Taxi Driver Online

Ive been driving a cab in Brighton 10 years now,and am saddened to see the way that the H.C.O. has let this trade slip into the state it is now.Every weekend i get a story from a pasenger,going out of town or to the outer suburbs or uni about being ripped off.A case in point Sat/6th Dec 2;45am,
i was 2nd turn on West st (a very busy rank handling upwards of 1500 people over 2/3 hours on a Sunday morning)two girls got in the cab in front of me then got out and got in mine asking to go to Burgess Hill i asked them why they didnt take the 1st cab,they said he was going to charge them £43 off the meter,this job only goes £25/£30.On the way there they told me of a previous journey, when they were charged £50 and one of them was forced to walk on her own as the cab driver was only doing one drop.He also informed them that in his country a woman would not be allowed to travel on her own,this being reserved for prostitutes.By the time they got to Burgess Hill they were scared,then being told to walk the rest of the way.Fortunatley she took the plate No down,when she phoned Brighton Hackney Carridge Office she was told it would be her word against the driver.I have a wife and daughter who both go out in our great city,but if i cant pick them up then i have 2 numbers of other drivers who they can phone.Yes i know your all like me,kind good hearted and out to make a living not a killing.But i cant take the chance that they wont get in our overcharging friends cab,knowing they have no back up from the H.C.O. as i say whats gone wrong?[/b]

Sign of the times pixs. The bad are ruining it for the rest. Its just a shame that we are getting more bad ones starting.

If they get away with it once. Then they will do it time a nd time again.

Did you see the bit in last nights argus about the women who has twice been shortchanged by drivers saying that she only gace them a tenner when she really gave them a score. Now we hear this all the time and say its rubbish. But how many people write to the paper about it.

It makes us look [edited by admin]. But when you read your story which confirms what I hear. Perhaps some of us deserve to look [edited by admin].

How about this one, a PH driver charged a woman £40 for a £15 job on Saturday night in Mansfield. Why do they want a HC plate when they charge this much???????

Yes Nidge, you and pixie highlight two areas not covered by the OFT report.

First, out of area hack fares, which are generally unregulated and the driver can legally charge what he wants (?) - astonishingly I can't find any mention of this at all in the OFT report - has anyone else?

Second, that PH fares are generally unregulated. The OFT effectively say that because people can 'shop around' for pre-booked work there is less chance of them being ripped off.

But we know different!

Dusty

From my experience, I would say that both the PH and the HC trade have too many scumbags, who take the [edited by admin] if they can get away with it.

Alas most of them do.

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IDFIMH

So Pixie.

You were sat behind the guy, you knew the scenario.

So why didn't you take his number and report him?

well its going a bit far saying most do, but significant numbers do.

just the shock of it i drove off after looking at him in disbelief and as all camel jockeys do "oh i not understand where you meant" its a losing battle and the race card will come into play no doubt ....pixie[/u][/i]

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YOU SHOULD'NT LET YOUR MIND WANDER ITS TO SMALL TO BE OUT ON ITS OWN

Read the post, I was saying that most of those that take the [edited by admin] couldn't care less.

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IDFIMH

Sussex you write not very clear,
I am sure the writer shreads a tear,
every occupation has its odd ball,
someone we look to jear and call,

its not gettin better by the day,
we can only hope and pray,
the low earnings needs to be adjusted,
to stop out pears from being busted,

The requirements of the council ever tough
making it difficult to get, drivers, thats rough.
we will see in the comming year,
less cabs and ph, that will bring fear,

Paddington Bill.

down im plymouth we often hear of the opposite. our fleet of PH cars have meters, and the meter is on all the way unless the office gives the customer a fixed price.

i often here that a job thats £25 on the PH meter is charged £40 by a HC black cab and another time a £18 job was charged £30 by a cabbie.

sound like once they get outside the city boundaries they can charge what they like.

i dont mind, the customers arn't that stupid, they'll only let themselves get ripped off once, next time they'll be ringing my office!!

Councils' joint crackdown on rogue taxi drivers


COUNCIL chiefs in Mansfield and Ashfield have joined forces to crackdown on rogue taxi drivers and unfit vehicles in a bid to improve the service provided by the areas taxi firms.


District council bosses say the new cross-border initiative is designed to ensure there is consistency between the two authorities in the way they deal with private hire and hackney carriage licensing functions.
The unique partnership will ensure that fees and fares are comparable across the two districts and that the two councils enforce similar stringent operating conditions.
And both councils have pledged to take immediate action against unlicensed drivers and taxis to remove the risk they pose to the travelling public and to share information on drivers, firms and vehicles.
The agreement also aims to improve the quality of the taxi service by increasing the variety of vehicles and number of wheelchair accessible vehicles.
Says Mansfield District Council licensing chairman Coun Andre Camilleri: "I am delighted that our two authorities will be working much more closely in the future.
"We have many excellent firms and many excellent drivers operating in our districts but it is important we root out the bad ones that give the trade a bad name."

Whatever next?

National standards?

Oh, what a good idea!

Dusty

The simple solution is for every adjoining Authority to rationalise with their neighbour and guess what that gives in no time. Sheer bliss.
Ged

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taxi driver @manchester airport

yeh and stop bloody bins driving cabs!