Anti-Taxi protest protest

OldmanMondeo

Ok, Who is with me? Plan is anytime there is a taxi protest, the still to be set up lobby group, Drivers Against Taxi Protests, DATP, will park in Taxi ranks, Block Taxi's into the ranks so they are unable to carryout their work. General delaying techniques, like not letting them pull out at junctions, Blocking htem when they park with their hazards on etc.

It's time the ordinary Joe Public stood up to these people who just block public roads when they want and have no remorse to the rest of us.

I post the e-mails below in the commuting section, and you can see the response they have for the general public....

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055516755&page=4

Can you please explain why the ordinary worker has to endure another protest by Taxi drivers? Holding a protest during rush hour traffic is not going to help your case, it will turn public support, IMO very little public support, further against taxi drivers.

As a private sector worker who commutes 80 miles a day to and from work, I find your protest irresponsible to all other road users. So much in fact I am going to look into starting a lobby against all taxi drivers. Ideas I have are to park in taxi ranks, refuse to let taxi’s pull out at junctions. In fact anything that is legal to make the working day harder and more stressful to all taxi drivers just as they do to myself and other innocent motorists.

Regard's,

Dear Sir,
You sound very stressed witch I will put down to your long commute.
You are welcome to park at taxi rank if you can get on one you might have to drive round for an hour or so and then q with rest of taxis for at least an hour.
You could always take a job along with the other illegal drivers

Regards

Sir/Madam,

My only stress is when Taxi’s decide to block the general public with their protests. The actions of your group mean that I will need to leave my home 1 hour earlier than normal to get to my workplace on time. This then causes other problems, like getting the kids to the childminders within a reasonable hour.

I do certainly believe that your organisation do not have a clue or understand the general public feeling about these type of protests.

Also “Which” is the correct spelling, not witch, as I do not use a broomstick.

If anyone has any suggestion, please post here....

peasant

IMO more suited to after hours than motors ...hence moved there

Shiny

Not me, I feel sorry for them.

Would hate to be "competing" with 20 other people(taxi's) for a
single fare, which is the way it has looked to me the last
few times I got a Taxi.

(Bus user btw, hence less angry:), for now)

CreepingDeath

Blocking them in would be illegal.

But... sticking out your arm randomly to hail them and then walking off would be perfectly legal. :pac::pac::pac:

We could have a "fake hail a taxi protest day".

As well as refusing to tip them.

OldmanMondeo

CreepingDeath wrote: »

Blocking them in would be illegal.

So is blocking a public road.....

Hail 2 Da Chimp

Or ring them up and send them to your neighbours house, when they arrive - ring them back up and explain that this is being done as a form of protest. Sit back and watch them beat up your neighbour!

2 birds with 1 stone!

dr.bollocko

peasant wrote: »

IMO more suited to after hours than motors ...hence moved there

Gee....

thanks....

javaboy

dr.sucks.bollocko wrote: »

Gee

Willy :pac:

OldmanMondeo

Shiny wrote: »

Not me, I feel sorry for them.

Would hate to be "competing" with 20 other people(taxi's) for a
single fare, which is the way it has looked to me the last
few times I got a Taxi.

(Bus user btw, hence less angry:), for now)

Ok, you took the right approach to becoming a taxi driver, you researched. The people that didn't are now, to put it bluntly, holding everyone trying to get in to and carry out their own work to ransom. "Give us what we want or we will stop traffic". I remember the one around 1992-ish. Go slow drive all the way into the city centre, guess what the wanted then, regulation.....Hmmm.

If you read the response from "Taxis for Change" you will see that they do not give a flying f*** about anyone else but themselves. Infact the even advise illegal action

dr.bollocko

javaboy wrote: »

Willy :pac:

I'll just drop this here.

OldmanMondeo

dr.sucks.bollocko wrote: »

I'll just drop this here.

Ok this is going to go waaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy off topic...:D

Lu Tze

Shiny wrote: »

Not me, I feel sorry for them.

Would hate to be "competing" with 20 other people(taxi's) for a
single fare, which is the way it has looked to me the last
few times I got a Taxi.

