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Nasty bullying taxi drivers

24

Comments

  • #52
    JCDUB
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 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?


  • #53
    i71jskz5xu42pb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,806 ✭✭✭i71jskz5xu42pb


    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 ....


  • #54
    oisindoyle
    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 .


  • #55
    oisindoyle
    Closed Accounts Posts: 899 ✭✭✭oisindoyle


    Estelle Fierce Wreck wrote: »
    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


  • #56
    Barely Hedged
    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.


  • #57
    mickoneill30
    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
    Barely Hedged wrote: »
    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.


  • #58
    oisindoyle
    Closed Accounts Posts: 899 ✭✭✭oisindoyle


    Barely Hedged wrote: »
    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


  • #59
    Barely Hedged
    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.


  • #60
    foggy_lad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    Barely Hedged wrote: »
    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.


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  • #61
    oisindoyle
    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....


  • #62
    foggy_lad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    oisindoyle wrote: »
    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....
    Why are so many drivers trying to work the airport when they know there is a three hour wait for a €10 fare? hardly worth their while unless they get some poor tourist they can bring on a tour of Meath and Louth on the way to the city centre.


  • #63
    Bigcheeze
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,858 ✭✭✭Bigcheeze


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    Why are so many drivers trying to work the airport when they know there is a three hour wait for a €10 fare? hardly worth their while unless they get some poor tourist they can bring on a tour of Meath and Louth on the way to the city centre.

    There's a whole social scene attached to the airport. Half of them are there for the tea and card games.

    The airport taxi drivers tend to be a special breed with the worst attitude. I got tired of getting abuse at 5am after a transatlantic flight so phone my local taxi company from the baggage hall.


  • #64
    mikemac1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,395 ✭✭✭✭mikemac1


    Lots of fixed fare discount firms around
    Probably one local to you

    Give them the business

    However I've never done this so I'm not entirely sure how it works for a taxi to meet you at the airport.
    Would the rank and the marshal have an issue with this? How do you ignore a rank and met a taximan right beside them

    I don't realy know how it's done but since lots use fixed fare to the airport just seems obvious to use it from the airport. I don't know Dublin which ye are all talking about

    Used to do this in Galway which was tiny, fare to the airport was fixed, only tourists paid the meter

    Anyway, if it's a local firm they probably already know you and have no bother doing the local runs. :)
    And if it's a bit longer then the fixed fare saves you money


  • #65
    foggy_lad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    mikemac1 wrote: »
    Lots of fixed fare discount firms around
    Probably one local to you

    Give them the business

    However I've never done this so I'm not entirely sure how it works for a taxi to meet you at the airport.
    Would the rank and the marshal have an issue with this? How do you ignore a rank and met a taximan right beside them

    I don't realy know how it's done but since lots use fixed fare to the airport just seems obvious to use it from the airport. I don't know Dublin which ye are all talking about

    Used to do this in Galway which was tiny, fare to the airport was fixed, only tourists paid the meter

    Anyway, if it's a local firm they probably already know you and have no bother doing the local runs. :)
    And if it's a bit longer then the fixed fare saves you money
    Afaik pre-booked hackneys go into a special car park to wait for their passengers, this is on the way to the coach park iirc. so you ring to be picked up at the airport and when the cab arrives they go into this short term car park and most will ring you to see if you are ready and collect you from arrivals.


  • #66
    oisindoyle
    Closed Accounts Posts: 899 ✭✭✭oisindoyle


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    Why are so many drivers trying to work the airport when they know there is a three hour wait for a €10 fare? hardly worth their while unless they get some poor tourist they can bring on a tour of Meath and Louth on the way to the city centre.

    So where do you suggest these drivers go then ? and not all fares are 10euro ..SOME are,SOME are not.
    Why would a driver go to Meath or Louth on the way to the city centre?


