Black taxi drivers

22-09-2009 9:29am

dlofnep wrote: »

It's not the taxi drivers fault. It's the Government's fault for giving out so many plates. It doesn't matter who takes the job as a taxi driver or their colour, but there is certainly too many plates out there and people are losing their jobs because they aren't bringing in enough money each week.

well they could stop refusing fares, for one

AnonoBoy · 22-09-2009 10:15am

TravisStyles wrote: »

long time lurker i felt i should register to add my experiences in the taxi industry. ive been driving a taxi in dublin the last five years. im white irish. .........

........ I guess it was a rant but its just been my experience as an observer and a taxi driver.

That's one of the most reasonable sounding posts from a taxi driver I've ever seen. Kudos sir for actually explaining your points with valid (and real) examples that you've experienced firsthand.

Grudaire · 22-09-2009 10:39am

dlofnep wrote: »

It's not the taxi drivers fault. It's the Government's fault for giving out so many plates. It doesn't matter who takes the job as a taxi driver or their colour, but there is certainly too many plates out there and people are losing their jobs because they aren't bringing in enough money each week.

I'm going to out on a limb here (and I fully expect that limb to get bitten)

The whole too many taxi plates argument is poor - they limited the number of taxi plates before - but that was a disaster, taxi's had the pick of the place, and customers were left standing.
Equilibrium will be reached - if people aren't making profit, they will leave the industry, in the end drivers will be making normal profits, and the right number of taxis will be on the road. Why should the government intervene in this industry when it doesn't in other industries such as shops?

Nodin · 22-09-2009 10:52am

Cliste wrote: »

Equilibrium will be reached - if people aren't making profit, they will leave the industry, in the end drivers will be making normal profits, and the right number of taxis will be on the road. Why should the government intervene in this industry when it doesn't in other industries such as shops?

...but as more leave, others join, there being no limit on plates, and thus you have an industry with a high turnover of operators, meaning overall thats theres less experienced drivers and a resulting lower quality of service.

Grudaire · 22-09-2009 10:59am

Nodin wrote: »

...but as more leave, others join, there being no limit on plates, and thus you have an industry with a high turnover of operators, meaning overall thats theres less experienced drivers and a resulting lower quality of service.

The logic is that people won't join if there isn't profit to be made.

If everyone in the industry is just making normal profits (ie their own working wage - no more) there is no incentive to join.

orourkeda · 22-09-2009 11:20am

jahalpin wrote: »

I've noticed that a lot of the bus drivers are now black and I believe it's a very good thing, however they seem to have a few "bad" habits ( from the POV of the older Irish drivers). These include;

- They seem to be proud to actually wear the uniform and keep it clean and wear it properly, unlike the Irish ones who seem to wear what they want regardless of whether it's even clean

- They seem to believe that the timetable is actually a list of times that they are supposed to leave the terminas at rather than a suggestion

- They drive at safe speeds even if they are due a break

- They actually seem to like their jobs, unlike a lot of the Irish guys who act as if they are doing the company a favour by actually driving the bus

A sweeping generalisation if ever I heard one

orourkeda · 22-09-2009 11:25am

Perhaps i'm nitpicking here, but the title of this thread is somewhat misleading.

I thought it was about black taxis (as in London taxis) rather than the colour of the drivers skin.

Why pick on black taxi drivers and not just on their role in society generally?

faceman · 22-09-2009 11:27am

dlofnep wrote: »

It's not the taxi drivers fault. It's the Government's fault for giving out so many plates. It doesn't matter who takes the job as a taxi driver or their colour, but there is certainly too many plates out there and people are losing their jobs because they aren't bringing in enough money each week.

I can remembers days of having to walk to the suburbs of Dublin because I couldnt get a taxi after a night out. It wasnt for just a short period, it was a regular occurence for a number of decades.

Taxi drivers back then had a very profitable business and I personally know of a few that did not declare their full takings to the taxman, and Im sure they werent the only ones. The racket at the time was they would claim the max amount allowed on the lower tax band.

Nowadays though those profit margins have been eroded. It obviously isnt as deterimental as is being claimed by some, otherwise there would be less taxi drivers on the road and the rate of plate issuing would decrease.

I really dont see a need for capping the industry at all.

