Taxi drivers in Galway

07-08-2008 11:25am

hada wrote: »

having been charged 16 euro from shantalla to eddie rockets back in january by one of our african counter parts I was even more disgusted when getting a cab, asked the taxi driver (also of the same origin) to stop in a shop for my two female friends who were also in the taxi. The taxi driver refused to stop, then refused to wait when the two girls were in the shop, so asked him to wait while i ran into the shop to tell the girls to come back out. When i arrived out, he had already called the guards. He then gave them a rather long spiel and I got a hefty bollocking from the gardai because im a "racist". you could imagine my disbelief at this kind of situation.

what's even funnier is, my own father isn't even irish, so im probably even more sensitive to racist issues than most.

what a joke...

He was probably afraid you were doing a runner and just giving the girls a head start.

07-08-2008 11:44am

Fey! wrote: »

2) African taxi drivers; I've only travelled with one (I'm usually driving) and he couldn't have been sounder. A taxi-driver friend of mine said their biggest problem is the Irish named estates.

Note: Has anyone else noticed that most of the black taxi drivers are extremely well presented, and their car are almost always spotless?

I take plenty of taxis. My problems with African drivers are: they tend to have older/ rubbish cars - If I am paying the same rate i would prefer to be sitting in the back of a recent merc or new passat rather than a 02 avensis.

Rubbish music on the radio rather than newstalk (taxi driver standard)

I did have an African taxi driver try to get me to pay in advance before going out to Claregalway a couple of years ago saying that a new law was passed.
I had an Asian driver recently who was asking me questions about different things out my way - he is a local and was interested in local history.

They do have a sharper image than the more traditional fat slob.

Other wise no-more likely to rip off than any other driver. [/racism]

padi89 · 07-08-2008 12:08pm

Don't mind really who it is behind the wheel as i am always glad of a lift home at the end of the night.Can't say i've ever been overcharged.Some of the stories taxi drivers have told me national and non national of the **** they have to put up with is terrible.I make it a point to say please,thank you and be generally mannerly as its tough enough to put up with idiots at night, most of the time il give a tip too.

Madame Razz · 07-08-2008 12:23pm

Had a bad experience a few years ago with an Irish taxi-driver(driving with one of the bigger co-ops). Twas really scary but I was just glad to get out of the car and away from the perv.

At the time there wasn't as obvious a taxi-regulator in place so it wasn't as easy to report, so i've just avoided the company since, as do all of my friends.

By and large no probs with the taxis in the city, irish or non-irish drivers. In fact the non-irish drivers seem to always cost less.

That said I had a genius on monday night who was taking me out the shantalla road to rahoon to get to DANGAN(from the rank oppositie the living room).i'd a big row with him but still had to pay about €5 more than normal.... what a mong:mad:

slickmcvic · 07-08-2008 12:39pm

therres fierce resentment towards the black taxi drivers in galway from the irish drivers.....a local driver was tellin us about all the govt subsidies they get that the locals didn't...he was rippin!!
personally i'm not bothered what taxi i get home at night but I can sort of see their point....

po0k · 07-08-2008 12:44pm

timwalker82 wrote: »

I agree, there is two sides to every story, on the one hand you have foriegners who understand that playing the race card is a trump card, and on the other hand you have a society of people who can't stand seeing someone from abroad making a life for themselves in your city. I lived all over Ireland and I have to say, I have never been in a place where people are as vindictive and jealous as they are in Galway, I guess it's because of the colonization of your city by the British that caused it. Galwegians and africans are very alike when it comes to banging on about how hard done by you are.

Am....say what?

Read some fscking history before mouthing off.

07-08-2008 12:50pm

po0k wrote: »

Am....say what?

Read some fscking history before mouthing off.

His version sounds better.

Were there clowns?

Madame Razz · 07-08-2008 12:53pm

Have you seen those taxis around with the sign writing 'This Taxi driver is a local' or something like that? How do they get away with a sign like that?!

ronnie3585 · 07-08-2008 1:24pm

Because dey tuk err jerbs!!