(Bus user btw, hence less angry:), for now)

Last time i was out and missed the last luas on a saturday, i was waiting in the queue for a taxi for two hours. If some of the drivers went and worked at the busiest period of the week instead of during the middle of the day when everybody is at work then i am sure they would make a more than decent hourly rate

Hail 2 Da Chimp

dr.sucks.bollocko wrote: »

Gee....
.

Post reported!

Also I find your name offensive, so I've reported all of your other posts!!!

dr.bollocko

Hail 2 Da Chimp wrote: »

Post reported!

Also I find your name offensive, so I've reported all of your other posts!!!

PM CulT. It's his fault.
Join the fight to get my name back.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

javaboy wrote: »

Willy :pac:

probably not...

Shiny

OldmanMondeo wrote: »

Ok, you took the right approach to becoming a taxi driver, you researched. The people that didn't are now, to put it bluntly, holding everyone trying to get in to and carry out their own work to ransom. "Give us what we want or we will stop traffic". I remember the one around 1992-ish. Go slow drive all the way into the city centre, guess what the wanted then, regulation.....Hmmm.

If you read the response from "Taxis for Change" you will see that they do not give a flying f*** about anyone else but themselves. Infact the even advise illegal action

Although I feel sorry for them, I don't actually know what their protest
can actually achieve....?

"Remove" 10,000 taxi's from the system?

Degsy

To those moaning about no taxis at night..dont give them your money..take the nitelink.

stovelid

Shiny wrote: »

Not me, I feel sorry for them.

Would hate to be "competing" with 20 other people(taxi's) for a
single fare

You clearly weren't around before deregulation when it was 20 other fares competing for a single taxi.

I didn't see any of the twats out protesting then.

RATM

Would Ireland be the only country in the world where a private entrepreneur ( i.e. a taxi driver ) can see the sense in going on strike ?

Applications for new licenses has been dropping month on month for the last while so the market has nearly reached equilibrium. But these tossers don't want equilibrium, they want us queuing at the ranks begging to be dropped home just like the old days. Feck 'em I say.

consultech

Wont be protesting against them any time soon. I feel sorry for them. They are only trying to put pressure on the greedy shower of fucks in our government to stop taking the piss with their industry, just like half of the people on this board did when protesting the public sector issues recently. It is simple, pure, and unadulterated greed that has them doling out the hundreds of new taxi plates every week.

Taxis need to be regulated, as it's simply not fair to have guys that have been doing it for 20 years reduced to having no way to earn a living when you have part-timers working their regular jobs all week, then throwing the roof sign on for Friday and Saturday nights.

Not to mention the majority of foreign national drivers - 50% of which had someone sit the "test" for them, cant speak a word of English, and dont have a fuckin clue where they are going. I have refused to pay three fares in the last 2 months for the above reason. One of which attempted to bring me from Pearse street to Ballsbridge, via Drumcondra. I Shit u not.

Shiny

stovelid wrote: »

You clearly weren't around before deregulation when it was 20 other fares competing for a single taxi.

I didn't see any of the twats out protesting then.

I wasn't around then and am not justifying that situation one bit.

I just think it has gone a bit too far in the other direction.

oisindoyle

Its a protest get over it .It is not against the law to protest .120,000 people protested last month and blocked up the city ,wheres the thread on that ?
At the end of the month there is going to be another huge protest organised by Unions ,will people be argueing against that as well ? or is it only when taxi drivers protest ,

DonJose

I'd support a taxi driver silent protest

Shiny

oisindoyle wrote: »

.......120,000 people protested last month and blocked up the city ,wheres the thread on that ?.......

Seriously?

blackbox

consultech wrote: »

Wont be protesting against them any time soon. I feel sorry for them. They are only trying to put pressure on the greedy shower of fucks in our government to stop taking the piss with their industry, just like half of the people on this board did when protesting the public sector issues recently. It is simple, pure, and unadulterated greed that has them doling out the hundreds of new taxi plates every week.

Taxis need to be regulated, as it's simply not fair to have guys that have been doing it for 20 years reduced to having no way to earn a living when you have part-timers working their regular jobs all week, then throwing the roof sign on for Friday and Saturday nights.

