…is the message displayed on all private hire cars these days (well in Brum anyway). So after a good night out I staggered to Digbeth (Institute) where the private hire cars normally pick people up. Not having any preferred taxi company to choose I decided to call the numbers on a car. 5 Star I believe they are called. 20 minutes they said, so after 30 minutes I called another company 20 minutes they said, so after 30 minutes I gave up. Normally when pissed off with private hire I’ll flag down a black cab. However with the memory of the £18 bumrape on my last black cab journey I decided that being a stubborn twat was in order and decided to continue to sit in the bus shelter.
After a while, and mainly because the Kerryman was at kicking out time (04:00) I decided that the private hire waiting seemingly for no-one might do the non booking dodgy deal. So I asked how much to Yardley, £10 was the reply, so I jumped in and went home.
He was breaking the law, however I was cold and wet and really needed to get home. It’s a bit shite that Travel West Midlands don’t appear to have a decent night bus service anymore (I’m sure they used to have one on the major routes until 2 or 3 in the morning).
So welcome to a night out in brum, don’t stay out too late as the buses don’t run and the taxis are fairly shite.