Sir, - Two weeks ago I booked a taxi to take a three-mile journey at 8.30 in the morning. At the fourth attempt, on the evening before my journey, I found a firm with a car available and made a booking.
I called the company again at 8.00 in the morning to confirm that there were no problems. After some difficulty I eventually spoke to a controller who told me that the lady who took the booking the previous night should not have done so, as there were no cars available!
I began to protest that the situation was now urgent, only to be called a "c***" and have the phone dropped to the desk, with the man in question refusing to speak to me any further.
Before writing this letter, I relayed my story to some friends and colleagues only to find that there was little surprise at my treatment: most of them had a similar story to a greater or lesser degree.
The taxi-drivers of this country will find it difficult to garner support for their already ludicrous arguments while they treat their customers in this way.
Any politician or party that will deal with this disgraceful situation once and for all will get my vote. - Yours, etc.,
Alan Glasgow, Blackrock, Co Dublin.