JohnCleary · 07-08-2008 1:50pm

manukahoney wrote: »

Have you seen those taxis around with the sign writing 'This Taxi driver is a local' or something like that? How do they get away with a sign like that?!

What's wrong with it?

What do you mean 'how do they get away with that?' - Sure all they're doing is stating a fact. Just like if I put a sign on the side of my car "I'm male and im white" - I'm stating a fact.... OMG HOW COULD I GET AWAY WITH IT???!?!!??!!?!?!?eleventyone

Get over it

Aurora Borealis · 07-08-2008 1:55pm

It may not be wrong per se but it encourages a "them and us" mindset which is to be avoided in my opinion.

JohnCleary · 07-08-2008 2:20pm

Aurora Borealis wrote: »

It may not be wrong per se but it encourages a "them and us" mindset which is to be avoided in my opinion.

It's your opinion which you're entitled to, but they're doing nothing wrong and those signs clearly aint coming off the cars. Infact, it's been great advertising for them with all the media attention lately

Madame Razz · 07-08-2008 2:45pm

JohnCleary wrote: »

What's wrong with it?

What do you mean 'how do they get away with that?' - Sure all they're doing is stating a fact. Just like if I put a sign on the side of my car "I'm male and im white" - I'm stating a fact.... OMG HOW COULD I GET AWAY WITH IT???!?!!??!!?!?!?eleventyone

Get over it

Theres nothing wrong with it per se, but its the implication of the statement rather than what it actually states; its a sort of veiled racism.

I know a lot of the Irish drivers are bitter. Maybe they have a right to be; i dont know enough to comment on that; but i think signs like that cross a line.

Get over it? Nothing to get over m'dear, i don't actually care enough to be that bothered, just noticed it the last day and thought it was a bit curious.

A taxi-driver can be purple for all i care, as long as i get home tbh:D

JohnCleary · 07-08-2008 2:58pm

Fair enough, I couldn't give a sh1te myself either tbh

I drive. And if i'm drunk, I walk... I like walking when i'm drunk

kayos · 07-08-2008 3:16pm

On the Hackey Vs Taxi debate I got the shock of my life when ringing my normal Taxi company in Dublin to get from Park West to the train station. Every time bar one they sent out a taxi and the cost was about 12 yoyos. Even doing the reverse trip on a Monday morning would never break 15. The one time they sent a hackey I got fleeced for 20 and it was the lightest traffic I had seen on that trip! Told him the normal cost and I got quickly told where to go. So ya taxi’s seem to be cheaper in some situations.

As for taxi drivers, only thing annoys me about them is the parking/ranks. Ever see the train station when a train gets in? They block everything up there. The rank at Cross St seems to also extend back to mill street and that bridge is narrow enough without them making it worse. The cops god love them come out every now and then to move them but they are back as quickly as they can loop back around I have even seen taxi’s drive away while the cop’s was knocking on his window and wanting to talk to him, really wish the cops would do the uniformed move along and have undercover waiting to catch them once they come back 2minutes later. Lets not even get started on the rank near fibbers in the square. Now I know there is way more taxi’s than spaces on the ranks but that does not give them the right to block traffic and cause obstructions.

workaccount · 07-08-2008 4:02pm

manukahoney wrote: »

Have you seen those taxis around with the sign writing 'This Taxi driver is a local' or something like that? How do they get away with a sign like that?!

If I saw a taxi with a sign that said "I don't block up the whole road and park on the pedestrian crossing near fibbers" they would get all my business and I would recommend them to all my friends.

They have some nerve to park there. :mad:

muppetkiller · 07-08-2008 5:27pm

God who brought this thread back from the dead ?
I think I posted it a year ago ?

Krieg · 07-08-2008 6:21pm

Anyone know what percentage of a fare that a taxi drivers keeps? or What percentage is given to the taxi company?

I avoid the African drivers based on personal experience (Oh Noes, Dats wacist!)
But I have found non-national drivers to be cheaper.

SimpleSam06 · 07-08-2008 7:08pm

Krieg wrote: »

Anyone know what percentage of a fare that a taxi drivers keeps? or What percentage is given to the taxi company?

