Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Nasty bullying taxi drivers

24567

Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 10,965 ✭✭✭✭Zulu


    Victor wrote: »
    The customer can pick any taxi they want in the queue.
    Technically, yes. But it doesn't really happen in practice.

    I've always taken the first taxi, but a friend of mine was accused of being a racist because they didn't take the first car and the driver happened to be a foreign national. Who wants to be publicly accused of being a racist? Also, who wants to get into a "thing" with the first driver. Personally I find it's just a whole lot easier to hop into the first car - even if it is a crock of shit.

    That said, i really should make a point of selecting nicer cars...

    Also, at the airport, you are told which car to take.


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,965 ✭✭✭✭Zulu


    wexford12 wrote: »
    I agree that no driver should be rude or shout about what the fare is but its not easy sitting in line for an hour or so with money wories and getting a €5 fare.
    Well, we all have money worries. And sadly for you, the more drivers that grumble about low fares, the less inclined the public will be to get into a taxi.


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 12,778 Mod ✭✭✭✭Zascar


    Something similar happened to me a while ago – I came home from holiday with my girlfriend and we were going to her house from the Airport.. We went outside and a taxi was there the man politely took our bags and asked where we were going. She told him XXX Road, Swords. We got into the taxi and he pulled off – and then said “Sorry, where did you say you were going” I replied: XXX Road, swords. He nearly crashed. He went bananas ranting and raving. Saying he was 3 hours at the rank and it would only be a 12 euro fair. He said I should have said it to him and he would have sent me to the back of the queue. I had no idea I usually get the air bus and I had no noticed a big queue of taxi’s at all. I would have happily got a different taxi (at the departures level even – get one dropping someone else off) – but the fact is we told him where we were going and it was his fault he did not listen properly.

    Long story short because of his hugely inappropriate behaviour, and the way I was trying to handle the situation to calm it down, it caused a fight between myself and my girlfriend which almost never happens. She was absolutely infuriated by the situation and upset her for the rest of the evening. He p1ssed me off no end.

    They should either have some sign there or just clearly tell the taxi drivers to check before letting anyone else into their cab. And any driver making a woman burst into tears should be reprimanded.

    I know its crappy for the taxi drivers these days but I have little sympathy for them. Like many, I remember the many years of the late 90’s and early 2000’s when there were almost no taxi’s in Dublin. You’d spend hours walking the streets looking for a taxi, you’d eventually flag one down – they would ask you where you were going – and if it was far away they would drive off - as they made more money short journeys. So 10 years later the tables have turned, and few people really care. I really have a dislike for them as a whole, there is a very disproportionate amount of real w@ankers working that job. And don’t even get me started on their blatant disregard for the rules of the road...


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,501 ✭✭✭zagmund


    Victor wrote: »
    The customer can pick any taxi they want in the queue.

    I know this is the theory. There are enough posts here on boards.ie to indicate that some of the drivers don't quite get this concept though and 'inisist' that you go to the top.

    I think most people couldn't be arsed debating the finer points of the relevant pieces of legislation with the drivers and will (like me and others who have posted here) just avoid the rank entirely and flag someone down.

    z


  • Registered Users Posts: 486 ✭✭EricPraline


    Victor wrote: »
    The customer can pick any taxi they want in the queue.
    n97 mini wrote: »
    A possible workaround is to pick the last cab in the rank. He/she should have nothing to complain about?

    This is nice in theory. But as others pointed out, good luck trying that in practice. I have been verbally abused before for not taking the first taxi in the rank - simply because the first driver was too busy on his phone to notice a potential customer. I have also seen women verbally abused at taxi ranks by aggressive drivers.

    As others have suggested, it's best to avoid ranks where possible and hail on the street.

    Incidentally this idea of treating potential customers badly simply because business is bad doesn't just relate to taxis - it seems rife in many industries in Ireland. But as far as taxis are concerned, it's the personal safety issue that's particularly worrying. Nobody wants to be treated like the OP where she/he is stuck in a confined space with an angry, aggressive individual (and paying for the privilege of it).


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 12,894 ✭✭✭✭Losty Dublin


    zagmund wrote: »
    I know this is the theory. There are enough posts here on boards.ie to indicate that some of the drivers don't quite get this concept though and 'inisist' that you go to the top.

    I think most people couldn't be arsed debating the finer points of the relevant pieces of legislation with the drivers and will (like me and others who have posted here) just avoid the rank entirely and flag someone down.

    z

    Just to make a small clarification on this, Zagamund.

    When the idea of choosing a car at a rank is in many ways a good call, The drivers were not informed of this in advance. The only notification being a small paragraph hidden in a column of a quarterly sent out to drivers and plate owners so it was easily missed by most people. Add to it how it as good as erases the principle of a queue (first come first served), it is easy to see how it serves to annoy and bemuse some people, even if well meant.


