Justice: Two taxis caught by traffic cops on quays

CreepingDeath

I was on the bus home, up the Dublin quays heading westward just before Guinness brewery. You know there's 2 locations where the bus lane becomes left turn only lanes?
Buses 98% of the time will do the right thing, and filter into the proper lane beforehand or at the designated junction box.

Plenty of times, absolute taxi w**kers will just plough straight through the left hand turn only lane and go straight. In effect they're taking an illegal turn because they were meant to turn left. I've nearly been hit twice by these a*sholes.

Anyways, 6pm tonight, the bus passes by a traffic biker cop who was lying in wait before Guinnesses. He had caught and pulled in two taxis.

It was a beautiful sight... I was delighted.

I hope this is a good week long initiative at least, knock a few penalty points of these dangerous and selfish drivers.

SuperSean11

The System Work:D

chris85

CreepingDeath wrote: »

I was on the bus home, up the Dublin quays heading westward just before Guinness brewery. You know there's 2 locations where the bus lane becomes left turn only lanes?
Buses 98% of the time will do the right thing, and filter into the proper lane beforehand or at the designated junction box.

Plenty of times, absolute taxi w**kers will just plough straight through the left hand turn only lane and go straight. In effect they're taking an illegal turn because they were meant to turn left. I've nearly been hit twice by these a*sholes.

Anyways, 6pm tonight, the bus passes by a traffic biker cop who was lying in wait before Guinnesses. He had caught and pulled in two taxis.

It was a beautiful sight... I was delighted.

I hope this is a good week long initiative at least, knock a few penalty points of these dangerous and selfish drivers.

I know the spot exactly, and its very common wit the taxi drivers doing it. Taxi drivers just see a left hand lane and assume they can use it like a bus lane. idiots.

Also seen the gardai stopping taxis travelling straight through towards christchurch and junction of dame and georges st in the left lane which is left turn only.

Wishbone Ash

CreepingDeath wrote: »

It was a beautiful sight... I was delighted.

You are fairly easy to delight!

CreepingDeath

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

You are fairly easy to delight!

I was only missing some popcorn.

Volvoboy

Well i hope when ever you need a taxi, you'll think back to this thread and choose not to use a SPSV service, and walk.

Just because there is a big yellow sticker ontop of my car is no diffrent to yours.

BTW there are loads of ordinary private cars that do equally as stupid things, but i dont go and post on boards.ie.

Wishbone Ash is right you must be easy to delight, if you take great enjoyment in that.

I'm not taking away from the fact that what the two drivers in question did was illegal.

Next time a taxi driver looks at you the wrong way of comes too close to your car call :1890606090

colm_mcm

To be fair VB, this particular spot is always abused by some taxi drivers, CrepingDeath is well able to speak for himself, but I think you're being a touch too sensitive here!
I haven't seen any generalisations made about taxi drivers made by the OP.

Rowley Birkin QC

Volvoboy wrote: »

Just because there is a big yellow sticker ontop of my car is no diffrent to yours.

Does that big yellow sticker not designate you as a professional driver? Who, as a professional, should know and obey the ROTR to the letter?

Sorry VB, it's nothing personal

Frank the Manc

from years of driving around dublin i can honestly say that if i get cut up by a car 80% of the time it will be a taxi, some, not all but some, drive around the streets like they literally built them and own the tacmac that they laid with their bare hands. they do whta they like and it is nice to see that they are being treated the very same as ordinary motorists.

yeah there are stupid ordinary drivers out there but by and large the most selfish driving i have witnessed, in the city anways, has been by taxidrivers.
its not like they get lost and dont know the streets.

Publin

Volvoboy wrote: »

Just because there is a big yellow sticker ontop of my car is no diffrent to yours.

BTW there are loads of ordinary private cars that do equally as stupid things, but i dont go and post on boards.ie.

Agree with the first sentence, everyone driving a car be it a taxi driver or not, should be abiding by the rules of the road. It's also very true that there are plenty of private car owners who do equally (and far more) stupid things. However, taxi drivers are supposed to be professional drivers, they rely on driving for their livelihood.

