Getting to and from a meeting by taxi...

picklekin

I have a work meeting to go to next week and I don't drive (luckily I only have 6 of these off site meetings a year, and some I can walk to). Its going to require me to get a taxi, I'm fine with this to get there, but what do people do to get back? It will be about a 2 hour meeting so I can't get it to wait.. Do I book a later one and just leave the meeting if it hasn't finished yet, or do I call one when I'm done (and stand outside like an idiot while I wait!).

Sorry if this seems a trivial thing but I'm a massive worrier and suffer from social anxiety disorder and always fear doing the wrong thing!

bebewoo

Call one when you're done, it's rude to leave early

mattcanary

You'd have to ring the taxi firm to come back.

Could you take a book to read or something like that, whilst waiting for the taxi to arrive?

WestonDave

Call one when its done - depending on the circumstances it might be possible to call one as the meeting starts to wrap up (explaining to the hosts etc that's what you are doing) so that the time between finishing and it arriving are limited. Obviously there are a lot of unknowns here - if its a central city location and not peak rush hour you'll get one pretty quickly - if its out on some industrial park miles from anywhere in peak rush hour you'll be waiting a while! Again depending on the circumstances the receptionist may be willing to call one for you if they have contacts. We quite often call them for our clients who need to get home - they just sit in reception with a coffee until it arrives so its not that strange!

cocopops21

Call when you're done. It's unacceptable to leave while the meeting is still in progress IMO. Taxis are usually really fast to arrive so you won't be waiting long.

toffifee

I would just call the taxi firm after your meeting finishes. You won't be standing there like an idiot, you'll be standing there (or maybe sitting in the reception area?) like someone waiting for a taxi

On the way to the meeting, if you get chatting to the taxi driver you could take a card and mention you'll call to be picked up after about two hours. If they haven't much on, they might be parked in the area around the time your meeting will finish and you'll only have a short wait.

I know these things cause a lot of people to worry. I used to be the same. The more you do it, the easier it will probably get.

Good luck

picklekin

Thanks all , I'll call one after then, its in the middle of nowhere so I'll just have to wait, but hopefully there will be a reception area to wait if its raining, if not I can pace outside and fiddle with my phone!

toffifee

bebewoo wrote: »

Call one when you're done, it's rude to leave early

Agreed, unless you need to leave at a specific time to catch a train or something, and explain that at the start of the meeting. Then most people would not mind if you left before the end of the meeting if it goes beyond the two hours.

saintjammyswine

The company may well have a regular taxi provider and the receptionist may be able to arrange one for you (sometimes even on their account).

picklekin

Its a poor impoverished state school I'm afraid But I will try to ask the taxi that takes me for a card and do it that way, else I'll store a couple of number on my phone.

I did think about saying to them something along the lines of "I have to leave at X as I have a taxi coming" but I think its probably best to wait till the end, after all it might finish early and STILL leaving me loitering!

getmore4less

Are you the only one going?

what time will it be, ask for a lift to civilization if it finishes around time people would be leaving or going for lunch.