On the Job

[skyring]

My jockeying began - and ended - today. All in all, I enjoyed it and learnt a lot.

I drove DS to college and hurried back to shave, shower, get dressed and prepared for my first stint as a jockey.

Rang the boss spot on ten and within ten minutes a cab was at the front door to pick me up.

My teacher was Mike. Mike from Glasgow, and I was able to tell him that I'd spent some time there last month. "Err, ten minutes," I confessed, "it's a nice airport, though."

Anyway, Glasgow was a long time back for Mike, but he retains the accent. He's happy in his job, and he reckons he enjoys getting up at four in the morning. This is the only job he can say that for, so that's an encouraging sign. He says you get to be your own boss and meet some interesting people.

There's a lot more freedom than I'd imagined, and I could see as he worked through the day that I could indeed make a thousand dollars a week quite easily. More if I worked hard at it.

Shifts change at three in the morning and three in the afternoon, and within that twelve hours you can work pretty much as you see fit.

I can see how skilful use of the computer could be a big help in making money. There's a lot of scope for tactics.

This is a job where attention to detail pays off. I learnt a few of the tips and traps - stuff that would otherwise take me a lot of time or stress to discover on my own.

I'm looking forward to the course. There's a fair bit of memory work involved, and I can make a start on that now.

I went through until about two and then the boss rang up and said I'd done my jockeying. I'd do more after the course was over, but somehow four hours has turned into twenty-one and I've got the rest of the week off.

Monday morning at 0900. I'm looking for good scores on tests.

Comments

[aleonblue.livejournal.com]

GOod luck Pete! I must admit, I've found Canberra cabbies a lot easier to deal with than those from some of the other capital cities (Sydney in particular). All those public servants and pollies to get to the airport on time.....

[skyring.livejournal.com]

Well done! I was wondering who'd be first to pick it!

[teotakuu.livejournal.com]

Oh, I was about to ask what 'jockeying' was when no music or horses seemed tp be involved but it must be Oz for taxi driving if I understand aleonblue correctly.

I hope this works out for you. I guess it will be out with the Canberra A-Z to learn all the highways and byways!

[skyring.livejournal.com]

Yes, she picked it. It's a job where I don't need too many special skills, but most importantly, one where I can take a month off to go travelling without too much hassle.

[atenea-nike.livejournal.com]

Oh, now I know what your new job will be - a taxi driver! (yes, I'm a bit slow on the uptake).

DO you know what? Your having your priorities clear has helped me have mine clear as well. I love travelling, and I've envied you your globetrotting. Now I've promised to myself that I'll save, and I mean *save* every month some money towards a real good trip in the summer. Otherwise I pay my travel expenses out of my general savings account. I have to work for a living, but I want to find a way to put something apart instead of blowing it in other things that aren't so rewarding as travelling. And it's been your example that has pushed me towards it. Thank you!

[skyring.livejournal.com]

Can I tell you (again) how much I'm enjoying your description of Paris? You've had the time to explore the city that I didn't get in July. You know, I walked past that Islamic building with its fascinating windows, but I didn't really know what I was seeing. It wasn't until a couple of weeks ago that I read something about the windows and wished that I'd gone inside!

The Pompidou Centre was just a quick shufti on my way back to the hostel. I was flaking out by that stage and just wanted something horizontal to lie down on.

But yes, travel is an important part of my life, and if I have to drive taxis to fly around the world with my wife and meet BookCrossers, why then it's no hassle at all!

[wheres-my-tea.livejournal.com]

What an awful time to become a taxi driver in Canberra (if indeed that is what you're talking about, you silly old thing)!!!

[skyring.livejournal.com]

Well, yes, I'm going to be a Canberra cabbie. I'm actually looking forward to it. Mike seemed to enjoy his job, and I dare say that I will too!

Kerri's all for it.

[wheres-my-tea.livejournal.com]

I just hope you're not the first Canberra cabbie to be brutally stabbed by an irate passenger driven to murder by the notorious automated booking system.

[skyring.livejournal.com]

Only had one passenger complain about that, and he didn't blame the driver. I'm sure it will be better by the time I don my cap and gloves and strap myself in.

[thebiblioholic.livejournal.com]

You're going to drive a taxi in Canberra? You should blog it like this NYC cabbie: http://newyorkhack.blogspot.com. She's even published a book...

http://canberrahack.blogspot.com/ has not been taken yet... :-)

[skyring.livejournal.com]

Great blog idea!

She has a pretty seedy existence, though...

[sweetpeeps.livejournal.com]

Oh a taxi driver - I wondered what jockeying was! LOL!

Perhaps you could have a taxi like this

http://www.ultimatetaxi.com/

[rarsberry.livejournal.com]

Ohhhh, I would never have figured that out.
Wow, sounds like a great job.
You get to drive people to where they want to go, showing them some of the city on the way, and you get to meet new people all the time from all over the place.
Congrats. :o)

[holmesfan.livejournal.com]

That sounds like a great job for you - all those new people giving you opportunities to casually mention BookCrossing when it seems appropriate, and even to wild release on your 'own' temporarily back seat. (Would that be against company policy?)

With your personality you'll quickly become Canberra's most sought after jockey.

I'm wondering if you followed up the link to the cabbieblogspot. Reads like a really interesting potential role model - if you need one other than Mike.

[futurecatnz.livejournal.com]

I hope your taxi is going to be an automatic ;-p

I was pretty close to guessing about the taxi driving, but the uniform thing threw me - I don't think taxi drivers here wear uniforms (or if they do, they look just like normal clothes).

^ ^
00
=+=
v

[skyring.livejournal.com]

LOL!

Yes, I checked - the taxis are all automatic!

I'll have you know I drove a manual in France in April, quite successfully, and on the wrong side of the road, too!

[thebiblioholic.livejournal.com]

You described it as "set off in la mode Australien, comme un kangaroo! "

"I'm sure people were duly impressed at the way I indicated changes in direction with my wipers, the stalks on the steering wheel being on unfamiliar sides."

and

"I found myself in a system of narrow, one-way streets where I was leading a slow procession that occasionally stalled at intersections."

:-)

[skyring.livejournal.com]

What a memory you have. What an inconvenient memory!

OK, it was successful at the end, if a bit shaky at the start!

[whytraven.livejournal.com]

What's jockeying?

[whytraven.livejournal.com]

Oh -- never mind.

I guess I'll have to take a job in a sex shop, since I don't drive.