Informal taxi ranks

winston82

ciaran67 wrote: »

Yes, we're actually all magpies in disguise.

I couldn't agree more.

I have taxi question. I see a lot of you have started forming makeshift taxi ranks. 3 examples are - outside Harry Byrnes pub on the Howth Road, outside Barcode & and outside the Yacht. Is this legal? As in, is it legal to block half of one side of the Howth Road? Is it legal to park up on the path outside the Yacht blocking the whole footpath for other users?

Ham'nd'egger

If you have an issue with what you feel is illegal parking in that area of the city I'd suggest you contact Clontarf Garda Station or Dublin City Councils parking division as this is an area that has Traffic Wardens on patrol.

winston82 wrote: »

I couldn't agree more.

I have taxi question. I see a lot of you have started forming makeshift taxi ranks. 3 examples are - outside Harry Byrnes pub on the Howth Road, outside Barcode & and outside the Yacht. Is this legal? As in, is it legal to block half of one side of the Howth Road? Is it legal to park up on the path outside the Yacht blocking the whole footpath for other users?

Victor

There is no regulation of taxi ranks on private property (other than what the property owner might say).

Elsewhere, taxis are only allowed ply for hire at ranks, informal ranks are illegal. I've asked the council to add lots of additional ranks, especially in the city centre for evening use.

AlekSmart

I've asked the council to add lots of additional ranks, especially in the city centre for evening use.

Crikey Victor,I suspect additional Taxi Ranks are the last thing Dublin needs right now ?

The City Council are currently looking for " submissions" from interested parties on this very topic,a sure sign that Officialdom is banjaxed by the complexity of the issue.

From my perspective Dublin City Centre has sufficient Rank space for the needs of the Taxi Customer....However it cannot even begin to offer enough space for every Taxi Driver who decides to head in to do a few hours work.

The Council,and particularly the Taxi Regulator will simply have to face this issue of oversupply if the City is not to just Stop some fine day soon.

For example if we are seeing the existing Ranks remaining full for long periods with extension queues of Cabs forming at some of the busiest and most dangerous locations in the City then quite obviously the demand for Taxi hire is being satisfied.

The only real sense I can see is to introduce some form of shift working with perhaps a city-centre holding pen or "Kesh" to contain the remainder..???

Victor

AlekSmart wrote: »

Crikey Victor,I suspect additional Taxi Ranks are the last thing Dublin needs right now ?

There is a real problem with cruising, fareless taxis causing, at times, severe congestion. This is especially, but not exclusively in the evening and at weekends.

Making most / all loading bays taxi ranks when they aren't loading bays would stop this cruising and provide dozens of new ranks throughout Dublin city centre.

It would be much better to make the inbound bus lane on Aungier Street - South Great Georges Street valid from 0700-2400 and a taxi rank for the rest of the time. There are lots of other places for people to park.

Now sure, the number and behaviour (not accusing anyone, merely the herd effect) of taxis needs to be changed, but the council can only really control rank spaces, not other matters.

JHMEG

Victor wrote: »

Making most / all loading bays taxi ranks when they aren't loading bays would stop this cruising and provide dozens of new ranks throughout Dublin city centre.

Wow. We've such an over-supply of taxis we need to use loading bays to accomodate the surplus. Speaks volumes.

ciaran67

I thought this was thread about us all calling each other by our first names.

Victor

Hi Ciaran!

JHMEG wrote: »

Wow. We've such an over-supply of taxis we need to use loading bays to accomodate the surplus. Speaks volumes.

Indeed, thousands of taxis, only a few hundred rank spaces.

BrianD

The Grafton St to Dawson St stretch of St. Stephens Green North is becoming a bit of a mess as well with a double width rank in using which is causing traffic back ups from Dawson St back around the square.

Perhaps it's now time to introduce some more standards - car certain age, certain type, colour, uniforms for taxi drivers. This would mean that a lot of taxis would no longer be able to be used and wold thin out the numbers.

oisindoyle

BrianD wrote: »

The Grafton St to Dawson St stretch of St. Stephens Green North is becoming a bit of a mess as well with a double width rank in using which is causing traffic back ups from Dawson St back around the square.