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  • #67
    foggy_lad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    oisindoyle wrote: »
    So where do you suggest these drivers go then ? and not all fares are 10euro ..SOME are,SOME are not.
    Why would a driver go to Meath or Louth on the way to the city centre?
    They should boycott the airport until DAA allow them free unrestricted access to the airport and provide a proper rank with space for maybe 50 cars. Normal rules apply and if no taxis are there for passengers they could have a local free phone number to ring for a taxi. Any messing over not taking short fares or directing people to the first taxi at the rank and drivers could be barred from the rank forever.


  • #68
    wexford12
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 451 ✭✭wexford12


    Sultan of Bling wrote: »
    Why don't you take the handbrake off and push the car up the rank?

    Because not all ranks are on flat tarmac. We have a up hill rank and then drive a 100yards from a holding rank to the main one. I have seen guys doing this iv also seen them trying to stop the rolling car before it hits the one in front.
    Far to much hassle for me and I don't fancy a heart attack


  • #69
    oisindoyle
    Closed Accounts Posts: 899 ✭✭✭oisindoyle


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    They should boycott the airport until DAA allow them free unrestricted access to the airport and provide a proper rank with space for maybe 50 cars. Normal rules apply and if no taxis are there for passengers they could have a local free phone number to ring for a taxi. Any messing over not taking short fares or directing people to the first taxi at the rank and drivers could be barred from the rank forever.

    So you are advocating Industrial action ,interesting that! I would hazzard a guess if it came to pass, you would be the first on here complaining .

    Rather than critise and complain from the comfort of your armchair with all the solutions,I shall enlighten you as best I can,shall I

    Firstly ,drivers who work the airport (Dublin) need a permit.This permit costs the driver over 400euro a year,the money goes to the DAA for what ? God knows????

    There is a holding area for taxis just behind the Radisson hotel that holds approx 120 cars .

    Plus there is an overflow holding area that holds approx another 100 plus lines of cars queing to acccess the holding area and the overflow area approx another 50-60 cars ,plus 30 cars at T1 and 30 at T2.

    If there are no taxis at the arrivals at any stage(which is seldom),it is not the drivers fault .

    The green caps maning the ranks are the ones who notify drivers in the holding area that people have arrived there .
    If they do their job correctly then there should always be ample amount of cars there to meet demand.

    Only drivers holding a valid permit are allowed pick up at the rank and they must go through the holding area.

    NO driver is allowed to refuse a job,if he/she attempts to they are reported,simple as that.

    SOME drivers moan at passengers when they get a short job and it is never condoned ,but the vast majority take fares without moaning.

    You failed to answer my question in relation to you saying that dublin airport drivers take passengers through Meath and Louth on the way to the city centre,??
    Was it a statement of fact from you or just a comment to berate critise and put out false misinformation about taxi drivers ,just because you felt like it?

    Since this thread has (as usual) gone waaaay off topic and descended into a taxi driver bashing ,I think we should leave well enough alone ,,,,for now !


  • #70
    Terrontress
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,903 ✭✭✭Terrontress


    I'm not sure if it is to do with my flight times being at peak demand times, but I always have to enter a queue at the taxi rank at the airport, sometimes quite long. It's a trip to Donabate they get and there is never a complaint but I thought they'd be glad not to go too far as they can whip straight back and pick someone else up off the queue with a minimum of fuss.


  • #71
    SteppingStone
    Registered Users Posts: 107 ✭✭SteppingStone


    I had a similar experience with a Taxi man I pulled on the road two weeks ago. I had been on a night out and my feet ached. I was in the City Centre and was going to Harcourt street.. It's in walking distance but feels like a life time of a walk when your feet hurt, so I decided to hail in a Taxi on the road. Taxi pulled in and the first thing the driver asked was where was I going before getting in the car. I told him Harcourt Street and he just pfffft. I replied I know it's in short distance but it's a fare right? Not good enough he said and told me he wasn't taking me. This really bugged me any other night in that area they would pull in and ask if you wanted a cab but on this night it wasn't good enough because there was a lot of people around the City Centre. He just wanted a higher fare. So off he went and I puled in another. No problem at all the second driver said. He left me to Harcourt Street and the fare was €8 and I gave him the change of a €10. So €10 for less than a ten minute drive. Not bad at all i reckon and he got another fare as I got out of the Taxi. Some of them are just complete and utter mean ignorant B******S :rolleyes:


