Norwegian Prime Minister works as taxi driver

titan18 · 12-08-2013 5:06pm #1

Just seen this and thought it was quite funny, and something I doubt would ever happen in Ireland, or most countries really.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/12/norway-pm-jens-stoltenberg-taxi

Norway's prime minister worked secretly as a taxi driver in central Oslo for a day in June, leaving his passengers wondering whether their elected leader had quit the day job.

Wearing a taxi driver's uniform and sunglasses, Jens Stoltenberg drove passengers around the streets of the Norwegian capital for several hours, confirming his identity only after his passengers realised who he was.

Pretty funny thing to do, and is a pretty decent campaign stunt.

wazky · 12-08-2013 5:07pm

Maybe Enda could do this to help pay off our debt?

KingOfFairview · 12-08-2013 5:25pm

He can only pull this off cause he's so handsome.

Fr_Dougal · 12-08-2013 5:28pm

Couldn't let Enda Kenny do that, he'd get lost along the way, charge you twice the normal fare, and then blame Fianna Fáil for everything.

Nemeses · 12-08-2013 5:36pm

saw the video as well.

For a PM, its a nice way to actually find out what the public think.

Now if our own could take a leaf from his book..

Cork boy 55 · 12-08-2013 5:38pm

Limousine liberal smoked salmon socialist pulls desperate publicity stunt by posing as a prole in pathetic attempt to stay in power.

#just saying

DyldeBrill · 12-08-2013 5:38pm

Think this is actually quite a genius idea, I know I'd vote for him!

theSHU · 12-08-2013 6:19pm

Not as bad as Bertie going on TV as a soccer pundit

Nemeses · 12-08-2013 6:21pm

theSHU wrote: »

Not as bad as Bertie going on TV as a soccer pundit

Did he not write a column for sport in the paper after his term?

wilkie2006 · 12-08-2013 6:24pm

Jaysus, can imagine other taxi drivers' attitude to Enda driving a cab:

"That bleedin' double-jobbin' bollox!!"

Dostoevsky · 13-08-2013 4:51am

The mayor of Prague did something similar about ten years ago, except he posed as a tourist hiring taxis around the city because there had been many complaints of drivers overcharging tourists at that time.

Ah, here's a story on this from 2005.

Dostoevsky · 13-08-2013 5:05am

Great video. "I haven't driven in 10 years" was his response when the woman said she's seen better driving that his.

Baby excuse. Wasn't there some Fianna Fail minister who came out a few years ago and said he hadn't driven in almost 30 years and now that he has lost his chauffeur he'd have to learn how to drive once more?

snubbleste · 13-08-2013 6:03am

Publicity stunt dreamed up by an advertising agency

NuckingFacker · 13-08-2013 6:58am

Makes a nice change as most Taxi drivers I've met reckon they'd do a great job of running a country..

snubbleste · 14-08-2013 8:33am

Just like I said, a stunt

An election stunt in which Norway's prime minister worked undercover as a cab driver has backfired after it emerged that five of his passengers had been vetted and paid. "Their spontaneity was real when they realised that the driver was the prime minister." Each of the five received 500kr from the production company Try, which is run by Kjetil Try, a close friend of the prime minister. Mr Stoltenberg said he did not know that his passengers were paid at the time.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/world/backlash-after-norwegian-pm-jens-stoltenberg-takes-media-for-a-ride-20130814-2rvbs.html

Norwegian Prime Minister works as taxi driver

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