Perhaps it's now time to introduce some more standards - car certain age, certain type, colour, uniforms for taxi drivers. This would mean that a lot of taxis would no longer be able to be used and wold thin out the numbers.

great idea

Spook_ie

Is there any point in me or any number of taxi drivers saying " Told you so! "

ciaran67

BrianD wrote: »

Perhaps it's now time to introduce some more standards - car certain age, certain type, colour, uniforms for taxi drivers. This would mean that a lot of taxis would no longer be able to be used and wold thin out the numbers.

They have. Its a shame they issued so many licences and now, once people have paid a lot of money for the plate and car, they're doing everything to get them off the road. Horse, barn door, bolted, comes to mind.

Vic_08

Spook_ie wrote: »

Is there any point in me or any number of taxi drivers saying " Told you so! "

Not really.

It is no surprise to anybody that has experience of taxi drivers in Dublin that as soon as the ranks fill up with idle taxis hundreds more would illegally park wherever they please. Blocking loading bays, bus stops, pavements, entrances, pay parking spaces (without paying of course), parking on clearways and double yellows and in some cases filling entire throughfares with stationary taxis.

ciaran67

Vic_08 wrote: »

Not really.

It is no surprise to anybody that has experience of taxi drivers in Dublin that as soon as the ranks fill up with idle taxis hundreds more would illegally park wherever they please. Blocking loading bays, bus stops, pavements, entrances, pay parking spaces (without paying of course), parking on clearways and double yellows and in some cases filling entire throughfares with stationary taxis.

Taxis are being a bit more 'idle' due to the fact that it costs a fortune to fill them up with diesel/petrol. My bus has gone from 50 euro to fill up to nearly 80. Its just too expensive to drive around looking for fares.

Vic_08

ciaran67 wrote: »

Taxis are being a bit more 'idle' due to the fact that it costs a fortune to fill them up with diesel/petrol. My bus has gone from 50 euro to fill up to nearly 80. Its just too expensive to drive around looking for fares.

Well My bus (which is actually a bus) requires access to bus stops to pick up/drop off passengers and bus stands to park in, both of which are blocked on an almost continuous basis by taxis.

It also requires a minimum of roadspace to drive through which is often denied by illegally parked/double parked taxis on O'Connell Street, Grafton St, Marlborough St, Eden Quay, Dawson St to name but a few.

Last time I checked the price of fuel had gone up by the same amount for all users not just taxis, funny how it doesn't give bus, coach, truck or private car owners the "right" to park wherever they damn well please for however long they like on the most congested streets in the country.

ciaran67

Vic_08 wrote: »

Well My bus (which is actually a bus) requires access to bus stops to pick up/drop off passengers and bus stands to park in, both of which are blocked on an almost continuous basis by taxis.

It also requires a minimum of roadspace to drive through which is often denied by illegally parked/double parked taxis on O'Connell Street, Grafton St, Marlborough St, Eden Quay, Dawson St to name but a few.

Last time I checked the price of fuel had gone up by the same amount for all users not just taxis, funny how it doesn't give bus, coach, truck or private car owners the "right" to park wherever they damn well please for however long they like on the most congested streets in the country.

Mate, im sure its very irritating.

Bus, coach and truck drivers are now expected to pay for their fuel? Cant believe your union agreed to that. I would of thought your employers paid for your fuel. Ive often come across bus drivers who seem clueless when it comes to the rules the road. Thing is, i don't tar all bus drivers with the same brush.

Terrontress

It just needs the Gardai to be more proactive in ticketing ilegally parked drivers or even automated ANPR ticketing.

The whole issue of the market finding equilibrium would be hastened if drivers could not park where they like. Slap on a few tickets and those less hearty drivers will give it up.

Oliver1985

These make shift taxi ranks are a pain in the hole they are everywhere are 95% of all taxi drivers are ignorant tools!!
I have often come out of the omni in santry and they are blocking you in cause they are parking double everywhere.
I asked one them to move one night and it was like someone died!

foggy_lad

I saw a motorcycle guard moving taxis on from johns road this morning around half past ten. some of them were moaning but he was taking no nonsense from them. he moved about 20 all illegally parked at the end of the rank.

There was/is a similar problem here - taxis double parking, extending ranks into non rank areas and completely blocking some narrow streets while idling for business.

