Thursday 5 April 2012

An act of kindness (by a taxi driver)

Although not particularly related to being an MEP, I feel compelled to report on an act of kindness I experienced yesterday.

Yesterday evening I went running with my (soon to be ex) running club London Heathside. During my run, I managed to trip over a tree root (the club run was on Hampstead Heath, a park that is more like a swathe of countryside), and twist my ankle. Unfortunately, neither I nor the other runner I was with had any money or an Oyster card (public transport ticket for London). I therefore got out of the Heath and on to the road and started to walk (hobble) back to the recreation club (a couple of miles away).

Walking with a just sprained ankle is not very comfortable, so I hailed the first empty black cab I saw, explained my situation i.e. that I had hurt myself running, had no money, but that my wallet was in a locker in the recreation club I wanted him to take me to, and that if he would take me there, I would leave my i-pod with him while I went inside to fetch my wallet to pay him.

If I was lying then I'd gone to a lot of trouble (being dressed in mud-smeared running gear and limping), but nonetheless, I wasn't sure if I presented as desirable customer. Anyhow, the kind cab driver agreed to take me back to the club (a little over 5 minutes in a taxi) whereupon arrival he said that I didn't need to pay him. I persisted saying that it was no problem for me to pop (hobble?) inside and get my wallet, but he insisted on waiving the fare. 

Kind London cabbie (cab no 13950 if I recall correctly) is my hero of the month!




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