Tampa Taxi Shots

Two Good Days

I just had two good days in a row. It has been years since that happened. Can it last? It is not paranoia to ask that. At this point, it is disbelief and a broken spirit that will take a long time to heal. I hope I get the time to do that.

14 Bids

At 4:42 this morning dispatch took 14 bids on a zone 31 which was going nowhere. While I have been sitting at Macdill and Swann for the last hour waiting for a call, I have seen many United and Yellow cabs roll by all desperate for money. I have not had a day off in three years, eating rice and beans, and wearing dirty cloths because I don't have quarters to do laundry. I am over this shit. There is no way I will keep doing this after Easter. It is time to move on. I will leave this job in the hands of the bums and rejects.

Tampa Bay Bucs Seeking Trade

There are rumors swirling that the St. Louis Rams are interested in trading down from the No. 1 overall pick in the draft in order to acquire additional draft picks and veteran players.

The rumor has it that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could strike a blockbuster trade with the Rams that would enable them to take Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh with the first pick according to Chris Steuber of Scout.com.

The Rams would then get the third overall pick in the draft and quarterback Josh Johnson from Tampa.

It’s no secret that St. Louis is quarterback shopping. With the third overall pick the Rams could sign Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford or even Jimmy Clausen from Notre Dame.

FIVE BUCKS ON THE DROP

I told Nancy when she was in my cab that the drop should be at least a gallon of gas. It should really be at least five dollars to help us cover these exorbatant leases that we are still being charged when our call count is about 30% of what it used to be and they keep hiring more bums to drive United cabs and making a bum out of me.

Bring Back Summer!

This is the slowest winter season I have seen in 15 years in the taxi business. In some ways it is even slower than summer time. During the summer, late night party people come out. Now, because of the cold, many of them are staying home. The only 'tourist' call I had this morning was a 'no show.' The Tampa Bay area is just empty. I have forgoten what the beach looked like.

High Speen Connection

My computer must be getting old.  I have broadband wireless from AT&T and it is a great service.  However, my connection now will only hold now for a few minutes, and then It falls off.  I bought my computer in 2004 and I guess it's just time for a new one. 

Problem.

The economy and my business is so bad that its going to be a tall order.  For now I am using the high speed internet connections they have at the library.  I can down load images off of email and load videos to YouTube with a plug in flash port which acts like a hard drive.  so I should be alright for now.

I do miss having stuff that works.  I guess it is just the way things will be until Obama is gone.

I must of been in a hurry, the image is a little blured.

Dead As A Door Nail

For some reason our business has returned to the 'dog days' of summer.  Why?  With all the snow up north, you would think people would be flocking down to Florida.  Not happening.  We are very, very slow right now.  I barely covered lease today at a time of year when I should be making money.  'Hope and change' should work, right?  I mean the economy is getting better, right?  It really sucks right now. Its beans tonight.

Many of the drivers are worried that they are not going to make it this summer because this is when we should be putting something away. 

Have you seen how long the line is at the feeding mission at Himes and Kennedy?  It streatches around the block.  Almost every corner in Tampa has someone 'flying a sign - and on all four corners!  Can any more people lose their jobs?  Most people are now wanting Obama to lose his.  How could we have been so foolish.

Breaking My Nuts

John (United Cab night dispatcher) rolled me on a 32 zone call that had age on it. While I was rolling on it, a 32 airport came up. He kept begging for a driver to cover the call, all the while I am rolling on this 'no show.' He got the airport covered, then said the best he could do was check me into 32. I call that breaking my nuts.

New Drivers

I am sitting here on stand 31 listening to dispatch go round and round with a new driver who has no clue where Dale Mabry is at. No wonder we have lost business

Ears Lowered

For those that thought I was getting a little shaggy - good news!  I got my ears lowered at SuperCuts....

There even seems to be an improvement in tips and I'm not scarring as many children as I used to.

Tim Fasano Takes A Walk On Florida Trail

Somebody told me to take a hike.  so I did!  It sounded like a good idea, so I went up to the Florida Trail portion of the Green Swamp in Polk county on Super Bowl Sunday.  It was really nice.  The cool air felt good on my face.

 

Blame It On Scotty

All morning I was on a roll with a side of slaw.  One hotel after the other I was getting, and business was rocking.  One problem, I was not picking up.  I would get an order hot and fresh, arrive at the hotel and the doorman would look around and say 'they were just standing there.  I have no idea what happened to them.' 

Considering how long I have been in the taxi business in Tampa - I have a theory.  It is Scotty of Star Trek who is behind this phenomena.  He is beaming them aboard just before I get there.  What other explanation would make sense. 

Man I am glad I finally found the answer to the mystery that has plagued taxi drivers of the perplexed doorman or manager who does not know where the guest spirited away to.

THE CRAZIES...Best Super Bowl Commercial

This was perhaps the best Super Bowl commercial last night and nobody is talking about it.  Considering how lame most of the ads were - why not?  The Crazies seem to be a remake of the 1973 cult classic about a sub group of crazy people who go berserk.  I like the guy coming out from behind the baseball dugout with a shotgun...cool stuff.

 

Crime Fighting Folks...Not Harassing The General Public

In the video below I am talking about harassing the law abiding public who are having fun at a party.  Tampa police resources should be used to round up REAL criminals.  I guess the general public are too easy a target.  Larry - Have you ever been to Mardi Gra?  Are there open containers?  I guess the New Orleans police crack skulls that week or they will Sunday night if the Saints win the Super Bowl.

Giving cheap tickets to cab drivers or setting up remote cameras without police supervision would have never prevented UC123's accident.  Real law enforcement may have, if the resources would be used in the right way.

On a personal note:  A lot of people have been getting angry at me lately.  More and more people don't like me and think I am some kind of bad person.  They are mean to me.  As far as I  know, I did not burn their house to the ground, rape their sister or kill their dog.  Obviously, their problem is petty and childish.

Considering how much I have suffered during the last 32 months in this fucked up economy, they can all go to hell or at least wait for me to give them a LEGITIMATE reason to not like me.  That I can do.  I can make people hate me for a reason.

How The Tampa Police Are Hurting Gasparilla and The Economy

The local government and police department are having an adverse affect on our tourism and local economic growth by turning us into a police State.  Did you know that one out of every 31 men in Florida are in a State or Federal Prison.  Home of the free?