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  • #72
    wexford12
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 451 ✭✭wexford12


    I really don't get why if been hailed and you get a short fare why you would be peed off going about a km or so is pure profit if you havent been sitting on a rank for an hour or so.


  • #73
    Bigcheeze
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,858 ✭✭✭Bigcheeze


    Terrontress wrote: »
    I'm not sure if it is to do with my flight times being at peak demand times, but I always have to enter a queue at the taxi rank at the airport, sometimes quite long. It's a trip to Donabate they get and there is never a complaint but I thought they'd be glad not to go too far as they can whip straight back and pick someone else up off the queue with a minimum of fuss.

    You're queuing because the loading system is so crap there that it takes ages to get people and their baggage into taxis. There are hundreds of taxis waiting.


  • #74
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Most of them are lazy bastards who think you should compensate them for the inconvinience of doing their job!!
    Sorry to hear that OP, you should ignore them and if they say anything just tell them the carriage office number is in your phone, then say nothing for the rest of the journey.


  • #75
    Jaysoose
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,212 ✭✭✭Jaysoose


    oisindoyle wrote: »
    So you are advocating Industrial action ,interesting that! I would hazzard a guess if it came to pass, you would be the first on here complaining .

    Rather than critise and complain from the comfort of your armchair with all the solutions,I shall enlighten you as best I can,shall I

    Firstly ,drivers who work the airport (Dublin) need a permit.This permit costs the driver over 400euro a year,the money goes to the DAA for what ? God knows????

    There is a holding area for taxis just behind the Radisson hotel that holds approx 120 cars .

    Plus there is an overflow holding area that holds approx another 100 plus lines of cars queing to acccess the holding area and the overflow area approx another 50-60 cars ,plus 30 cars at T1 and 30 at T2.

    If there are no taxis at the arrivals at any stage(which is seldom),it is not the drivers fault .

    The green caps maning the ranks are the ones who notify drivers in the holding area that people have arrived there .
    If they do their job correctly then there should always be ample amount of cars there to meet demand.

    Only drivers holding a valid permit are allowed pick up at the rank and they must go through the holding area.

    NO driver is allowed to refuse a job,if he/she attempts to they are reported,simple as that.

    SOME drivers moan at passengers when they get a short job and it is never condoned ,but the vast majority take fares without moaning.

    You failed to answer my question in relation to you saying that dublin airport drivers take passengers through Meath and Louth on the way to the city centre,??
    Was it a statement of fact from you or just a comment to berate critise and put out false misinformation about taxi drivers ,just because you felt like it?

    Since this thread has (as usual) gone waaaay off topic and descended into a taxi driver bashing ,I think we should leave well enough alone ,,,,for now !


    This is nonsense people are posting about their personal experiences with taxi drivers and the majority are negative. How is it taxi driver bashing to recount a real experience about something. I think if anybody should leave well enough alone in this thread its you.


  • #76
    foggy_lad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    oisindoyle wrote: »
    So you are advocating Industrial action ,interesting that! I would hazzard a guess if it came to pass, you would be the first on here complaining .

    Rather than critise and complain from the comfort of your armchair with all the solutions,I shall enlighten you as best I can,shall I

    Firstly ,drivers who work the airport (Dublin) need a permit.This permit costs the driver over 400euro a year,the money goes to the DAA for what ? God knows????
    The action I am advocating is because the drivers are not being treated very fairly by DAA who now it seems want to reduce the number of permits for using the airport.
    There is a holding area for taxis just behind the Radisson hotel that holds approx 120 cars .

