It has all gone mad!!!

I like hiding in a corner...that is me.

Today (and yesterday) something has gone seriously wrong!!! I got so furious with the ineptitude of the powers that be that I started arranging a protest. I have talked to loads of people (where I normally hide away in my car), I have even talked to the press.

Penrith, for those that are not familiar, has a very limited road system running through it, it is not the sort of place there are any alternative routes if there are any problems. So the powers that be have allowed road closures... not just one (for 36 weeks), but we now have road closures on the alternative route. The diversion that they have chosen is already a busy route and already has road works on it (as well as being a great number of miles)

I am (for my sins) a taxi driver. In order to carry out my job I now have to charge customers about £8/£9 for their journey that should be £2.30, I have to sit them in a traffic jam for half an hour (and I'm afraid I am not exaggerating) instead of taking them for the 3 minute journey that they requested, I am now having to tell my customers to walk for most of the journey they are wanting a taxi for so that I don't have to charge them vast amounts....last night I even started to ask a customer (who is about 75 years old) to walk in the pouring rain two thirds of the way to where she wanted to go in order to save her a few pounds of her precious pension money. HOLD ON... there is something wrong here... I can't do this.

If someone put their brain in gear we shouldn't have this ludicrous situation in the first place.

So I decided to do something... I know it won't help this time, but maybe the people giving permission for road closures might think next time, maybe they might inform people or maybe they might request that alternative routes are available for use before saying "yes close off wherever you like".

I have done so many scary things in the last couple of days, and have so many scary things to go that all I want to do now is hide away.


Now I need to apologise to everyone on blip for my ranting...SORRY

Anyway, anyone in Penrith who fancies joining us, we will be outside the Town Hall at 4.30 on Tuesday 28th June. See our local happenings guide for more info.