We all take our own car without thinking twice. Yet in some situations, letting someone else drive changes everything: you arrive rested, on time and stress-free. Here's how I see it, after seventeen years on the road.
I'm not going to tell you to stop driving altogether, that would be absurd. For picking up bread or dropping off the kids, your car is perfect. But there are trips where taking a taxi isn't a luxury: it's simply safer, more restful and, sometimes, cheaper than you'd think. Here are the cases where my passengers tell me afterwards that they should have called me sooner.
Driver fatigue is one of the leading causes of accidents, especially on long trips and motorways. After a day's work, a short night or before a 4 a.m. departure, your alertness isn't the same. In a taxi you can close your eyes, take your calls or watch the scenery: I'm the one watching the road. You arrive fresh, not drained.
This is something many people forget. After dialysis, an anaesthetic, certain tests or some treatments, getting back behind the wheel is not advised, and sometimes not allowed. Driving in that state puts you and others at risk. A taxi is then the obvious answer, and with a transport prescription, I can take you to your care safely.
Driving your own car to Paris airports means dealing with traffic, finding the right terminal, then paying for several days of airport parking, where prices climb fast. On top of that, your car sits idle for the whole trip. With a taxi, I drop you at the door and pick you up on your return, even if the flight is delayed. No space to find, no parking to pay, no stress about the time. To compare, run the numbers with the TR27 fare estimator.
A wedding, a restaurant, a family party: if you want to relax and raise a glass, it's best not to drive. A taxi takes you home safely, at any hour. It's as simple as that, and it saves you any regrets.
In the centre of Évreux or Rouen, circling for a space, feeding the meter, walking in the rain to your appointment… sometimes the drive is more of an ordeal than the appointment itself. I drop you right at the door. You save time and energy.
For an older person, someone who doesn't drive or no longer feels confident at the wheel, a taxi restores independence. No need to bother the family for every appointment: one call is enough, and I take care of the rest, with patience and care.
Let's be honest: for a short everyday trip, when you're feeling fresh and parking is easy, your car does the job nicely. The point isn't to hand off everything, but to recognise the moments when letting someone else drive is the smarter choice: tiredness, distance, health, a celebration, or simply wanting to arrive with a clear head. In those cases, you now know who to call.
Why take a taxi instead of driving yourself?
Because it's often safer and more restful whenever a trip is long, tiring or stressful: coming back from treatment, a long distance, a very early start, a night out, or simply when you don't want to deal with traffic and parking. You travel relaxed and arrive on time.
Is it really cheaper for the airport?
Compare the real cost of your car: fuel, tolls and, above all, several days of airport parking. A taxi drops you and collects you at the door, with no parking fees and no car left sitting idle. Run the numbers with the fare estimator.
Can you drive after a medical appointment?
Often not. After dialysis, an anaesthetic or some treatments, driving is not advised or even not allowed. A taxi is then the safe option, and registered if you have a transport prescription.