  • Registered Users Posts: 25,594 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    wexford12 wrote: »
    I have found myself not been able to talk to a customer because of the last one pissed me of so much sometimes its best to sit and say nothing lol

    I'm glad you're getting frequent fares.

    And if you pick me up, I really appreciate it when you zip up the lip, and don't make me listen to your views of politics, sport or whatever else is on your mind. Just focus on driving safely and quickly, and I'll be a happy customer. And if it's a ridiculously short ride (E6 or less) I'll throw you and extra euro or two.


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 90,537 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    a driver in a rank isn't burning petrol , so while income is down, so are expenses
    IIRC Taxi drivers have to pay to use Dublin airport, but can claim back off the passenger ?

    just had at this http://taxiregulation.nationaltransport.ie/for-users/tax-fare-calculator/

    doesn't mention M50 toll or extra charge from Dublin Airport
    which I assume the customer pays extra for ?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,463 ✭✭✭CIE


    Zascar wrote: »
    Something similar happened to me a while ago – I came home from holiday with my girlfriend and we were going to her house from the Airport.. We went outside and a taxi was there the man politely took our bags and asked where we were going. She told him XXX Road, Swords. We got into the taxi and he pulled off – and then said “Sorry, where did you say you were going” I replied: XXX Road, swords. He nearly crashed. He went bananas ranting and raving. Saying he was 3 hours at the rank and it would only be a 12 euro fair. He said I should have said it to him and he would have sent me to the back of the queue. I had no idea I usually get the air bus and I had no noticed a big queue of taxi’s at all. I would have happily got a different taxi (at the departures level even – get one dropping someone else off) – but the fact is we told him where we were going and it was his fault he did not listen properly.

    Long story short because of his hugely inappropriate behaviour, and the way I was trying to handle the situation to calm it down, it caused a fight between myself and my girlfriend which almost never happens. She was absolutely infuriated by the situation and upset her for the rest of the evening. He p1ssed me off no end.

    They should either have some sign there or just clearly tell the taxi drivers to check before letting anyone else into their cab. And any driver making a woman burst into tears should be reprimanded.

    I know its crappy for the taxi drivers these days but I have little sympathy for them. Like many, I remember the many years of the late 90’s and early 2000’s when there were almost no taxi’s in Dublin. You’d spend hours walking the streets looking for a taxi, you’d eventually flag one down – they would ask you where you were going – and if it was far away they would drive off - as they made more money short journeys. So 10 years later the tables have turned, and few people really care. I really have a dislike for them as a whole, there is a very disproportionate amount of real w@ankers working that job. And don’t even get me started on their blatant disregard for the rules of the road...
    Now just imagine how bad things would be for them if Dublin Bus suddenly instituted 24-hour bus service...


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,295 ✭✭✭n97 mini


    Zulu wrote: »
    I've always taken the first taxi, but a friend of mine was accused of being a racist because they didn't take the first car
    By whom? The guy in the first car? What does it matter, not like you're going to see him again!


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 10,965 ✭✭✭✭Zulu


    Yea, the driver of the first car.

    What does it matter? It doesn't if you're accustomed to being shouted at in public; it doesn't if you don't mind being abused in public.

    Most people prefer to avoid such situations, but good for you that you don't.


  • Registered Users Posts: 451 ✭✭wexford12


    a driver in a rank isn't burning petrol , so while income is down, so are expenses
    IIRC Taxi drivers have to pay to use Dublin airport, but can claim back off the passenger ?

    just had at this http://taxiregulation.nationaltransport.ie/for-users/tax-fare-calculator/

    doesn't mention M50 toll or extra charge from Dublin Airport
    which I assume the customer pays extra for ?

    Well thats rubbish sitting on a rank starting your engine 20 odd times to get to the top of a rank kills your car and starter motor and this can be done for maybe 10 sittings for 10 fares.
    So many cars are in bits from this pratice I leave my engine running if for nothing more than heat in the car or air con


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 214 ✭✭bensweeney


    Only had it once, going from Airport to Swords. wish I complained.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 899 ✭✭✭oisindoyle


    a driver in a rank isn't burning petrol , so while income is down, so are expenses
    IIRC Taxi drivers have to pay to use Dublin airport, but can claim back off the passenger ?

    just had at this http://taxiregulation.nationaltransport.ie/for-users/tax-fare-calculator/

    doesn't mention M50 toll or extra charge from Dublin Airport
    which I assume the customer pays extra for ?
    If you read the information correctly you would have seen that it mentions the toll charge ....
    What exactly are you talking about re "extra charge" from Dublin Airport??????...
    Just to enlighten you and to help you stop spreading misinformation ,,,there is NO "extra charge" from Dublin Airport!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 899 ✭✭✭oisindoyle


    Well the usual bash taxi drivers posters are alive and kicking,isn't that a surprise!
    The word that many are omitting is SOME .In other words not all taxi drivers are as someone politely said "wa*kers"
    I think you will find many a taxi driver has to put up with wa*kers,rude obnoxious smelly opinionated passengers on a daily basis ,,,so it works both ways !
    To the OP ,your driver was in the wrong and it was a terrible experience for you .

