This list is f*cking gold. Thanks lotusmodern.

graving dock

Took a couple of deep sea researchers from Spinnaker's back to their vessel at the Esquimalt graving dock, and took a second to snap this picture:




That derrick is for drilling geological core samples in places like Antarctica and pretty much everywhere else. They told me that their research is mostly focused on collecting historical records of climate change that could be used to predict future climate change events.

-- Post From Taxi

not my cab (thank god)

Witnessed an accident. Everybody's ok, but car 2 looks to be out of comission. The white car turned left right into the path of the taxi.

-- Post From Taxi

Lunch for one:

I’ve had a gift certificate to this upscale seafood restaurant for, like three years. I love to go out, but would never be so chintzy as to take someone out and use a gift certificate, so I’ve gone on my own. These are the famous Fanny Bay oysters and some other Vancouver Island varieties, and they’re delicious. Up next: crab cakes!

Mmmmm..! Feel so decadent. Nautical Nellies gets a big thumbs up. I’ll be back with a date and a small stack of crisp twenties. Frequent this joint y’all!

Also blogged at noahshark.tumblr.com.

-- Post From Lunch

fare from Sally Ann

"In every war movie and every cop show I've ever seen in my whole life, the last thing a guy does is take a drag on his cigarette, and that's how I'm gonna go. It may be bad for me, even killing me, but not as fast as listening to people whine about where you can and can't smoke!"

-- Post From Taxi

back at it

Back in the cab after about a month off. It feels good to be back on the road, out here in the dark, working to keep silly, pretty, drunken people out of trouble, using my powers for the good of the city at large.

Some highlights from the night so far:
- being flirted with by girls heading out to the bar: always an ego boost.
- cranking zz top and rush to 50 on the stereo for some chill bros. the sytem in this cab has an amp and fuckin bumps. I gotta listen to my music that loud more often.
- spotting a pretty girl drunkenly flailing on Broad St and coming to her aid. she mighta sorta fallen in love with me: I had to brush off a serious proposition, which made me feel good and wholesome. trouble would certainly have found this girl if I hadn't come along. I'm always happy to help get lonely, drunken people home safely.

-- Post From Taxi

THE LAST TWO DAYS:

- Speed/Crack Dealer and Girlfriend.

4:30PM Approached the pickup at Mayfair Mall to find the crack dealer arguing with another cabbie, bags from Foot Locker swaying as he gesticulated. Other cabbie came over and said "don't take these people, they spit in my cab." Crack dealer and girlfriend entered my taxi. He was wearing a brand new Ghetto Life bomber and two new ball caps, carrying six new pairs of shoes. She had tattoos on her face and was tossing hundreds around like they were paper. They explained that they spit on the other cabbie's steering wheel because he drove by them without stopping. They were confused.

We endured the Wendy's drive through. They both bought ridiculous meals with stupid, specific omissions and substitutions, accompanied by ice cream milkshakes. Upon receipt of the meals, the male began consuming the milkshake with his index finger, pausing to smear some on his girlfriend's face. This taxi driver was nearly overcome with revulsion.

They received change for their hundred and Wendy's, and tipped badly once at their destination.

- Late night John and Trick

3:30AM My first John. "Drive down Government Street," he said, "I want to find a broad." We took a tour of the prostitution areas. There were no prostitutes on the streets. We made a second pass. We drove uptown, then back down all of Pandora below Cook street, finally spotting a female prostitute at the corner of Government and Discovery. There we also saw what appeared to be a pimp, and a hot trans-sexual prostitute. The female prostitute entered the taxi.

A negotiation ensued between the John and the prostitute. Prices were settled upon. We stopped at 7-11 for a pop for the prostitute. We continued to the destination. "Another crazy night," she said. A parting shot: "you're good looking."

- Cheap Hippie

Two males entered the taxi in downtown at 2:35am, bound for Esquimalt. At the destination, one male attempted to pay by Interac. 'Transmission Error.' He attempted to leave the cab. I began moving to keep him from exiting. A heated conversation ensued:

Him: "It's not MY fault your machine isn't working."

Me: "I'll give you a free ride to the bank machine and back. If you leave without paying, I'll have to call the cops."

