He really tested my patience!
By tutul0045
@tutul0045 (2630)
India
August 13, 2009 4:15am CST
Hello friends,
My dad had his eye surgery this Tuesday. I was expected to reach there by 8 in the morning. I was in a hurry as the hospital is quite far from where I live and the last thing I wanted was a taxi driver who can't see properly! 
It was my bad luck and i realized it as soon as he started the car. It was making all type of noises and he was driving extremely slow. Amazingly he was driving in the fastest lane of the road and all the other cars were overtaking him from the wrong side. My patience was running out and I asked him to drive a bit faster as I had to reach the hospital in time. The reply, which I got from him, was quite shocking. He said his eyesight is poor and he can hardly see the speed breakers in the road! 
So he cant drive quicker than that.
Seriously we need to check the age limit of our taxi drivers and also the cars. They both look very old and can cause fatal accidents.
I learned from this experiace that before taking a cab I should check not only the car, but also the driver,lol.
Cheers,
Tutul
It was my bad luck and i realized it as soon as he started the car. It was making all type of noises and he was driving extremely slow. Amazingly he was driving in the fastest lane of the road and all the other cars were overtaking him from the wrong side. My patience was running out and I asked him to drive a bit faster as I had to reach the hospital in time. The reply, which I got from him, was quite shocking. He said his eyesight is poor and he can hardly see the speed breakers in the road! So he cant drive quicker than that.
Seriously we need to check the age limit of our taxi drivers and also the cars. They both look very old and can cause fatal accidents.
I learned from this experiace that before taking a cab I should check not only the car, but also the driver,lol.
Cheers,
Tutul2 people like this
11 responses
@strawberrychocodahi (4818)
• Philippines
13 Aug 09
Yes, that is right. You should check the driver but when you are in a hurry, you sometimes don't think about this matter anymore. I would feel pity for that old man who still chooses to drive to feed his family.
Well the fact that if drivers have been so old for driving public vehicles, then there should be a law implementing their visions be checked so that life on the road can be safe. Happy Mylotting.
@tutul0045 (2630)
• India
14 Aug 09
Hey,
Exactly i was so tense and in hurry that i forgot to check or take an another taxi.
As a matter of fact the place where i live taxi drivers are quite old, just like their vehicles. So there is not many options. I too think that old people should be given free medical checkups and if they dont pass it, should be given some kind of pension schemes.
Cheers,
Tutul
@anonymili (3138)
•
13 Aug 09
OMG, what a nightmare hun LOL! I have to admit that I feel traumatised at the thought of travelling by taxi as it is when I visit Calcutta but then to have a driver who can barely see and a car that's about to fall apart would be 10 times worse. There really needs to be stricter checks done on people holding passenger carrying licences, that sort of thing wouldn't happen here in the UK, I've never felt unsafe in a taxi here. My dad is 73 and his eyesight is pretty good and his doctor just confirmed to the driving authorities that he's capable of driving for several more years (when they have to confirm his ability to drive safely again).
1 person likes this
@tutul0045 (2630)
• India
14 Aug 09
Hey there,
Yes i have heard its even worse in calcutta. Those yellow color taxis look very shabby and definitely needs some change. Fiat cars are so obsolete and Indian government should give them new taxis at reasonable rates as an exchange offer.
Well sorry to say, I don’t think at 73 its safe to drive. Definitely not in Indian roads as people can make a mess of traffic rules. Also people horn too much here which gets very irritating. Please be careful.
Cheers,
Tutul
@tutul0045 (2630)
• India
13 Aug 09
Hi cry,
Yes its indeed very dangerous as well as stupid. But i was helpless, I was running out of time.
BTW i paid him in toto. I availed his service and its impolite not to pay then.
Cheers,
Tutul
1 person likes this
@syankee525 (6261)
• United States
13 Aug 09
yeah i think i would be ok let me out here. lol. and find me another one
but i hope things went well for your dad
1 person likes this
@jazzbabe (166)
• Philippines
13 Aug 09
It is such a pity that old people (60 or more) still work
for a living. They should've been in their homes relaxing and playing
around with little nephews and nieces instead. Are there some agencies
in your areas where you could report such incident so at least old people
in your place be given special treatment?
