20 Taxi Rides That Turned Out to Be Wild and Wacky Roller Coaster

It seems simple: tap a button on your phone, order a taxi, and you’re off. However, it’s often more complicated than that. Occasionally, you encounter drivers who leave you rattled for weeks. Likewise, taxi drivers have plenty of stories about their passengers as well.

• I was late and called a taxi. I climb into the car, and the air conditioner is on full blast in the cabin, it’s literally freezing. The driver himself had a hat and a down jacket on. I say, “Could you turn off the air conditioner? I’m freezing here.”
  And he replies, “It’s my first time driving this rented car. I got it this morning, and the air conditioner had already been on. I don’t know how to turn it off, and the owner of the car doesn’t pick up the phone, so I’ve been driving like this for 3 hours and freezing myself.”
  I put on my hat and gloves and buttoned my coat. We drove in silence for the rest of the journey. I got out, and the guy went on freezing. © Ward 6 / VK
• A very old car arrived to get me to my destination. So, we’re driving, and about halfway down the way, the driver gets nervous. He started shaking his leg, like on gym equipment. Suddenly, he said, “We can’t go. I think the brakes have failed.” And it’s late, we’re in the middle of nowhere, my phone’s dying. I asked in despair, “So, we can’t make it?” And the driver replied, “We can. I’m just worried about you. But we can make it.” Eventually, we got home. Slowly, in low gear. I didn’t complain. The man did his best. And there were no taxi apps at that time to complain to. © Tri-Anon / ADME
• I was sitting in the back, all windows closed, and wondering why I heard a noise as if the window was open. Then I looked down and between my feet, there was a hole in the floor! I could see the road! © ****st1cK1 / Reddit
• We booked a “comfort” taxi at the airport because there were 4 of us plus baggage. And a small car arrived. We squeezed in and started to ask the driver what the difference between “comfort” and “economy” was. And he said, “When I drive, I’m never rude to my passengers. That’s comfortable.” © Fox l / ADME

• I’m taking an order, the notes say “a small dog.” I arrive, there are actually 2 dogs. The owner looks at me pleadingly, “Please take us. No one wants to take us. My dogs are obedient, clean.”
  I say, “Okay, get in. But if something goes wrong, we’ll look into it when we arrive.” She’s like, “Of course, everything will be fine. If there are any problems, I will compensate for everything.” On the way, one of the dogs starts running around on the back seat, on the floor, on its owner. I didn’t pay much attention, just asked the woman to calm it down.
  We arrive, she pays me, and gets out. And I see that the interior is completely covered in fur. Everything: the seat, the backrest, the floor. I come out and say, “Lady, look, my car is covered in your dog’s hair, please pay for the vacuum cleaning, and I’ll go.” She just scolded me and that was it. © Kedbldeda / Pikabu
• Yesterday I got a taxi driver who was too talkative. Talked non-stop all the way. I was happy to get out of the car. And here I am at home, eating, and suddenly hear a phone call.
  I pick up the phone and there’s a man’s voice saying hello. It was that taxi driver! And he shamelessly says, “I haven’t told you the most interesting part of the story, listen...” I was stunned. © Ward 6 / VK
• I asked the taxi driver if he knew how to get to the address I needed. He got very offended and said, “Sweetheart, I’ve been in the taxi business longer than you are old.” He fixed his tie and turned away upset. © DJ Eva Fiesta / Twitter
• I called a taxi. We’re on the way, but the driver weirdly looks at me. Suddenly he starts asking about my family, my dad’s job, and my brother. And I start to feel uncomfortable. I think, “That’s it.”
  But as soon as we pull up, he asks me abruptly if I recognize him. Obviously, I don’t. He starts laughing and says he’s our neighbor from the first floor. © Ward 6 / VK

