Irish Taxi Forum

Public Area => Taxi Talk => Topic started by: Belker on June 07, 2022, 08:35:22 am

Title: Cork Marathon jobs.
Post by: Belker on June 07, 2022, 08:35:22 am

It was total Batshit down here last Sunday morning with the marathon, streets being closed off since 5am, only a very, very limited bus service and the majority of Taxi drivers not bothering to turn up at all.

I was due to go home about 6am as usual but I did have a late midnight start so stayed on fer a bit to help out, runners/participants were looking fer taxies to get to the start, others were looking fer taxies to the train/bus/airport and very limited supply of taxies and almost no buses running meant total mayhem.

I took what I could of runners/participants bringing them in till full close-down at 8am, I saw all the on-screen instant hails and pre-books going in to the city fer the train and aircoach and sadly knew that those jobs would not be covered as the city streets were all closed off.

I stayed with it all morning staying in the southern burbs fer short hops and airport runs as Cork airport is South of the city. What amazed me most is that the vast majority of my customers had no idea that the marathon was on.

Title: Re: Cork Marathon jobs.
Post by: Belker on June 07, 2022, 08:39:41 am

I'm coming down the airport hill about 9.45am after dropping a fare at the nest and see yet another FN job waiting to go to the airport, the Cork city marathon is on and the next FN job is on the marathon route but I take the job hoping that I can find a route there and back. I approach the first hi-vis attendant and plamause him to let me through and he sends me on to see a Guard at the next junction, I show the Guard my FN job on-screen and he reluctantly lets me pass, on next to yet another hi-vis attendant and tell him of my pick-up beside the football stadium in St Annes park, he too lets me pass but sez; "I'm letting ya in but I might not let you out as the runners are coming !". I heed his warning and high-tail it up St Annes park where Two yanks (Nathan and his misses) are standing on the street with suitcases waiting fer me, I'm outta the cab and loading the cases at speed telling Nathan; "Hurry up, we really have to go, the marathon is coming this way", a very bemused Nathan is looking at me thinking that I was a tad mad as he knew nothing about any marathon but he complies with my insistence's and again we leg it down St Annes park, just as we approach the junction coming on to the marathon course a Guard on a motorbike with the flashing blue light crosses in front of us followed by a runner !! "SHITE, SHITE, FOOK, SHITE, FOOK !!", I tell Nathan; "That's the lead runner in the marathon !".

Title: Re: Cork Marathon jobs.
Post by: Belker on June 07, 2022, 08:45:37 am

Now we are really 'up the creek without a paddle', I approach the junction look to my right and see the motorbike guard and the lead marathon runner 50 meters up the road, I look to my left and see no sign of the chasing pack, so I take a huge risk and join the marathon course following the lead runner, the last hi-vis attendant is looking 'Daggers' at me as I pass but he can't stop me as it would only cause more problems, people are lining the street and clapping on the lead runner and looking bemused as we pass, again the other hi-vis attendants give me the 'Evil eye' as I pass, as do a few ladies on the water-bottle station. I tell Nathan; "We are currently IN the Cork city marathon, I'm in second place and ye are in joint third and fourth place !", He laughs as I re-find religion and say my prayers under my breath !
After what seemed like an eternity we eventually cover just less than a kilometre back to where the first Guard was and he directs the runner to the right on the marathon course back in to town and us straight ahead on to the airport road, I breathed the greatest sigh of relief ever, my heart still beating nineteen to the dozen ! Nathan does eventually twig what just happened and I tell him; "Do you know how blessed ye were ? Another minute and ye would not have got out of there fer at least 2 hours !". He did understand and did leave a decent cash tip.

Livestream the Cork city marathon (I don't know how to do this) @ 9.57am or shortly after you will see the lead runner on the Curragh road being followed by me in a Taxi !
(https://i.postimg.cc/NypZKZ85/thumbnail-Screenshot-2022-06-07-at-05-33-54.png) (https://postimg.cc/NypZKZ85)

Title: Re: Cork Marathon jobs.
Post by: watty on June 07, 2022, 09:01:39 am

M'lud, the prosecution rests it's case of dangerous driving...

Title: Re: Cork Marathon jobs.
Post by: Belker on June 07, 2022, 01:30:02 pm

Quote from: watty on June 07, 2022, 09:01:39 am

M'lud, the prosecution rests it's case of dangerous driving...

(https://i.postimg.cc/FYrdL63c/Pog-ma-Hon.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/FYrdL63c)

Title: Re: Cork Marathon jobs.
Post by: watty on June 07, 2022, 06:14:38 pm

Are you practicing for jail? You offering a different type of donut?  rofl

Title: Re: Cork Marathon jobs.
Post by: silverbullet on June 07, 2022, 08:29:29 pm

Quote from: watty on June 07, 2022, 06:14:38 pm

Are you practicing for jail? You offering a different type of donut?  rofl

Hedging his bets! 8)

Title: Re: Cork Marathon jobs.
Post by: Cool Boola on June 08, 2022, 11:51:20 am

I did a Marathon job last week……..Just

finished[] a hour ago![move]

[/color]

Title: Re: Cork Marathon jobs.
Post by: silverbullet on June 08, 2022, 01:50:24 pm

Quote from: Cool Boola on June 08, 2022, 11:51:20 am

I did a Marathon job last week……..Just

finished[] a hour ago![move]

[/color]

That's what I expected when I read the O.P. A load of jobs going 26.2 miles by a driver called Pheidippides! 8)