IRISH TAXI DRIVERS can get a bad rap, but it’s fair to say that sometimes they can be legends. Or gas. Or, at the very least, memorable.
Here are twelve times they showed themselves to be all of the above.
1. These guys who serenaded their passengers
Dubliners may be familiar with Tommy Valentine (AKA Cabbie Sinatra), a taxi driver who became known for serenading his passengers with Frank Sinatra covers over the years.
Valentine retired a few years ago, but many Dubliners still have fond memories of singing along with him.
Then there was this guy who was feeling good.
Maybe too good.
2. Only in Dublin
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3. “It’s just emotion taking me over”
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4. A novel approach
You may remember when author Kate Kerrigan left her laptop, which contained her novel, in a taxi. After a few days of panic and a search conducted via social media, her taxi driver returned it safely.
Legend.
5. When they dispense their mystical wisdom
An anonymous source tells us:
I got in a taxi after a first date with a guy and the driver started asking me about how it went. He asked questions about when we had both been born and started telling me about the Chinese zodiac and how I’m a rabbit and this guy I went on a date with was a rat. It would therefore never work between us. He wasn’t wrong.
6. Priorities
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Taxi drivers streaming World Cup and Eurovision AKA giving the people what they want.
7. When they reveal that they’re not so au fait with technology
As one taxi driver memorably said:
It’s all about the Twitter and the Twatter and the Twing Twang Twong.
8. When they prove themselves to be all-round Good Samaritans
This guy who gave a tourist an umbrella on a rainy day = legit good egg.
9. The Vengabus is coming and everybody’s jumping
Ah, the party bus experience. A nightmare when experienced in a group, even worse when you’re alone.
I booked a taxi to pick me up from my house and they must have only had the party bus one available. It was just me sitting in the back of a massive mini bus all alone and the taxi driver turns around and asks, “Will I stick on the strobe lights and the tunes for you?”“Sure why not,” I said.
10. Wink wink, nudge nudge
Taxi drivers may be hypocrites, but they’ve always got your back.
11. When they show concern for God’s creatures
Or not.
I was getting a taxi home from a wedding in Kildare with a friend a couple of years ago and the taxi driver hit a rabbit going down the avenue of the hotel. The friend I was with is a real animal lover and started to freak out, saying we should try to save it/bring it to a vet. The taxi driver got out, hoofed the (dead as a doornail) rabbit over the fence, got back in and said, “Oh he’s grand, sure he ran off. On we go.”
12. And of course, when they do a dance-off to Get Lucky in the middle of the street
We couldn’t not mention this guy.
Up all night to the sun, he was.
