Crazy azz story from Austin TX. Not a cool story bro tho...

• Steel Valley Football

  As you may remember me posting, I'm in Austin at SXSW hanging out looking for some live music while my wife goes to these interactive media sessions.
  
  So last night I go to the Broken Spoke bar to see a local guy named Dale Watson. Wife was tired so I head out alone. It was a great show btw, but I cabbed it down there (about 7-8 miles sw of downtown) knowing it might be tough to get one back cuz that's peak cab time. I called at 1:45am and they said 2 hrs. Next place says an hour so I decide to try to flag one. There are about 8-9 people by the front door also waiting on cabs and I go to the road about 200 ft away. Six or seven go by and no luck. Finally one slows down and swings around to get me. At this point people are running up cuz they think it's their cab. I ask who he picking up and he says nobody - he stopped when he saw me waving so I get in. Except one lady tries to pull me out yelling that she called for one before me. The barmaid is telling me to get out cuz she called for this other couple and cab guy says no he's my fare, he flagged me down.
  
  By now a drunk guy from Oklahoma who I was talking to in the parking lot about splitting a fare with him and his uncle have opened the rear passenger door and are trying to get in. Thats fine w/me but cab guy is telling them to get out and starts driving away and accidentally runs over the nephews foot. Nephew falls back in pain and starts yelling about his foot. Cab guy has to stop cuz the door is still open Im trying to close it just so I can get back to downtown Austin. At that point nephew comes around to the open driver window and starts bashing cab guy in the face like a maniac. I mean he's hammering him. So the cab guy drives away and crazy nephew hangs on with one hand on the door and one hand around the drivers neck. I'm like WTF and yell for the nephew to let go and yell for the driver to stop so nephew can GTF off my cab ride. We're going 15-20 mph for about 100-150 yards. Finally cab guy stops and there's some yelling and nephew falls back but gets up and starts coming back at him. Cab guy jumps out and they start going at it. I try to get out and my door is locked and there's no lock button...like I'm in a dang cop car. My window is down halfway cuz it's childproof but the outside handle won't get the door open cuz the driver has it locked and so I climb up and go thru the driver door to get them apart so I can get home.
  
  So I go to pull nephew off who has cab guy in a head lock and when I get him standing he's covered in blood and so I'm like dang cab guy is a bleeder cuz his mouth and nose had taken a few shots and nephew starts yelling oh mother fucker you wanna stab people huh? Apparently cab guy was in a headlock cuz he was more concerned with getting out his box cutter from his pocket and slicing this kid up. I call 911 immediately and say that we've got a problem. Nephew hears me and starts running away from us, away from the bar. The police show up within a minute or two. I was really impressed with how fast they got there. Within 3-4 minutes we had four cruisers on the scene. So were telling the cops what happened and giving a description of the nephew and they send three cars out to look for him but cant find him. 45 minutes or so have passed, the uncle had come down but then got in his cab that came and takes off. He had done nothing but he was like fuck my nephews in trouble and I said yep I think so lol. I'm telling the cop that nephew had to have gone behind the buildings and he's probably not far because he has nowhere to go and he's loosing a LOT of blood. Just then we see a guy way down in a parking lot just kind of mulling about and I'm like yep I bet that's him so they go get him and cuff and stuff his ass.
  
  Another 20 min or so goes by and they are taking our statements, getting photos of the cab guys face, etc and they finally let us go on our way. Before we left another cop comes down and says that good ol boy has seven stab wounds and a broken foot and that he's saying that he doesn't know why cab guy attacked HIM and that the medics are coming for him.
  
  So thats my SXSW story. Why the fuck can't people just act normal and not make my cab ride back a three hour ordeal?
  
  
• CinciX12

  

  The amount of arguing and fighting over cabs is astounding to me every weekend. You're story tops any of mine but I have some good ones as well.
• iclfan2

  

  I was in Atlanta for New Years eve, went to the SEC champ game, and there were 0 cabs from 1am to like 3am. Even the hotels couldn't get one for us. Finally, my buddy ran up to a Jimmy Johns car (had the sign on the top) and the kid said he would take the four of us home for $25. So that was a win.
• gut

  It's rough getting cabs sometimes. If you got a few extra bucks, sometimes it's best to look for a less than full taxi and offer to pick-up their share if they won't be too far from you. If you're going the same general direction anyone who's ever had to wait a few hours for a cab should be willing to accomodate. Still have to practice good judgement, though.
• stroups

  

  I was in cincinnati after a concert one time and flagged a cabbie down to take me back to my hotel in kentucky. He then proceeds to "take a different route to beat the traffic" and tried to charge me around $40. Well the cab ride there was only about $15 so I threw him a 20 and told him that was all he was getting when he dropped me off.
• password

  

  Fucking Outstanding.
  
  I need a Austin TX vacation.
• CinciX12

  

  stroups;709454 wrote:I was in cincinnati after a concert one time and flagged a cabbie down to take me back to my hotel in kentucky. He then proceeds to "take a different route to beat the traffic" and tried to charge me around $40. Well the cab ride there was only about $15 so I threw him a 20 and told him that was all he was getting when he dropped me off.

