Taxi McTaxiface

Here's a very happy looking taxi. With a smile that's on par with Yashika's from yesterday.  I bet he is driven well and obeys the rules of the road, unlike many real taxis.

I saw him in the window of the children's clothes shop, that usually do very good themed window displays, and couldn't resist taking a photo.

Taxi For Gailsman!

It's celebration time today as local taxi company Cloud Cars reaches its first birthday.

So what's so great about this particular company that calls for them to be highlighted on my blog you may be asking?

Well the special thing is that their fleet is entirely made up of the eco-friendly Toyota Prius, and they are probably the best quality taxi company in Nottingham.

I knew about the company through Twitter, but had never seen a vehicle in real life. So earlier this year I messaged them asking if I could pop along to their depot to photograph one of the cars. But then I changed jobs, and it would be a long trek to see them from where I am now based. And so I left it at that for the moment.

Then late last week I spotted a car near where I work, and so I Tweeted the fact. Cloud Cars then messaged me back reminding me about the proposed photo-shoot. As it is their birthday today, I thought it was an opportune time to do it.

So after a few Tweets I met up with Wayne the driver in the Lace Market outside the Lace Market Hotel. Ideally I would have liked to have taken the photo near the castle, but there would be too many people in the area, so I thought the Lace Market would be good, as its a quiet area and has some nice buildings.

We had a chat about the company while I was waiting for the traffic to pass by. Wayne told me that the company presently owns five cars, and there are plans to buy some more shortly. He also told me that all the drivers' backgrounds are properly checked out and are expected to have a pretty good knowledge of the city and its road system. The drivers wear collar and tie, and the vehicles are kept in tip top condition.

For more information about Cloud Cars and how to contact them for a booking, here's the LINK to their website.

Fare's Fair

I went the the very first Great Nottinghamshire Show this afternoon, which is taking place in a local sports field over the weekend.

There were quite a number of stalls there. Mainly food, which was good, as I got to taste some curry and a small bowl of Paella.  I also bought some old English muffins from a local baker. They look a lot different than the round discs that I normally buy. These still round, but look like cakes. I'm looking forward to trying one with some blackberry jam.

There were a few other stalls, including one promoting the Lakeside Arts Centre. I got chatting to the two who were running the stall. I took a photo of them and Tweeted it, as I follow the centre, and many other local organisations on Twitter. It made them happy, as it proved to their boss that they were working.

I also bumped into someone that I used to work with. He Left a couple of years ago, as he wanted to work for himself. So he set himself up with a mobile coffee van. I saw him a few months ago serving some staff from the local BBC studio. He wasn't in a very good mood though, as he hadn't been able to serve anyone, as there wasn't any power available for his van.

For some reason I didn't find find any inspiring photos to take, until I came across this promotional Smart Car for a local taxi service. I love the telephone handset on the roof. If a giant came along, they could pick the car up by its 'handle'.

A Bicycle Made For Two, Or Three

Here is a new sight in Nottingham, a rickshaw that is peddled. This is the first time that I've seen it and the cyclist, so he could only have just started. Nottingham's roads being what they are, he might be able to whisk you to your destination quicker than a taxi.