Taxi Driver Online

Some time ago, approximately two years, I had I tip off from a friend who works in the Carriage Office, that TFL were going to do away with the green badge. They had been overheard to say that "the drivers are putting to much emphasis on this piece of metal. They should have the same badge as PHV drivers".
When I mentioned this to certain leaders of our trade I was told "don't worry they cant take away our badge without changing the law".
Well guess what! they have now changed the law. The Press release, 17/08 , Takes away the 15p metal badge. To be replace at a suitable cost sometime in the near future by a Photo ID, just like the PHV drivers. I wrote to Bob Oddie two years ago and never even got a reply. Well that's the LTDA. Our DIY web blog, The Anderson Shelter, on the other hand had a campaign running for almost a year. Unfortunately no one in power took any notice of our drivers or what they wanted.
That shows the contempt they hold for us.
Too bad if we wanted to keep our metal badge, cause its now too late.
Having said that I personaly will never wear a photo ID L
like a mini cab driver and I will refuse to give up my Green Metal Badge.

Oddly enough two years ago I posed the question about London cabbies not having photographic hackney carriage driver licenses. I didn't advocate the removal of the metal badge but I did highlight the fact that London was the only area in the country that didn't have a photo ID. It's surprising that TFL have now acted on my published observations in 2006.

You don't suppose TFL got their lead from this site do you?

You can read the thread here.

http://taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3901

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

Personally I can not see why any Licensed driver Hackney or PHV would need a Photo ID. You dont see Coach or bus drivers with Photos round their necks. If the passenger wants to know what we look like they only have to look at our face. With have number plates License plates and badge numbers, why do we need photo's no one checks to see if the driver looks like the face on the ID card.
In London we have had Metal badges with numbers on since 1853, first they were big white enamal ones and then after the wear they were replaced by the familiar green badge of today.
This is another piece of our identity that TFL are taking away from the London Cab trade in a bid to bring in a one tier services.
I don't think they realise the feeling that drivers have for this piece of metal. Most drivers these days have to sweat blood for three years to earn one of these badges and I don't think TFL have had any consultation with the trade on this issue. But they will have a fight on there hands and I do believe that this is one they wont win.

Are you planning on retiring early then.

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Grandad,

Hi all, my first post but been a vistor to the site for a little while.

When i was on the knowledge my sole purpose from start to end was to earn my green badge. It took me 3 years and many cold, wet days and nights on the bike but i got there. The green badge is our identity; it's what we work so hard for and i will never stop wearing it.

If i'm issued with this photo id, it will get put into the glovebox but i'll still wear my green badge proudly around my neck.

I don't know if it's too late to fight this, sadly yet again we as a trade have been let down by the various trade organisations who could have perhaps opposed this and ultimately the PCO who should at least be fighting our corner on this one.

Be lucky.

Perhaps it might be wise to ask TFL to continue issuing the metal badge along with the new badge, considering it is that important to you.

The reason for photo ID badges is so that passengers and enforcement officers can see that the badge and the person driving the cab are one and the same. It was bound to happen in this modern day and age. If in 2008 taxi licensing was in its infancy do you think the authorities would issue metal badges as identification, or photo ID's? Why do you think they didn't issue photo ID's back in 1850?

Some relics or icons of the past do get updated from time to time but if you want to preserve this particular icon then I think you would be wise to compromise.

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

As JD says, the purpose of the photo is so that nobody else can use the badge.
I can't see why you cant have both though.

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

Very calm wise words.
But we have had a licence with our photo on in a cardboard folder, in the cab that anyone can ask to see at any time, for best part of a hundred years now.
Why should it become a problem suddenly?
It is almost impossible rent or drive a London type Taxi that is plated by the carriage office if you are not a licensed driver.
I have never seen a copy of a metal green badge, but I have seen plenty of PHV type licenses that have been made in minuets on a computer.
You can buy Copy TFL pre booked only badges in a certain car wash used by PHV driver in central London. Evan the green roundel can be bought with a bit of digging round.

I went in to the O2 shop to buy a phone and the man in there had on an ID badge with Photo saying his name was Peter.
After I made my purchase I said Thank you Peter, and he said " My names Eric I lost my badge, I found this one in the draw."

No on e take any notice of a photo when they want to get home.

That's because:

1 - Your not a member - Non members are not entitled to any service

2 - He thinks your a crackpot as well.

Print some more lies and bile on your 'website' . . . that'll tell them.

Maybe you should ask to be able to keep your metal badge around your neck and have the photo ID stuck to the plastic screen behind your head for all to see.

But I think the plastic IDs are here for good.

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IDFIMH

I think this is what possibly will happen, just like in the states.

A few years ago there were scare stories going round about a Licensed cab driver in a red Taxi raping young girls and the drivers felt it was possibly an imitation Licensed driver in an un-plated cab. In fact that is exactly what had been happening, at that time second hand Taxi's were available quite freely.
As a show of good will, many drivers taped their bills to the glass screen.

That's exactly as it should be, for proper recognition of the licensed driver.

Anyone, passenger or enforcement, can then easily establish that the driver is in fact the one in the Photo ID & not someone who has borrowed the cab for a shift from his licensed driver cousin, because he's having a kipp after a mega shift.

There is plenty of that suspected, especially on a Sunday.

If you've got nothing to hid, it shouldn't be a problem.

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Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

That's two locked thread's to your name.

Yeh but you got banned from the other forum twice, under two ID's, for Cyber bullying and lying.