@tutul0045 (2630)
• India
13 Aug 09
Hi jazz,
I doubt whether we have any such agencies. But I will surely look for it and try to help such people. I was lucky to survive without any mishap but not everyone will be if this things continues.
Thanks for your input and have a nice day!
Cheers,
Tutul
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
13 Aug 09
hi tutu wow that was one dangerous driver. Here the cab drivers
have to have good vision in order to get their drivers licenses
and their cabs must be in good working order too. its a wonder
that he didnt run into something or hit a pedistrian. I can well
imagine how irritated and exasperated you must have been as you
wanted to get to the hospital on time. you sure were unlucky in
the cab you chose. I am just glad he didnt have an accident and get
you seriously injured.
@tutul0045 (2630)
• India
14 Aug 09
Hi hatley,
Yes I was lucky but some one may not be if this kind of driver continues.
I should have noted the number of the car and reported it to the right authorities. I dont know who is the right authority? But some thing should be done.
Reporting to the cops wont help as there is so much corruption here. They will harass the driver and take some money from him and then let him go.
Going to the police is the last option in India.
Cheers,
Tutul
@ranviruchauhan (1407)
• India
15 Aug 09
Yeah it was shocking that driver was not driver. That must be in india. There should be some rules there to drive and there is. As a country man we should take before boarding any cab we should check condition of cab as well as driver lol!!.
If we start to check all this things then and then condition will improve otherwise drivers like your would drive cab easily. Happy mylotting!!
@med889 (5941)
•
13 Aug 09
In my country we say that for people who are 60 needs the health card now because daily we have been noticing that there are more and more accidents so atleast those who are old or has some problems have to get their health card to get the licence now.
@tutul0045 (2630)
• India
13 Aug 09
Hi med,
Yes rules like that should be implemented in my country too. It will certainly reduce the accidents and also the cab drivers should be provided new cabs at cheap rates. The model the yare driving is atleast 20-25 years old and thus all the problems.
Cheers,
Tutul
@cbeee3 (2061)
• India
13 Aug 09
Hey there,
Gosh what an experience.
I just read in one of your previous comments that your dad is doing good now. I am glad. Its really sad that you had to face something like this at a time when you must have already had other things to worry about. Good thing, all worked out fine.
It is also sad that people who are old, still need to work like this for a living.But its important that they be tested to ensure that they can still drive at that age and their eye sight and reflexes are good.Its harmful for them as well as others if they don't qualify the basic tests needed to drive.
God bless!
@tutul0045 (2630)
• India
14 Aug 09
Hi Cb,
Indeed it was a bad experiance. It came in a time when my dad was waiting for me for his operation. Thankfully he is fine now. Doctor has advised him to take rest for 15 days and he can see things cearly .
I agree totaly wit hyou whatever you wrote about the basic tests. Every life is priceless and as a responsible citizen i should have atleast noted the number of the car. Unfortunately I didn't.
Next time i will be careful.
Cheers,
Tutul
.
I agree totaly wit hyou whatever you wrote about the basic tests. Every life is priceless and as a responsible citizen i should have atleast noted the number of the car. Unfortunately I didn't.
Next time i will be careful.
Cheers,
Tutul@tutul0045 (2630)
• India
19 Sep 09
Hi Cb,
You r very welcome. I thank each and every responder for sharing their views. As your post was very practical and the most deserving to get the best response. Keep it up. 
Cheers,
Tutul
Cheers,
Tutul
@hmfryklund (389)
• United States
14 Aug 09
Oh my goodness, I swear I see drivers like that all the time where I live! I have to drive about thirty-five miles just one way to go to work and another 35 on the way back and omggg, there are just too many old people (no offense to anyone) that JUST SHOULD NOT BE DRIVING! Either they are only going about 45 mph on the highway, swerving all over the road, changing lanes without even glancing over their shoulder, and more! Ive been almost run off the road by someone like that, just because he failed to glance over his shoulder before changing lanes and had to swerve back into his lane and another to fail from hitting me... *sigh*
@tutul0045 (2630)
• India
14 Aug 09
Hey hm,
Well u leave in an extreamly dangerous place then just like me. Its not only old people but some other drivers too who loves to drive in a rash manner cause accidents. Over taking from the wrong end causes innumerable accidents and i dont understand why the yhave to hurry so much.
Cheers,
Tutul
