Last Friday I went to all five boroughs, I did eight trips to Brooklyn, three to queens and when I got frustrated enough by not getting any trips within Manhattan limits in busy Friday night I got fare going to Staten Island after long time, upon returning from Staten Island, finally I picked up this young guy in front of Pianos on Ludlow street going to upper west side.

he told me to go to West 68th street and Broadway, it was around 3:30 in the morning and after getting out of east village traffic, trip was smooth and quick to the destination with nice fare on the meter.

I asked the guy where did he wanted to stop after turning on Broadway from West 66th street, "are we at 68th and Broadway?" he asked me, I pulled up in front of AMC theater between west 68th and west 69th streets and told him that we are at the destination.

"Ok, listen I got to go to the building to bring you the money" he told me, I had done this in the past and would have done this again, as taxi driver one has to run into this kind of situation sometimes. But problem was there is no residential building in this block, which raised a red flag and I told him he can pay by credit card.

"What happened is my friend took my jacket and my violet was in it" he said, and I asked him that he did know this situation from the beginning which he denied by saying he realized it upon arriving at the destination. Keeping myself calm I asked him "Where do you live?" and his answer frustrated me more, "I live in Chelsea" and continued saying "I came here to see my friend and she will pay for the ride" OKAY.

"Can you call your friend to come and pay, I will wait here" I told him and he replied that she was not picking up the phone and he promised me to come back with the money. To be on secure side I told him to leave something behind and bring me money upon which he said he did not have anything and I reminded him about his phone. "I can't leave my phone" he told me and continued "can you write me down your address and I'll mail you checque for $200" yeah right, "Sir, I don't need $200, all I need is metered fare which is $19 and some change" I told him. "I think you pretty much don't have any other option" he told me and I reminded him all the options I had given him and warned him about hidden option of taking him to the police. "You can't take me to the police" he said, at this point I called 911, told them the situation and my location.

Now all above conversation took place in very calm way without getting angry, just like conversation between friends. After 911 call things started working out, his friend picked up the phone and miraculously remembered the address which was 155 west 68th street, and more amazingly I got call from the police with in two minutes after the 911 call asking my location as I had moved to the given address from prior location that I gave to 911 operator, they told me to stay there and don't move.

Officers came and asked me about what happened then asked his side of story and told him same thing that he knew all of this before hailing the cab, almost two more minutes had passed when officers after waiting for the friend, asked him about the friend.

"What is your friend's name and apartment?" officers asked him.
"Puja and apartment 40 something (I don't remember exact number)" he told them, he even spelled the name for them, to me sounded like Indian name.
One of the officer went inside and came back with a white girl in her pajamas and bear footed, who was asking officer why would driver call you guys up for? Now I was waiting her to pay and she is standing by the curb and finally complained that it was too cold, officer told her to get inside of the cab and told me to hurry up she is bear footed. WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO WITH THIS? I'm fucking waiting for getting paid and had lost almost 20 minutes in this shit, meter was stopped 20 minutes ago. She got into the car and asked "what do I do with this?" holding credit card in her hand, I looked at officer told him meter was stopped and can not be reversed, she might have to pay with cash for this ride.

"I can pay you $10 or by credit card, hurry up decide" she bitched, I was calm during this whole process but started loosing it now with her attitude. Officer asked me if I can take the credit card, I put the last payment in refusal and started the meter on flat rate so she can use her credit card. She paid, got out of the cab and said "I don't understand why he called the police for?, hey driver, you know you are stupid" I lost it now and called her fucking bitch , before situation get worst, officer instructed me to move my car, which I did but frowned with anger.

But day had not finished yet, while I was stopped at light, I saw one black guy, who got refused by two other cabs, on green I pulled over to him and he asked me if I can take him to the Bronx, Only borough I haven't been during night and I told him yes, he was coming from gentle-men's club, nothing gentle happens in there though. On his destination he selected cash and did not wanted receipt, waiting for him to pay I looked at him and he asked me how did he do do this?, holding a credit card in his hand and I told him that he selected cash from there and has to be cash now, "I'm sorry I have only $13.00" he told me, fare was was $17 and some change. I told him to give me $13.00 and told him It was not my day.

Labels: Assholes, dishonest, NYC, Taxi Business