• So last night, I got to a pickup and there was this lady there with 2 little kids. She opens the door and the kids start getting into the car. She then in broken English asks me if I can take just the kids. I tell her that she needs to come or another adult.
  She goes to get her boyfriend, who starts grilling me on why I wouldn’t take them. He says they have done this over 40 times. I convince them to make it a round trip and ride with their kids.
  I wanted to cancel, but the kids weren’t moving, and the boyfriend seemed hostile. They do the trip and rate me 2 stars. © grainsofglass / Reddit
• I argued with a taxi driver because I gave him more money than I should have. He said, “Take your change.” I replied, “It’s fine, keep it.” He said, “Lady, just because I work in a taxi doesn’t mean I need your charity.” © NASSA*** / Twitter
• I took an order in the morning, it was a passenger traveling to a large shopping mall. About half a mile from the point of destination, the passenger says, “Drop me off here, I’ll take a walk, and you won’t have to go round the parking lot.” Later I noticed that there is less money on the balance than there should be.
  I called support, and it turned out that the passenger complained that she was not dropped off at her destination and had to walk around the whole shopping mall with a sore leg! I explained the situation, and they sympathized with me, but they couldn’t help me, because I finished the order before I reached the final destination. Of course, I never got the money.
  Now, if a passenger wants to get off earlier and pays with a card, I always ask to change the endpoint. Or I drop them off where they ask, but complete the order only where I am supposed to. © Stranger235 / Pikabu
• I got in the taxi I ordered from the train station to my house, and there was a small carnival we drove past. The driver started talking about how they were shutting the carnival down as two 7-year-olds had been kidnapped the day before, and the police had no leads. I got home and looked into it. None of this actually happened. © BSGBramley / Reddit

• I pull up, there are 2 passengers. They open the right rear door and both get in through this door. There are 2 back doors in the car! Why climbing in through one and jumping around the car
  Sometimes even 3 people get in through the same door. Where’s the logic in that? Like there’s only one way in and out of the apartment, so you have to get in through the same door in a taxi? I recently saw a sticker on a taxi, “Seating on both sides.” © LekseyKRD / Pikabu
• My grandfather drove a taxi for a little while in the 1950’s. He does an overnight shift and picks a woman up with a guy my grandfather thought was her husband, and drives them to her house. The next morning, Sunday, he picks the same woman up at her house with a different guy. They were on their way to church. He got a good tip on that one. © Unknown author / Reddit
• I often have to call a taxi. It’s very annoying that many incompetent drivers are working there! I specify the destination point of the route, and they arrive at a completely different place, call me, and say something like, “Cross the road, I’m waiting for you.”
  One driver didn’t want to get to the destination which was a quarter mile away and said, “You can walk, it’s not far.” Do I call a taxi to walk? Why do you get this job if you can’t do what you’re supposed to do? Annoying. © Overheard / VK
• I called a taxi from home to work. According to the GPS, the taxi was waiting at the specified spot. I get to the spot, but no one is there. I wrote to him and called him, but he didn’t answer, and the paid waiting has already started.
  I look at my phone, and he’s already left and turned on “on the way.” I took screenshots, wrote to the support, and called another car. On the second try, everything was fine. And the first driver canceled the order when I got to work. At least, they didn’t charge me for that ride. © Natalia / ADME

• A guy in a broken-down Mercedes. He just loved his honk. He honked for every single person he saw, even if they were going the other way. He also honked for the cars, trees, and road signs. And I couldn’t understand anything he said.
  In the end, before reaching my destination, he saw a lady on the other side of the road, so he broke hard and honked, which caused 2 cars to crash into him. © Unknown author / Reddit
• I got in a taxi and started chatting with the driver. It was the first anniversary of his son’s death, and he didn’t have anyone to talk to here. He was a single dad and an immigrant, and the whole conversation was just heartbreaking. I took his number, and we chatted a bit after. © adorawhore / Reddit
• I had an Uber driver who didn’t stop talking and wouldn’t let me get a word in for 15 minutes. And then he started singing the Carter album, word of mouth style, with no rhythm, just saying the lines. Very awkward ride. © pdx_1 / Reddit
• Once I got a taxi after a party, and a woman was driving. We approached my house, and it’s located near the woods. The pavement ends, and a couple of hundred yards are a dirt road. It was late at night, and the neighborhood was not illuminated and looked quite creepy.
  The woman looked frightened and said, “I’m not going there!” It was funny, but I stepped into her shoes and walked. © akadam / ADME

Just like taking a taxi, shopping can turn into a memorable adventure, filled with both good and bad experiences. Check out these stories from 15 people who transformed a routine trip to the store into an unforgettable escapade.