    Plus there is an overflow holding area that holds approx another 100 plus lines of cars queing to acccess the holding area and the overflow area approx another 50-60 cars ,plus 30 cars at T1 and 30 at T2.
    If I want a taxi at the airport I don't care how long it has been waiting or where it has to come from as long as it is legal and clean and the driver is not some criminal figure and the car doesn't stink of stale smoke because he has been smoking out the window.
    If there are no taxis at the arrivals at any stage(which is seldom),it is not the drivers fault .

    The green caps maning the ranks are the ones who notify drivers in the holding area that people have arrived there .
    If they do their job correctly then there should always be ample amount of cars there to meet demand.

    Only drivers holding a valid permit are allowed pick up at the rank and they must go through the holding area.
    Again all irrelevant to the passenger. but if there are no taxis at the airport rank there is nothing stopping passengers ringing up a local cab company to collect them, why should it always be the taxi at the rank that gets priority?
    NO driver is allowed to refuse a job,if he/she attempts to they are reported,simple as that.
    In an earlier post you belittle the reporting of bad behaviour and illegal actions by taxi drivers claiming http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=77793806&postcount=46
    "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."

    SOME drivers moan at passengers when they get a short job and it is never condoned ,but the vast majority take fares without moaning.

    You failed to answer my question in relation to you saying that dublin airport drivers take passengers through Meath and Louth on the way to the city centre,??
    Was it a statement of fact from you or just a comment to berate critise and put out false misinformation about taxi drivers ,just because you felt like it?
    It was to highlight how some people especially tourists can be taken advantage by taxi drivers when they think the passengers don't know the area and will not know when several km are added to the journey unnecessarily.


  • #77
    RadioClash
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 132 ✭✭RadioClash


    mickoneill30 wrote: »
    I work in a company in Swords. We had 11 guys coming over from France a couple of weeks ago. They asked us to drive up and pick them up because the last time a couple of them were over and got taxis from the airport they got shouted at by the taxi drivers. That was a nice "Cead Mile Failte" for them.

    For me, I'd use the airport a fair bit and used to get taxis from it down to Swords. I know I'm taking them from a long wait so I'd tip decently. After a couple of whingebags (who obviously didn't get tipped after the moaning), now I just go out to the bus and pay less than 2 quid and get there without the moaning. The tourists won't know to do that though.

    Had the same experience at Dublin airport a few years back, flight from London was delayed so had to take a cab to Swords for a meeting I was late for. Got into a taxi and the guy told me to walk up to the road and get a cab there 'there's loads of them there' he says to me. After exchanging a few words with him I got out, and a guy from the DAA policing the the rank stuck his head in the window and told him he was a liscenced taxi driver and couldn't refuse the fair.

    I hopped back in and he started swearing at me, needless to say I gave it back to him for the whole trip. And oh, no tip either.


  • #78
    meanmachine3
    Closed Accounts Posts: 551 ✭✭✭meanmachine3


    Jaysoose wrote: »
    [/B]QUOTE]This is nonsense people are posting about their personal experiences with taxi drivers and the majority are negative. How is it taxi driver bashing to recount a real experience about something. I think if anybody should leave well enough alone in this thread its you.
    for once i have to agree with you jaysoose. it seems that anyone makes a thread about taxi drivers behavior you get those coming on here saying it's taxi bashing and it's always the same few doing this. oisindoyle i suggest you get on to the mods to modify the charter in here so no one can post about taxi drivers. thats the way your coming across. or even better ban any thread to do with taxi drivers as they all seem to be bashing according to you.
    as for the O.P. next time if you getting a taxi get it from the back of the Q. last in first out so to speak. that'll shut up the moany ****ers at the front who are complaining about sitting at the ranks for hours for a short fare.