Not to mention the majority of foreign national drivers - 50% of which had someone sit the "test" for them, cant speak a word of English, and dont have a fuckin clue where they are going. I have refused to pay three fares in the last 2 months for the above reason. One of which attempted to bring me from Pearse street to Ballsbridge, via Drumcondra. I Shit u not.

Getting someone else to sit the test is a separate issue - it is due to failure of the regulation system rather than absence of the total number being regulated.

What about plumbers and electricians - should there be regulations controlling how many people can work in these trades? What about shopkeepers and farmers?

stovelid

Shiny wrote: »

I wasn't around then and am not justifying that situation one bit.

I just think it has gone a bit too far in the other direction.

The protests are just the continuing death-rattle of the taxi monopoly.

Before deregulation, they were operating within a ludicrous monopoly where they could pick and choose fares while punters were freezing on the streets and having to walk halfway home. It was such a beano that they were willing to punt the price of a (then) average mortgage on a taxi plate.

I have a ton of sympathy for any worker who is worried and feeling the pinch - I happen to be one of them myself, but I'm not about to go and protest that a vital public service be constricted just to satisfy the labour interests of a taxi union.

I would like to see some kind of mandatory training and city 'knowledge' (like London) for drivers though.

jim o doom

consultech wrote: »

Wont be protesting against them any time soon. I feel sorry for them. They are only trying to put pressure on the greedy shower of fucks in our government to stop taking the piss with their industry, just like half of the people on this board did when protesting the public sector issues recently. It is simple, pure, and unadulterated greed that has them doling out the hundreds of new taxi plates every week.

Taxis need to be regulated, as it's simply not fair to have guys that have been doing it for 20 years reduced to having no way to earn a living when you have part-timers working their regular jobs all week, then throwing the roof sign on for Friday and Saturday nights.

Not to mention the majority of foreign national drivers - 50% of which had someone sit the "test" for them, cant speak a word of English, and dont have a fuckin clue where they are going. I have refused to pay three fares in the last 2 months for the above reason. One of which attempted to bring me from Pearse street to Ballsbridge, via Drumcondra. I Shit u not.

hmm. at the start I thought you were just being straight there - but the racist rant at the end makes me think you are a taxi driver. every white driven taxi Ive been in recently has had a racist rant remarkably similar to what you just posted in fact.

And yet I get taxis driven by white dudes, black dudes or chinese dudes and they ALL manage to get me home ok, regardless of race.
A friend got driven to deepest darkest tallaght by a chinese man who got him directly to his front door with no directions needed other than the address.

All this BS about foreign drivers being unable to get you where you need to be is a pile of racist CRAP and anyone who listens to it or believes it - or especially who espouses it should really take a long look hard deep inside and realise what a bitter twisted indiviual they must be to feel that way about people - just because they are foreign.

Volvoboy

jim o doom wrote: »

hmm. at the start I thought you were just being straight there - but the racist rant at the end makes me think you are a taxi driver. every white driven taxi Ive been in recently has had a racist rant remarkably similar to what you just posted in fact.

And yet I get taxis driven by white dudes, black dudes or chinese dudes and they ALL manage to get me home ok, regardless of race.
A friend got driven to deepest darkest tallaght by a chinese man who got him directly to his front door with no directions needed other than the address.

All this BS about foreign drivers being unable to get you where you need to be is a pile of racist CRAP and anyone who listens to it or believes it - or especially who espouses it should really take a long look hard deep inside and realise what a bitter twisted indiviual they must be to feel that way about people - just because they are foreign.

I agree with ya there, it lets down the side.

Dosent matter if your black white chinese, you could get into a bogey white taxi persons taxi just as you would a forigners taxi.

Race and creed dosent come into it.

Hail 2 Da Chimp

jim o doom wrote: »

All this BS about foreign drivers being unable to get you where you need to be is a pile of racist CRAP and anyone who listens to it or believes it - or especially who espouses it should really take a long look hard deep inside and realise what a bitter twisted indiviual they must be to feel that way about people - just because they are foreign.

