London Black Taxi Cab diaries, no 6

As soon as I hit the Mcdonald’s on Rotherhithe New Road, I was confronted with a queue of non-moving traffic. I couldn’t think what could be causing it, but I took no chances and headed back to the Old Kent Road. The traffic news was that there had been an accident on Lower Thames Street! What, and it was affecting traffic that far away. I didn’t want to work anywhere near all this so headed towards Victoria. Where did my first job from Victoria Street want to go? Bloody Southwark Bridge! On the way up York Road another cab driver intentionally stopped next to me, which at first I thought was so he could have a go at me (what had I done that I had already forgotten about?). ‘What does your number plate say?’ came the unexpected query, ‘Stormcab’ I told Reggie and Ronnie Kray’s long lost triplet. He turned his head back towards the road ahead with a look that said ‘another stupid muppet wasting money on a number plate that doesn’t mean anything’. I was now embarrassed in front of my customer, so I through out ‘I have put a few videos on Youtube under that name. Immediately his face changed to that of someone who could have been my best friend ‘OH, DARTH VADOR, THAT VIDEO WITH THE TAXI WAS HILARIOUS’! I didn’t really want to correct him (it’s a stormtrooper actually) as I had just got my pride back. I then spent the next 5 minutes explaining to the customer what had just happened. A similar thing happened on Bishop’s Bridge Road, as I was about to drop off at Paddington Station. A burgundy TX4 was waiting in the rank next to me and the driver said ‘Alright mate’, I acknowledged ‘Alright’, then he said ‘I saw your Mercedes review on Youtube, you’re the reason I bought this… you are’. Thank god he looked pleased, because for a second I thought ‘oh great, is he going to tell me what an idiot I was’. Anyway, the point is, this guy could read what was on the number plate, so it’s not that obscure. The pubs in town were spilling over into the street because of the nice weather, and I thought I should really have my camera out. I told myself that I would wait until something convinces me that I should have my camera out; that something would have made a good little photo – Alan Davies getting into a cab in front of me!