The Guards started moving them on and then ticketing them and the situation seems to have improved.

the boss of me

The Gardai haven't got the manpower to deal with the situation in Dublin even if they wanted to. As soon as they move one lot of illegally parked taxis on another wave of them arrives and the whole thing starts again. It's like trying to hold the sea back.

Oliver1985

the boss of me wrote: »

The Gardai haven't got the manpower to deal with the situation in Dublin even if they wanted to. As soon as they move one lot of illegally parked taxis on another wave of them arrives and the whole thing starts again. It's like trying to hold the sea back.

Can the regulator not do something?

Terrontress

Surely they could make a case for extra funding for 24 hour policing given that all the tickets would benefit the state coffers.

Or else enable CCTV to do the job instead.

I'm not only talking about taxis. Someone who holds up the traffic to drop someone to the shops, someone who stops to answer the mobile, someone making a no-right-turn. Slap a fine on them all.

dynamick

Victor wrote: »

I've asked the council to add lots of additional ranks, especially in the city centre for evening use.

Do we need more idle taxis parking for hours in town at no cost? Maybe we should find a way to charge taxi drivers a per minute charge for waiting at ranks rather than hand over this valuable piece of land to them for free. The drivers should be familiar with the idea of a meter.

the boss of me

Oliver1985 wrote: »

Can the regulator not do something?

The regulator only has 9 enforcement officers to cover the whole country. They do have the power to issue a €250 on the spot fine for plying for hire other than at a designated rank. Personally I think that amount is outrageous for what really amounts to a parking ticket and thankfully we don't see too many of these issued.

Really the best solution is to reduce the number of taxis.

BenShermin

the boss of me wrote: »

Really the best solution is to reduce the number of taxis.

I totally agree, why we need approximately the same amount of taxis as New York is beyond me.

I think intoducing more sensible liquor licensing laws with regards opening hours could also help matters. It's a joke having absolutely everybody spill out onto our streets at 0230am all looking for taxis.

stop

Taxis parking at the bottom of Grafton St really wrecks my head. They park on double yellow lines, block the road in such a manner that buses can't pass, and blocks bus traffic all the way back up to the bus gate.

I've seen the Gardai moving them on frequently, but they just wave them away, instead of ticketing them. If a taxi driver is issued the maximum fine everytime they park illegally, it'll cut it out fairly sharpish.
As it is I'm tempted to get into one of these cabs, to get them off the "rank" then hop out at the next set of lights!:mad:

Victor

dynamick wrote: »

Do we need more idle taxis parking for hours in town at no cost? Maybe we should find a way to charge taxi drivers a per minute charge for waiting at ranks rather than hand over this valuable piece of land to them for free. The drivers should be familiar with the idea of a meter.

So they would just drive around in circles?

To be honest, with any problem, you need to reduce the problem at both ends. Facilitate those that aren't causing a problem and enforce against those that are.

dynamick

A certain amount of driving around is good because it provides a flag down service away from ranks. A driver can't drive around for too long as it would cost too much in fuel. From the consumer's point of view, taxi services have greatly improved. When you ring a taxi it nearly always arrives in a few minutes. There is the choice of discounted services. There are plenty of cars on the ranks. The drivers give printed receipts.

whippet

also I find that with the glut of taxis on the road now I have the ability as a consumer to pick a decent car to pay for a journey in.

I will walk by the 18 year old corrola with mock leather seat covers .. and hop in to a newer, cleaner more comfortable car, therefore getting better value for money.

While we have over supply at the moment, more and more consumers will exercise their right to get the best value for money and those drivers not offering this value will eventually exit the market allowing for a competitive higher quality service all round.

oisindoyle

13500 taxis in Dublin and only 800 legitimate taxi spaces.Who's to blame ?
Go figure.......

howiya

oisindoyle wrote: »

13500 taxis in Dublin and only 800 legitimate taxi spaces.Who's to blame ?
Go figure.......

Are you saying there should be a space for every taxi?

Paparazzo

BrianD wrote: »

The Grafton St to Dawson St stretch of St. Stephens Green North is becoming a bit of a mess as well with a double width rank in using which is causing traffic back ups from Dawson St back around the square.

Perhaps it's now time to introduce some more standards - car certain age, certain type, colour, uniforms for taxi drivers. This would mean that a lot of taxis would no longer be able to be used and wold thin out the numbers.