    If you (or any passenger) gets into a taxi he has to take you be that journey short or long.
    Report a driver if you must ,but to be honest reporting an incident to the taxi regulator can be full of red tape, its long and winded and time consumeing .Ive yet to hear of anyone getting a satisfactory outcome from them ,,but thats another days work.

    It's also interesting and amusing to see people state that drivers getting 6 fares in an hour ,how misguided you are .
    Many a driver is on a rank for 2hrs before they get a fare..
    At the airport its usually 3 hrs before a driver gets away ..
    The is no need for rudeness from any driver ,and the vast majority are well behaved and mannerly ,something that people are choosing to ignore!


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,853 ✭✭✭Sultan of Bling


    wexford12 wrote: »
    Well thats rubbish sitting on a rank starting your engine 20 odd times to get to the top of a rank kills your car and starter motor and this can be done for maybe 10 sittings for 10 fares.
    So many cars are in bits from this pratice I leave my engine running if for nothing more than heat in the car or air con

    Why don't you take the handbrake off and push the car up the rank?


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,965 ✭✭✭✭Zulu


    oisindoyle wrote: »
    ...and the vast majority are well behaved and mannerly ,something that people are choosing to ignore!
    I must have missed the post that stated all taxi drivers are.., & in the absence of that, I was working off the principle that we were only discussing certain taxi drivers.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,225 ✭✭✭JCDUB


    I live in Santry and have gotten attitude numerous times coming from the airport.

    However I make it clear that I am as entitled as the next person to take their taxi and it's just a matter of luck, and never entertain their ranting. I sometimes just ask them to be quiet.

    The ones who don't complain always get a tip too. The ones who do, that's a different story.

    Having said that, I usually just go upstairs to departures now and get a taxi, the drivers dropping fares off are only too happy to take you.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 899 ✭✭✭oisindoyle


    JCDUB wrote: »
    I live in Santry and have gotten attitude numerous times coming from the airport.

    However I make it clear that I am as entitled as the next person to take their taxi and it's just a matter of luck, and never entertain their ranting. I sometimes just ask them to be quiet.

    The ones who don't complain always get a tip too. The ones who do, that's a different story.

    Having said that, I usually just go upstairs to departures now and get a taxi, the drivers dropping fares off are only too happy to take you.

    and those drivers at departures are doing so illegally .Drivers are not permitted to take fares at departures


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    oisindoyle wrote: »

    If you (or any passenger) gets into a taxi he has to take you be that journey short or long.
    Report a driver if you must ,but to be honest reporting an incident to the taxi regulator can be full of red tape, its long and winded and time consumeing .Ive yet to hear of anyone getting a satisfactory outcome from them ,,but thats another days work.
    So in one breath you are saying to complain to the regulator but in the next you give reasons why any complaint will be fruitless, It would be more helpful to say to people report and give as much detail as you can! the regulator will investigate and contact the driver involved and take action if required!
    It's also interesting and amusing to see people state that drivers getting 6 fares in an hour ,how misguided you are .
    Many a driver is on a rank for 2hrs before they get a fare..
    At the airport its usually 3 hrs before a driver gets away ..

    The is no need for rudeness from any driver ,and the vast majority are well behaved and mannerly ,something that people are choosing to ignore!
    That has nothing to do with any passenger! It is the drivers choice to sit at any rank just as it is the drivers choice to get into the business.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 1,225 ✭✭✭JCDUB


    oisindoyle wrote: »
    and those drivers at departures are doing so illegally .Drivers are not permitted to take fares at departures

    I couldn't care less. I've never had an impolite driver complaining about bringing me to Santry collecting me from departures.

    I've had it numerous times from arrivals.

    Which would you choose?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,806 ✭✭✭ Estelle Fierce Wreck


    JCDUB wrote: »
    I live in Santry and have gotten attitude numerous times coming from the airport.

    However I make it clear that I am as entitled as the next person to take their taxi and it's just a matter of luck, and never entertain their ranting. I sometimes just ask them to be quiet.

    Drumcondra here, same guff from Taxi drivers, I never entertained it. If taxi drivers could power their cars on their sense of entitlement they'd save thousands on petrol.

    Finally however somebody in Dublin airport got some sense. Last taxi I got from Dublin airport told the dispatcher that it was a short run and apparently if he was back on the rank within 25 minutes he could join the head of the queue. I'm just surprised it took them that long to come up with it ....