Grudaire · 22-09-2009 11:41am

orourkeda wrote: »

Why pick on black taxi drivers and not just on their role in society generally?

fe<king foreigners - coming here - driving our cars - using our sat-nav - eating our food - it's terrible - making us more compeditive

Can we focus on more pressing matters for a week or two - we've a government who is hand in hand with the financial elite, and is about to hand them a ton of money, and in essence congratulate them for their excess's over the past few years, rather than punishing them for, at times, scandalous practices

Rossibaby · 22-09-2009 1:02pm

The taxi's in Galway and I don't know wherever else with little tricolours on their car[so people know the drivers is white and irish by looking at the car] are really cringeworthy and I would make a point of not getting into one. All they do is bitch about foreign drivers, how about looking at the bigger picture lads.

Quint · 22-09-2009 1:37pm

I used to get taxis quite a bit. Actually, in ireland my only 2 bad experiences were with Irish drivers. A 3rd time a driver wouldn't go a way i asked him because he said he didn't know it, and he went a long way. He was irish too. Never ever had a problem with a foreign driver.
Just some balance towards the "irish drivers are angels" attitude here.

ciaran67 · 22-09-2009 1:41pm

TravisStyles wrote: »

I don’t think its true about them only needing 40% in the psv test either. that couldn’t possibly be true. Could it?

Its not true its another urban myth. Ive never heard so many since i came over here.

Mimikyu · 22-09-2009 2:24pm

This post has been deleted.

dlofnep · 22-09-2009 2:34pm

Cliste wrote: »

I'm going to out on a limb here (and I fully expect that limb to get bitten)

The whole too many taxi plates argument is poor - they limited the number of taxi plates before - but that was a disaster, taxi's had the pick of the place, and customers were left standing.
Equilibrium will be reached - if people aren't making profit, they will leave the industry, in the end drivers will be making normal profits, and the right number of taxis will be on the road. Why should the government intervene in this industry when it doesn't in other industries such as shops?

My father was a taxi driver and had to leave the business due to not taking in enough money. They are giving out too many plates to make it seem like they are creating employment, but they are not.

Dublin is completely different to the rest of the country. Smaller cities like here in Waterford is seeing taxi drivers struggle to make ends meet because there are too many cars on the road.

That is a problem, and when the Government is the one who issues the plates - it is the Government that is at fault. Your idea that people will leave the business and level our the jobs again doesn't wash with me, because what's really happening is people are losing their jobs and the people who are staying in the business are working much more hours.

Last month I got a taxi into college because my car was getting fixed, this was at 8:30 in the morning.. I went out that night and got a taxi home at 2:30am - 3am- I got collected by the same driver! He had been working all day and told me how much more hours he has to work now to make enough money. 18 hours he had been working, 18!!

It is an issue. You're not seeing it from a taxi drivers viewpoint.

lost marbles · 22-09-2009 3:01pm

Captain Morgan wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

and the old age pensioners should just die and the public service worker should just throw away their career and get a job in mcdonalds .
whats the difference between those mentioned protesting ,and taxi drivers .

ciaran67 · 22-09-2009 3:20pm

Captain Morgan wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Yes, because there is plenty of more profitable jobs around at the moment. You cant beat taking pi$$ed up people home every night while they moan about the cost of the journey and vomit into their handbags.

Oliver1985 · 22-09-2009 3:26pm

My girlfriend had a black taxi driver saturday night for a short journey maybe 5 mins and she text me to meet her up the road cause he was asking lots of strange questions!! Did not no where he was going and tried to make it out to be her fault! I have got to the stage now myself where I feel not get in a taxi with one of them, not at all being rasict or anything but half of them dont know where they are going! One driver about a month ago could not drive I was gonna ring the guards on him but it was 6 in the morning and all I wanted was my bed!!! Dont get me wrong some of them are fine but you never know if its even the guy in the picture driving!!

On the other side of the coin Black dublin bus drivers and Luas drivers I find very professional and take pride in there job, I just think the taxi industry is all over the place that so much of the problems go on!!

genericguy · 22-09-2009 3:55pm

Oliver1985 wrote: »

My girlfriend had a black taxi driver saturday night for a short journey maybe 5 mins and she text me to meet her up the road cause he was asking lots of strange questions!! Did not no where he was going and tried to make it out to be her fault! I have got to the stage now myself where I feel not get in a taxi with one of them, not at all being rasict or anything but half of them dont know where they are going! One driver about a month ago could not drive I was gonna ring the guards on him but it was 6 in the morning and all I wanted was my bed!!! Dont get me wrong some of them are fine but you never know if its even the guy in the picture driving!!

