Taxi Drivers vs Learner Drivers

Taxi drivers go to hell!

Well they should!

Okay, maybe they shouldn't, I'm just really angry. Taxi Drivers are probably really good people, nice family guys, do their bit for society and what not... when they are not driving taxis of course (I'm not being sarcastic by the way. No, seriously, I'm not. Hey, for all we know it could all be true okay... *shoulder shrug*). But, on the road, they truly are demons. So, maybe I shouldn't say 'demons' 'cause that may be 'politically incorrect', but can you honestly disagree with me here? And I'm not trying to bring religion into things (though I can see how that might be thought what with my hell references and now the whole demon thing...)

Anyhoo, I digress. To get back on point, taxi drivers simply make driving for everyone else TORTURE! We basically put our lives at risk every time we go out onto the roads with taxi drivers.

Okay, so I may be completely angry at the moment, which is why all these rants are just flowing out, but I'm pretty sure most people (if not all people, excluding taxi drivers themselves) feel the same way.
To put you guys in that frame of mind where you just want to sit on your hooter, scream your lungs out in your car, even use 'languages' that normally make your ears burn or even reach the point where you want to just stop your car in the middle of the road, pull out a cricket bat and 'go at' the offending party... let me share my story with you...

The reason why I'm in such a dandy mood... 

So, I'm driving to work this morning. Around 7:00 AM. (And, just to make sure its known, I've got a big red "L" learner sign at the top left hand corner of the back window of the car,  clearly visible.) I reach a robot. Its red, so I stop. I intend to turn right at the robot, so I have my right indicator on. This specific robot has a filter arrow for motorists turning right. I know this. And I'm ready to go the moment it turns green. The opposing robot has turned red so I'm ready to go. I've got my foot off my brake and am slowly inching forward but the robot is still red and as  I do not want to break any laws I wait. The taxi driver behind me, who has been sitting right on my tail, suddenly HOOTS! Startling me. I jerk the car and lose my balance and have to regain it and then go on. (As mentioned, I'm a learner driver, so don't class my driving skills okay, I'm learning, and I'm not so bad anymore, its just awkward situations that still 'challenge' me). Also, the sign is there so people should be cautious and patient! Not make the learner driver more anxious.

Anyhoo, I'm still getting over that situation as I turn right into the next road when another taxi driver SUDDENLY pulls into the road from a driveway on the left. I had to swing to the right and around to avoid being smashed! My sister, sitting in the front passenger seat (which is on the left in South Africa), saw her life flash before her eyes! (I might have caught a glimpse of it too). Thank goodness there were no cars near to me on the right hand lane *swhew*. I am now livid. This is so NOT what I need before getting to work in the morning. But I get back onto the left lane and journey on...

As you continue down the road there is a taxi stop on the left. So you're aware that taxis will be making a stop here so you slacken your speed and drive by slowly and with more caution as taxis will be turning in here... However, the taxis will NOT turn in there and stop to let passengers off or on. NOOOO! They angle the taxi slightly into the space leaving the rest on the taxi pretty much full on on the left obstructing the lane completely. So in peak traffic, you now have to try and get a gap in the non ending line of cars on the right lane to get around the taxi. You've basically got to come to a complete stop and wait to get a gap, make a gap or wait for someone to feel bad enough for you that they create a gap for you or just wait till the taxi finally decides to be done and move! Seriously annoying! A whole space designated FOR them just to stop off and STILL they REFUSE to use it and make everyone else's life difficult!

After somehow making my way out of and around that situation I then find myself behind another two taxis. An extra lane opens out on the left. I need to get onto that lane for where I need to go, and I need to do it quick before there are too many cars on that lane and traffic gets hectically intense. But these two taxis decide to cruise. Huge gaps in front of them, but they're not even crawling! And so I miss my chance to get onto the left lane!

If the common driver were to do these things around a taxi driver you can bet on it that the taxi driver is gonna be sitting on his hooter, swearing you, and might even get out to swear you and wouldn't think twice about knocking your car. But we've got to just shut our mouths and take all their nonsense! Extremely frustrating! And something everyone knows, a dozen traffic cops will be sitting around waiting to catch you and give you a speeding ticket for going 61 in a 60 zone at every corner, but you'll never find one around when a taxi is awol.

So that's pretty much why I'm in such a mood about taxi drivers. Just put me in such a bad mood before I even got to work.

Making the title of this post seem less pointless

BUT, to tie this in with the title of this post (seen as all I've done up until this point is rant and rave and not mention anything related to the post title)... I previously wrote a post "Diary of a Learner Driver" and basically listed a bunch of things that should be gotten rid of in order to make driving life easier. Taxi drivers/taxis were first on that list and I said that they should simply be banned. I'm obviously going to stick to that view. Out of everything on that list, taxi drivers have got to be the most hazardous.

Learner drivers are bad. I know. I'm bad. Not as bad as I used to be, so I now understand more why people hate learner drivers so much. We can be a bit much to deal with. Stalling anywhere and everywhere without warning. Taking FOREVER to take off. Rolling. Cruising on an incline thus making my poor car with its little engine suffer. Keeping to speed limits. Parking poorly. And the list probably goes on (and on). However, no one can say that none of the above does not still happen to them on the rare occasion, even the most experienced of drivers I'm sure. And learner drivers do come with a warning. Also, you were all learner drivers at some stage so you can give us guys a little lee way and be understanding to our situation, unless of course the learner driver is being a COMPLETE idiot, like busy looking at and talking to the passenger on the left instead of focusing on the road (happened to me, stuck behind a tool of a learner driver). If you're learning how to drive, then pay attention and learn! But, yeah, other than that, learner drivers aren't completely bad... right?

On the whole

Learner drivers may be seriously annoying and frustrating, and maybe also a little dangerous on roads, but they are nowhere near as dangerous as taxi drivers. Taxi drivers are also rather obnoxious, and selfish, thinking they own the road and are entitled to do as they please. And, I don't know the stats, but I'd definitely say that more accidents are caused due to taxi drivers/taxis than learner drivers. 

I cannot wait for the day when taxis (the kombies) are done away. A taxi free world... Ah *sigh* (looks off into the distance).