered the phone he muttered "Ill take you home"

My friend stayed on the phone until I got home,

So having driven past your estate and touched you up, the only thing that changed his behaviour was a fluke phone call that killed the moment? Not every passenger of his will get such phone calls. You got lucky, ring the cops so's no-one else needs to get lucky.

star-pants

OP - Do as everyone here has suggested & report him, you poor thing that's such a horrible thing to have happened, I'm so glad you were ok though.
It's made me think twice about taxis though, I always thought by perhaps sitting up the front & seeming rather alert (i.e. bit of conversation) would have me safer (even though I usually feel rather safe in taxis).

You should report him, you did NOTHING wrong pet, not in the slightest. For instance, you walk into a shop, the guy behind the counter asks if your single, you say yes, and he leans over and touches you?...FIRED would be the word.
You'd feel awful if someone you knew had that happen to them and you insist they report the driver surely.

LegacyUser

you have a duty to all women out there to report him. this is how men like this get to feel they can do this because theres no consequences.
you didnt do anything wrong and if a taxi man had done this to me i would have been on the phone very very fast.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Well OP you've had a full day, and fourty+ posts to give you food for thought.

Have you reported the matter yet?. (I hope you have done).

As it'll be your word against his. He can't be found guilty of an offence on just your word, but the matter will be brought to his attention and he'll think twice about trying it on like this again.

And then if he does it again, and its reported again then your original complaint will carry alot of weight.

I'll repeat what the others have said, you really did nothing wrong. However you were a little nieve (sorry), again nothing wrong with that either. But there are creeps out there looking for a chink in peoples armour.

Pity about this episode, because your most likely a very nice & trusting person (its how you come accross) & I believe the VAST majority of taxi drivers are honest decent men & women too and now this assh0le has put you in fear of them.

Lets know how the reporting went please.

Spook_ie

ballooba wrote: »

BS. If people don't complain the taxi regulator can do nothing. We're better off with more taxis. Your dad might not make as much money but there are other jobs. Anyway, taxi deregulation is not the topic of the thread.

OP complain to the taxi regulator or his next customer might not be so lucky. You know it's the right thing to do. He was 100% in the wrong.

a) You were in a vulnerable position. Alone with drink taken.
b) He was in a powerful position. In control of the car and the locks.
c) His response to the conversation which he initiated was wholly inappropiate.

The taxi drivers on this forum might correct me here but I believe the person to report this to is the taxiu regualtor and not the carriage office. Although in this instance you local Garda station might be very interested.

First off add my voice to the report him at once side of this..

Second off... The deregulation side of this IS part of the problem, until people get onto the government and get them to instigate section 36 of the 2003 taxi regulations the one that covers
Murder;
Manslaughter;
A range of non-fatal offences against the person, including threats to kill, syringe attacks, endangering traffic, false imprisonment;
Assault or assault causing harm;
Sexual offences including rape, sexual assault, and aggravated sexual assault;
Drug trafficking;
Money laundering;
Theft and fraud offences;
Illegal immigrant trafficking;
Firearms and offensive weapons offences.

and the Garda get with it and deny licenses to people who they can't background check for 5 years incidents of this nature will increase in frequency

StormWarrior

I use a really good taxi company. If ever a lone female calls them at night for a taxi, they ALWAYS send a female driver as a matter of course. I think more taxi companies should start doing this.

ballooba

Spook_ie wrote: »

Second off... The deregulation side of this IS part of the problem, until people get onto the government and get them to instigate section 36 of the 2003 taxi regulations the one that covers
...
and the Garda get with it and deny licenses to people who they can't background check for 5 years incidents of this nature will increase in frequency

I agree with the background checks. Deregulation is another days work. I'm glad I can get a taxi these days. Years ago I couldn't.

hotshots85

ballooba wrote: »

BS. If people don't complain the taxi regulator can do nothing. We're better off with more taxis. Your dad might not make as much money but there are other jobs. Anyway, taxi deregulation is not the topic of the thread.

OP complain to the taxi regulator or his next customer might not be so lucky. You know it's the right thing to do. He was 100% in the wrong.

a) You were in a vulnerable position. Alone with drink taken.
b) He was in a powerful position. In control of the car and the locks.
c) His response to the conversation which he initiated was wholly inappropiate.

The taxi drivers on this forum might correct me here but I believe the person to report this to is the taxiu regualtor and not the carriage office. Although in this instance you local Garda station might be very interested.

where did i say anything about deregulation ? or that the girl should,nt report the scum .you might be able to get that taxi now a days but how safe are you ? could the next fred west be your driver

robo

OP - please report him for the sake of others. He should be dealt with in the right way - legally!
How dare he make you feel like this, that you did or said something wrong! How bloody dare he!

Hermy

mastermind2005 wrote: »

Id say he was just being a red blooded man working all night and got the wrong impression from yourself

Please explain the above.

BrandonBlock

and the moral of the story is... get the bus!

Vmaxer

BrandonBlock wrote: »

and the moral of the story is... get the bus!

Yeah She would be alot safer on on the BUS..

Please report this Driver, and follow it up.. This Guy should not be Driving a Taxi

What Taxi Company has Driver's like this working for them?

Name and Shame...

l3LoWnA

Wow - this guy needs to be reported. You poor thing! What's scary is, how many girls out there can't even fully REMEMBER their taxi-ride home (no pun intended) after a night out!? You were, at least, sober to enough to remember everything, to notice he'd driven past your estate etc.

You really need to report this guy - god knows what poor girl will get into his cab the next night with more than a few drinks on her and end up doing god knows what with this guy who is supposed to be responsible for getting her home safe, and nothing else.

Such an a$$hole!

And whoever said he was probably "just being a red-blooded male" Most males, taxi drivers included are red-blooded and horny devils but that is absolutely no excuse for what this guy did!! He had absolutely no right, whatsoever, to put his hand on this girl or presume she wanted to go somewhere with him - it's scary to think, OP, if you'd just been that bit drunker - not noticed he'd passed your estate, what would have happened?

Please please report him!

Hermy

l3LoWnA wrote: »

And whoever said he was probably "just being a red-blooded male" Most males, taxi drivers included are red-blooded and horny devils but that is absolutely no excuse for what this guy did!! He had absolutely no right, whatsoever, to put his hand on this girl or presume she wanted to go somewhere with him...

Exactly!