An Australian taxi driver was Wednesday ordered to pay Aus$1,415 (US$1,417) for wearing jeans to work despite insisting they were tailor-made and suitable for the job. In South Australia state, taxi drivers must wear smart business-style shirts and trousers, with jeans and tracksuit bottoms banned. [Naharnet]

What can one say about Lebanese taxi drivers? With a few exceptions, most of them have wrecked cars, no seat belts, no mirrors, no brakes and drive like crazy. Let’s not talk about what they’re wearing because the “flanelle” is good enough sometimes especially in summer.

Despite all that, it’s a fun ride sometimes and better than a slow-driving well-dressed and polite driver. I remember having the best rides from Dora to AUB university with “Malik el Gharam” and his 1960s taxi. This guy always wore a hat, has a long white mustache and tells funny and interesting stories.