Politics of the Taxi rank

franklymydear · 13-07-2009 12:55am #1

Recently i've noticed that on the O'Connell Street taxi rank a lot of the drivers are waiting outside their cars and as soon as a customer approaches they usher them to a car, not necessarily the one first in the queue.

Anyone know what the story is with this? Are they trying to balance the system and ensure every driver has their cut of the fares or have they formed a mini-mafia, deciding who can and cannot get fares?

Overheal · 13-07-2009 12:57am

Cartel is the word you were looking for. Yes quite possibly.

Whosbetter? · 13-07-2009 12:57am

Frankly my dear, I don't give a damm.:pac:

g5fd6ow0hseima · 13-07-2009 1:00am

Whosbetter? wrote: »

Frankly my dear, I don't give a damm.:pac:

there was no need for you to post then, was there?

Overheal · 13-07-2009 1:00am

Kara Alive Stomachache wrote: »

there was no need for you to post then, was there?

OPs name..

Bonavox · 13-07-2009 1:20am

If I see a cue of taxis, I always go to the last one. He's so gracious that I always get a good price and service. The first ones seem to get pissed off though :pac:

consultech · 13-07-2009 1:21am

Their standing outside the cars is probably a "buy-Irish" advertisement gesture of sorts.

I imagine you won't find many non-nationals engaging in this kind of behaviour; their usual mantra is "Please don't look in the car before getting in, Please don't look in the car before getting in, Please don't look in the car before getting in... Gotcha."

With the huge upsurge in new part-timers in taxis on the roads - and the government's complete lack of concern of how many established drivers they step on by issuing so many new plates - the taxi business is becoming very dog-eat-dog. At least half the taxi drivers I have to suffer nowadays bring up the fact that you "Je'know you don't have to get in a taxi, just because it's at the top of the queue... Africans... Comin over here... etc etc."

m5ex9oqjawdg2i · 13-07-2009 1:23am

What's more annoying is when you hail a taxi, and some b!tches just jump into it... as if it is their right as women to do so...

g5fd6ow0hseima · 13-07-2009 1:25am

Overheal wrote: »

OPs name..

Now I get it, im guessing that wasnt the first time!

mikemac · 13-07-2009 1:28am

I don't know which O'Connell St you are refering to OP, I don't believe there is a rank in Limerick, there is on William Street though. Haven't seen this behavior though.

I've taken the last taxi in a rank before, it saves walking all the way to the front.
Which can be a distance if you're dragging a heavy bag coming out of a bus station.

g5fd6ow0hseima · 13-07-2009 1:31am

I remember walking to the top taxi in the rank on o connell st, and the driver said, yer man there will take ya, so i hopped into the car 3rd in line.

Perhaps he knew him, and the other fella was nearing the end of his shift

humberklog · 13-07-2009 1:31am

They're on a new charm offensive.
This means they're still gonna be pretty offensive...just with added charm.

mikemac · 13-07-2009 1:32am

consultech wrote: »

At least half the taxi drivers I have to suffer nowadays bring up the fact that you "Je'know you don't have to get in a taxi, just because it's at the top of the queue... Africans... Comin over here... etc etc."

I never quite got why people complain about taxi drivers moaning.
Do you encourage them??
What lead the driver to start commenting on the state of the taxi business to you?

Taxi driver doesn't care about my job or my friends who were made redudant and can do nothing about it.
So likewise I don't engage in debates on the taxi industry.

State your destination and say no more, easy

I realy don't talk to drivers, not being unfriendly, I just don't want to encourage their moaning and consequentially I never have to listen to their tales of woe.

Abi · 13-07-2009 1:33am

/removes veil

Anti-taxi man thread

Wow... didn't see that coming.

g5fd6ow0hseima · 13-07-2009 1:34am

mikemac wrote: »

I never quite got why people complain about taxi drivers moaning.
Do you encourage them??
What lead the driver to start commenting on the state of the taxi business to you?

Taxi driver doesn't care about my job or my friends who were made redudant and can do nothing about it.
So likewise I don't engage in debates on the taxi industry.

State your destination and say no more, easy
I realy don't talk to drivers, not being unfriendly, I just don't want to encourage their moaning and consequentially I never have to listen to their tales of woe.

Some of us college folk seem to believe that **** talking might knock a euro or 2 off the journey!

consultech · 13-07-2009 1:40am

Kara Alive Stomachache wrote: »

Some of us college folk seem to believe that **** talking might knock a euro or 2 off the journey!

Im not in college anymore, but that's pretty much my line too!! I'm a dirty little opinion whore for hire when it comes to taxi drivers and their beliefs. I'll be a staunch racist, biggot, anything you want Mr. Driver: "Im just like you afterall. Is that a thirteen, or an eighteen there on the meter?"

m5ex9oqjawdg2i · 13-07-2009 1:41am

You people need to learn...

Get a place on the luas line, get yourself a car/bike, a friend with a car... in the past year I have used one taxi

Soundest taxi man ever.

Whosbetter? · 13-07-2009 1:47am

consultech wrote: »

Im not in college anymore, but that's pretty much my line too!! I'm a dirty little opinion whore for hire when it comes to taxi drivers and their beliefs. I'll be a staunch racist, biggot, anything you want Mr. Driver: "Im just like you afterall. Is that a thirteen, or an eighteen there on the meter?"

