Monday, February 28, 2011

Book A Cab!

On Mondays I take my disabled student to a local Special School for a bit of socialising. The kids are mostly autistic, and they are really friendly to him.

My student's mother needed the adapted car today, so she dropped us off, and gave us the number of a cab company to bring us home. You need a black cab to take a wheelchair.

When we arrived just after 10.30 the carer duly ordered a cab by phone for midday.

We went to a great Music lesson, in which they learned to play the James Bond theme.

When we were ready to leave, there was no cab, so the carer called the company, who couldn't seem to trace the booking; then they had tried to find a cab, but couldn't locate one in the area. (Tip to liars - find a lie that works then stick with it.)

We tried another cab company, but though they made a valiant effort, 45 minutes after we were supposed to leave, we were still stuck, in the foyer, which was getting colder and colder as kids came and went during their lunch break.

Thank goodness there are some decent people left in the world. The Head gave us permission to use the school's adapted minibus if we could find a driver. The schoolkeeper duly obliged. Finally we made it home, an hour late.

So much for disabled rights. These cab companies should be fined for their treatment of this innocent boy. The schoolkeeper deserves a medal.

Three cheers for the good guys!

6 comments:

  1. Anonymous7:49 pm

    Some friends of my parents had booked a cab to take them to the airport for an early flight. It was pre-booked, and pre-paid....and it didn't show up when it should have.

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  2. Time to write a letter of complaint to the cab co. AND the local paper.....

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  3. I don't think you can trust anyone anymore...

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  4. This is where it's handy having a neighbour who drives a taxi...

    There are a couple of cab companies in Oxford that can take a powered wheelchair..but getting one can be like getting hold of gold dust :(

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  5. Anonymous3:57 pm

    You seem to have these uncanny and unfortunate experiences with anything involving a service.

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  6. I don't think it's just me, Nantz. No one wants to do a fair job for fair payment any more.

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