Last Wednesday a passenger in a taxi heading for

Salford station leaned over to ask the driver a question

And gently tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention.

The driver screamed, lost control of the cab, nearly

Hit a bus, drove up over the kerb and stopped just

Inches from a large plate window.

For a few minutes everything was silent in the cab.

Then the shaking driver said "Are you OK?

I'm so sorry, but you scared the daylights out of me."

The badly shaken passenger apologised to the driver and

Said, "I didn't realise that a mere tap on the shoulder

Would startle someone so badly."

The driver replied, "No, no, I'm the one who

Is sorry, it's entirely my fault. Today is my very

First day driving a cab. I've been driving a

Hearse for 25 years."