  • #79
    Jaysoose
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,212 ✭✭✭Jaysoose


    meanmachine3 wrote: »
    for once i have to agree with you jaysoose. it seems that anyone makes a thread about taxi drivers behavior you get those coming on here saying it's taxi bashing and it's always the same few doing this. oisindoyle i suggest you get on to the mods to modify the charter in here so no one can post about taxi drivers. thats the way your coming across. or even better ban any thread to do with taxi drivers as they all seem to be bashing according to you.
    as for the O.P. next time if you getting a taxi get it from the back of the Q. last in first out so to speak. that'll shut up the moany ****ers at the front who are complaining about sitting at the ranks for hours for a short fare.

    Wheres the catch?

    :D


  • #80
    Yourwellcum
    Registered Users Posts: 200 ✭✭Yourwellcum


    SteppingStone wrote: »
    I had a similar experience with a Taxi man I pulled on the road two weeks ago. I had been on a night out and my feet ached. I was in the City Centre and was going to Harcourt street.. It's in walking distance but feels like a life time of a walk when your feet hurt, so I decided to hail in a Taxi on the road. Taxi pulled in and the first thing the driver asked was where was I going before getting in the car. I told him Harcourt Street and he just pfffft. I replied I know it's in short distance but it's a fare right? Not good enough he said and told me he wasn't taking me. This really bugged me any other night in that area they would pull in and ask if you wanted a cab but on this night it wasn't good enough because there was a lot of people around the City Centre. He just wanted a higher fare. So off he went and I puled in another. No problem at all the second driver said. He left me to Harcourt Street and the fare was €8 and I gave him the change of a €10. So €10 for less than a ten minute drive. Not bad at all i reckon and he got another fare as I got out of the Taxi. Some of them are just complete and utter mean ignorant B******S :rolleyes:

    I dont believe this story for one minute.

    If there was alot of fares around, it makes more sense to want lots of short runs as that works out the most profitable. Especially going to Harcourt St as there would almost ceratinly be business there if it was busy around city centre


  • #81
    Victor
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 78,493 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    RVP 11 wrote: »
    Most of them are lazy bastards who think you should compensate them for the inconvinience of doing their job!!
    No need for abusive comments like this.


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  • #82
    meanmachine3
    Closed Accounts Posts: 551 ✭✭✭meanmachine3


    Jaysoose wrote: »
    Wheres the catch?

    :D

    none, just getting soft in me old age ;)


  • #83
    ardmacha
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,476 ✭✭✭ardmacha


    Most phones record, tape the wasters and put it on youtube.


  • #84
    Losty Dublin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,247 ✭✭✭✭Losty Dublin


    meanmachine3 wrote: »
    for once i have to agree with you jaysoose. it seems that anyone makes a thread about taxi drivers behavior you get those coming on here saying it's taxi bashing and it's always the same few doing this. oisindoyle i suggest you get on to the mods to modify the charter in here so no one can post about taxi drivers. thats the way your coming across. or even better ban any thread to do with taxi drivers as they all seem to be bashing according to you.
    as for the O.P. next time if you getting a taxi get it from the back of the Q. last in first out so to speak. that'll shut up the moany ****ers at the front who are complaining about sitting at the ranks for hours for a short fare.

    Meanie, the problem isn't in the threads or the content of them; it's the tone which they inevitably take by the time page 2 comes around. Between that and the misinformation which follows around, they never end up being discussed in a halfway civil tone which, dare I say, never starts from the taxi driver posters that visit here the odd time.


  • #85
    GTE
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,915 ✭✭✭GTE


    Taxis in Belfast are much better as there are 2 main companies who work the city centre and at least the student areas.