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 899 ✭✭✭oisindoyle


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    So in one breath you are saying to complain to the regulator but in the next you give reasons why any complaint will be fruitless, It would be more helpful to say to people report and give as much detail as you can! the regulator will investigate and contact the driver involved and take action if required!
    That has nothing to do with any passenger! It is the drivers choice to sit at any rank just as it is the drivers choice to get into the business.

    I never said it had anything to do with the passenger .


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 899 ✭✭✭oisindoyle


    Drumcondra here, same guff from Taxi drivers, I never entertained it. If taxi drivers could power their cars on their sense of entitlement they'd save thousands on petrol.

    Finally however somebody in Dublin airport got some sense. Last taxi I got from Dublin airport told the dispatcher that it was a short run and apparently if he was back on the rank within 25 minutes he could join the head of the queue. I'm just surprised it took them that long to come up with it ....

    It's actually 20 minutes and they cannot go to the top of the rank ,,they join the rank at the end ,instead of having to re enter the holding area,behind the Radisson hotel


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 992 ✭✭✭Barely Hedged


    oisindoyle wrote: »
    Many a driver is on a rank for 2hrs before they get a fare..
    At the airport its usually 3 hrs before a driver gets away ..
    The is no need for rudeness from any driver ,and the vast majority are well behaved and mannerly ,something that people are choosing to ignore!

    I think the two are massively interlinked here.

    A lot of peoples complaints/posts stem from bad attitude/behaviour of taxi drivers at the airport. No where else is mentioned as frequently from what I've previously read on Boards.

    From this it would appear that a lot of people are getting a lot of hassle when taking "short" trips from the airport. This isnt a minority or a random experience but seems to be proving quite common and a pattern is certainly emerging.

    It would certainly make me think that it is not a minority in this particular case and that is pretty appalling.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,073 ✭✭✭mickoneill30


    oisindoyle wrote: »
    It's actually 20 minutes and they cannot go to the top of the rank ,,they join the rank at the end ,instead of having to re enter the holding area,behind the Radisson hotel
    I think the two are massively interlinked here.

    A lot of peoples complaints/posts stem from bad attitude/behaviour of taxi drivers at the airport. No where else is mentioned as frequently from what I've previously read on Boards.

    From this it would appear that a lot of people are getting a lot of hassle when taking "short" trips from the airport. This isnt a minority or a random experience but seems to be proving quite common and a pattern is certainly emerging.

    It would certainly make me think that it is not a minority in this particular case and that is pretty appalling.

    20 minutes is a bit tight to get down to Swords, get the cash from the customer and get back up to the airport. I'd be annoyed too. That's about a tenner fare, which isn't great wages if you've spent 2 hours waiting on it.

    That's not the customers fault or problem though. I'd imagine that the taxi drivers should really take their frustration out on the DAA (or whoever) rather than the unsuspecting customer. It's doubly worse if the customer is a visitor to Ireland. It's probably not the kind of image Discover Ireland would want to be giving to visitors.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 899 ✭✭✭oisindoyle


    I think the two are massively interlinked here.

    A lot of peoples complaints/posts stem from bad attitude/behaviour of taxi drivers at the airport. No where else is mentioned as frequently from what I've previously read on Boards.

    From this it would appear that a lot of people are getting a lot of hassle when taking "short" trips from the airport. This isnt a minority or a random experience but seems to be proving quite common and a pattern is certainly emerging.

    It would certainly make me think that it is not a minority in this particular case and that is pretty appalling.

    Well no a lot of people are not getting a lot of hassle ...SOME are in from SOME drivers


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 992 ✭✭✭Barely Hedged


    oisindoyle wrote: »
    Well no a lot of people are not getting a lot of hassle ...SOME are in from SOME drivers

    Well if they're not, why is Dublin airport being mentioned again and again as a source of grievance for a lot of people and taxi drivers? It's too much of a coincidence.

    The fact that it has been mentioned extensively is why I have said a lot of people.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    Well if they're not, why is Dublin airport being mentioned again and again as a source of grievance for a lot of people and taxi drivers? It's too much of a coincidence.

    The fact that it has been mentioned extensively is why I have said a lot of people.
    All the Taxis at the airport want the lucrative long distance heavy tipping passengers and most will kick up or be disgruntled over short journeys and low fares. But no taxi driver will admit this just as they will have you believing that making a complaint against a driver is pretty much pointless as stated earlier in this thread by a taxi driver.


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 899 ✭✭✭oisindoyle


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    All the Taxis at the airport want the lucrative long distance heavy tipping passengers and most will kick up or be disgruntled over short journeys and low fares.

    Are you begrudgeing a driver getting a lucrative fare?..
    For your information they are few and far between.You would rarely hear a driver say he got a long distance journey now.
    No most will NOT kick up over a short journey,the word you are omitting is SOME....


Advertisement