Another poster mentioned seeing taxi drivers go up the left hand lane on Dame Street leading up to the junction of George's Street and Dame Street. That kind of this annoys me (regardless of who does it). Often just the filter arrow to go left comes on and some clown will be sitting there waiting to go straight ahead with people getting frustrated because the eejit in front is in the wrong lane and they can't turn left 'cos they're blocking the lane.

I must admit, it does particularly annoy me to see taxi drivers do it, as it is clearly deliberate. They all know damn well from experience that the lane is left turn only. If I see someone in a car with a foreign reg. or a non-Dublin licence plate stuck in the wrong lane here, I'll have some smypathy as they may not know the lanes, but taxi drivers have no excuse.

Also, just to warn/discourage people from doing it... if you're coming down George's Street, you cannot turn right onto Dame Street (unless you're driving a taxi/bus etc). I've seen the Gardai targeting this place a LOT recently and pulling in a big line of cars just outside CitiBar in the bus lane there and presumably giving out fines/penalty points.

CreepingDeath

Volvoboy wrote: »

Just because there is a big yellow sticker ontop of my car is no diffrent to yours.

I wasn't complaining about the car... I've no problem with Toyota, Ford etc.
The theme of the thread was justice and the drivers were caught in the act.

While I didn't generalise, I would propose that any drivers operating varied day/night shifts are going to mess up their sleep pattern and be less alert.
Plane crashes have been attributed to human error due to pilots messing up their carcadian rhythm (jet lag)

Volvoboy wrote: »

BTW there are loads of ordinary private cars that do equally as stupid things, but i dont go and post on boards.ie.

And if I see a traffic cop catching the ignorant "average" drivers who drive up the N4 bus lane before Palmerstown I'll post about that too.

Yeah, you're being a bit sensitive. I do have a grudge against taxi drivers but only the ones I see acting the maggot at the expense of other motorists.

craichoe

bigkev49 wrote: »

Does that big yellow sticker not designate you as a professional driver? Who, as a professional, should know and obey the ROTR to the letter?

Sorry VB, it's nothing personal

Just because taxi drivers drive alot, it doesn't make them professional drivers, hell .. if you **** alot does it make you a professional wanker ?

Mitch Connor

craichoe wrote: »

Just because taxi drivers drive alot, it doesn't make them professional drivers, hell .. if you **** alot does it make you a professional wanker ?

But the drive professionally. At what point does a person driving for their profession become a professional driver?

testicle

craichoe wrote: »

Just because taxi drivers drive alot, it doesn't make them professional drivers, hell .. if you **** alot does it make you a professional wanker ?

If you drive for a living, you are a professional driver.

I don't know anyone who **** for a living, but I'm sure such people exist in the Porn Industry...

Rowley Birkin QC

craichoe wrote: »

Just because taxi drivers drive alot, it doesn't make them professional drivers, hell .. if you **** alot does it make you a professional wanker ?

Uncalled for Craichoe.

Are you seriously telling me that you don't consider taxi drivers to be professional drivers? How about truck drivers? Pilots?

CreepingDeath

bigkev49 wrote: »

Uncalled for Craichoe.

Are you seriously telling me that you don't consider taxi drivers to be professional drivers? How about truck drivers? Pilots?

The term professional driver implies they drive well.
I believe that's the objection Craichoe is making, which I agree with.
They may be drivers by profession, but not professional drivers.

Gardai & emergency services take advanced driving lessons.
Truck drivers have specific HGV driving tests.

I'd rate bus drivers as professional drivers, not taxi drivers.

What do they have to do above and beyond the standard driving test ?

markpb

Publin wrote: »

I must admit, it does particularly annoy me to see taxi drivers do it, as it is clearly deliberate. They all know damn well from experience that the lane is left turn only. If I see someone in a car with a foreign reg. or a non-Dublin licence plate stuck in the wrong lane here, I'll have some smypathy as they may not know the lanes, but taxi drivers have no excuse.

This is the crux of the matter. A normal person may have been caught out, might not have seen the road markings, etc. There a fairly good chance the taxi driver knows right well it's illegal but chooses to do it anyway. The same thing happens on a daily basis at Westmoreland St onto O'Connell Bridge and I've never, ever seen a private car force a DB to stop while they barge into the right lane.

Volvoboy wrote: »

Next time a taxi driver looks at you the wrong way of comes too close to your car call :1890606090

And nothing will happen. Enforcing the ROTR is a function of the Gardai, not the Taxi Regulator.