  
  From my experiences with Cincinnati it is really hit or miss. I only trust 1 company and even them I can see screwing someone who wants to go to a hotel.
• gut

  stroups;709454 wrote:I was in cincinnati after a concert one time and flagged a cabbie down to take me back to my hotel in kentucky. He then proceeds to "take a different route to beat the traffic" and tried to charge me around $40. Well the cab ride there was only about $15 so I threw him a 20 and told him that was all he was getting when he dropped me off.

  
  Google Nav on Android, my friend. Even re-routes for traffic....keeps the cabbie honest.
• gorocks99

  

  Straight outta GTA
• Steel Valley Football

  Talk to cab guy tonight cuz we exchanged info and asked him how he's doing and he's just banged up; nothing serious except bruises and $300 shattered glasses. Nephew is sitting in jail the last he heard. Forgot to post earlier that the officer told me I will have to testify against the nephew over the phone at some point because I am out of state. Cab guy offered his services to me for the rest of my trip any time and anywhere we are. Wife said hell no we're not going anywhere with that guy. lol.
  
  Saw Hayes Carll tonight at Threadgills which is a pretty famous place and he put on one hell of a show. Wife and I stood right up front. Me happy...plus a much better ride home tonight.
• said_aouita

  

  This is common in Texas, especially when groups of rednecks are together after drinking.
• dwccrew

  

  So the cabbie didn't get in trouble for stabbing the guy?
• UA5straightin2008

  

  dwccrew;711230 wrote:So the cabbie didn't get in trouble for stabbing the guy?

  
  even though he accidentally ran over the kids foot first, i think he will be covered by the "self defense" laws
• dwccrew

  

  UA5straightin2008;711249 wrote:even though he accidentally ran over the kids foot first, i think he will be covered by the "self defense" laws

  
  I'm not sure how the law is in Texas, but I didn't think one could use deadly force (stabbing would seem like it was with lethal intent) unless one's life was in danger. Unless the cabbie felt his life was on the line.
• Go4alOngbOmB

  

  I'm pretty sure if I am in a headlock getting my face bashed in, I would chalk that up to a "life threatening situation". Especially if I couldn't escape the situation without the help from another person. Just my own personal assessment of the situation tho. I also don't carry a box cutter with me as a self defense tool, so what do I really know?
• Scarlet_Buckeye

  

  #CoolStoryBro
• fan_from_texas

  dwccrew;711267 wrote:I'm not sure how the law is in Texas, but I didn't think one could use deadly force (stabbing would seem like it was with lethal intent) unless one's life was in danger. Unless the cabbie felt his life was on the line.

  
  It varies from state to state. I believe in most states the standard is whether a reasonable person would perceive a threat of death or significant bodily injury. Being pummeled in a headlock probably meets that standard.
• salto

  

  I think the laws in Texas are a little different. If someone looks at you cross and makes you feel uncomfortable, that gives you the right to kill them....lol.
• Steel Valley Football

  The police on the scene confirmed it was justified. I saw it happen and agree. The court may say different tho, who knows.
• Speedofsand

  

  Dale Watson at The Broken Spoke, huh? Sounds good. I have a great Broken Spoke in my area but its only open bike week and Octoberfest.
• Steel Valley Football

  Speedofsand;714447 wrote:Dale Watson at The Broken Spoke, huh? Sounds good. I have a great Broken Spoke in my area but its only open bike week and Octoberfest.

  
  
  You'd be the first person who ever knew Dale Watson who wasn't living in Texas. You a fan?
  
  Speaking of the Broken Spoke, Sammy Kershaw had a song called Matches that talked about setting the Broken Spoke ablaze cuz he met his ex-girl there. Not sure which one he meant, but probably the Austin one; it's pretty famous.
• Speedofsand

  

  I don't live there but have been a big fan of Austin's music scene longer than I remember. Ever heard of Carolyn Wonderland and the Imperial Monkeys ?
• Steel Valley Football

  Speedofsand;715307 wrote:I don't live there but have been a big fan of Austin's music scene longer than I remember. Ever heard of Carolyn Wonderland and the Imperial Monkeys ?

  
  No, I have never heard of them - is it someone I should check out? So, do you know Ryan Bingham? Hayes Carll (Houston)? Charlie or Bruce Robison? How about the Continental Club? I saw Dale Watson there again Monday night before we left.
  
  
  If Justin is reading this.....Leroy Powell is playing tomorrow in Austin. Three shows in one day. The first two places are about 3-4 blocks from the hotel I stayed at. The last place is a crazy place called Maria's Last Taco that's about a quarter mile from the place this guy got stabbed on South Lamar.
  
  WTF? I should still be out there.
• justincredible

  

  Ha, I was just going to post to see if you were still out there and were able to catch Leroy. I hope he comes to Ohio again but after the show in Columbus I wouldn't be surprised if he said eff that state.
• Steel Valley Football

  Yeah, I wouldn't blame him either.
  
  You know who was the opener for Dale Watson Monday night? John Corbett who played SJ Parker's bf in Sex/City. Seems odd I know but he was actually pretty damn good. I talked to him for a bit and he's a cool guy; also said he's from Wheeling.