Picked up a lad in Naas during Punchestown races, 3 piece suit lad, "bring us to Ballyer". No problem. He slept all the way, and I woke him up outside some chipper on Ballyfermot strip, thinking he would go in. "this isn't where I live" he says. "well you didn't tell me where you live actually, you said Ballyfermot". Any he wants me to drive up towards Cherry Orchard hospital, no problem. I ask where abouts he wants to go, and don't say, so I said if your gonna be awkward, we can go to the copshop. Then he says he doesn't live that direction.
So I do a u-turn, and we're drying past the Applegreen filling station, and he opens the door, and jumps out, getting his hand caught in the seatbelt(i remember vividly, looking to my left, and seeing the door open and a hand wrapped in a seatbelt, just the the edge of the seat).
I slam on the brakes(freeing up his hand), and see him going flying. I actually wasn't even going that fast(50kmh), but fast enough to projectile a human. After coming to a standstill, I look in the mirror, and he's a heap about 20 yards from the car.
I get out, panicked to go near the chap, lock my car and run over to a nearby taxi. He saw everything, that yer man just jumped out(thank fuck, a witness). I ring the guards, and they'll be 20 minutes.
So, I'm over with the other taxi, giving my side of the story. The projectile gets up and staggers over to my car shouting, but doesn't realise I'm not in the car. So he proceeds to pull my roofsign off and smash it to bits, and then keys the bonnet, front wing and drivers door. Probably got bored, goes over to the hatch at the Applegreen and starts shouting and trying to smash the hatch window.
Guards arrive after 40 minutes, take a quick statement, and prompt arrest projectile. Guard rang me following day, saying yer man admits everything, and that he'll pay all damages. Fucking ruined my Friday night, but got cash from yer man a month later.
In this job, trust no one, no matter how well they are dressed. Good luck to the 1600 who pay through the nose to be verbally and physically abused. To be hated by everyone who doesn't drive a taxi, and everyone who does