Heroditas

bigkev49 wrote: »

Are you seriously telling me that you don't consider taxi drivers to be professional drivers?

Well some of them should start acting like they're professional drivers because there are times when I seriously wonder what some of them are playing at!

daveharnett

bigkev49 wrote: »

Uncalled for Craichoe.

Are you seriously telling me that you don't consider taxi drivers to be professional drivers? How about truck drivers? Pilots?

He is using a different understanding of the word. Both are valid.

Yours: "engaging in as a profession or means of livelihood"
His: "characteristic of or befitting a profession"

I'd have to say that I've seen, and been in some taxis who's performance fell short of 'professional standards'.

Johnny Utah

MODEDIT:

no point in posting a music video here ...deleted

Jip

Volvoboy wrote: »

Just because there is a big yellow sticker ontop of my car is no diffrent to yours.

You're dead right, it doesn't. But the majority of you see their yellow plate as being something similar to flashing blue lights which give you the right to do whatever you want on the road.

OP, I also know the turn you're talking about and see this happening on a daily basis. I actually saw a taxi hit another car doing this one evening, gob****e. What it does is force the driver in the lane for going straight over the bridge into the lane to their right to avoid the taxi tool which then causes traffic in the right most lane to take evasive action.

There's many places taxi drivers do this throughout Dublin. Another favourite for them is coming down Lower Dominick Street towards the Ilac Centre. There's a gap in the medium for traffic to turn right up Dominick Street but for traffic heading towards the Ilac there's about 3 no entry signs and no right turn signs. Do you think this deters taxi drivers ? Of course not.

Terrontress

Taxi drivers tend to do these things only when they are looking for a fare. When they have someone on board they are the most considerate drivers. Waiting two minutes for a "safe" gap to appear in the traffic. Slowing down for green lights in case they might turn red. Stopping to let a stream of pedestrians cross where there is no pedestrian crossing. All the time they are stopped the meter ticks up, up, up.

gerardk55

Couldn't agree more Terrontress.

I do alot of driving around the city and definitely some of the antics of taxi drivers is crazy.

The latest thing I have seen that has irked me is the guys that pull into the half-space at the back of the taxi rank just below O Connell bridge, that leaves the rear third of their car blocking a half the lane!:mad:

craichoe

CreepingDeath wrote: »

The term professional driver implies they drive well.
I believe that's the objection Craichoe is making, which I agree with.
They may be drivers by profession, but not professional drivers.

Gardai & emergency services take advanced driving lessons.
Truck drivers have specific HGV driving tests.

I'd rate bus drivers as professional drivers, not taxi drivers.

What do they have to do above and beyond the standard driving test ?

Indeed .. they do no more or less training or testing than anyone else on the road with a full license.

Taxi man
White van man
Bus Driver
Yummy mummy SUV drivers
Boy racers

They're all tarring a group with the same brush, its not all specifically true but people generalise on what they see.

The term professional to me would indicate that they are qualified above the norm for the task they perform.

Zube

craichoe wrote: »

Taxi man
White van man
Bus Driver
Yummy mummy SUV drivers
Boy racers

You forgot:

Mayo man
Hat Driver
Nun

On the subject of taxi-drivers, it always seems to me that there are two types: the "professional" guy/girl in it for the long haul, who is patient, considerate and calm, and the guy who just needs the work right now, who is being driven rapidly insane because he can't hack it.

The first kind will chat amiably with passengers. The second will mutter, curse, bang on the steering wheel and dash, cut up other drivers, break lights, beep their horn, and eventually go berserk with a shotgun.

Honey-ec

I'm still patiently awaiting the day I see justice being done to the countless taxis who use the contra-flow bus lane on Leeson St.

melbourne

Indeed .. they do no more or less training or testing than anyone else on the road with a full license.

Taxi man
White van man
Bus Driver
Yummy mummy SUV drivers
Boy racers

They're all tarring a group with the same brush, its not all specifically true but people generalise on what they see.

The term professional to me would indicate that they are qualified above the norm for the task they perform.