On the other side of the coin Black dublin bus drivers and Luas drivers I find very professional and take pride in there job, I just think the taxi industry is all over the place that so much of the problems go on!!

fink goddie got permabanned for saying essentially the same thing...

Oliver1985 · 22-09-2009 4:07pm

genericguy wrote: »

fink goddie got permabanned for saying essentially the same thing...

Whats that mean?

Nodin · 22-09-2009 7:49pm

Oliver1985 wrote: »

My girlfriend (.....)problems go on!!

She'll be no doubt overjoyed then, when she reads what one of her fellow nationals is capable of.
http://archives.tcm.ie/breakingnews/2004/07/12/story156724.asp

dr.bollocko · 22-09-2009 8:05pm

Oliver1985 wrote: »

My girlfriend had a black taxi driver saturday night for a short journey maybe 5 mins and she text me to meet her up the road cause he was asking lots of strange questions!! Did not no where he was going and tried to make it out to be her fault! I have got to the stage now myself where I feel not get in a taxi with one of them, not at all being rasict or anything but half of them dont know where they are going! One driver about a month ago could not drive I was gonna ring the guards on him but it was 6 in the morning and all I wanted was my bed!!! Dont get me wrong some of them are fine but you never know if its even the guy in the picture driving!!

On the other side of the coin Black dublin bus drivers and Luas drivers I find very professional and take pride in there job, I just think the taxi industry is all over the place that so much of the problems go on!!

I have never had a problem with a black taxi driver not knowing where he was going. If any taxi driver isn't sure I just name the nearest big thing everyone knows and then say things like "first left here" or "Right up there and we're in". That's regardless of colour. It's not that difficult to tell somebody where you want to go if they're asking. So to say half of them don't know where they are going is incorrect.

genericguy wrote: »

fink goddie got permabanned for saying essentially the same thing...

Fink Goddie got permanently banned for a pattern of trolling on this forum after a number of bans in quick succession. What she did on that thread crossed a line and it was a final straw as you should be aware from reading the feedback / helpdesk thread. If anybody has any queries on that subject PM me or take it to helpdesk for clarification. Please do not drag this thread off topic with such discussion. Fair warning.

javaboy · 22-09-2009 8:11pm

orourkeda wrote: »

Why pick on black taxi drivers and not just on their role in society generally?

Because this thread is about black taxi drivers. If it was about their role in society it would be a different thread. You could just as easily say Why pick on humans and not living things in general?

You're right about the thread title though. It's confusing. Edited.

Coriolanus · 22-09-2009 10:02pm

Tbh there's plenty of skanky "white Irish" taxis that I wouldn't step foot in. I usually walk down the line until I find a nice merc and go with that.
Funny how they never seem to be the one's screaming "Yoor not going by de sysdem!"

sharky86 · 22-09-2009 10:09pm

Eh whats trolling?

Coriolanus · 22-09-2009 10:21pm

sharky86 wrote: »

Eh whats trolling?

If you press Alt+F4 your pc's internal dictionary will open and you can search the term.

mk2 · 22-09-2009 10:41pm

taxi drvers,yea,thank god i have a car.

MikeC101 · 22-09-2009 10:52pm

Spook_ie wrote: »

Would suggest that if there's any truth in it that it's probably along the lines of.

Arrive Ireland
Claim Assylum
Wait 2 years on "direct provision"
Granted Assylum
Apply for benefits
get benefits backdated to date of application
Apply for BWEA
Get BWEA and apply for €1000 grant
collect dole on a reducing basis over 4 years and keep medical cards etc.

Use the cheque issued for backdated benefits/grant to finance the car/plate or whatever use the dole to subsidise the cost of the taxi....

I think this may explain it very well actually - with the added fact that while you're on a waiting list for benefits it's often the case that the community welfare officer can issue you with funds (which will be taken from your first payment) if you need them badly, in the form of a cheque which is from your regional Health Board. (Why it's the Health Board that issue these cheques I don't know, but as noted the amount is subtracted from your benefits when you get them, it's not really coming out of the health board budget).

From there it's not a massive leap to seeing someone pay for a car with say, their own cash and a Health Board cheque for some of the amount leading to the mindset of "them immigrants getting all the money they want from the health board to buy cars and robots and guns", or leading to what seems to be the urban myths of free mobile phones, free cars and so on.

