Hi I am Mike Maddock
I have been
a taxi driver in the City of Bristol since 1968. After so many years of
night life my skin took on that gray look of a person who never sees the light
of day. When two of my teeth started growing long and pointed I feared I might
be changing into a vampire, so I started doing more days.
When I started driving
a taxi in Bristol you had to start by driving for someone who held a taxi proprietors
license. You did this for about ten years. During my thirty plus
years as a cab driver I have been involved in one way or another with the trade
representative bodies, I have sat on many committees and attended many council
meetings. But last year I suddenly came to my senses and realized that I had
wasted thirty years of my time in discussions with a council that would not
listen. It only took thirty years, am I slow or what. Over the next eight years
I and many of my colleagues will be priced out of the trade by the council and
the government. It is now a condition that when I or my colleagues change our
vehicle, we must purchase a wheelchair accessible vehicle as a replacement.
This will be a national condition by 2012. My interests are computers
(obviously) , woodwork and walking. I used to do a lot of walking but it is
more and more difficult to fit all my interests in to the time I have. Last
year I built myself a workshop ( shed ) and built a few projects and made a
lot of sawdust. I used to get my inspiration from a program called New Yanky
Workshop. The guy on this program had all the toys, sorry, tools.
I'm not sure what I will
do when forced out of the trade, after thirty years, what can I do ?. I hope
you like the site, if there is anything I can help you with or if you have any
information for me then please let me know.
During that time I have had some good times, some not so good, some exciting and
some frightening. But never boring.
For the first ten or so years of my taxi life I did all nights. I saw things my
mother didn't tell me about. The comradeship that existed between the drivers
of that time was great.
We would cover each others backs, not only in the dangerous situations but in
the fun times, when we were places we should not have been.
After this time if you had been a good boy, you were considered for you own
proprietors license. This was a very proud day.
Your own license to beg. You could now go to the bank and get a millstone placed
around your neck.
The first cars I drove for other people were Austin 1800, Morris Oxford, Austin
Cambridge, Vauxhall Victor, Ford Zephyr and the Opal Record. My favorite would
be the Oxfords and the Cambridge. I'm not sure if it would be because of the
car or the times I had in them.
The first cab I owned was a Austin Maxi, then a series of Ford Granadas , Vauxhall
Cavalier, Montego Efi and my present Citroen Xantia TD . My favorite would be
the Montege 2.0Efi. This was a good sturdy reliable car, a drivers car.
This web site is the place that I and my fellow drivers can vent our frustrations.
In the past to be a cab driver in Bristol was something to be proud of , something
to be attained, to be earned. Now any Tom ,Dick or Harriot can get a license.
Unfortunately these vehicles are very expensive when new or are not value for
money second hand.
In my opinion the Disability Discrimination Act is a poor piece of legislation
that discriminates against the elderly and others who find these vehicles difficult
to use.
(Stop me before I ramble on for ever ).
All the best
Mike