I have to say, it has happened to me too. Got into a taxi - African lad driving it, I asked him to drop me off at a well known pub / street. I don't know my way around town that well or the traffic system but it took him a good 5 minutes of driving before he admitted he didn't know where the pub was.
After I rang my mates and got directions I realised this guy was going in the wrong direction altogether.
I don't consider myself racist, it's just a fact. These guys don't know where they're going and will expect full payment when / if they get there.

This has happened on at least 2 occasions BTW...

Edit: Just to point out, it could as easily been an Irish guy trying to rip me off, just replying to show that it's not just a rumor spread by racist / bitter taxi drivers...

OldmanMondeo

Just to try and keep on topic, this is about the protests and the service that is or is not provided. As volvoboy points out this is not about race or creed or any personal issues people have with Taxi drivers.

jim o doom

Hail 2 Da Chimp wrote: »

This has happened on at least 2 occasions BTW...

so something happening on 2 occasions constitutes a fact and also means all foreign drivers don't know their way around ??? I think you mean "in your own very limited personal experience of foreign drivers, they have not known where to go"..

Personally - I've NEVER once been lead in a wrong direction by a foreign driver - they like the Irish drivers always get me where I am going.. so my own personal experience is the polar opposite of yours.
this should mean clearly that you can't possibly state they don't know where theyre going - just because you have had bad luck 2 or 3 times - don't tar them all with the same racist brush.

I always get in to a taxi regardless of the race of the driver - he probably has a family to feed the same as anyone else.

jim o doom

OldmanMondeo wrote: »

Just to try and keep on topic, this is about the protests and the service that is or is not provided. As volvoboy points out this is not about race or creed or any personal issues people have with Taxi drivers.

hah sorry dude - so easy to get sidetracked when faced with bigotry!!

In essence I actually agree with your anti protest - protest, but I'm basically lazy.. I'll do some healthy stuff early saturday and then it's a weekend of sun and booze for me

I reckon a lot of people would agree with you due to being seriously annoyed with the feckers blocking up the traffic - I mean who the feck is that helping? nobody will support them for the stupiditiy of it - all it does is inconvenience people who might be supporters.

arybvtcw0eolkf

jim o doom wrote: »

hmm. at the start I thought you were just being straight there - but the racist rant at the end makes me think you are a taxi driver. every white driven taxi Ive been in recently has had a racist rant remarkably similar to what you just posted in fact.

And yet I get taxis driven by white dudes, black dudes or chinese dudes and they ALL manage to get me home ok, regardless of race.
A friend got driven to deepest darkest tallaght by a chinese man who got him directly to his front door with no directions needed other than the address.

All this BS about foreign drivers being unable to get you where you need to be is a pile of racist CRAP and anyone who listens to it or believes it - or especially who espouses it should really take a long look hard deep inside and realise what a bitter twisted indiviual they must be to feel that way about people - just because they are foreign.

Racist crap?.

Here's something buddy, I BELIEVE IT - and I'm far from a racist.

Why do I believe it?.. Because I've been caught with them too. When I get into a taxi I don't have time to give directions for each and every turn on my way home/work/bar/club.

No I don't blaim the lads (the foreign drivers), there's a market out there which is easily exploited and there's a few quid to be made into the bargain.

But don't get off this "racist crap", and throwing the race card around - that worked back in the dark days when people were afraid of being branded a racist by liberals like yourself, but now people are tired of that sh*t and will stand up and speak the truth.

As for the taxi protest today, or rallying against it. Personally I couldn't give a rats ass and would respect the rights of any worker to withdraw their service's and exercise their rights to civil protest.

SR Techniques protested at Dublin Airport today - at their place of employment, where's the bitching and crying from the boards.ie hoards?.

It just so happens that a taxi drivers place of empoyment is in his/her vehicle and on the public highway - btw, the protests I seen today were escorted by members of the Garda traffic corp with minimal disruption to traffic.

oisindoyle

No reports of ANY traffic disruption ...Hard luck all you anti taxi driver people .Remember how anti taxi driver you are when your p*ssed on Saturday night ,guess who has to put up with your nonsense ,,,,Yup the good ol taxi driver

consultech

jim o doom wrote: »

hmm. at the start I thought you were just being straight there - but the racist rant at the end makes me think you are a taxi driver.

