From the frantic drive to your first date and tearful trips after dates gone awry, to sneaky journeys back home after a night out, to the drive to the airport for your first trip together, taxi drivers are the covert third-person in many of our relationships – and they have the insights to prove it.
Taxi drivers have, as they routinely tell us, seen everything, including the highs and lows of our relationships. Thanks to this, they have become some of the wisest advisors on matters of the heart – depending on which taxi you happen to step into.
Desperate times call for desperate measures, and sometimes you just need an objective observer to give their two cents on your paramour.
New research from FREE NOW, Ireland's leading multi-mobility app, has revealed that a quarter of people admit to divulging the details about their love life to a taxi driver, while 28% have taken romantic advice from a driver in the past.
As the most romantic day of the year is just around the corner, the research shows that three quarters (73%) plan to celebrate the holiday this year. With restrictions largely lifted on socialising, it's no surprising that almost a third (31%) is planning to celebrate with a romantic dinner for two at a restaurant.
However, many of us have gotten used to enjoying our own company at home, as a quarter are planning to cosy up at home for the evening.
As for where people would like to spend Valentine's Day, the research revealed that Galway was voted Ireland's most romantic destination for couples, with almost half (46%) say they would like to ring in the holiday in the vibrant city.
However, a third say there is nowhere quite like Dublin for a romantic break.
It's no surprise that taxi drivers know so much about our love lives, as taking a taxi is still the most popular way to travel to a date, according to 65% of respondents.
Of course, taking a taxi means you can have a few drinks with your date – as three quarters of respondents say – but as 9% noted, it's a handy way to make a quick getaway if the date goes sideways.
