We asked taxi drivers across Leeds about their most memorable experience with a drunk passenger. Here are their stories.
City swap
“I got an order from a customer who wanted to go to Manchester after a night out (we were in Leeds). I thought it was strange so I asked him if he’d got it wrong but he said no and told me to take him there, so I did. Halfway there the guy shouted at me to turn around. He’d got so drunk that he’d forgotten he was staying with his mate in Leeds rather than his house in Manchester. There was a surge that night so it cost him £140. He was not happy.”
A s**tty surprise
“This girl got into the back of my car, slurring down the phone to her friend. As soon as she sat down I noticed a disgusting smell so wound all four windows down, trying to work out where it was coming from. It turns out she had got so wasted that she’d s**t herself and what’s even worse…she was in white jeans.”
An unexpected road trip
“I once picked up a guy at 4am from Leeds City Centre. It was obvious he was drunk but he was really chatty and started asking me lots of questions about my life. We were still talking when we reached his destination but instead of getting out, he extended his ride, saying I was a safe guy and he wanted to be my mate and just drive around for a bit. I was fine with this as it put his ride up from £4 to £33 – but I’m sure he wasn’t too pleased the next day when he realised how much he’d spent!”
A handbag to hold
“I picked up this couple once – you could tell they’d had a few but seemed okay until the guy threw up all over himself and his girlfriend’s handbag he was carrying. This resulted in a huge argument between the two of them over the fine and I had to ask them to get out.”
Black out
“I once had to carry a girl up to her flat after she passed out in my car. She put herself in a very dangerous situation and it’s a good job I’m a nice guy or it could have ended very badly.”
Will you pace yourself to help you get home safe next time you’re on a night out?