Slow Moving Cabs Make Me Crazy

Do you know why this is there? Prominently displayed in every cab in Perth?

It is so that reasonably sane people like myself when sitting in a cab that is going no where fast can look at their hands, then at their watches/clock on cell phone (or both because sometimes they are different), then back at their hands then at the cab drivers neck then back at the sign again and decide to forgo launching your body over the front seat to wrap your hands around his neck and shake him and say "GET A PAIR AND STOP DRIVING LIKE A LITTLE OLD LADY!!" More specifically a little old lady in a large Oldsmobile or Cadillac, only the blue tinges of her hair showing on the Sunday afternoon after a rather filling lunch with the children and grandchildren. Because as anyone who has ever witnessed a little old lady tearing down the highway can attest those ladies when it suits them can move and you better get out of the way because they cannot see you.

Of all the places I have lived so far Perth (Melbourne a little bit) is the one place where taking the bus or train (and walking to and from) is faster and less emotionally stressful (i.e. cheaper mentally) than taking a cab. It is mind boggling, mind boggling to me how a 20min bus ride becomes a 20-30 mins cab ride and it is not that the bus has a special lane. The cab drivers lack creativity, initiative, street smarts and just follow the rest of traffic like sheep and oh they ask you repeatedly for directions.

They do not honk their horns, they do not cut people off, they do not go over the speed limit, they do not even go the speed limit, they do not use side streets/back streets, they exhibit no sense of urgency - its like out for a Sunday afternoon drive through the gentle countryside.

I am rapidly becoming the most road ragey passenger ever! I said to a cabbie the other day "Do you plan to stay behind this car all day, don't you have a high way, a free way, a side street or something you can get on?" He muttered something, I said "What?" he muttered something I said "What?" again he muttered something again. I sighed and gave a good long island girl struups, closed my eyes and tried to pray for a better attitude.

I loved it when I would get in a cab give my destination and say I had to be there in 10mins and made it in 5, now I give my destination, explain how to get there, say I have to be there in 10mins and get there in 25 how thrilling!!!

So I have decided it is time to learn to drive and buy a car.