Tampa Taxi Shots

I had no problem walking into Governor Scott's office and asking if he was in. His very nice Secretary told me he was not but she did listened to what I had to say. I could not believe that the state government continues to allow an illegal transportation company with no insurance operates in Florida. Does that mean I don't have to follow the law? Just start any business you want and don't worry about getting a license. He'll, why worry about getting college degrees? NOBODY seems to care but they do want to ruin my life. I did find a portrait of former governor Jeb Bush on the wall of the Governor's office. He's a progressive guy that might be open to controls on rideshare. Marco Rubio believes in total unregulated capitalism. A gathering Another United Cab driver made. We needed a lot more. We needed to make sone real noise. posted from Bloggeroid

Many people leaving Tampa airport need to go know north. The Veterans toll road is the only way to go. That is if you have a Sunpass. Forget about the pay on the tag deal. My company charges a handling fee of fifty bucks. Then, a hundred for each one after that. That is why I broke down and got it. posted from Bloggeroid

Uber continues to operate in Florida illegally and without liability insurance. Consumers are in danger. I saw for myself the other day that a Republican controlled house and senate are under Uber control. No courage in this body. They are led by a criminal governor who paid millions in fines when he was indicted and took the fifth more than Jimmy Hoffa. posted from Bloggeroid

The press conference had just broke up and I was going to enjoy some of the street entertainment that was going on. At this point a reporter from WFSU came up to me and said "Hi Tim.n Glad to see you in Tallahassee." I told him I had little to ad and how did he know me. It turns out he has been a subscriber to my YouTube channel and loves my stuff. Now, how cool is that. posted from Bloggeroid

Louie Minardi, the owner of Yellow Cab of Tampa, was there with the head of the Hillsborough limo owners, to make their voices heard. This blight called Uber, are operating illegally in most of the world. They are killing jobs and need to be stopped. I was there as a blogger and a cab driver to lend my support. Uber is just wrong. They are not the Borg. Resistance is not futile.

It was Transportation Day in the state capital today. Many of the owners of Tampa Bay area cab companies were present. Louie Minardi of Yellow Cab and the head of the Hillsborough County Limo association held a press conference before the event started. The lady that owns Bats Taxi was also here. They spoke well but did not take it far enough. here are all the cab company owners. What I learned today is Uber will never comply with the stupid Florida legislature. It is not their business model. Show me where they have complied anywhere on Earth. It was sad that these owners were not demanding the outlaw Uber be shut down by aggressive law enforcement. You would have to be brain dead to think Uber will do anything other than what they are doing. Me on the capital steps. I am very tired but will have a lot to say about this crooked legislature. I went into Governor Scott's office. He was not much help. He thinks it all part of the free markets. posted from Bloggero...

I will address the Florida Senate tomorrow on two transportation bills that affect Uber and Lyft. The session is Wednesday and I was invited to be there. St. Petersburg senator William Brandes (R) has introduced a bill that would only expand the scope and size of government. It will take regulatory control out of the hands of local municipalities, and give it to the state. This is an end run attempt to expand ride share in Florida. Amazing that a republican would endorse this. The second bill requires Uber to maintain one million dollars in liability insurance for its drivers when their apps are on. This is a burden taxi companies have always maintained when the lower tech meter and radio were on. Uber cannot have it both ways. One thing is certain, when I'm done, the legislature will be crystal clear on why Uber is a bad deal for Florida. I can't wait to field some questions. posted from Bloggeroid

Old cell phone image From May 5, 2007 - original Tampa Taxi Shots Blog PAUL AND TIM I went over to Paul's house today. It is Cinco De Mayo and I had an idea that he would be drinking beer and of course the fridge was full of Corona and other types of beer. Paul has been a long time friend of mine and also knew Julianne Lea for many years. If you read this blog you may remember a character called "Paul The Drunk Guy." I made it sound like I did not know this guy, but the truth is he has been my best friend for many years. He is a retired Air Force NCO and very active in conservative politics. Terry came by and she was very consuling as well. She is kind of like his right hand girl. She does many things for him and he is lucky to have a friend like her. It WAs good to see him, I have not seen him since Julianne died. I have not really been the most pleasant person to be around but I am getting better and things seem to be getting on track. Paul knows what loss i...