Generally taxi companies have an initial payment to join them, and then radio rental of €100 a week thereafter. All the company does is advertise and take the phone calls really.

As regards the black taxi driver issue, you don't need to take the first cab in the rank if you don't want to. If its not an issue for you, just hop into the first one. No need for a big fuss over it, nobody is being forced to get in a cab with a driver they might not trust. This goes for any disreputable looking driver though.

inisboffin · 08-08-2008 1:05am

I've really mixed opinions on a lot of this..mainly due to 'theory' of what it should be like vs some sh*te personal experiences of being ripped off.
I have had a fair few 'round the world' to home fares, and this made me grumpy.

The 'local' thing on the side, I would interpret as 'I know my way around these parts'. Now I KNOW some heads are interpreting this as "I am not a furrriner" and likewise, this may be the intent, but I do like to give the benefit of the doubt and assume this is an assurance of competence rather than race.

Had good service from a Co that offered 'buy 6 get 7th taxi free' or something like that on a stamp card..really nice lad. Not sure, but think it may be the same company that makes a policy of hiring international drivers.

I have no race issue at all with any drivers, but I think the issue of drivers not knowing their way (bigger influx of new drivers from certain nations) has become intertwined with race for obvious 'visual' reasons (and we are not all as au fait with the accents from other continents to discern who's from where)..hence the 'black drivers' all being lumped together.

Just get me home in a non smelly car the fastest way, chat or not, most music is grand if ya don't blast me out of it, don't rip me off, and I don't give a rat's arse where you are from

civis_liberalis · 08-08-2008 3:04am

workaccount wrote: »

If I saw a taxi with a sign that said "I don't block up the whole road and park on the pedestrian crossing near fibbers" they would get all my business and I would recommend them to all my friends.

They have some nerve to park there. :mad:

Man, a sign like that would be both hilarious and get my business at the same time aswel.

hada · 08-08-2008 5:55pm

funnily enough when I posted back in this thread originally a year or so ago I had had a very bad in counter with one black taxi driver. You'll never guess who I bumped into recently when caught in the pouring rain one sunday evening - said fellow. He didn't recognise me from the previous encounter so I said I'd best keep it cool, so I pretended to text, took down his name, license etc etc... Anyway long story short, by the time I got to where I wanted to go, magically my fare was 5euro higher than normal. Of course, I being the polite man that I am, refused outright to pay it as he was clearly overcharging me, told him I had taken his details, demanded a receipt and had no problem with using this against him. Low and behold the race card was played again (cue long sigh from me). Except this time I was ready for him - playing it very cool I informed him a) i was not a racist b) i would NOT tolerate him resorting to such unreasonable accusations c) by him using this card, he in fact was the racist etc etc.. Boy was he shocked when I actually responded to him in such a normal and blunt manner.

anyway cutting to the chase, I paid the proper fare, told him if I ever heard of his name arising in the context of over charging/etc I would make sure he would have his taxi license revoked and I would have no problem bringing him to court (quite close to qualifying as a solicitor, so I would fully intend on doing this)

workaccount · 08-08-2008 6:02pm

hada wrote: »

funnily enough when I posted back in this thread originally a year or so ago I had had a very bad in counter with one black taxi driver. You'll never guess who I bumped into recently when caught in the pouring rain one sunday evening - said fellow. He didn't recognise me from the previous encounter so I said I'd best keep it cool, so I pretended to text, took down his name, license etc etc... Anyway long story short, by the time I got to where I wanted to go, magically my fare was 5euro higher than normal. Of course, I being the polite man that I am, refused outright to pay it as he was clearly overcharging me, told him I had taken his details, demanded a receipt and had no problem with using this against him. Low and behold the race card was played again (cue long sigh from me). Except this time I was ready for him - playing it very cool I informed him a) i was not a racist b) i would NOT tolerate him resorting to such unreasonable accusations c) by him using this card, he in fact was the racist etc etc.. Boy was he shocked when I actually responded to him in such a normal and blunt manner.

anyway cutting to the chase, I paid the proper fare, told him if I ever heard of his name arising in the context of over charging/etc I would make sure he would have his taxi license revoked and I would have no problem bringing him to court (quite close to qualifying as a solicitor, so I would fully intend on doing this)

Post his details up here and fair play with dealing with him like that. Who knows how much money this guy has frauded from people. I can't believe he started going on about racism.

hada · 08-08-2008 6:36pm

workaccount wrote: »

Post his details up here and fair play with dealing with him like that. Who knows how much money this guy has frauded from people. I can't believe he started going on about racism.

