NSW police generally work four 12 hour shifts in a row and then have six days off. Last year it was reported in the media that some officers were moonlighting as cabbies while on their break from official duties. I thought that was great as it would give them an idea of the challenges we face every day. However, seeing a cop car ranking at the Edgecliff Centre I thought was taking the moonlighting a step too far.

by J.Miller

If you have been reading OZ Cabbie regularly for the past nine months you will be quite familiar with the name Professor Allan Fels, the world famous consumer watchdog and economic rationalist who has been given the challenging task of revolutionising the Victorian taxi industry.

You will also be aware of his fanatical, myopic belief that lack of competition is why it can sometimes be hard to get a cab. One solution, he says, could be the introduction of London style minicabs (mini hire cars).

Well Mr. Fels, I have another solution: more efficient and productive use of idle police patrol cars.

Here I was on Australia Day, strolling past the Edgecliff Centre in Sydney’s East when I spied with my little eye a cop car queuing on the taxi rank. The only logical reason I could think of was that it was sitting there looking for a fare.

“What a clever way to maximize the use of government resources and increase police productivity”, I thought, “beats minicabs.”

I got so excited by this prospect that I decided to take a snap on my iPhone of the scene before me.

Well, well, well! Barely had I started snapping before a burly mama cop popped out and waddled down to where I was kneeling.

“What are you doing?” she grunted.

“Taking photographs.”

“What for?”

“To publish in a magazine for cab drivers.”

“Why?”

“Because you are parked on a taxi rank.”

She then demanded to see my licence, which legally I could have refused to show her as I wasn’t driving a car. But I did. Driving a cab taught me to be nice to cops and stay cool.

“That your cab?” she said pointing to the cab next to me. I was wearing what could be mistaken for a blue TCS uniform shirt.

Lucky it wasn’t or she and her two male colleagues, who had now joined us, would no doubt have given it the once-over. Instead they toddled back to their car and drove off, leaving the rank to those it is intended for - taxis.

Unless they were looking for business why stop in the middle of a taxi rank when there was a perfectly good “No Stopping” space just behind?

What’s the world coming to?