A former dispatcher from United Cab of Tampa Robert Bash has been trying to break into comedy for the last couple of years. Bash is from Pakistan (not really known for belly laugh humor) and goofs on his own culture and what it was like to be a cab driver in Tampa Florida. He used to have a routine with another driver, who went by the name "Mighty Whitey." Good luck to anyone trying to better themselves and get out of a very depressed part of the country and try to make a real living.

Tammy Tammy passed away. I knew Tammy for twenty years. We used to go camping together, an activity she loved. She was a long time cab driver who was looking forward to retirement and spending time with the grandchildren. She never made it. Lung cancer caught up with her. Chain smoking is an affliction that many hacks deal with. Long hours, idle time, boredom, are factors.That is a terrible shame. This unhealthy profession has claimed a lot of good folks. I went to the time machine and tried to pull images off of it of cab drivers I have taken over the years. If they are not on the machine, they will be on a disc somewhere at home. The only picture of Tammy I could find was small. I have others at home. These are many cab drivers I have known over the years. About half of them are gone. Damn. That is why I am working on my health and exercising four days a week. I really don't want to end up like most cab drivers that never seem to make it to 60. The late fifties seem to be the...

www.tampataxishots.blogspot.com I want to make a few points. This blog uses a .net that is alright I guess but the .com is owned by a herbal HGH site. Second, the mobile function does not work on this blog. I just cannot get it to work. 53.9% of all my traffic come from mobile devices. I do want it to work correctly. I am also concerned that when the URL expires because I can't keep paying for it (I'm dead?) It will then revert to the URL www.tampataxi.blogspot.com. I guess Google will have a listing for it. The URL Tampa Taxi Shots for Blogger has now become available. I started a new blog that has it and the Mobile function works. I am not going to get a URL for it. The Blogger address should work just fine. This blog will contain all my photos and be an anthology of my work, and what I have accomplished. I have a ton of stuff to put up. There is still all the original Taxi blog stuff from Typepad. Please go to Tampa Taxi Shots and follow me there. This blog will st...

This is a photo of Larry from 1999 taken with a Kodak film camera. What was cool was I found the disk that came with the ot have them ten years from now. You won't even  have the phone. Unless you have saved them somehow, they are gone. What a treasure to find this old disc with many forgotten images.photos. That is one of the reasons I still people should shoot film. Those digital images you have on your phone today, will not be on your phone. You won't even have the damn phone.  To see more go to Tampa Taxi Shots

The neon graveyard Way off the strip is an area where few tourist ever go. Its a cemetery. An enterrement of Vegas's past, a place where old neon signs go when they die. Their useful expectancy extinguished not by age or function, but by form. Considered antiquated by modern marketing, here they lie, martyrs in Cupids wars (love, lust, and sin) They remain in a lot surrounded by a security fence with barbed wire. Relics shining in the hot Nevada sun like the fuselage of a wrecked bomber in the desert, who's occupants abandoned in search of rescue, only to be consumed by the elements and scavenging birds. In this case, it was the plaintiff scrum of normal people seeking a Caligula's playhouse. It is a testament to an era long gone. Crooners and class have given in to ass. Sex will always win. Even the sin sign could not last. Awesome view from each room at the Plaza The mob is no more as the corporations have taken over. There was a low rent charm to the old Vegas....

Where the Griswalds got married This is where I stayed when I lived in Las Vegas. A rather charming place with an awesome location. You can see the Stratosphere looming overhead. Vegas World was there when I called Fun City home. Cab drivers called it "Vagrants World" because it was in a seedy part of town. Not everything in Vegas is glitter. I had forgotten about this place until I saw the Chevy Chase movie "Vegas Vacation" and at the end they got remarried at the wedding chapel that is built into the motel.  At night, this part of the strip (it is on the world famous Vegas Strip) lights up like a Christmas tree. However, every place has a backside and Vegas is not immune. The back of the motel I stayed in room 222 I could not believe someone took a picture of it. I was glad to be upstairs for the view faced west. I could see Mr. Charleston in the distance, and with the dry climate, you got amazing sunsets with lots of color. But you always had to reme...

I take people to the airport this time of year to go skiing out west. I hear its fun. It can also go very badly.

