Taxi pains

This past weekend was not as busy or fun as I thought it was going to be.  It was like a normal week and weekend.  Oh, well.  Plus I really do not have any funny or interesting stories from the week.  Just wonderful and normal working people in my taxi all week.  It happens and I always am hoping there will be good stories coming up.

I was asked by a passenger about all the aches and pains of driving all the time. Well, there are so many things that happen when you drive all the time.

Back hurts.  Typically the lower back hurts.  I have problems with my lumbar and siactica.  Other drivers complain about the same thing.  I try and get out of my taxi to stretch but when it is busy I barely have time to go to the bathroom.  I do what I can.

Legs go numb.  I try to jiggle them and adjust them when I am driving.  Moving around helps a lot too.  I sometimes miss the days when I was able to walk all the time.  Going up and down the ladders, downstocking and walking quickly to help people.

Hip hurt.  Like the back and leg getting out and walk is the best way to make it not hurt as much.

Thumb pain.  Yep, I didn’t know that I steered with my thumbs so much until I started driving a taxi.  I have to make an effort to not use my thumbs so much to drive.  Crazy as that sounds.  

Big Toe pain.  I also use my big toe to drive WAY too much.  I have to remember to use my foot and not my toe to drive.  It is really just my right big toe that hurts.  I heard a driver had to take a week off because her big toe hurt so badly.

I imagine a few other taxi drivers have other physical problems.  It is hard being behind the wheel for 7 to 12 hours at a time.  

Well, this next week is Fleet Week.  I am so excited to see all the people in uniform.  Dress whites are best!  Cannot wait!

I also want to thank all of my other taxi driver friends.  I have a group of taxi drivers who help each other.  We chat about hot spots in the city, how the airport is moving and just general things going on.  It has made a whole of difference in where I go and what I do during my driving at night.  I found that where I thought was going to be a big area to pick up people even though there are tons of rideshare vehicles as well as tons of other taxis, all it did was make me irritated and sit in traffic.  Now I go where I really thought where people really want to take taxis.  It makes life so much easier with the help of taxi drivers who really know what is going on in the city.  I still end up on the opposite side of the city of all the “happening” places most of the time but sometimes it is me telling everyone what is going on.  I am so grateful for all of their help.  It has made making money driving a taxi a real thing.  Hope things continue this way through the slow times.

Thank you again for reading my blog.  I really enjoy writing it.  It is kind of relaxing and cathartic.