Nope, I'm not a taxi driver, racist.

My (justifiable) diatribe was founded, and back up by cited experience. I have a right to that opinion, and have no problem with foreign nationals in general as long as they are not exploiting the system. I don't think this is an unreasonable attitude, do you?

If you genuinely believe that there is no disparity in standard of service between a Dublin driver of 20 years, and someone who has been here a month - then fair play to you, but you could obviously do with a good strong cup of mochachino.

As was suggested, let's keep things on topic.

I do however feel that raising the issue of allowing foreign nationals such easy (as well as exploitable) access to this industry is a very saliant point to raise. Government-funded employment advisory programs for new FN's have been strongly suggesting taxi'ing; and have provided part, (as well as full) subsidies for plates, because prolonged social welfare support would be a greater drain on gov. funds. This is shamelessly practiced to the complete detrement of your average Joe Soap taxi driver trying to make a living. I honestly don't see how you can support that if you have an Irish bone in your body, not to mention sense of fairness.

deisedevil

oisindoyle wrote: »

No reports of ANY traffic disruption ...Hard luck all you anti taxi driver people .Remember how anti taxi driver you are when your p*ssed on Saturday night ,guess who has to put up with your nonsense ,,,,Yup the good ol taxi driver

The good aul taxi driver my ass. They are in short supply!

hobochris

The way I see it, this is about the only thing the government are doing right. by allowing more taxi's on the roads, taxi's will be more competitive, drop prices and people will in turn see them as a more viable source of transport, their for use them more as apposed to when all other possible options for transport are exhausted and they are forced to extortionate prices for their journey.

Taxi drivers are entitled to EARN a living, but DON'T have a right to a living.

getting the average persons hourly wage for a 10-20 minute trip is a little over the top in my opinion.

the jist of what I'm trying to say is

more taxi's on the road = reduced fairs

reduced fairs = more people using taxi's as a mode of transport

more people using taxi's as a mode of transport = a living if the taxi drivers are prepared to work for it rather then have it handed to them on a plate like it has been for so long.

arybvtcw0eolkf

hobochris wrote: »

The way I see it, this is about the only thing the government are doing right. by allowing more taxi's on the roads, taxi's will be more competitive, drop prices and people will in turn see them as a more viable source of transport, their for use them more as apposed to when all other possible options for transport are exhausted and they are forced to extortionate prices for their journey.

Taxi drivers are entitled to EARN a living, but DON'T have a right to a living.

getting the average persons hourly wage for a 10-20 minute trip is a little over the top in my opinion.

the jist of what I'm trying to say is

more taxi's on the road = reduced fairs

reduced fairs = more people using taxi's as a mode of transport

more people using taxi's as a mode of transport = a living if the taxi drivers are prepared to work for it rather then have it handed to them on a plate like it has been for so long.

Your really not living in the real world are you?.

Taxi fares were INCREASED by the Taxi Regulators office back in November, this was done inspite of protests by drivers and their representatives who objected to the increase.

So unless you are ready to haggle for an agreed fare from each and every driver your legally stuck with paying the metered fare.

consultech

hobochris wrote: »

The way I see it, this is about the only thing the government are doing right. by allowing more taxi's on the roads, taxi's will be more competitive, drop prices and people will in turn see them as a more viable source of transport, their for use them more as apposed to when all other possible options for transport are exhausted and they are forced to extortionate prices for their journey.

Taxi drivers are entitled to EARN a living, but DON'T have a right to a living.

getting the average persons hourly wage for a 10-20 minute trip is a little over the top in my opinion.

the jist of what I'm trying to say is

more taxi's on the road = reduced fairs

reduced fairs = more people using taxi's as a mode of transport

more people using taxi's as a mode of transport = a living if the taxi drivers are prepared to work for it rather then have it handed to them on a plate like it has been for so long.

