Taxi Driver Online

It's not often there's much on the one man revolutions 'blog' that’s worth reading, It's usually wall to wall fibs about the LTDA and how great the RMT are, or is that going to be? One day?

However there is one article of note, Darren Johnson a London Assembly member seems happy to take illegal Minicabs off the street.

He apparently 'tweeted' on this Twitter thing about getting a Taxi, but instead of waiting on the driver who had acknowledged his request, he took a tout from the street who then ripped him off.

This is the man who was behind the safer travel campaign, urging women to pre-book a Taxi or hail one in the street, and then he does this:


http://theandersonshelter.blogspot.com/ ... iseby.html

What a tit.

I'm sure the Evening Standard would be very interested in the story.

i was following this on twitter last night..........you really should get with the 21st century!!!

Was that before or after you went home early?

Lightweight.

As predicted, last job ended up going to Silvertown.

Well it did make The Evening Standard.




Fury after Green chief Darren Johnson tweets from illegal cab

By Benedict Moore-Bridger



A senior London politician was forced to apologise today after taking an illegal minicab home from the City Hall Christmas party.

London Assembly chairman Darren Johnson has faced a furious backlash from black cab drivers, who have called for his resignation after he posted incriminating messages on his Twitter site.

The revelations are sure to anger the Mayor, as they come amid a huge publicity drive for the initiative Cabwise, warning people of the dangers of unlicensed minicabs.

Green party member Mr Johnson issued a request on Twitter late last night to be picked up after being unable to get a taxi quickly enough. He offered a “ten pound tip for first cabbie to find me”, but when none was forthcoming, he posted: “Illegal minicab will do if you get me home”.

Mr Johnson added later: “Well im (sic) in some dodgy minicab paying an exhorbitant (sic) rip-off rate but at least getting home”.

Steve McNamara, from the Licensed Taxi Drivers' Association, said Mr Johnson should know better. He added: “This is a busy time of year but that is no excuse to get into an illegal vehicle, especially when you are aware of it, and when the Mayor is spending a lot of money advising people not to do that. He should know better.”

His sentiments were echoed by cabbie Jonathan Myers, 47, who saw the posts online. He said some taxi drivers were now considering refusing to pick him up ever again.

“I could not believe it,” he said. “It's like the chairman of Barclays Bank promoting fraud.

“He should be forced to step down as chairman. Everyone has gone livid. People are saying they are going to refuse to pick him up.”

Mr Johnson's offending posts have now been removed from his site, but not before they were picked up by a taxi blog called The Anderson Shelter. The blog's author wrote: “This behaviour, from a man in a privileged position who should be setting an example, is disgusting and outrageous.”

Some of Mr Johnson's online followers had warned him about the potential damage his tweets might pose. One, Edwin Loo, wrote: “You're meant to lead by example. Cabwise etc etc!”

Latest figures show eight women are sexually attacked by minicab drivers, some of them unlicensed, every month in London.

In a statement, Mr Johnson apologised, saying: “Yesterday eve-ning I stupidly took an illegal minicab to get me home. It cost me more than a licensed taxi, and I was lucky that it did not cost me much more in terms of my personal safety.

“Londoners should always heed the official advice to only ever take a licensed taxi cab or pre-booked licensed minicab to get home.They should learn from my mistake.”

He added: “I want to make it clear this journey was a personal one that was not chargeable to the GLA and I'm very sorry to have done it.”

A spokesman for Mayor Boris Johnson said: “Unbooked minicabs pose a serious danger to the safety of Londoners.”

I got a phone call from the Evening Standard today and asked them to contact the LTDA.

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

You mean London's largest Taxi trade body?

Their deals are as good as your individual members deal.

How much was it again?

Darren replies!



"Yesterday evening I stupidly took an illegal minicab to get me home. It cost me more than a licensed taxi, and I was lucky that it did not cost me much more in terms of my personal safety. Londoners should always heed the official advice to only ever take a licensed taxi cab or pre booked licensed minicab to get home. They should learn from my mistake that unbooked minicabs are illegal and expensive and place personal safety at serious risk. I want to make it clear that this journey was a personal one that was not chargeable to the GLA and that I'm very sorry to have done it."


That's what happens when you're pizzed and holding a mobile phone.

Which does confirm what utter hypocrites they are.

Put that along side the top copper who's wife run an unlicensed cab firm does make you wonder if they really do give a stuff.

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IDFIMH

Surely it would have made a more interesting article if you had referred them to Mr TF.

That said I expect the Queen would then have got the blame.

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IDFIMH