Taxi Driver Online

I did not have to go to members to request their views, they came to me, and more of them than usernames were created to vote in your favour. The great thing about these websites is that absolutely everything is recorded with time and date, along with IP adresses, but I will not embarass the parties concerned.

B. Lucky

I did raise this point about behind the scenes e-mails. I don't much go in for them myself. Why didn't the skulkers post their protests for all to see and let me justify myself (not that much justification was needed). That is a Forum mate.

However, that is just a small part of what I have put to you. How about answering all the rest of it. Put up the abuse you accuse me of on your site.

There is none.

Claude

Can I also point out at this point that our site is looking to create a little unity between both sides of the "trade" and to utilise and promote the different roles each part play in the door to door aspect of public transport.

The arguments put forward by Maurice and Geoff reek to the high heavens of sour grapes and I sugggest that neither want any forum to succeed as it gives knowledge and power to the drivers and away from the office and circuit owners and managers.

There is also confusion on the stance of the TGWU, anyone who believes that the T&G are pro deregulation/de-limitation has to have a screw loose, the only place that is demanding a single tier system is LONDON and that is to stop the credability licensing will give unlicensed minicab firms. Elsewhere else in the country a two tier system is argued for with a restriction on the number of plates dependant on the demand for services, and where there is a shortfall for the issuance of new plates be imposed over an agreed and managed timescale, so that the impact on the existing plateholders is kept to a minimum.

I have been told to get out of a "ranking" mentality, what on earth does that mean, take pre-bookings, drive around housing estates looking for flaggers, isn't that why we have licensing for P/H, isn't that why we include P/H in all our negotiations when it comes to exemptions particularly when it comes to traffic orders.

But what do I know, apparently I just tell lies all the time, using all those fancy words is just an attempt to hide the wood with the trees.

B. Lucky

Now I know for certain you have lost it. I have put no arguments for office, owners and managers. In fact I have put no arguments whatsoever on your site. My only post was that a driver might have a defence to a charge of due care and attention.

The reverse is true on other lists. I have stood out against indidvidual drivers autonomy being subsumed by radio circuits etc.

That is why I object to you calling your site a taxi site when infact the key players are PH minicab drivers. Doe's not PH take away autonomy from taxi drivers. Do not PH work from an office or get work via an office. Doe's not someone OWN that office? If we all go down the PH road would that not make all drivers working for a boss.

All my posts on these sorts of issues have been for the autonomy of the individual driver. You either have a terrible memory or you are a...........(your'e asking for it again).

Claude

It is with much regret that I have to inform you that both of the owners of www.taxiandprivatehire.co.uk drive Licensed Hackney Carriages. I believe thats the same code as your goood self.

Yet another example of your fundimentaly wrong accusations, leveled at people without proper knowledge. I drive a taxi mate, Nidge drives a taxi mate, I know that cause the sign on my roof tells me so, as does Nidge's.

So there is no connection between the owners of the site and the minicab P/H trade, other than our acceptance that their activities are essential to providing the best door to door service possible.

Now, anyone who fails to properly recognise the legitimate activities of P/H across the country as well as in London cannot surely be regarded as a worthwhile member of any Taxi or Private Hire community, and thats why some people deserve to be answered and some should just be told to [edited by admin] off.

B. Lucky

Mick,

Why is it that since this site was mentioned on TTF2, there has been hardly a single post made on your old forum, yet this site is flooded with open discussion?

Surely that is a CLEAR VOTE that your members did not want a forum where you were not allowed to disagree with the owners viewpoint for fear of being banned without any reason given.

I would thought you might have learned a lesson when TTF1 went down the pan, but it seems you simply decided to make the same mistakes again, only bigger!

As for your behaviour on this site, perhaps if you tried some constructive argument, instead of name calling and personal insults, you would gain some measure of respect.

Dave.

Not that it matters Mick, but weren't you a PH driver when your own site started??

I didn't know you were back driving HCs.

Dusty

Yes Mick, the 'managed growth' scenario you outline in the latter part of your paragraph is in fact the minimum required by the current law, so I think the TGWU are spinning things a bit when they seem to imply that it's something that they come up with, or that they are doing it in the public interest - it's illegal for an LA to do anything less.

Yes, we all know why the TGWU support plate limitation rather than fairer qualitative restrictions, it's so that some can get a free plate then sell it on later to another owner or driver - ask Mr Royden!!