    Reason I say this:
    - Cars are usually no more than 5 years old (I do not necessarily agree with an age limit for taxis). Drivers have to get new cars so they can keep working for the company.
    - The main point about the 5 year thing is that all cars are in fantastic working order, I do believe that older cars can be kept in as high as standard. Maybe is public perception of a 00 vs a 08 for example but anyway.
    - All cars have GPS trackers on them.
    - All customers get texts/calls when there taxi gets close.
    - You can get drivers taken off routes/fired if they do something like attempt to make you pay for a dried in soda stain on a seat when your friend feels ill and gets out of the car (on the different side of the car to the stain). Anyway, I got someone fired over that according to admin.

    Point being! Belfast is a fantastic city if you stick with the two companies that operate like this.

    Source for a lot of this is one taxi driver who was in the process of selling his 2008 Skoda Suburb for a new model. Many chats with many different drivers over the years.

    I think some of this sort of operation is opening up in Dublin but I feel we need more of it. Kill off the unprofessional, unhelpful and detrimental to the industry drivers.


  • #86
    Sponge Bob
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 25,234 ✭✭✭✭Sponge Bob


    Dodrill was arrested as he left the rendezvous, driving his own taxi.

    From this frankly horrific article. This guy is a complete scumbag. :(

    http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/0424/breaking45.html
    A Dublin man who extorted more than a quarter of a million euro from a fish and chip shop owner in the city by threatening him with the Real IRA was jailed for six years by the Special Criminal Court today.

    David Dodrill (31), a taxi driver and father of two, of Plunkett Avenue, Finglas pleaded guilty last week to membership of an unlawful organisation within the State, namely the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Óglaigh na hÉireann, otherwise the IRA on July 13th last year.

    Chief Supt Diarmuid O’Dullivan told the court today that over a period of two years Dodrill forced the chip shop owner to hand over approximately €164,000, and in addition he forced the man to pay him €2,000 a week from 2010 to 2011, making an additional €100,000.


  • #87
    hefferboi
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,379 ✭✭✭hefferboi


    Only one thing for these types of taxi drivers.

    Do a runner.


  • #88
    foggy_lad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    Sponge Bob wrote: »
    From this frankly horrific article. This guy is a complete scumbag. :(

    http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/0424/breaking45.html
    ah at least he will still have his taxi license when he gets out of prison!


  • #89
    mikemac1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,395 ✭✭✭✭mikemac1


    bbk wrote: »
    Taxis in Belfast are much better as there are 2 main companies who work the city centre and at least the student areas.

    Point being! Belfast is a fantastic city if you stick with the two companies that operate like this.

    When I lived in Belfast the taximen were constantly touting outside Central Station and just getting in the way

    I am glad we don't have this with Colbert, Ceannt, Heuston, etc

    And the black cabs on Great Victoria St would rob me blind and go on roundabout routes until I corrected them

    Grab one in the Square on a rainy night and they'd refuse to take you out to Cregagh Rd as they want the short city fares. It's not even that far out to Cregagh Rd.

    The main taxi companies were good though

    Just the black cabs in Belfast are worse then anything I've put up with in Dublin, Galway or Limerick


  • #90
    InchicoreDude
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,443 ✭✭✭InchicoreDude


    OP, I sympathise with what happened you. I had a similar experience a couple of weeks ago.

    I came out of a nightclub on Stephens Green. There was a long line of taxis outside. I approached the first taxi, he rolled down the window and asked where I was going. Me: "Rialto" Taxi man: "Sorry not going that way". I went to second taxi. again window rolled down and he asked where I was going. Me: "Rialto" Taxi man: "No, I'm going to the North side".

    So then I just went down towards the end of the q and got one there. But the taxi guys attitudes really infuriated me. I am assuming the reason they refused to bring me was because of the short fare. I wasnt drunk, and taxis have carried me in the past when I had a lot of drink on me. The nightclub was closing at the time and there were many people streaming out of the club so I guess they thought they could get a better fare. I used to sympathise with taxi drivers, but any more. At the end of the day, they turned away business from me. I have been reluctant to use a taxi since that night and as petty as it may sound, I always wait to get my full change back now rather than let them have the euro!


