Meet Shideh, the cabbie who took up driving after the factory shut down
Shideh Abdi has been behind the wheel for 14-years and says she loves the job
Cabbie Confidential is a CBC London series that asks the men and women who know our city streets the best to "tell all" about what they see on the roads, who they meet and some of their hopes for this city.
Cab rides can sometimes be filled with great conversations where both the driver and the passenger learn something new.
The CBC's Sofia Rodriguez learned a lot about Shideh Abdi, who's been driving Londoners for more than a decade, when she hopped into her cab. Here's part of that conversation:
How did you end up driving this cab?
I used to work in a factory in St. Thomas, but there were layoffs. My husband had a cab licence and he offered me to work together. He said there would always be work, so I did it and I love it. My customers are very good.
Are people ever surprised when they open the door and they see you?
Yes. Some of them go 'It must be my lucky day because I've never had a woman drive me.'
What's your favourite thing about driving this cab?
For the 8 hours I work, I get such different people getting in and out of my car. I see so many cultures and I see so many emotions. I like that.
So, you've been driving this cab for 14 years, what is the one question you wished passengers who got in your cab stopped asking you?
The first is what my nationality is and the other one I don't like is when customers ask me how much I make. It's mostly men who ask that question and it's private. I don't want to tell everybody. Sometimes I answer, but they're private questions.
Why does it bother you when people ask you about your nationality?
When I say my nationality, they think of terrorists, because right now my country is in a bad situation. I'm from Iran and when I tell them, I can see their faces change and I know what's happened.
I came to Canada around 20 years ago and I'm proud to be Canadian, but sometimes, after I say where I'm from, the [passenger] stops speaking to me.
- Favourite street to drive on: King Street. Sometime it's a little slow, but I still love it.
- Least favourite street to drive on: Most of downtown. It's hard to pick people off and drop them off.
- What's the one thing London drivers do that annoys you most? Sorry about this, but I feel they are crazy. They're not patient
How does that make you feel?
I don't like it. I'm so hurt for my country. It's very difficult. I love my country, but right now the situation is very bad and I don't want people thinking that the people are bad.
What would you want people to understand then?
I want them to know that people who come from different countries are probably coming here because there's a problem in their country. I love Canada because most people are good. The [younger] generation is so good and welcoming, but some people from the older generation are very different. But what can I do? I can't change my country.