Only taxi men and bus drivers are providing a service to the public, therefore they should behave professionally. From my experience bus drivers are usually fairly sharp and very courteous, however the same could not be said for taxi's. Where do we start, pulling in whenever and where ever then want with little or no warning, indicators and lane disipline are an optional extra not to mention illigal u-turns. I'd rather walk home than get a taxi. Does no one remember the days when they held the city to ransom with their cartel. However the tables have turned by the looks of the taxi ranks flooded with cabs at the weekends. Anyway back to the point, its great to hear of people who really deserve to get done being pulled by the traffic Garda.

CreepingDeath

Honey-ec wrote: »

I'm still patiently awaiting the day I see justice being done to the countless taxis who use the contra-flow bus lane on Leeson St.

Some spike strips across the lane should do it.
Or some of those automatic barriers in the middle of the road

Zube

CreepingDeath wrote: »

Or some of those automatic barriers in the middle of the road

I love these clips...

craichoe

melbourne wrote: »

Only taxi men and bus drivers are providing a service to the public, therefore they should behave professionally. From my experience bus drivers are usually fairly sharp and very courteous, however the same could not be said for taxi's. Where do we start, pulling in whenever and where ever then want with little or no warning, indicators and lane disipline are an optional extra not to mention illigal u-turns. I'd rather walk home than get a taxi. Does no one remember the days when they held the city to ransom with their cartel. However the tables have turned by the looks of the taxi ranks flooded with cabs at the weekends. Anyway back to the point, its great to hear of people who really deserve to get done being pulled by the traffic Garda.

Yes, this is what i mean by getting tarred with the same brush. Its not like every man or woman gets Asshole stamped on their forehead when they become a taxi driver.

Honey-ec

Zube wrote: »

I love these clips...

Oh how I LOLed!!!

Quint

Sort of the same subject, but did anyone notice the taxi rank at the luas bu Connolly Station? Taxis backed up down the street and blocking a lane of traffic, in an already seriously congested area! A few weeks ago the cops were writing tickets for them, like the OP, I was delighted! the morning before the cops were warning them from the other side of the road. The rank was grand for a week, but not it's back to normal, about 2 or 3 taxis constantly out on the road blocking a lane of traffic!

cyclopath2001

Quint wrote: »

Sort of the same subject, but did anyone notice the taxi rank at the luas bu Connolly Station?

People getting on or off trains need taxis. There needs to be better provision made there not enough space for the taxis. It's especially awkward for anyone heading for the Northside, the rank faces towards the South.

Bee

Quint wrote: »

Sort of the same subject, but did anyone notice the taxi rank at the luas bu Connolly Station? Taxis backed up down the street and blocking a lane of traffic, in an already seriously congested area! A few weeks ago the cops were writing tickets for them, like the OP, I was delighted! the morning before the cops were warning them from the other side of the road. The rank was grand for a week, but not it's back to normal, about 2 or 3 taxis constantly out on the road blocking a lane of traffic!

Why be surprised? The Gardai outside of Pearse St station with their personal private cars have been blocking Pearse St to College Green with their illegally parked, many triple parks cars. They think they have carte - blanche especially since the idiotic traffic congestion changes were brought in by the muppets in Dublin City council making this road an access only for Buses,Taxi's
and of course access for cars to the various civil service and Trinity college entrances.

I expect a cyclist (not just the low life law breaking cyclists) to be killed along that stretch as buses have to frequently struggle to avoid the Gardai's ilegally parked private cars.

The taxi men are only learning from them

Volvoboy

CreepingDeath wrote: »

I was on the bus home, up the Dublin quays heading westward just before Guinness brewery. You know there's 2 locations where the bus lane becomes left turn only lanes?
Buses 98% of the time will do the right thing, and filter into the proper lane beforehand or at the designated junction box.

Plenty of times, absolute taxi w**kers will just plough straight through the left hand turn only lane and go straight. In effect they're taking an illegal turn because they were meant to turn left. I've nearly been hit twice by these a*sholes.

Anyways, 6pm tonight, the bus passes by a traffic biker cop who was lying in wait before Guinnesses. He had caught and pulled in two taxis.

It was a beautiful sight... I was delighted.

I hope this is a good week long initiative at least, knock a few penalty points of these dangerous and selfish drivers.