Don't please the 'seat moisteners'.

Raemie · 13-07-2009 2:11am

you know what would be good -all the taxi drivers to be tested on if they actually know where the **** theyre going. If they pass, they get a "know what i'm doing" certificate to hang in the window and are allowed to charge more. Everyone else gets a penalty of €3 everytime they get lost. Im so sick of trying to direct drivers, most of them have a GPS now and they still dont have a clue! I told you the address, just type it in! its not a decoration! Phew... i feel better now

Mrmoe · 13-07-2009 2:18am

Nehemiah Better Sandstorm wrote: »

You people need to learn...

Get a place on the luas line, get yourself a car/bike, a friend with a car... in the past year I have used one taxi Soundest taxi man ever.

Limerick doesn't have a Luas.

My bike was stolen.

I have no friends.

j1smithy · 13-07-2009 2:26am

I remember a few months ago I was heading to the Davenport Hotel and although I've been living in Dublin a while now, I wasn't sure exactly where it was. So hop into a taxi with the full address and give it to the driver. Turns out he didn't know where it was either but thats not a problem... he has sat-nav and proceeds to put it into it. However I notice he ignores the directions the device gives him and he takes me the most convoluted route he must have been able to think of. €15 he askes me for when we eventually get there, to which I responded was he for real... I gave him a tenner and told him to not try that stunt with anyone again, or he'll find himself one day being reported to the regulator/carriage office.

Another major problem taxi drivers have is they always seem to "forget" to turn the meter on when they pick up from the airport. So confident I was of this was the last time myself and a friend got one there I bet the fare that the driver would have to be "reminded" to turn on the meter. It frightens me to think of the number of tourists that get shafted out there. In fact there should be someone checking to make sure the meter is turned on on the way out of the airport.

I know exactly how much it costs to get home in a taxi, so now I've developed a new strategy. I'll go to the last in the queue and say, "if you bring me home for €7 when the meter says its €11, I'll get in with you, or you can wait another hour here for a fare". You'd be surprised how low you can make them go!

pelacho · 13-07-2009 2:30am

the rank on o'connel st is a nightmare. it is a circle which moves around that island and no one ever has a clue where the circle starts. any given time you can drive by there and all the drivers are out scratching their heads. muppets the lot of them. and dont be too hard on the black drivers. i'm sure there is the same proportion of black workers in any jobs around the city as in the taxi business.

rotinaj · 13-07-2009 3:12am

Friday night in town I had 2 drivers argue about who would take me home. They were still arguing as I left in a other taxi.

Actually Im quite sick of taxi drivers so the next one that annoys me will be beat to death with his own roof sign

Volvoboy · 13-07-2009 3:27am

d3mon24 wrote: »

Friday night in town I had 2 drivers argue about who would take me home. They were still arguing as I left in a other taxi.

Actually Im quite sick of taxi drivers so the next one that annoys me will be beat to death with his own roof sign

Good luck with that, mines bolted to me roof!!

SUCKER!! :pac:

mikemac · 13-07-2009 3:29am

Bolted you say?
What if you want to go to a wedding or some event?

Easy to take off?

Volvoboy · 13-07-2009 3:33am

mikemac wrote: »

Bolted you say?
What if you want to go to a wedding or some event?

Easy to take off?

Ehh i drive my car there? Should i be ashamed to drive a taxi?? Nope complete mare to get off!

rotinaj · 13-07-2009 3:44am

Volvoboy wrote: »

Good luck with that, mines bolted to me roof!!

SUCKER!! :pac:

Bolted.. I tought it was some type of magnet. Act I'm sure its some sort of magnet. I see a lot of cars drivin around with the yellow disk in the window and no sign on the roof and what would you do if you were selling the car/ Who would buy it with holes in the roof

grenache · 13-07-2009 3:49am

mikemac wrote: »

I don't know which O'Connell St you are refering to OP, I don't believe there is a rank in Limerick, there is on William Street though. Haven't seen this behavior though.

I've taken the last taxi in a rank before, it saves walking all the way to the front.
Which can be a distance if you're dragging a heavy bag coming out of a bus station.

There are one if not two taxi ranks on Limerick's O'Connell St. I normally go to the middle ones if i'm ever getting a taxi, just to piss them off and break up their cosy cartel.

orestes · 13-07-2009 3:49am

Volvoboy wrote: »

Good luck with that, mines bolted to me roof!!

SUCKER!! :pac:

*makes notes*

Taxi, Dublin, most likely a volvo being driven by a boy

One way or another I'm getting a cheap lift home buddy, I'll leave how we do this up to you

Volvoboy · 13-07-2009 3:59am

d3mon24 wrote: »

Bolted.. I tought it was some type of magnet. Act I'm sure its some sort of magnet. I see a lot of cars drivin around with the yellow disk in the window and no sign on the roof and what would you do if you were selling the car/ Who would buy it with holes in the roof

My sign is on a roofrack thats bolted to me roof, grand for passanger wanting to beat me with it, ya wanna check out thier faces when the go to take it off :pac:

orestes wrote: »

*makes notes*

Taxi, Dublin, most likely a volvo being driven by a boy

One way or another I'm getting a cheap lift home buddy, I'll leave how we do this up to you

Meh, 1 outa 2 aint bad

Politics of the Taxi rank

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