Taxi Driver Online

Opinion: End this taxi madness



I climb into the driving seat of a taxi to respond to a call.

I pick up my passengers; it’s a school run. Halfway to school the phone rings again. I have an earpiece so I answer it. It’s another job, so I grab the radio and send another driver.

We’re nearly at the school now. The roads are busy. I’m concentrating, but the phone rings again. This time it’s a booking for later today, and I can’t write it down at the moment so I try to keep it in my head.

While I’m trying to make a mental note of those details, I can see another call waiting in the background. I hang up and that call comes through. Someone wants a quote for an airport run, and since I can’t write their number down and get back to them, I try to recall the price from memory as best I can.

All these phone calls are distracting me from the road, and I almost don’t notice the little girl who appears from between two parked cars on a bicycle. I miss her by an inch, and I just hope nothing else comes in on the phone in the middle of the three-point turn I have to do to get away once I’ve dropped these people off.

Does that sound safe?

Sadly, those are the kinds of working conditions that many taxi drivers in smaller towns in the UK are expected to put up with. Operators either can’t afford or simply don’t want to pay to have a call handler in the office, so drivers are being lumbered with doing it all themselves while negotiating the traffic too.

I spent six years working for a small cab firm and I finished in no small part because I’d had enough near misses through juggling phone calls with the steering wheel – and the last thing I wanted was someone’s death on my conscience should the worst happen.

The problem is, this has become so accepted as a way of doing business that everyone seems to shut up and put up with it.

But it’s dangerous. It’s not fair on the passengers, it’s not fair on the taxi drivers and it’s not fair on pedestrians and other road users. Even using a hands-free kit doesn’t keep drivers from being distracted as they think not only about what they’re doing now but the next two or three jobs in the queue as well.

It has to stop, but it won’t so long as taxi firms are allowed to get away with it.

That’s why I’ve created an e-petition asking the Government to look into banning taxi firms from operating in this way.

I may be out of the trade now, but I still feel passionately that this is an issue in dire need of addressing. So I would like to ask all readers to consider supporting me and signing my petition. You never know, it could help save someone’s life one day.

* Jim Hardaker is a Lib Dem member in Skegness

http://www.libdemvoice.org/opinion-end- ... 39159.html

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

It's a shame he's not so concerned about the amount of hours drivers work for those companies that do have telephones answered for them.

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

Lib Dem ponce but hes right this practice must be stopped!

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All posts by this contributor are made in a strictly personal capacity

I AM PROUD TO BE A CITIZEN NOBODY'S SUBJECT http://www.republic.org.u

F88K EM ALL WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND

BOOZE BOOZE BOOZE

If a little girl walks out between parked cars then call or not the driver is going to have to have a difficult time in avoiding her, in any respect if a driver chooses to accept a call isn't really down to taxi legislation but road traffic.

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

Some of us with only a couple of car don't earn enough to pay ourselves let alone someone to answer the phone!

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

It's a shame it took six years to realise there may be a problem.

He leaves the trade and THEN wants something doing about it.

'Kin lib dims, I hate 'em.

BTW, drivers on School contracts in Lincolnshire MUST have their mobiles switched off whilst operating county council contracts.

I manage well enough with a decent hands free and a caller display.

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Former taxi driver

Where as in Leicestershire they state that the driver must be contactable whilst on the contract.

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Grandad,

If they didn't charge stupidly cheap fares maybe they'd be able to afford a to pay someone.

I'm sorry but I think all in the opening post is bollocks.

With text, email or voice recording none of the above happens.

If someone rings and you can't take the details, ask them to text it or you ring back.

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IDFIMH

They'll be afraid of them phoning a competitor.

If you run over the little girl they'll be phoning your competitor anyway; you'll be banned for a couple of years!

Maybe, but in that case just say yes to everything, or give a price there and then, and when you have finished the job you are doing ring the punter back and have the longer discussion then.

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IDFIMH

Strangely i believe when your driving professionally thats all you ought to be doing.......not trying to be an answering service ffs...........safety first.........anyone remember that

_________________
All posts by this contributor are made in a strictly personal capacity

I AM PROUD TO BE A CITIZEN NOBODY'S SUBJECT http://www.republic.org.u

F88K EM ALL WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND

BOOZE BOOZE BOOZE

THAT SHUT UP THE ..............................................................GROVELLERS DIDNT IT

_________________
All posts by this contributor are made in a strictly personal capacity

I AM PROUD TO BE A CITIZEN NOBODY'S SUBJECT http://www.republic.org.u

F88K EM ALL WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND

BOOZE BOOZE BOOZE