Someone please explain this "not ever using taxi ever ever" thing to me

Mojisola

margaretclare wrote: »

The point I'm struggling to get at, really, is that I'm the same age-group as Paul's Dad and probably Sue's Dad too.

People don't become 'all of a type' because they reach a certain age although that's what some people seem to believe.

margaretclare

Mojisola wrote: »

People don't become 'all of a type' because they reach a certain age although that's what some people seem to believe.

Exactly!!!

Alikay

Mojisola wrote: »

People don't become 'all of a type' because they reach a certain age although that's what some people seem to believe.

I certainly hope that's the case, otherwise I'm heading off to Dignitas on my 70th Birthday to spare our kids a nightmare!

BillTrac

thorsoak wrote: »

That's extremely judgmental! The cabbies in the area in which I live now - and also the area where I used to live have in the main, been born and grown up in the area in which they work - and have been extremely efficient and helpful.

If they aren't, I've complained to the company - and not used it again.

Maybe I didn't make it clear that I wasn't talking about taxis in general, just my experience around here.

Gingernutty

When I was a child (this was the 70s and 80s), a taxi was A. Huge. Deal.

We were Irish Londoners with my parents coming from rural Republic. We lived amongst others like us, so that even though we were in one of the populous cities on the planet, it was very village-y.

My parents didn't drive, there were few relatives who had cars. So actually getting into a car for any reason was a talking point for a week or so afterwards.

We had one GPO phone and calling a taxi company was an event in itself, what with the BT 'phone book or Yellow Pages to flip through and find someone reliable.

We had so little experience of finding anyone without a friend's or relative's recommendation, that trying to work out which taxi companies were closest (because closest was better) by looking at the area codes was a 'thing'.

Of course, we couldn't remember from one year to the next who we'd called last year to get the same service again....:o

Then there was actually waiting, ready, for the taxi to arrive with our coats on, doors and windows locked, suitcases and bags packed and my (albeit batshit crazy) Mother panicking about missing it, whether it was late and whether someone should go outside to see if it was coming.

It got no better once the guy arrived. Is that him now, is that for one of the neighbours, go out and ask him, who sat where and whether we should help with the luggage, did Mum and Dad agree a price, how much should we tip - all big things.

It was as big a part of any holiday as the train journey, the lodgings, what we did when we got there and what the weather was like.

On the return it wasn't so bad as the train stations had cab ranks and we queued up like everyone else did.

On arriving at our destinations, Dad would get a business card from the driver so that we'd know who to call for the first leg of the return journey.

paulfoel's dad might come from something similar.

His dad seems to get a kick out of guilt tripping him and either doesn't or won't see how getting the OP to run him around is going to cost the OP as much per day as the season ticket did for the year.

It sounds as if the OP's Dad has the same mentality as many of my family - family rates is free (regardless of how much it actually costs), mate's rates barely covers costs and hiring a professional is too expensive.

meritaten

I remember some of your threads about your father paul. I think he thinks as you don't have a 'proper job' (ie. have to clock in and clock out and get paid a weekly rate), you can take time off whenever YOU want! or rather whenever HE wants.
and yes, he is guilt-tripping you. Don't let him. He has made the choice not to go - refuse to discuss it with him.
My mum actually rang me yesterday afternoon to tell me she couldn't get the plug for the strimmer into the extension thingy! she meant 'would you pop up and plug it in for me, and while you're there you can do the garden'). She lives about a mile away (uphill too), I don't drive and am disabled and can barely walk to the end of the street!
and no, I don't feel guilty - I arranged for my son to pop in after work if he had the time. which he did.

Savvy_Sue

Gingernutty wrote: »

When I was a child (this was the 70s and 80s), a taxi was A. Huge. Deal.

:rotfl: Your parents missed a trick. WE would be sent to catch the bus to the station, leaving FAR earlier than needed, and probably each with a small bag with sandwiches in, while Mum fussed at home finishing the packing. Although sometimes we used Passenger's Luggage in Advance (remember that, anyone?) to send a trunk.

Anyway, Mum and Dad would then use a taxi to the station with the bulk of the luggage.

This meant they didn't have to listen to me singing 'Summer Holiday' at the top of my voice all the way to the train.

At the holiday end, Dad would get a taxi with the luggage, while Mum walked the rest of us to the holiday accommodation.

Getting back on topic, with my parents it wasn't that they wouldn't ever get a taxi, it was just that they wouldn't pay for 'expensive' journeys - like getting Dad to and from hospital. Of course for 'normal' outpatient visits he could book hospital transport - which because they lived at the edge of the normal catchment area meant sitting on an uncomfortable minibus for hours, driving around the county to get there, and then waiting for hours before setting off on the return journey.

They had the money: not when we were growing up, but once they'd retired they were very comfortably off. It seemed they'd rather suffer ... but not always in silence! Does sound very like Paul's dad, but fortunately either not so demanding, or used to us not taking broad hints!

Anatidaephobia

The generational theme of being anti-taxi is quite interesting to me because, now that I think about it, my grandparents appear to be massive fans of taxis! If my grandfather were still around, he'd be about 90 now and he used to regularly get a taxi and enjoyed a chat with the driver.

My gran usually gets a bus to bingo but will get a taxi home at night because she prefers not to walk from the bus stop to her house in the dark. My grandparents struggled with money for most of their lives so they didn't have plenty of cash to splash around generously on taxis every day either. I wonder if they were always open to the idea of using taxis or if they too thought of taxis as a luxury when they were younger but changed over time.

[Deleted User]

Those of you telling me to leave him alone and let him make his own choices - let me tell you about another of his habits.

He seems to think that hes got to 2nd guess and comment on everything I do. Everything. He is constantly going on about me being self-employed and that I should get a proper job "to be on the safe side". Bearing in mind he worked in a factory job he hated for 40 years. To be on the safe side is a fav of his.

So no work = no pay for me. So hes constantly on my case that I shouldn't take holidays EVER. And don't get me started on the way he criticises my spending.

Worse still he seems to think that I should be telling my wife what she can do as well! Shes got a classic mini which to be fair is rarely used - its a spare car - doesn't stop him constantly telling me to tell her shes got to sell it!

Last xmas it all came to a head on xmas day. He kicks off telling us how stupid and idiotic we are to spend so much on our kids! Wife was really upset that he said this.

Anyway, we just came back from glastonbury. Wife is ill and struggles to walk. So hes off now - I should tell her not to be so stupid and dont go again because shes ill. Jeez. Im going to have to have a word so that he doesn't say this to her face I can see!

In the past, I've had a quiet word but its fallen on deaf ears. His answer is always - well you know me I've got to say something, I can't keep quiet. YES YOU CAN - Im 40 odd years old been married 20 years.

Any suggestions?

cbrown372

To be honest you sound like two peas in a pod, father drones on to you, and you drone on to users here.