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 Post subject: A question of WORTH.
PostPosted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 9:34 pm 
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A taxi driver walks into a solicitor's office and explains his plight. The solicitor, without hesitation quotes him £200 an hour, to take his case, just for starters.

The taxi driver expects to pay the solicitor for his/her professional services. The cost for his/her services are, non-negotiable. This legal professional has no problem dictating professional worth. The price is the price, and if you don't like it well, you know what you can do. I think everyone recognises that for a taxi driver and the solicitor, we all operate a commercial market place, or do we?

The solicitor dictates professional worth.

The taxi driver dictates professional what, exactly?


Mr Grumpy on fasties writes: http://www.thetaxiforum.com/index.php?topic=1639.0

Quote:
I have 3 stories, perhaps stories 1 and 3 explain story 2.

1. Last saturday night, my teenage son up town at an 18th birthday party and the worse for wear and lost, flags a taxi in Fairmilehead and asks how much to musselburgh?  £40 is quoted, yes £40. son does not have £40 and getting very worried calls home and I duly pick him up. I did not want to post this, airing dirty washing in public, but story 2 and 3 have p*ssed me off no end and I have decided to post.

2.  coming down willowbrae road towards jocks lodge this morning. I am in outside lane level with a private car, and behind a bus, both in the greenway. As the traffic on the inside approach a parked car, I flash the bus to let it out but not the car, since I was level or slightly in front of it. the car behind me duly lets out the private car who then deliberately cuts in front of me at the lights, almost making contact. (He would have if I had not moved towards the kerb). he then proceeds to level a volley of abuse at me, of such severity, that I just did not understand what the problem was, surely not the incident immediately prior to his outburst, it had to be more than that?

3. I post these stories now, because my son's friend has just related what happened to him last saturday. Youngsters not accustomed to being up town did  the sensible thing and went to waverley bridge to get a taxi. They were charged £50 fixed fare to go to wallyford via musselburgh. When the parents found out, they went bananas, one of the boys had thought the fare was excessive and had duly noted the cab 's license number. To cut a long story short, comcabs reimbursed the £50 and said the driver would be disciplined. (all the other youngsters present related similar stories that had happened to them or their relatives) 

I would like to know what "disciplinary measures " were taken against the comcab driver.
I also wonder if stories 1 and 3 reflect the attitude of the bloke in story 2.


Once again, I am interested in how you see yourselves as professionals? :-|


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 Post subject: Re: A question of WORTH.
PostPosted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 3:22 am 
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Skull wrote:
The taxi driver dictates professional what, exactly?


Not a lot that [edited by admin] up punters will understand !! and he/she ain't got a defence until we take the Trade back !


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 7:34 am 
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Skull

The term professional isn't due to the level of accomplishment or qualification

When the term professional is used, it's to describe how you make your living or PROFESSION!

Like a professional gambler doesn't have qualifications but has his living made from gambling

If someone can make a living collecting rusty old baked bean tins then they're a professional baked bean tin collector

So, our profession is taxi driving which makes us professional drivers


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 1:54 pm 
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LongshanksED wrote:
Skull

The term professional isn't due to the level of accomplishment or qualification

When the term professional is used, it's to describe how you make your living or PROFESSION!

Like a professional gambler doesn't have qualifications but has his living made from gambling

If someone can make a living collecting rusty old baked bean tins then they're a professional baked bean tin collector

So, our profession is taxi driving which makes us professional drivers



Forty years ago the term professional was used in the context of passing The Knowledge, and driving a hack. Back then you would be hard pushed to find a London or an Edinburgh Cabby, or a member of the public, for that matter, that did not consider a taxi driver as a professional. Their income reflected this also. It was common for taxi drivers to claim that driving a taxi was a licence to print money.

However, your interpretation of what it means to be a professional driver at today's date is no less valid. Depending on how you perceive your standard of qualification, your income and how you believe the public view your profession.

In Mr. Grumpy's tale, everyone commenting seems to be annoyed because the cabbies in question, assessed their market and made a business decision to charge forty and fifty pounds. Which they are quite entitled to do. Did they not simply dictate their worth? The punters could have renegotiated the price being charged or hailed another cab. Are these not market forces at work, a busy night when taxis are at a premium and a price being charged that reflects demand?

Is this not what professional business people are supposed to do? :-|


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 4:59 pm 
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Skull... I'll give you one thing.. you're definitely a professional pain in the a**. :wink:

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 6:50 pm 
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MR T wrote:
Skull... I'll give you one thing.. you're definitely a professional pain in the a**. :wink:


Ah Mr. T the expert on screwing the worth out of people while claiming to represent their interests. :roll:


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 10:34 pm 
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What's wrong Mr. T, don't you what to discuss screwing the worth out of people? It's not like you and Wayne (Uncle Tom) Casey haven't been doing it for years. Oh now I remember you don't like being described as Uncle Tom's, do you, a little too close to home for your “members” .
:roll:


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jun 20, 2011 1:23 am 
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The best way is find a no win no fee solicitor, at least you will know the outcome just in case you have to pay


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jun 20, 2011 2:18 am 
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Skull wrote:
What's wrong Mr. T, don't you what to discuss screwing the worth out of people? It's not like you and Wayne (Uncle Tom) Casey haven't been doing it for years. Oh now I remember you don't like being described as Uncle Tom's, do you, a little too close to home for your “members” .
:roll:
I have always supported the professional taxi-driver/ owner...... and have always told them to place a value on themselves...... but then.... we have the fly-by-nights... the people that just drive taxis..... that eventually get thrown out of the trade.... the worthless useless noisy minority..... I don't class them as taxi drivers.... I class them as the people that steal money from the professionals pocket .... and the rip off merchants that hold the general public to ransom and give the professional hackney driver a bad name that destroyers the Return work for the professional trade.... have a nice day.... :wink:

_________________
Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!


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 Post subject: Re: A question of WORTH.
PostPosted: Mon Jun 20, 2011 9:15 am 
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Skull wrote:
Once again, I am interested in how you see yourselves as professionals? :-|


And who, exactly, cares what the great Skull is interested in? Us mere mortals just try to earn a crust and live a life - unlike Skull who seems to be perpetually at war or having a pop at those he has not the wit to understand.

Life is hard so Skull why not get a job or a life even and leave the taxi game to those who CAN make a living from it.

btw since you seem to have acquired a liking for Plato, perhaps in your dealings with the cab inspector, you should have remembered another of Plato's well-known quotes "I shall assume that your silence gives consent."

Or was it another case of "Skull knows better?"


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 Post subject: Re: A question of WORTH.
PostPosted: Mon Jun 20, 2011 4:31 pm 
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swannee wrote:
Skull wrote:
Once again, I am interested in how you see yourselves as professionals? :-|


And who, exactly, cares what the great Skull is interested in? Us mere mortals just try to earn a crust and live a life - unlike Skull who seems to be perpetually at war or having a pop at those he has not the wit to understand.

Life is hard so Skull why not get a job or a life even and leave the taxi game to those who CAN make a living from it.

btw since you seem to have acquired a liking for Plato, perhaps in your dealings with the cab inspector, you should have remembered another of Plato's well-known quotes "I shall assume that your silence gives consent."

Or was it another case of "Skull knows better?"



As a taxi driver Swannee has no dignity, he is happy to be denied his fundamental rights and has very little or no self-worth to speak of.

Swannee feels ashamed and more than a little embarrassed but is so inured by the system believes that everyone should be just like him. To such an extent, he is prepared to defend his servitude against anyone who would point it out.

“we don't want dignity, who needs rights, and we've always had the council to tell us what we are worth”

This is Swannee's World and yet. I lack “the wit to understand”.

I understand only too well Swannee, and to me, what you accept is unacceptable.


Quote:
“Life is hard so Skull why not get a job or a life even and leave the taxi game to those who CAN make a living from it”.


I wonder why? :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:


Oh and btw, you've taken Plato's quote out of context.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jun 20, 2011 6:04 pm 
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Skull wrote:
As a taxi driver Swannee has no dignity, he is happy to be denied his fundamental rights and has very little or no self-worth to speak of.

Swannee feels ashamed and more than a little embarrassed but is so inured by the system believes that everyone should be just like him. To such an extent, he is prepared to defend his servitude against anyone who would point it out.

“we don't want dignity, who needs rights, and we've always had the council to tell us what we are worth”

This is Swannee's World and yet. I lack “the wit to understand”.

I understand only too well Swannee, and to me, what you accept is unacceptable.


That's only your opinion :roll:

Skull wrote:
Oh and btw, you've taken Plato's quote out of context.


Once again that's only your opinion, you weren't there so you don't know for sure :wink:

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jun 20, 2011 6:34 pm 
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toots wrote:
Skull wrote:
As a taxi driver Swannee has no dignity, he is happy to be denied his fundamental rights and has very little or no self-worth to speak of.

Swannee feels ashamed and more than a little embarrassed but is so inured by the system believes that everyone should be just like him. To such an extent, he is prepared to defend his servitude against anyone who would point it out.

“we don't want dignity, who needs rights, and we've always had the council to tell us what we are worth”

This is Swannee's World and yet. I lack “the wit to understand”.

I understand only too well Swannee, and to me, what you accept is unacceptable.


That's only your opinion :roll:

Skull wrote:
Oh and btw, you've taken Plato's quote out of context.


Once again that's only your opinion, you weren't there so you don't know for sure :wink:


How would you know what it is to have an opinion? You're just a stupid tart with man issues. :roll:

Toots writes:

Quote:
"My father adored me and my ex treated me like a princess in public, but, he had a drink problem in so far as his jealously of my brother would manifest itself when he had drink and I was the person around at the time. It had an effect then but not anymore so whatever you think you're achieving by continuely reminding me of this is anybodies guess"


What "effect" and why was your ex jealous of your brother? You are damaged goods Toots, and you won't get the therapy you need on this forum.

:-|


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jun 20, 2011 6:58 pm 
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Incidentally, if you have a right of silence, this means no one can force you to become a witness against yourself. And should you choose to exercise your right. You can rest assured. It does not give consent to anyone.
:roll:


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jun 20, 2011 10:01 pm 
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MR T wrote:
Skull wrote:
What's wrong Mr. T, don't you what to discuss screwing the worth out of people? It's not like you and Wayne (Uncle Tom) Casey haven't been doing it for years. Oh now I remember you don't like being described as Uncle Tom's, do you, a little too close to home for your “members” .
:roll:
I have always supported the professional taxi-driver/ owner...... and have always told them to place a value on themselves...... but then.... we have the fly-by-nights... the people that just drive taxis..... that eventually get thrown out of the trade.... the worthless useless noisy minority..... I don't class them as taxi drivers.... I class them as the people that steal money from the professionals pocket .... and the rip off merchants that hold the general public to ransom and give the professional hackney driver a bad name that destroyers the Return work for the professional trade.... have a nice day.... :wink:


Why don't we tell everyone how you screw the worth out of taxi drivers by acting as their Uncle Tom?

Firstly, you've got to bang the populist drum. “ vote for me and I will represent your rights before the council”.

Now once Trevor's feet are firmly under the council's table, and the coffee and gypsy creams are being pushed around. It becomes. This is how it works. "Trevor, how can we, help you to help us to help yourself, to help them?” Big Trevor is now a man of substance and knowledge in the ways of the council. No one knows what Trevor knows. The council may throw him a few scraps, but really, it's all about Trevor being recognised as a man of importance while representing "your" interests. Trevor will play the system the way the council wants it to be played. He will tell you all about his hard work, making friends' with councillors to look after "your" interests. The arguments, the debates and all the time spent fighting exhaustively in his selfless quest to improve "your" life.

This is all of course absolute bollocks.

Trevor is no longer the solution but part of the problem, and anyone who might question his motives simply doesn't understand how politics and the council works.


Ah you doubt what I say, well perhaps Trevor can give us the real story?

Over twenty years in the taxi trade and the only thing that changes are the faces of the Uncle Toms'. :-|


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