Because taxi's were very scarce back in the late 90's, punters would often go out and socialise in their local area where they lived. Where there was better chance of getting a lift home, walking home, or doing a sneaky quick drive home after a few drinks. Not that i condone drink driving either.
Taxi ranks were useless, because punters knew it was easier to hail a cab up the street from the taxi rank (therefore 'jumping the line') than wait in the line, because taxi drivers back then would pick up a fare close to a taxi rank, without even going close to the taxi rank.
Exactly. you are thinking it through,,, couple of other interesting things from the era....mobile phones with cameras were not widely available and Club /Pub bouncers had no compunction about king hitting drunk and troublesome patrons because they knew if it was captured on the venues CCTV, management would simply erase it.
There was also a brief craze amongst the bouncers for applying the "sleeper hold " to patrons about to be ejected , until the Bar Managers mindful of litigation after the Greg Mathews " Hippy Club " Incident forbid its use. If you can get your arm around someones neck from behind you can render them unconscious in seconds using the sleeper hold. Yes from a seated position too.
The CSK fit right in to the routine of the Claremont Scene, he had an unassailable alibi if questioned because he was either at work, going home from, or going to work in those early hours.