We all know that illegal plying for hire goes on, both by private hire drivers and hackney carriage drivers and I doubt there is a man or woman in the cab trade who can turn around and say that they haven't been tempted by the prospect of obtaining a decent fare when approached by a member of the public in an area where they are not licensed.
Having said that, it could be said that "what the eye doesn't see the heart won't grieve over". The problem is, as a hackney carriage driver you sometimes get a little pizzed off with private hire drivers blatantly sat on Taxi ranks waiting for jobs especially when license enforcement officers and police give their tacit approval by ignoring their presence?. lol
I know that this scenario might sound preposterous but I'm sure many hacks out there will understand what I mean?
Most intelligent private hire drivers such as those who subscribe to TDO wouldn't dream of doing what these private hire drivers are doing in Manchester.
I would like to think that everyone who subscribes to TDO is aware of the law in respect of illegal plying for hire no matter what you drive whether it be "private hire" or hackney carriage?
The points I'm getting at are plain and simple and are evident from the photograph below.
Everyone can see that three private hire cars are parked outside a pub but what you can't see unless you look closely is that these vehicles are parked on a Taxi rank. Now you might think that is a blatant act of plying for hire and most people would agree with you. So we ask ourselves why does Manchester City council allow this illegal activity to continue indefinitely.
Your guess is as good as mine but we can all assume that the council is not that bothered. If that be the case which it undoubtedly is then perhaps we should ask ourselves what is the local T&G doing about the situation? Or the local TOA or the local cab committee? The answer to that is absolutely nothing.
So we have a situation in Manchester where the current crop of licensing officials, councillors and Taxi representatives don't give faack about who breaks the law and they wonder why they get criticised?
This photograph was taken last Thursday and the practice of illegal plying for hire by private drivers on this particular taxi rank in the city centre of Manchester has gone on for years. So work that one out?
Regards
JD
