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Wharfie.

History tells that the Private Hire industry emerged because of two things.

1) The restrictive market policies introduced for the Hackney industry

2) The desire to provide a service avoiding the restrictive and excessively high entry barriers in place.

Rugby League and Rugby Union have different rules but to a martian from Planet Zog they are the same game.

They have the same objectives, scoring a try, the same playing field and to a huge extent the same rules.

They have also benefited hugely from cross fertilisation of ideas and personnel.

Still gone off track here, but it is a relevant comparison.

What I am saying is that, as far as I am concerned, Private Hire emerged because of the restrictive practices. It's reputation today is solely down to the London hackney trade who for many many years blocked its official recognition. Remember the trade only had any legislation in 1976 and that was deemed so insignificant it was a small part of 'Miscellaneous Provisions'.

If the trade as a whole had had innovative all encompassing legislation in the 60's and a large part hadn't been treated like lepers in our capital then we would be in a very differnet position.

That poster the London Hacks put up about how many rapes, attacks etc had taken place in minicabs should have had written boldly across the bottom

And the negative attitude of London Hackney drivers is responsible because we stopped every effort to licence the trade

Spot on.

The main reason why drivers drive PH in my manor, isn't because of a lesser standard of driver and vehicle, cos they are exactly the same.

It's because of the restricted numbers policy, and only that.

Thus the only thing stopping us/me being HC, is the HC trade plying their outdated and discriminatory practises.

I'm afraid it stinks

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IDFIMH

Yup. The phrase "hit the nail on the head" springs to mind.

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There is Significant Unmet Demand for my Opinion.

That is history rewritten, but not true at all

Private hire arose out of a desire to use fleets from funerals and weddings
it developed on from there to competition on those fronts and a very cheap buisness set up.

licensing was introduced after concern over rapes and children disapearing

in fact it was to dodge licensing!

tom tut tut

History re-written?

Not in my memory or knowledge of it.

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There is Significant Unmet Demand for my Opinion.

Don't be so daft.

Are London minicabs being licensed to dodge licensing?

If it wasn't for the restrictive numbers policies held by so many councils, then the PH trade would be a shadow of itself.

The only place PH thrive in the country, is in restricted areas, in mandatory areas, and in areas where PH drivers don't need a knowledge.

In all other areas the fault lies fairly and squarely with the HC trade, who are firmly stuck in the past.

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IDFIMH

So getting back to the point in hand, if people were calling rugby league rugby union (or vice versa), or rugby football, or just football (but not soccer) and everyone became very confused, and the deliberate use of this terminology caused irritation, misled the public, encouraged illegality and may have even indirectly led to rapes and murders, then apologists for this would say:

"I think if the rugby union and rugby league sports used the same amount of energy and passion, fighting for a better trade, that they use debating what a taxi or PH should be called, then we would be flying."

Wouldn't it be better encouraging the use of the proper terminology?

Dusty

If Joe Public gave a dam, then yes.

Otherwise it's a pointless exercise.

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IDFIMH

Because of the inadequacy of the legislation most don't have a clue, which is the point in question surely?

They can't give a damn if they don't know what it is they're supposed to be giving a damn about.

Dusty

Absolutely.

And why should they give a damn? All they want is a lift home or to somewhere else. The average passenger doesnt give a flying f*** what type of license is on the back, and for many, if there is a licence at alll!

They only care when something goes wrong. But thats the norm for most walks of life.

In most places, the freeing of the yoke of limitation of plates, will mean less PH and more Hackneys. The public, in my view, will be better off, and in the longer term, so will we.

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There is Significant Unmet Demand for my Opinion.

Tom,
When did the Martians move to Planet Zog? I think we should be told.
Ged

Ged

It was just after Claude moved out to life with Mick in Gateshead.

Wharfie was going to buy it but it wasn't cold enough for him compare with Wharfdale.

no no no,
private hire was unlicensed until the late seventies boyo.

THEN HAVE A SINGLE CODE!
Jesus you have it both ways

For me it doesn't matter how many codes/tiers etc. As long as each of them is open and free to all.

Even Sussex.

Alex

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