Him: "It's not my FAULT..."

The customer exited the taxi. Police were called. The customer ran drunkenly down the block as I followed. He tried to hide in a driveway. The 911 operator advised me not to start an altercation, as "people are carrying weapons these days." The customer hid behind a fence.

Police soon arrived. They could not locate the suspect.

"He's booked it," said the portly male officer.

- Fun After Party

3:00AM Some friends threw a late night party at the 50/50. I dropped off my taxi and proceeded to the location. It was fun. I drank a beer and unwound after trying to get that guy arrested not a half-hour earlier.

This guy is an artist, and was at the party:

via lotusmodern

"Vancouver Island: Live the Pipe Dream"

...cuz you won't find many barrels like that here!

Fairmont Vancouver Airport

Last Sunday morning.

dumbass

MP Sgt. Seymour (left) questions a customer too drunk to produce money, or his military ID to get into CFB Esquimalt:


At the sentry gate the customer kept intermittently passing out and trying to show everyone his iPhone. After a few minutes of hilarious dialogue Sgt. Seymour convinced him to pay the fare. Thanks Sgt. Seymour.

-- Post From Taxi

tercel

My personal ride is a four door version of this:




I clearly need rims, tint and shine. And possibly a suspension mod: those gaps look nice and tight.

-- Post From Taxi

streetscapes

New lanterns in my neighborhood.



Lower Pandora sunset.



Hillside and North Dairy

cabbie lunch

-- Post From Home

takedown!

Outside Darcy's Pub last Sunday night.

-- Post From Taxi

Strombo

"Massive Attack, Mezzanine, my favorite record for intimacy." - George Strombo

thanks for sharing George...


-- Post From Taxi

death machine

Ducati 650(?) single.


-- Post From Chinatown

cabbie dinner

9:45PM

-- Post From Taxi

2:00AM

As I came down Bear Mountain I saw a bedraggled cowboy standing in a ditch across the road. He was waving his hat at me frantically.
"WHAT TIME IS IT AND DO YOU TAKE DEBIT?" he hollered.. "2:03AM, AND YES!" I hollered back. I pulled the cab around and lowered the window.
"Where ya heading?" I asked. "Up to Table Mountain road to get my horse!" That was clearly a long way up in the Highlands: pitch dark rural hill country and directly away from where I wanted to be in downtown Victoria.

He was standing in the ditch and quickly washed his face in it before putting his hat back on.
"I jest came all the way from Duncan to get my horse. Shit where's my debit card? Dang it!..."
He rooted through his wallet becoming more agitated. He had no money, no cards.
"I'm from the Coopers, we've been racing here fer fourty years!" He jestured over his shoulder towards Western Speedway.
"Take a chance on me, ah got money in the house!"
"That's the wrong way for me pal, all my business is downtown."

He stuffed a colander into the green garbage bag he had with him.
"Ah jest came from the hospital! These are mah things from the hospital!" He began to move away in the direction of Table Mountain.
"You better get outta here before ah get mad," he said. "Goddamn three hour walk woulda been a thirty-five minute drive..." He continued to mutter to himself ambled off into the Langford night. I pulled away, bemused.


-- Post From Taxi

11:40PM, outside Plan B nightclub

Guy: "Do you know when the last ferry is?"
Me: "Yep."
Guy: "...so when is it?"
Me: "You missed it by about two and a half hours."
Guy: [ponders situation]..."Guess I'll just walk home."


-- Post From Taxi

Just spent an hour arguing about the future of Somalia, Somalia-land and Ethiopia with the African taxi men.
All you need to do to take a trip around the world is go to the airport... and chill with the cabbies.


-- Post From Taxi

cabbie's late night snack

4:35am

-- Post From Home

street fight

A Strathcona bouncer kneels on a man's head and neck, while in the background other bouncers injure another man about the head.

This fight spilled into the street directly in front of my taxi, near the intersection of Courtney and Douglas at around 10:45pm.

My passengers at the time were from the Law Society and had just attended a black tie gala at Government House.

"This is not appropriate, Ralston." said one.
"I have no reason to believe it isn't," said another.

-- Post From Taxi