Yeah I really dont know which hole to start picking at with this. I'll choose one: Taxi driver's fought the last f**kin fare increase?! - In favour of proper/adequate regulation! They don't set the fares.

oppiuy

Work during the week then Drop and pick up a few friends at the weekend and evenings if nowt is on.. Sorted

Shiny

oppiuy wrote: »

Work during the week then Drop and pick up a few friends at the weekend and evenings if nowt is on.. Sorted

Work where?

humanji

Shiny wrote: »

Work where?

They could become private detectives. Then everyone would want to get a taxi because people would genuinly want to hear their stories. IT's perfect!

Jim_Are_Great

I had an exam today. A fairly important one, too. And all I could hear for the three hours was the sound of taxi drivers beeping their stupid horns. There are arguments to be made for and against such strikes, sure. But why the hell do they beep? It's just inconsiderate.

Shiny

Jim_Are_Great wrote: »

I had an exam today. A fairly important one, too. And all I could hear for the three hours was the sound of taxi drivers beeping their stupid horns. There are arguments to be made for and against such strikes, sure. But why the hell do they beep? It's just inconsiderate.

Their horns are wired to an additional device under their seat(s) that has
the ability to penetrate, vibrate and stimulate.

They needed to grab a bit of attention.:rolleyes:

Nermal

Mairt wrote: »

Your really not living in the real world are you?.

Taxi fares were INCREASED by the Taxi Regulators office back in November, this was done inspite of protests by drivers and their representatives who objected to the increase.

So unless you are ready to haggle for an agreed fare from each and every driver your legally stuck with paying the metered fare.

Nothing stopping you getting together with a bunch of other drivers, knocking 10% off your fares & advertising it in your taxi window to drum up business.

Other than the sense of entitlement that they seem to throw in with the meter.

You can't earn a living? Do something else. Let the market find equilibrium without you.

landydef

im a tradesman,i had to do all the donkey work and earn crap wages for nearly 6 years during my apprentiship,there is also absolutely no regulation on the number of people qualifying in my industry so i find it very hard to sympathise with taxi drivers who are to a large extent unskilled workers! also the taxi industry in this country has changed from being a suppliers market to being a buyers market exactly the same as every other industry so we are all in this boat together!

seanybiker

Original poster is dead on. Taxi drivers protest over the smallest of things. Then decide to make everyone else's lives awkward.

Saskia

Mairt wrote: »

So unless you are ready to haggle for an agreed fare from each and every driver your legally stuck with paying the metered fare.

This is what Im proposing.

If you were in a market and ten stalls were lined up selling fruit would you accept the first price they offered?

arybvtcw0eolkf

Saskia wrote: »

This is what Im proposing.

If you were in a market and ten stalls were lined up selling fruit would you accept the first price they offered?

I love to haggle, and have had great results from it.

But two things.

I appricate that taxi drivers have to make a living, and provide for a family so I give them the respect I'll give to any working man or woman and pay them the metered fare.

Two, I ain't gonna walk down a rank and make myself out to be a stingy cnut by asking taxi drivers to whore themselves for a few bob - I've more respect for both them and myself.

.

Guy:Incognito

Mairt wrote: »

Your really not living in the real world are you?.

Taxi fares were INCREASED by the Taxi Regulators office back in November, this was done inspite of protests by drivers and their representatives who objected to the increase.

So unless you are ready to haggle for an agreed fare from each and every driver your legally stuck with paying the metered fare.

The maximum fare was increased. Theres nothing to sya any of them have to charge that.

Mairt wrote: »

Two, I ain't gonna walk down a rank and make myself out to be a stingy cnut by asking taxi drivers to whore themselves for a few bob - I've more respect for both them and myself.

.

But you do expect shops to whore themselves by tryign to entice you with the offers of low prices? Whats teh difference?

They are self employed, its up to them to drum up business, just like any other business.

masonman

Shiny wrote: »

Not me, I feel sorry for them.

Would hate to be "competing" with 20 other people(taxi's) for a
single fare, which is the way it has looked to me the last
few times I got a Taxi.

(Bus user btw, hence less angry:), for now)

Gosh yes they have it so hard. Good job competition isn't an issue in other professions :rolleyes: