Taxi Driver Online

I have been reading this site and occasionally contributing for a number of months now. One thing I have noticed, is that there are quite a few on here who take offence when a Private Hire Vehicle is referred to as a "Taxi".

Why is this?

Round here, there are no seperate licences, and if you can drive PH you can drive a Hack. Both carry out pretty much exactly the same duties, which are taking a passenger from point a to point b.

Just wondering why it is such a contentious issue on here. Afterall i'd guess that 99% of the public aren't even aware there is a difference between a Hack and PH. I know when they call our firm, punters ask for a taxi. If we were to follow the letter of the law, should the operator say "Sorry, but we don't have any taxis. However, I can arrange for a private hire vehicle to collect you instead"?

Taxis can ply for hire, stand on ranks.

PH has to be booked, can't ply for hire and cant stand on ranks.

It's always ph companies that want to pass them selves off as taxi companies, when in fact they are ph.

In other parts of the country there are probably different criteria to be met (often stricter) to become a taxi driver, especially in London, where taxi drivers spend years learning "The Knowledge" to get their badge, I think they've a right to be pi$$ed off, that private hire drivers call themselves taxi drivers, when all the private hire topography test involves is drawing a compass with the 4 points, naming a motorway or three which crosses M25, and what direction is Birmingham from London etc...

Agree about London.

I suppose it would differ on location - before I purchased my vehicle I did both PH and Hackney driving and much preferred PH - ranking up was boring, had to listen to moaning guys constantly (other drivers), and as there was little (if any) customers flagging down a car there was a lot of dead mileage driving back to the rank. When I did PH, there was a better chance of link up work, and I could mind own business somewhere quiet during the off peak times.

But the actual job, the driving of the customer, was exactly the same regardless and that is what I was mainly getting at.

excellent post

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

Strangely enough I think it's more contentious away from the site.

But part of it is that taxis have officially been around for (depending on what you believe) between 165-400 years, whilst PH only officially since 1976.

Personally I take the view that the thicker the taxi driver the more he is anti PH, and to a degree the other way around.

So to answer your question, the reason is because they are thick.

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IDFIMH

The only contention i find is when ph wants to be a 'taxi' and not a ph. If they stick to there line of work and i stick to mine im happy.Dont know about being thick as i know the difference

"Taxi" is a generic term for a small passenger vehicle (as opposed to a bus/coach), i doubt 1 in 1000 members of the public know the difference between Hackney and PH, even fewer CARE after 10 pints of special brew or snakebite, its time the law was changed, if only on the subject of flagdowns, hacks are welcome to sit on ranks, my nearest is 13 miles away.

BTW, neither a "taxi" nor a private hire vehicle can sit in any old street hoping for a fare............

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

I think 'taxis' which are actually hackney carriages should be known as hackney carriages

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

So its only ph that want to be a taxi then, i know the difference and im pretty sure your " 1 in a 1000" is way off the mark.If this was the case why is ph not meant to appear as a taxi ?

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

BTW, mention "hackney" to 1000 MOP's and the vast majority will say "its in london int it?" ask em what a hackney carriage is and.......

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

heres how 1 LA ensures a PRIVATE HIRE vehicle cannot be confused for a taxi

no way, course it cant...

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

Thats there, shouldnt have any wording of taxi on a ph.Wouldnt get passed here,doesnt make it a taxi though does it ?