The Limos.com Forum Has Moved!!!

This last new years I got an asap call for a sedan transfer at the Ivy. It was a farmout from a friend through the concierge and I had no contract signed. Being 1am, I wasn't surprised when I saw the client(paying client)and a valet carrying a barely conscient woman(passenger) into my 1 month old Cadillac DTS(fresh new car smell). I tried to get them to get her out and told them I was sure she would get sick. The client "promised me she was fine(just tired) and assured me he would pay for any damages. Every bone in my body knew what to do, but she was already in my car and they weren't about to help take her out.

So she pukes right when we get on the freeway. She's so drunk that she can't even sit up in the back and I'm worried she's gonna die. Seriously, as I'm flying off the freeway, I'm grabbing at her head to make sure she doesn't drown. It just keeps coming out.

I get to a 7-11 to clean up and she can't/won't sit up to let me clean up, even a little. If it was a guy I would probably of yanked him out, sat him on the curb, cleaned up and either left him or continued on. But with a woman(very attractive, fur coat, and fish nets), I rolled the windows down and drove the extra 45 minutes to get her home. I walked her(literally) to her house and she gave me a check for payment(I had to doctor the check because it was so indeciferable), but cussed me out when I mentioned the puke charge.

I hate to describe how bad the puke was, but I cleaned it really well to no avail. My carpet cleaner worked on it diligently to no avail. My detailer carpet cleaned again to no avail. Then we ripped the carpeting and padding out from under the seat and finally solved the problem. No more new car smell, but the puke smell is gone. For $2000, I wouldn't want to go through that again.

The following week I left several unanswered messaged on the guys(the guy who promised to pay for any damages) cell phone. To my surprise he apologized and promised to pay or have her pay. I gave my address 3 different times and was told the checks in the mail to no avail. He then wanted me to meet him for cash(45 minute drive away). We played phone tag for 5 months. I figured for sure that I wouldn't be paid, but I finally called him and just asked for a check. Last monday I got my check in the mail. As nasty as the whole ordeal had been, it really feels good to deal with an honorable person like that(even though it took so long).

Sorry if any of you were eating or something.

quote:

Originally posted by Mr.Frugality:
That's nasty!!! For something that happened 6 month's ago, seem's like yesterday with all the detail's included!!! lol First I must say that working a new year holiday a driver should EXPECT client's to be drunk and be prepared for the obvious. Next new year holiday if you don't want to chance this happening again, leave the car home or line the inside with plastic wrap and a small bucket on floor in rear. Also, a driver does not have to take a client that appear's to be heavily intoxited. Next time if the help bail's to get client out of car, pop the hood of car, flag down a cab, tell cabbie car is broke, client is a good tipper!!!

As nasty as it is, it is permanently etched in my brain. I was the unfortunate driver and it was my personal brand new car. I like your idea about telling the cabbie about a big tipper. Which reminds me, I'm goona start a thread about horrible cockroach cabbies. I can't stand em.

quote:

Originally posted by Geoff Levine:
He called me back and said she wasn't a liar, but she ommitted the fact that her friend puked.

I love when people say: HOW DARE YOU CALLING MY DAUGHTER A LIER?? MY DAUGHTER IS AN ANGEL !!!

LOL. I usually tell them that I dont believe in angles - they dont exist.

Back in the day when we did proms the problem typically was that the children got drunk in the French Quarter on their after prom stroll and the parents blamed us. We added to the contract : " Not responsible for passengers condition in French Quarter outside of vehicle". Some of the more squirrel-minded parents starting blaming the other kids. They had to have someone to blame as their children were absolute little angels.

quote:

Originally posted by Greenpala:
Next time take pictures. They help with disputes. We learned that the hard way. Everytime there is a mess (any mess) drivers take pictures of the mess and the customer. Live and learn. Equip every car with a disposable camera or take a pic with a phone camera.


On night on town (coming out of a bar) if I hear "I just want to rest and sleep" - ITS A PUKER. and we do not let them rest in the limo unattended. Somone must stay with that tired/sleepy/drunk person. We know whats coming. As long as they have another person to attend them, its ok - they will make them throw up outside of the car.

_______________________________________________

Pictures are definately a good idea. I once had to pull over on the freeway during a prom because a girl puked on her dates lap. She was crying because she thought they would have to go home to clean up and miss prom. I pulled out a bottle of Febrese and got em both good to go. All their friends gave me a standing ovation. I told them that I was charging the Dad's credit card on file. They never told him and he freaked when he got the bill. I apologized to him for not informing him personally, but he called bacl later saying his daughter didn't puke. I said as nicely as possible that she was lying and he went crazy on me. I told him either she was lying or I was lying and to ask her again. He called me back and said she wasn't a liar, but she ommitted the fact that her friend puked. Then the guy said $200 was too much and he wanted to pay $50. I asked him if I could come over to his house next time I was sick and puke in his car and pay him $50. After the visualization he said he would not dispute the $200 fee.

