THE SECRET GLASGOW TAXI DRIVER Kind gestures put a smile on faces of drivers

TALES FROM THE RANK: WHAT REALLY GOES ON INSIDE THOSE BLACK CABS

IT’S amazing how one small gesture can make such a difference to your mood and mindset. Regular readers of this column, in fact both of them (hi ma and da!), will know I like to use this platform to spread as much joy as I can, as do my fellow drivers. Nothing beats the feeling of putting a smile on a customer’s face whether that’s through a good old blether, a timely joke or just saying something that makes their day.

But, when it happens the other way around, and someone surprises you with an unexpected gesture … it really is quite something.

Recently life on the rank has been tough, it won’t shock anyone to hear that. So when me and a few drivers were surprised with a wee gift last Friday it really did help put a smile back on our faces at what is a challenging time for us all, as I’m sure it is for you too.

Unfortunately, advertising regulations mean I can’t explicitly name the famous Scottish soft drinks brand which handed a generous helping of their newest products over to drivers of the biggest taxi company in the country (that’s Glasgow Taxis, by the way, I can at least name us!).

Everyone knows these things are cracked down on – and I quite enjoy writing this column every week, so I’m not going to do anything to upset the editor.

Needless to say the, ahem, orangey canned fizzy goods were accepted with happy faces and a few were devoured immediately, us taxi drivers don’t hang about you know.

Each time we are the beneficiaries of such a gesture we remember it for a long time – so those behind this handout are safely in the good guy category for years to come.

Right enough, again without naming names, I can remember so many businesses, brands and brilliant people (including the Glasgow Times) which have left their mark on Glasgow taxi drivers in a similar way over the years – it just goes to show you, you can’t put a price on being nice.

Guys and girls – that’s as much as I can say without folding and naming the good guys on this occasion … and in the unlikely event you still haven’t got it there’s a code in this article to be cracked.

You stay safe, folks.