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  • #91
    oisindoyle
    Closed Accounts Posts: 899 ✭✭✭oisindoyle


    InchicoreDude wrote: »
    OP, I sympathise with what happened you. I had a similar experience a couple of weeks ago.

    I came out of a nightclub on Stephens Green. There was a long line of taxis outside. I approached the first taxi, he rolled down the window and asked where I was going. Me: "Rialto" Taxi man: "Sorry not going that way". I went to second taxi. again window rolled down and he asked where I was going. Me: "Rialto" Taxi man: "No, I'm going to the North side".

    So then I just went down towards the end of the q and got one there. But the taxi guys attitudes really infuriated me. I am assuming the reason they refused to bring me was because of the short fare. I wasnt drunk, and taxis have carried me in the past when I had a lot of drink on me. The nightclub was closing at the time and there were many people streaming out of the club so I guess they thought they could get a better fare. I used to sympathise with taxi drivers, but any more. At the end of the day, they turned away business from me. I have been reluctant to use a taxi since that night and as petty as it may sound, I always wait to get my full change back now rather than let them have the euro!

    Well you cant second guess or assume why they wouldnt take you .You may have looked drunk or dodgy to them who knows ?? Rialto wouldnt be considered a "short fare" either, but there are some parts of Rialto that are considered dodgy.As I say you cannot assume or second guess ..

    Once you are in a taxi he/she HAS to take you unless it is 30km or more then he /she can refuse and/ or if you look dodgy or are drunk .

    If as you say there were a line of taxis outside the club I assume it was Dandilon club ,then it wasnt a legal rank ...
    The legal rank is at the corner of Stephens Green Park ,just so you know


  • #92
    foggy_lad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    oisindoyle wrote: »
    Well you cant second guess or assume why they wouldnt take you .You may have looked drunk or dodgy to them who knows ?? Rialto wouldnt be considered a "short fare" either, but there are some parts of Rialto that are considered dodgy.As I say you cannot assume or second guess ..

    Once you are in a taxi he/she HAS to take you unless it is 30km or more then he /she can refuse and/ or if you look dodgy or are drunk .

    If as you say there were a line of taxis outside the club I assume it was Dandilon club ,then it wasnt a legal rank ...
    The legal rank is at the corner of Stephens Green Park ,just so you know
    They broke the law by refusing the fare without reasonable grounds! There is no second guessing involved just more taxi driver criminality!

    The fact that taxi drivers congregate and form illegal ranks outside nightclubs just proves the point about their criminality!


  • #93
    oisindoyle
    Closed Accounts Posts: 899 ✭✭✭oisindoyle


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    They broke the law by refusing the fare without reasonable grounds! There is no second guessing involved just more taxi driver criminality!

    The fact that taxi drivers congregate and form illegal ranks outside nightclubs just proves the point about their criminality!

    Why am I not surprised that FL would reply with his usual armchair know it all comment ...
    *sighs*
    No they didnt break the law .If you actually READ my post you will see that a driver has to take a passenger once they are IN the car (providing the person isnt drunk /poses a threat or if the fare is over 30km) ,,,a driver is doing NOTHING illegal by rolling down his window and refuseing a fare..
    As for your second point ,as I said any taxi that plys for hire other than on a legal rank is doing so illegally ....


  • #94
    foggy_lad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    oisindoyle wrote: »
    Why am I not surprised that FL would reply with his usual armchair know it all comment ...
    *sighs*
    No they didnt break the law .If you actually READ my post you will see that a driver has to take a passenger once they are IN the car (providing the person isnt drunk /poses a threat or if the fare is over 30km) ,,,a driver is doing NOTHING illegal by rolling down his window and refuseing a fare..
    As for your second point ,as I said any taxi that plys for hire other than on a legal rank is doing so illegally ....
    When a driver is on a rank he can not refuse any fare, they are breaking the law if they do, They must accept any fare within the 30km rule and also if they are not on a rank or it is an illegal rank they are still breaking the law.