Next time take pictures. They help with disputes. We learned that the hard way. Everytime there is a mess (any mess) drivers take pictures of the mess and the customer. Live and learn. Equip every car with a disposable camera or take a pic with a phone camera.

On night on town (coming out of a bar) if I hear "I just want to rest and sleep" - ITS A PUKER. and we do not let them rest in the limo unattended. Somone must stay with that tired/sleepy/drunk person. We know whats coming. As long as they have another person to attend them, its ok - they will make them throw up outside of the car.

quote:

Originally posted by Wade Randolph:
Geoff I think you could sue her in small claims court and win. Judges consider drunks to be negligent in their behavior instead of accidental which is a big deal in court.

Wade, I think I probably would have won, but because she was "placed" in my limo and there was no contract, I was just gonna write it off. That's why I'm so happy the guy came through and was a man of his word.

Thanks Sal, I got lucky.

quote:

Originally posted by Geoff Levine:


Sal, in reading my disgusting description of what happened, you must have skipped my last paragraph. I had mentally wrote off the $300 fee because I had no contract. But to my surprise, last week I received a check and the client apologized on the phone. Slow, but honorable. Oh and Sal, she literally power sprayed liquid(sorry again) down the seat belt spaces going under the seat. So the first time I cleaned it and the first carpet cleaning didn't get it. After pulling the seat, pulling the carpet and padding was the only thing to do. Totally nasty. And you're totally right, I shouldn't be transporting(babysitting) unconcious drunks.

My bad, I did miss that, sorry. Well, I'm glad you were compensated.

Geoff I think you could sue her in small claims court and win. Judges consider drunks to be negligent in their behavior instead of accidental which is a big deal in court.

quote:

Originally posted by Salicete:
In my opinion, collecting without a contract will be difficult. I doubt you could even send them to collection for it either. If you can get them to communicate via email and put something in writing, you may have a better chance of collecting.

Perhaps you could sue in small-claims court, but it would likely take more time than it is worth.

We have custom floor mats with rubber backing cut for our cars, sedans and limos that are oversized. They cover the entire floor and curve up the floor wells too. This catches and confines most spills, body fluids and other assorted messes.

Worst case scenario, we toss a $100 floor runner.

Good luck collecting, but I’m betting you will have to chalk this one up to the cost of doing business.

It is just my two cents, but unless it is going to cost you some huge contract, I would say simply refuse to permit people so intoxicated that they are barely conscious, or obviously about to puke into your cars.

Call em a dirty taxi, or if it is that bad, an ambulance.

Sal, in reading my disgusting description of what happened, you must have skipped my last paragraph. I had mentally wrote off the $300 fee because I had no contract. But to my surprise, last week I received a check and the client apologized on the phone. Slow, but honorable. Oh and Sal, she literally power sprayed liquid(sorry again) down the seat belt spaces going under the seat. So the first time I cleaned it and the first carpet cleaning didn't get it. After pulling the seat, pulling the carpet and padding was the only thing to do. Totally nasty. And you're totally right, I shouldn't be transporting(babysitting) unconcious drunks.

Limo Newbie, I accidently misled you with the $2k comment. It cost me out of pocket about $250, not counting my time and down time. I was just stating that even if the client gave me a $2000 puke fee instead of the $300 puke fee, I would rather have my original new car smell again.

In the future, if you do get a call from your friend to do the farmout, ask if a signed contract was in place, and also, if it had a body-fluids clause in it. Even though you were the one doing the actual job, you could contact the other company and ask for their help in collecting the fee from the client. Also, since your car was a new vehicle, and you did pay $2k out of pocket (not a normal cost, must have been pretty bad), I would have taken that client to small claims court and asked for all of that, plus fees. It is very hard to get that rank smell out of a vehicle in the first place, but she must have saturated everything for it to have gone underneath like that. It is a crying shame that no one wants to take responsibility for their actions anymore and they show such disrespect for others' property.

In my opinion, collecting without a contract will be difficult. I doubt you could even send them to collection for it either. If you can get them to communicate via email and put something in writing, you may have a better chance of collecting.

Perhaps you could sue in small-claims court, but it would likely take more time than it is worth.

We have custom floor mats with rubber backing cut for our cars, sedans and limos that are oversized. They cover the entire floor and curve up the floor wells too. This catches and confines most spills, body fluids and other assorted messes.

Worst case scenario, we toss a $100 floor runner.

Good luck collecting, but I’m betting you will have to chalk this one up to the cost of doing business.

It is just my two cents, but unless it is going to cost you some huge contract, I would say simply refuse to permit people so intoxicated that they are barely conscious, or obviously about to puke into your cars.

Call em a dirty taxi, or if it is that bad, an ambulance.