:rolleyes:

markpb wrote:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Volvoboy
Next time a taxi driver looks at you the wrong way of comes too close to your car call :1890606090

And nothing will happen. Enforcing the ROTR is a function of the Gardai, not the Taxi Regulator.

But if you feel so strongly about taxi drivers behavior, report them to the TR, cos the time spent here moaning about here about this would be better dealt with the TR's office and would get better results.

As i've said before, if you have a problem with taxi drivers.
And feel so strongly as to describe them with such expleatives as ''**** & Assholes'' dont bother using them.

CreepingDeath

Volvoboy wrote: »

time spent here moaning about here about this would be better dealt with the TR's office and would get better results.

Not enough hours in the day to report all the bad taxi drivers.
And I didn't moan, I was in fact having a celebratory gloat at them getting caught and I thought I'd share the happiness around.

Volvoboy wrote: »

As i've said before, if you have a problem with taxi drivers. And feel so strongly as to describe them with such expleatives as ''**** & Assholes'' dont bother using them.:)

Sometimes they're a necessary evil, like estate agents and second hand car dealers.

BostonB

CreepingDeath wrote: »

I was on the bus home, up the Dublin quays heading westward just before Guinness brewery. You know there's 2 locations where the bus lane becomes left turn only lanes?
Buses 98% of the time will do the right thing, and filter into the proper lane beforehand or at the designated junction box.

Plenty of times, absolute taxi w**kers will just plough straight through the left hand turn only lane and go straight. In effect they're taking an illegal turn because they were meant to turn left. I've nearly been hit twice by these a*sholes.....

That whole stretch of the quays was laid out by an idiot.
If you wanted to cause accidents, you couldn't lay it out any better.

Degsy

Bastards.
They're a law unto themselves.
I've noticed lately that they can be split into two broad groups.
1)The dublin chancer who's out to fleece as much money from you as he can by going on circuitous routes,stopping when there's no need and pretending he didnt hear you when you tell him to "turn here".
2)The foriegn bloke who has his cab done out like a witchdoctor's brothel and hasnt got the foggiest idea where he is or where he's going.

peasant

Degsy wrote: »

I've noticed lately that they can be split into two broad groups.

sweeping generalisations ftw :pac:

CreepingDeath

Degsy wrote: »

They're a law unto themselves.

Yeah... "If you've a problem please report it to the impotent taxi regulator which is the taxi equivalent of that useless TrafficWatch".

markpb

Quint wrote: »

Sort of the same subject, but did anyone notice the taxi rank at the luas bu Connolly Station? Taxis backed up down the street and blocking a lane of traffic, in an already seriously congested area! A few weeks ago the cops were writing tickets for them, like the OP, I was delighted! the morning before the cops were warning them from the other side of the road. The rank was grand for a week, but not it's back to normal, about 2 or 3 taxis constantly out on the road blocking a lane of traffic!

That taxi rank is actually a bus stop. You won't find a bus stop there any more because the taxi drivers blocked it every day until DB could not longer safely operate it. After a lot of pressure, the Gardai placed traffic cones on the double yellow lines as a reminder to taxi drivers not to stop there. What happened then? The taxi drivers parked between them pointing out into the road and blocking even more of the lane.

I understand the taxi drivers in Dublin are in dispute with DCC about the capacity at city centre taxi ranks but can any of the normally courteous taxi drivers who post here explain to me why it's acceptable to force DB out of their own bus stop?

CreepingDeath

markpb wrote: »

That taxi rank is actually a bus stop. You won't find a bus stop there any more because the taxi drivers blocked it every day until DB could not longer safely operate it.

That's feckin criminal.
The guards should've rounded them all up and confiscated their taxis for the day. Hit them the only place that hurts, their wallets.

If the guards would accept it as evidence, I'd spend a day off with a camcorder recording those muppets on the quays, blocking lanes and cutting people up with illegal turns.

And another thing, did those feckers get compensation out of the taxpayers money for their own business gamble of buying taxi plates before the deregulation ?
Honestly, it makes me want to vomit up my spleen.

melbourne

Bastards.
They're a law unto themselves.
I've noticed lately that they can be split into two broad groups.
1)The dublin chancer who's out to fleece as much money from you as he can by going on circuitous routes,stopping when there's no need and pretending he didnt hear you when you tell him to "turn here".
2)The foriegn bloke who has his cab done out like a witchdoctor's brothel and hasnt got the foggiest idea where he is or where he's going.