RustyNut · 22-09-2009 11:20pm

Neamhshuntasach wrote: »

I was out looking at cars recently and in one of the yards i was talking to the owner. One of the cars was an ex taxi and lead onto talking about taxis. He said he had a Ghanian chap in looking to buy both a car and plate off him the week previous. He said the fella came back a few days later with a cheque from the Eastern Health Board for 10k. He told the owner he got it to help him get on his feet and into work. How true this is i don't know. The owner wasn't saying it in any malicious way though so can't see why he'd be making it up.

And you believed a second hand car salesman :rolleyes:

Grudaire · 24-09-2009 5:27pm

dlofnep wrote: »

My father was a taxi driver and had to leave the business due to not taking in enough money. They are giving out too many plates to make it seem like they are creating employment, but they are not

....

It is an issue. You're not seeing it from a taxi drivers viewpoint.

I see what you are saying here, and I understand that this has personal relevance to you but lets be fair here - we cannot say that limiting the number of plates is a fair solution. In no other industry do we have calls for a limit to the number allowed - because it's not a good way of solving any problem - it amounts to protectionism, and messes with the economics of the industry.

Perhapsan enforcement of the working hour laws, perhaps in the form of an introduction of the system used for truck drivers may be a option (to ensure the concentration levels of the driver stay high, and so they don't get cranky :pac:).

Then let market forces do the rest, if there isn't enough business drivers will leave the industry rather then working mad hours, and spending their lives moaning about it.

Alias G · 24-09-2009 6:06pm

s14 silvia wrote: »

Well been a taxi driver i find that impossable to beleave for a start lad:rolleyes:
The buisness has been flooded in the last 2 years with immagrants, from my personal experiance a very high percentage are rude constantly on the phone aggresive and dont or pretend not to know where there going.. This is truth and nothing to do with there colour!!!!
Also anyone like to tell me why they only appear at nite?

Its those damn immagrants, even when it was the bears I knew it was the immagrants. Can't even be bothered to learn themselves the language.

DemocAnarchis · 24-09-2009 6:22pm

If i'm getting a taxi in Dundalk, i'll always get the first in the que, regardless what nationality the driver is. Have found that its usually foreign nationals who need to be reminded to start the meter. Doesn't bother me, i check with any driver that its on. Have had issues with non nationals driving hackneys without meters trying to overcharge by a stupid margin, so just gave them the usual fare and told them i wasn't paying a penny more. Thats the exception, not the rule, and i'm sure people have had bad experiences with irish taxi drivers too. I now tend to stick to a hackney company that knows me by first name, never any hassle.

Kalashnikov_Kid · 24-09-2009 6:49pm

DemocAnarchis wrote: »

If i'm getting a taxi in Dundalk, i'll always get the first in the que, regardless what nationality the driver is. Have found that its usually foreign nationals who need to be reminded to start the meter. Doesn't bother me, i check with any driver that its on. Have had issues with non nationals driving hackneys without meters trying to overcharge by a stupid margin, so just gave them the usual fare and told them i wasn't paying a penny more. Thats the exception, not the rule, and i'm sure people have had bad experiences with irish taxi drivers too. I now tend to stick to a hackney company that knows me by first name, never any hassle.

I have heard of stories of Dundalk taxi drivers threatening non-Irish drivers to 'get the Ra' after them if they don't move on. I have also been ripped off by both Irish and foreign drivers in Dundalk over the years, once by an Irish driver when I was about 12 years old. Another time I payed a black driver the standard fare when he asked for an extortionate amount with the meter off. Though if you're too drunk to remember the details either way, you cant blame anyone really (not directed at yourself obviously!).

But the main problem with Dundalk taxis in general is that off-the-meter fares are nearly more the norm than the exception, accross the board. No offence to them, but I wouldn't fully trust any Dundalk taxi driver based on my experiences.

CrazyRabbit · 25-09-2009 4:34pm

I for one am all in favour of having more smokin hot, nymphomaniac female taxi drivers. I'm sick of all these male drivers. They never want to have sex in the back seat!

AnonoBoy · 25-09-2009 4:40pm

Kalashnikov_Kid wrote: »

I have heard of stories of Dundalk taxi drivers threatening non-Irish drivers to 'get the Ra' after them if they don't move on. I have also been ripped off by both Irish and foreign drivers in Dundalk over the years, once by an Irish driver when I was about 12 years old. Another time I payed a black driver the standard fare when he asked for an extortionate amount with the meter off. Though if you're too drunk to remember the details either way, you cant blame anyone really (not directed at yourself obviously!).