Its spring training in Florida right now. You may have seen the post I did of the model from a distance last week. I found this on my phone today. I must have gotten closer and took this shot. It shows what was going on. The model is wearing a players Jersey. I can't make out the name on the back and the photographer is using a Nikon with a standard lense. Who he is shooting for is unknown. Maybe just images for his own portfolio. posted from Bloggeroid

We are busy right now. It is that time of year. There is also much change going on that does not help the drivers. The company raised our leases to $98 a day or $560 weekly. The bond was also raised to $1,500. This is why I am not in a good mental state right now. Oh, for the missing Uber driver in Tampa, that is what happens when you operate illegally. Bad things come your way. I hope the whole lot of them disappear. If Jimmy Hoffa were around, they would find Uber divers on the bottom of a pond. I can only hope that is where the missing driver is at. Rot in hell asshole. posted from Bloggeroid

Poor Richard. He had pretty much run his course as a long time cab driver. He was just trying to hold on through bad health until he could retire. That was not to be.  It's bad enough to get into a bad crash and lose your gig, then go home and see it all over FOX, CNN, MSNBC is just a kick in the nuts. Even Jim Rome and Steven Colbert were talking about the viral video of the composed newscaster that did not flinch when the accident happened. It turned out for the best for Richard. He is drawing his social security and does not miss the cab business in any way.

I have been here from the beginning and the Bucs have a horrible record with draft picks. Their quarterback picks never get a second contract and then move on and win Super Bowls with other teams. Doug Williams went on to win a Super Bowl with the Redskins. Vinny Testaverde was a pro bowler with two different teams. Steve Young won a Super Bowl and went to the Hall of Fame. Trent Dilfer won a Super Bowl with the Ravens. Josh Freeman had a promising start in Tampa but faded fast. Do you see a pattern here? If the Buccaneers are to return to greatness, it all starts with this pick. All indications are they will take Jameis Winston over Marcuis Mariota. If this works, Lovie Smith will be here for a long time. If not? Its just the Bucs. Sad. Very sad posted from Bloggeroid

With one last dog in a car photo, this blog is moving to the superior TypePad format at TampaTaxiDriver - check it out. posted from Bloggeroid

I had a call this morning at 3:00 am at the City Side lounge (gay bar) in South Tampa for Kim (I thought it might be the blogger). I rolled up and told the valet I was there for Kim, but they loaded a dude in the cab. It turned out his name was Ken. I took him to his apartment. On the way home he said “I wish I were straight.” “Why?” I asked. “Then I won’t be alone anymore.” He said. He was not a bad looking guy, so I wondered what the problem was. He explained to me that it probably was easier for gays to get laid then straights, but it seems they have the same problems in finding love that straights have. He wanted to settle down. Um…That’s a tough one. Are people hooking up long term anymore? That seems difficult to do now; it’s as if our society is changing. I mean, not even straight people are getting married today (Gays are not allowed). There doesn’t seem to be a real need for it. Out of wedlock births are celebrated by the media. Women are independent (A good thing). Socie...

got a call at 4 in the morning at a residence in south Tampa off of Westshore. you know, one of those nice Mansions near the water. It is really dark and I have to use my spotlight to find the address. After shining the light at several houses, one of the houses flicks the porch light-a sure sign of being at the right place. The door opens up and and older dude(at least his hair was all Grey) is at the doorway and he kisses a lady goodnight. I was already out of the cab because I was expecting to load luggage for someone going to the airport. At this hour of the morning in that neighborhood they weren't going to work at some fast food joint. Out walks this babe. I mean BABE! Little black dress mini-style, 6 inch heals, oversize boob job, and she struts out to the cab. I walk forward pretending to help her with her luggage; that was only to get a closer look at her rack. I opened the door for her. There is a God in heaven. She told me she was going to Harbor Island. You know...

I found this today at Barnes & Noble. I know I can get used books on Amazon but I would rather have a new printing of one of the classic Travis McGee novels. They were all classics. Hard to imagine this book was written 50 years ago. Florida was the background. Someone said Mcdonald "captured all of Florida's langid sleaze, racy sense of promise, and breath-grabbing beauty." In the last 20 years, I have seen the sleeze, the promise, and the beauty, mostly from the taxi cab. The same grifters abound. They all seem to end up in Florida. posted from Bloggeroid

These are some cab drivers I have known over the years. They are either on drugs, dead, with A-1 taxi or still hanging in there with United cab of Tampa. See if you can guess who is which one.