Say what ya see Degsy, seems fairly spot on. Seriously though, if you do have to report an incident the Carraige Office in Dublin Castle are the men to contact. I have reported two taxi drivers in the past, one for dangerous driving and the other for threatening behaviour. Both times I got a letter and a call from a Garda about the complaints. Bad as taxi's have been in the past, I fear it is only going to get worse for the future.

silverbullet60

Those lanes you talk about are CONTRAFLOW,approach with caution,
but hold your ground,THey might be buying you that new car you've always wanted!:)

Theta

I love the way when your driving down a road with a taxi in front at 50 -60km and someone throws out there hand they jam on the brakes to stop within ten feet and throw the hazards on like its cool for them to block the road cause you know he threw the lights on. Driving through the city center id say this happens most days to me they just stop where ever the hell the want but................its cool they threw the hazards on and then its ok to block the road.

John Mason

Heroditas wrote: »

Well some of them should start acting like they're professional drivers because there are times when I seriously wonder what some of them are playing at!

yes, i had a taxi driver one night, who drove down the wrong side of a Y junction unto oncoming traffic, where there were clear markings on the road and those little light boxes with the arrow pointing to where he should have gone!!!

gerardk55 wrote: »

The latest thing I have seen that has irked me is the guys that pull into the half-space at the back of the taxi rank just below O Connell bridge, that leaves the rear third of their car blocking a half the lane!:mad:

I LOL there one morning the Guards turned up and made they move on. 5 mins latter more taxis pulled up. the guards must have been hiding around the corner cause they were back again, this went on all morning.

I am not tarring all taxi people with the same brush, i have had some great ones and some muppets that refuse to go the way you ask them to.

and there is no point in phoning the regulator because they dont care. i have phoned up with taxi numbers and names only to be told they have no record of the number and name

Spook_ie

irlmarc wrote: »

I love the way when your driving down a road with a taxi in front at 50 -60km and someone throws out there hand they jam on the brakes to stop within ten feet and throw the hazards on like its cool for them to block the road cause you know he threw the lights on. Driving through the city center id say this happens most days to me they just stop where ever the hell the want but................its cool they threw the hazards on and then its ok to block the road.

Maybe you should consider the user as being at fault as well for hailing the taxi and not walking to a rank

mikemac

markpb wrote: »

That taxi rank is actually a bus stop. You won't find a bus stop there any more because the taxi drivers blocked it every day until DB could not longer safely operate it. After a lot of pressure, the Gardai placed traffic cones on the double yellow lines as a reminder to taxi drivers not to stop there. What happened then? The taxi drivers parked between them pointing out into the road and blocking even more of the lane.

I’ve never seen Dublin Bus operate there.
But they used to run the Bus Eireann coaches to Navan from there.

Now the area had closed down to the work on the luas tracks so it might have changed.
The work is finished for now so I’d be interested to see if they start bus services there again.

Halfway down this area is a pole showing the start of the rank and the drivers never past that. So maybe they aren’t blocking the bus area.

However, they are blocking half a lane at the back of the rank and on bad days they stop at the pedestrian crossing so people have to walk around them.
I've been known to bang on their boot as I struggle past when the pedestrian crossing is blocked

Theta

Spook_ie wrote: »

Maybe you should consider the user as being at fault as well for hailing the taxi and not walking to a rank

If its not safe for the taxi drive to stop he shouldn't its as simple as that.

BostonB

Spook_ie wrote: »

Maybe you should consider the user as being at fault as well for hailing the taxi and not walking to a rank

That makes no sense.

eringobragh

Just 2 of my recent experiences with some *cough* professional taxi drivers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-hP9Q_Mcj4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgVpKdgqZNg

Terrontress wrote: »

Taxi drivers tend to do these things only when they are looking for a fare. When they have someone on board they are the most considerate drivers. Waiting two minutes for a "safe" gap to appear in the traffic. Slowing down for green lights in case they might turn red. Stopping to let a stream of pedestrians cross where there is no pedestrian crossing. All the time they are stopped the meter ticks up, up, up.

LOL have to agree 100 %