Taxi Driver Online

How so

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

I wish people didn't type riddles on here, it's difficult enough to follow threads.

CC

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

As I have said before, discrimination comes in different guises....
Hackney Wav driver/owners don't discriminate, they can't, or shouldn't as their vehicle licence requirement is such and cannot be otherwise....
Hackney saloon owners have a choice they can go either way...... but is unlikely because of outlay, costs etc..... They can discriminate by saying they don't have the accessibility, unless customer is partially able to transfer from wheelchair to seat of taxi etc etc....
How long will the Hackney saloon fraternity be able to get away with the excuse that not all people want a Wav for what ever reason?
The PH trade are more than capable of filling this requirement as they are only a phone call away.....
Seems to me the Hackney saloon fraternities excuses get weaker and weaker and it will only be a matter of time till this is challenged strongly and fully under the DDA or Equality act.... I suspect that some lagging councils will preempt this and insist on 100% wav's....
I'm going to wait patiently and see what challenges are possible and could be made here where wavs outnumber saloons by far.....
Thinks: A few of us Wav drivers here already think that the council are indirectly discriminating here so will lobby councillors to see what kind of response we will get.....

100% WAV is my preferred option, but a case can be made to allow those drivers with exemption certificates to license saloons and help deal with disabled customers not able, in their view, to access WAVs.

However I come back to the post I made on this thread, what seems an age ago, that in my view existing restricting councils with mixed fleets will either have to issue 100s of new WAV plates or go 100 WAV.

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IDFIMH

As far as I know all the national associations/unions support the retention of taxi quotas, something that as an individual I think is highly flawed.

So what would you suggest those representing the national unions/associations fight for?

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IDFIMH

I would expect them to fight for what their members want

This is of course extremely difficult, because different areas want different things, I think I am right in presuming the majority of areas, at this time, would prefer a regular survey of demand which assess's the best possible number of taxis to serve the public and ensure the driver is still able to make a living.

In terms of the equality bill......perhaps MrT is right.......if there is a proportion of people who cannot use WAV's then these need catered for.

I think the mention of the Liverpool case is worthy of debate, if a person from Liverpool contacts the council and states, due to their disability they cannot get into a licensed HC WAV then given what the judge stated, should they not consider licensing saloons?

CC

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

Which is why the DfT aren't going to come back with a 100% WAV recommendation.

The onus will be on the local council to license vehicle to meet the local disability needs, and if that includes saloon for certain customers, then so be it.

Which is why the rep from the NPHA suggested drivers over 60, and those with a medical exemption, be allowed to license a saloon if they wish to.

Can't see that being accepted, but it's something I personally support.

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IDFIMH

I know I did myself no favours by telling them they do not live in the real world or that toothless legislation will simply be ignored by local councils, but at least I put my members thoughts across... it just seemed so strange that certain people would travel many hundreds of miles to sit in a room and say nothing... except who they were..

Yourself and others on here.... frequently moan about councils ignoring the laws that are already in place... or interpreting them to suit themselves..... what makes you think they will do any different with this new act....

And remember what was said..... they hope that the Act will be in force by the later half of this year..... and then after that they will do trials in three different areas to formulate how they will arrive at a percentage rate for the whole of the country.....ps.. and If I Remember right I also said that people who know nothing at all about this trade should not be making the law that rules it.....

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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!

CC That was tried here, but the councils response was if the driver of a wav is unable to carry out his duties (IE back problems) and applies for a medical exemption, or to go saloon, it is rejected and given the choice of converting/reverting to a PH licence.
Mr T does bring up some very valid argument where LA's are concerned in that most are belligerent towards the trade....
Winchester has adopted fairly tight quality control. Licensing itself actually does have sympathy where numbers are concerned but is tied by council policy. The tighter hoops have slowed applications, but it still remains to be seen whether recessional pressures will bring in more foolhardy people.... The new drivers tell us that licensing advised that things are very tough and whether or not it would be a good decision, but that didn't dissuade them. Now they are realising their desperation may be their undoing.... I'm sympathetic, but at the same time feel they have brought it upon themselves.....
Personally I think it will most likely stay as it is now so lobbying councillors is most likely to be a waste of time....

This idea that if you are unable to operate a Wav then you should operate a pH instead is a load of pish.Why should someone who has never been with a office have to start paying someone x amount of £s just so they can carry on working.

After attending the DFT workshop i think we will just have to wait and see what they government come up with,which IMO will take a long time.Dundee has said that they will wait till they get guidance from the government before it makes any decision.There has to be some sort of change because as it stands the system is not fair,then again life is not fair sometimes

Wrong!!!...Life is not fair all the time

Agreed, but it's what our council deem "fit & proper" It seems a small number of drivers have tried to use the exemption with some certificate from a doctor claiming bad backs and other dubious condition's in the past as an excuse not to take wheelchair customer's......
I would hazard a guess that most cab drivers suffer back problems from time to time (myself included), but not so bad that they can't even lift a small case as some make out!! If that's the case...... shouldn't be in the job

That's true..... There's always some barsteward or something that comes along and makes life a bitch....
Ever considered that we might already be in some kind of hell......

I don't think that's very equal do you? Why over 60?

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

It Certainly aint Heaven as their are MPs and Council types going about...Heaven wouldnt let them in...Maybe hell wouldnt either