  • #95
    Fenian Army
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,483 ✭✭✭Fenian Army


    I just wave taxis down now, they seem delighted to take you somewhere even if its only a short distance.


  • #96
    trishasaffron
    Registered Users Posts: 922 ✭✭✭trishasaffron


    I totally sympathise with OP and others who've had bad experiences. I just want a short download on my last trip from the airport. Due to previous horrific taxis and/or drivers I take the aircoach if I can at all. However this time I was coming back from a 16 hour journey and had a large bag + the next aircoach was an hour.

    The taxi was a wreck, terrible smell, radio blaring the whole time, driver shouting at me aggressively over the radio insisting that we'd have to go the M50 cos of traffic in the city (I was going southside and I know from previous experience how expensive M50 is) - this was mid-evening on a Sat - not the busiest time for city traffic!

    It was a miserable journey - apart from the radio, the smell and the shouting the suspension was shot. The only laugh for me was that I was returning from Japan where the taxis are pristine and the driver that took me to the airport had worn white gloves and couldn't have treated me with greater respect he even apologised for the traffic and any delay although we didn't speak the same language!

    Aircoach from the airport always from now on.


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  • #97
    wexford12
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 451 ✭✭wexford12


    Why do people ask before they get into the taxi. Sit into the car then tell the driver where you are going I have seen this happen in front of me on a rank and I get out and tell the driver in front he either takes the fare or moves of the rank loosing his place.
    As for sitting on make up ranks outside clubs pubs etc "who cares" its not the worst law to break there are to many cars for ranks in the city and in fairness it saves the customer a walk


  • #98
    mikemac1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,395 ✭✭✭✭mikemac1


    Drivers just love to get flagged down and you'll never have a problem, they'll be in great form. They want your fare
    I do have great chats with most of them :)

    Ranks only cause trouble.
    There are two ranks near my local shopping centre but I ignore them both, just walk two hundred metres up the road and flag someone.
    Saves the grumbling over the short local fare.

    If the rank was right across the road I'd still ignore it


  • #99
    volrex
    Registered Users Posts: 31 ✭volrex


    Is it still the case that a taxi driver has to take you where you want to go? or has it changed that they can ask you before you get into the car and refuse you if they don't like the destination??


  • #100
    trishasaffron
    Registered Users Posts: 922 ✭✭✭trishasaffron


    mikemac1 wrote: »
    Drivers just love to get flagged down and you'll never have a problem, they'll be in great form. They want your fare
    I do have great chats with most of them :)

    Ranks only cause trouble.
    There are two ranks near my local shopping centre but I ignore them both, just walk two hundred metres up the road and flag someone.
    Saves the grumbling over the short local fare.

    If the rank was right across the road I'd still ignore it

    And what if you're coming from airport? and what about if the reason you are taking the taxi is the weight of your luggage or shopping? Should you walk to where there is passing traffic or to the end of the queue? Even if this is a mile away?


  • #101
    foggy_lad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    wexford12 wrote: »
    Why do people ask before they get into the taxi. Sit into the car then tell the driver where you are going I have seen this happen in front of me on a rank and I get out and tell the driver in front he either takes the fare or moves of the rank loosing his place.
    As for sitting on make up ranks outside clubs pubs etc "who cares" its not the worst law to break there are to many cars for ranks in the city and in fairness it saves the customer a walk
    Many taxis use their central locking or have a seperate locking device on the back doors to stop unwanted drunks etc getting into the car and they use this on everyone only allowing people in when they are happy they are going the right direction.
    volrex wrote: »
    Is it still the case that a taxi driver has to take you where you want to go? or has it changed that they can ask you before you get into the car and refuse you if they don't like the destination??
    They must take you wherever you want to go up to a maximum distance of 30km.


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