I'm a bit confused over this one-tier system Mick, every issue of Cab Trade News carries the following outline of TGWU policy:

"New legislation for a one-tier taxi system with a legitimate tightly regulated PH provision."

This doesn't differentiate between London and elsewhere, so I assume that the policy is similar for the whole UK??

So I assume that they want a one-tier system in the provinces as well (I take it that by PH they mean chauffer drive and suchlike, otherwise it wouldn't be a one-tier system).

Anyway, they haven't a cat in hells chance of a one-tier system in London, at least with the current KOL in place - that would have to go for a start.

Dusty

Ok. I keep being wrong footed by wishy washy land. One minute you are taxi drivers the next PH drivers. I am not sure what you are this week.

But lets, for arguments sake, aggree that you and Nidge are cake and eat it Taxi drivers this week and therefore the site is owned by taxi drivers I ask this question again, slightly rephrased:

Is not PH in London atempting to take away autonomy from taxi driving? Do not PH work from an office or get work via an office? Does not someone OWN that office? If we all go down the PH road would that not make all drivers working for a boss?

Claude

A Lame excuse for not answering. Still it is no more that I expected as you have been caught out red handed and cannot answer.

Plead the American 5th mate. I would in your position.

Swearing again! Tut, tut. I know a self rightious man who would ban you from his site for a lot less.

Claude

Shouldn't that be "It is with much PRIDE that I have to inform you .........."

Go and have a rest Mick. Come back when you are thinking straight.

I am going to leave you alone, even though you have been beastly to me, as I don't like what is happening. I can take it all I am good for 50 rounds but you and Nidge can't take this whacking and a whupping. Anything more would be bullying and I ain't a bully.

I wish you and your family well Mick even the orrible London side.

Tat ta Claude has gone

OH YEH?

Micjk this is what puts your credibility on the line, because you accused me of creating user names and not only was that untrue it was criminaly so

you wanna start substantiatng some of these things you say beccause you are becoming a source of unbelievable information.

not only did m,aurice win the vote fair and square but the names, established names came out to write in his support.

time you backed off this argument, you are losing
Wharfie

no mick you are miles off!

that is not why we have private hire, we have private hire to take us away from the days when thier rolling stock was bought from a scrapyard on a thursday and weighed in on a monday, to get away from unlicensed cars and unfit drivers, whofully so.

so youve outlined what private hire jobs are eh? beccause you wanna protect rackets! carve a job out for yourself, look at the unemployment figures at the time the misc prov act came, 3 million unemployed and rising

had there have been no unemployed, the trade would simply have been outlawed.

Rank mentality wants getting out of because when you stay on the road your chances of another job is still live, you pass more need than you do stopped on rank!

but your last paragraph is bang on, what do you know? you repeat the same inacuracies because it fits your fantisy, you turn a blind eye to facts!

the one about power to the drivers Mick you are unbelkievable on your rash statements! you just give lie to the fact that you read at all. accusing Murice and I of siding with office owners? YOU ARE SICK

Wharfie

I can't speak for London (first time for everything ), but most PH drivers down here are self-employed driving their own vehicles.

Yes there is a boss of sorts who owns the firm that we work with, in the same way as the lads on ComCab work with a firm they don't own.

To a degree it's a good way of working for the drivers, cos if they get the hump with one 'boss', they can go to work with another 'boss'. Also the more they work, the more they earn, cos their X's are near enough the same, whether they work 40 hours or 80 hours.

So you have no connection at all with a "taxi" operation other than that of a driver then Wharfie?

Why would anyone want to get the H/C to stay away from the ranks, how would that be applied by independants, wouldn't that show inaccurate results to any un-met demand surveys as not all the vehicles are picking people up from the area the council designate as a taxi rank.

I don't understand, you keep pointing out all of my shortcomings whilst on your witch hunt, but you fail yourself to deliver proper answers. You claim to know why I do things, you claim to know an awful lot about the area I work in. All I can suggest is that you come up here and have a look for yourself, have a chat with any of the drivers have a chat with any of the customers, I'll make you welcome but I doubt that your ideas would be well recieved up here.

So how about it Geoff, I challenge you to come up here and find anyone on any rank in Gateshead who agree's with any of the points you make, make it Tuesday night and you can come along to our branch meeting and get a good idea how the lads feel about the way we are being treated. You can be our guest speaker and you can make your points to all of the lads, I'm sure they will appriciate your brilliant mind and knowledge of the trade in Gateshead.

I won't hold my breath though.

B. Lucky