But the main problem with Dundalk taxis in general is that off-the-meter fares are nearly more the norm than the exception, accross the board. No offence to them, but I wouldn't fully trust any Dundalk taxi driver based on my experiences.

I think I've found the problem.

AnonoBoy · 25-09-2009 4:41pm

CrazyRabbit wrote: »

I'm sick of all these male drivers. They never want to have sex in the back seat!

Maybe not with you. But I know how I pay my fare home most nights. :cool:

JoeSchmoe · 25-09-2009 5:12pm

blahblah06 wrote: »

Who says Irish people know were there going

too true, i recently got a taxi back home to Clare Hall, Irish driver (from the southside, not long in the taxi game) didn't know where it was, so I said, it's out past coolock, he didn't know where Coolock was, So i said the malahide rd, and he said "Oh so out near the airport then"

Didn't have a notion about the Northside of the city in had lived in all his life

Kalashnikov_Kid · 25-09-2009 5:21pm

JoeSchmoe wrote: »

too true, i recently got a taxi back home to Clare Hall, Irish driver (from the southside, not long in the taxi game) didn't know where it was, so I said, it's out past coolock, he didn't know where Coolock was, So i said the malahide rd, and he said "Oh so out near the airport then"

Didn't have a notion about the Northside of the city in had lived in all his life

OMG loike, what's the big deal? You are loike, SO going OTT, roysh.

soundbyte · 25-09-2009 6:20pm

starflake wrote: »

The Eastern Healthboard was replaced by the HSE a good few years back and they have nothing to do with Social welfare. So i think you're right in saying this stories made up

I think you're wrong there. Isn't it the HSE that provide up to 12 months mortgage repayment assistance.

Overblood · 25-09-2009 7:27pm

Oliver1985 wrote: »

Dont get me wrong some of them are fine but you never know if its even the guy in the picture driving!!

LOL!!!

Overblood · 25-09-2009 7:29pm

mk2 wrote: »

taxi drvers,yea,thank god i have a car.

Who the hell is this lad?^^^

JONJO THE MISER · 27-09-2009 12:19am

Over here in Aus its all Indian taxi drivers and its the same as Ireland they havent a clue where there going but at least there nice and polite.

twinytwo · 27-09-2009 12:41am

blahblah06 wrote: »

I'm a taxi driver myself (Irish) and it's insane the amount of people that skip "black" drivers on the rank and when hailing them down.
I do feel awful when I see it happen but I suppose Irish people are like that.
Maybe it's to do with different nationality being successfull

so you would rather we gave them the money than an irish driver who has a mortage to pay etc... has nothing to do with the colour of their skin id still go to an irish driver

Whiskey Devil · 27-09-2009 12:59am

Nigeria has one of the largest oil reserves in the world (amongst many other things), and if it wasn't for the abhorable corruption in the country most of those taxi drivers would be far wealthier than the average drunken Irish person they have to deal with in the early hours of the morning.

The West is greatly to blame for the raping of Africa's natural resources and the oppression of it's people.

They're just other human beings trying to make a living.

I'm a bit drunkie.

K4t · 27-09-2009 1:06am

I've never got a taxi and I hope I never will.

Black or white, they're fcking rip-off merchants of the highest order.

Mad_Max · 27-09-2009 1:11am

I have a problem with any person that charges me 4 quid something to park my arse in their car regardless of where they come from.

I have walked home from town many times rather than get a taxi.

Whiskey Devil · 27-09-2009 1:15am

Town to Clondalkin - how long does that take? :eek:

Mad_Max · 27-09-2009 1:21am

Twice as long as it would sober!

Makes it look way cooler when I stroll home at 7am too :P

brummytom · 27-09-2009 1:21am

The title's just confusing me.

Here, 'black taxi' means a taxi that's black, nothing to do with the Driver (the majority of whom are Indian); but over there it means a taxi driven by a black person?

projectmayhem · 27-09-2009 1:24am

I couldn't care less where a taxi driver is from. I've had foreign drivers who were far nicer then Irish ones. Bizzarely the Chinese ones are the only ones who know exact street names and will get you there shortest-route method, rather then Irish ones who go longest-fare route.

I do get a bit disconcerted with the black taxi drivers (I've never seen it with other nationalities) who are constantly talking another language on the phone... often clearly asking directions from someone else.

marko91 · 27-09-2009 1:25am

their mad funny when your pissed....got the radios pumping...feels like we are about to do a drive by in compton with my home slice

Black taxi drivers

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