I'm not going to post his details for obvious reasons, but I will make sure to follow up on this.

(by the way I must say I have also had one problem with an Irish taxi driver overcharging from salthill - invern, he charged me as if I were going from eyre sq to invern..so I do believe there is a small minority of taxi drivers, both nationals and non-nationals, who do/attempt to take advantage of random punters, esp. those after a night out)

Sponge Bob · 08-08-2008 9:29pm

Good luck with the taxi regulator and the Nigerians , I complained formally about one character who :

1. Tried to charge me €8 more than usual .
2. Refused to provide a receipt .
3. Eventually settled on the usual charge after a lot of shouting on his part ...but not accusing me of racism along the way .
4. Still refused to provide a receipt .

The taxi regulator has done nothing ( 4 months) because the geezer has very bad english ( my hole ) and they cannot find a 'translator' .

If they cannot speak english properly they should not be licenced to drive a cab and thats that

SimpleSam06 · 08-08-2008 10:55pm

Sponge Bob wrote: »

If they cannot speak english properly they should not be licenced to drive a cab and thats that

Not that I'm privy to the decisions of those in power, but I believe the thinking goes along the lines of "its better to have them out working than on the dole".

Mrs OBumble · 09-08-2008 11:11am

Aurora Borealis wrote: »

It may not be wrong per se but it encourages a "them and us" mindset which is to be avoided in my opinion.

What does "local" mean anyway?

Is the African guy who's lived here for ten years more or less "local" than some guy from Mayo who moved here a couple of years ago or the Galway-born-and-bred who's just come back from 20 years in the States?

inisboffin · 09-08-2008 1:09pm

JustMary wrote: »

What does "local" mean anyway?

Is the African guy who's lived here for ten years more or less "local" than some guy from Mayo who moved here a couple of years ago or the Galway-born-and-bred who's just come back from 20 years in the States?

Yeah, that was my thought too when I give benefit of the doubt to the guy with 'local' on the side, and interpret it as "I know my way around the estates, even the 'renamed' ones as Gaeilge"...although I KNOW the race card is the interpretation taken by many.

I got one of those 'recently returned' lads last week. He was up front about not knowing all the new estates tho, and was grand once I gave him an old landmark near where I was headed,

RichMc70 · 09-08-2008 1:31pm

All prospective Taxi Drivers wishing to obtain a licence should be made to first sit a test of their knowledge of the city and surrounding area.

The black taxi drivers in London have to do a course known as 'The Knowledge' before they get a licence. It usually takes around 3 years to pass the knowledge and it entails knowing every major road, most direct routes and quickest routes.

I don't think it necessary for a 3 year course in Galway however a good general area knowledge would be sufficient, plus the ability to understand and speak english clearly.

I recently met a german couple who had been in a taxi, which was stopped by the gardai for driving without care. It turned out the guy driving the taxi, did not own it but was borrowing the car from his brother and he didnt even have a driving licence (therefore not insured !).

nobodythere · 10-08-2008 10:54pm

Karl Hungus wrote: »

I would say that a lot of people who'd pass over an African taxi driver in a rank would do so because of having a bad past experience.

I've heard a lot of stories about different cultural attitudes towards women that nigerians have. They could be made up stories for all I know, but I wouldn't put a girl in a taxi on her own with one at night, just because I'm not going to take the chance.

nobodythere · 10-08-2008 11:04pm

Fey! wrote: »

4) Cyclists; yes, Galway cyclist rarely have lights or reflective strips or helmets, and rarely obey traffic lights or signs, and rarely signal where they're going.

Bad to the bone baby!

Taxi drivers in Galway

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