I saw a taxi with what I think was a 1985 reg plate coming out of an estate on Davitt Road a few days ago :eek:, it was a honda of some sort. When the car is worth less than my runners it's bad.

winston82 wrote: »

I couldn't agree more.

I have taxi question. I see a lot of you have started forming makeshift taxi ranks. 3 examples are - outside Harry Byrnes pub on the Howth Road, outside Barcode & and outside the Yacht. Is this legal? As in, is it legal to block half of one side of the Howth Road? Is it legal to park up on the path outside the Yacht blocking the whole footpath for other users?

Is the one outside the Shelbourne hotel a proper rank? Every morning they're double parked there.

Ham'nd'egger

Paparazzo wrote: »

I saw a taxi with what I think was a 1985 reg plate coming out of an estate on Davitt Road a few days ago :eek:, it was a honda of some sort. When the car is worth less than my runners it's bad.

I've seen it as well as a 1986 Honda. It's completely taking the piss to have something that old and basic used; thankfully both will be gone soon enough.

Paparazzo wrote: »

Is the one outside the Shelbourne hotel a proper rank? Every morning they're double parked there.

That is a rank with an impressive two spaces; more than enough for the taxis to share with all the limos, luxury cars, buses, vans and hotel guests who use it as well.

winston82

Last week i almost up ended a taxi with his car sticking out of the rank on aston quay. The rank was full and he still decides to pull in when he can half fit the car in and almost cause an accident.

Last Thursday week myself and my girlfriend were in town doing some late night shopping. We walked down to Bus Aras (around 8pm) to get the bus home when we decided on getting a taxi. We walked a little around the corner where we hailed a taxi accross from the rank at Connolly heading northside. All of a sudden about 5 taxis on the rank began beeping their horns and began shouting over in our direction giving out that we should have got a taxi off the rank. This is a complete and utter disgrace and is really embarassing.

howiya

winston82 wrote: »

Last week i almost up ended a taxi with his car sticking out of the rank on aston quay. The rank was full and he still decides to pull in when he can half fit the car in and almost cause an accident.

Last Thursday week myself and my girlfriend were in town doing some late night shopping. We walked down to Bus Aras (around 8pm) to get the bus home when we decided on getting a taxi. We walked a little around the corner where we hailed a taxi accross from the rank at Connolly heading northside. All of a sudden about 5 taxis on the rank began beeping their horns and began shouting over in our direction giving out that we should have got a taxi off the rank. This is a complete and utter disgrace and is really embarassing.

Yes you should cross a busy road and get a taxi that's facing the opposite direction that you want to travel in all because it's convenient for the taxi driver. :rolleyes:

If I was a taxi driver I'd be more worried if you chose to get the bus than another taxi

scudzilla

I went to park in Barrow Street, more or less in between the 2 Googler buildings, the other night, was about 8.30pm. I went to park in aplace just vacated by a taxi

As i pulled in, a taxi driver moved up (he was parked on other side of roadworks) and told me to move, i asked why, he said it was because he was next in line and it was a good pick up spot.

Told him i wouldn't be going anywhere, he then started shouting abuse, wanker, i hate taxi drivers

Victor

winston82 wrote: »

Last Thursday week myself and my girlfriend were in town doing some late night shopping. We walked down to Bus Aras (around 8pm) to get the bus home when we decided on getting a taxi. We walked a little around the corner where we hailed a taxi accross from the rank at Connolly heading northside. All of a sudden about 5 taxis on the rank began beeping their horns and began shouting over in our direction giving out that we should have got a taxi off the rank. This is a complete and utter disgrace and is really embarassing.

AFAIK there is an evening rank on the west side of the street.

I do think that where a rank is provided that other taxis shouldn't be allowed pick up with in a certain distance. In cases like this, it would be dependent on having a second ank northbound.

dogmatix

winston82 wrote: »

Last week i almost up ended a taxi with his car sticking out of the rank on aston quay. The rank was full and he still decides to pull in when he can half fit the car in and almost cause an accident.

This is a regular occurrence at Aston quay - I usually get a bus home from here and every evening you will see at least one taxi double parked waiting for the line to move up. Can be interesting to watch when the lights go green and the traffic charges down from burgh quay and they suddenly realise that two lanes have now become one. Offending taxi will then reverse up the quay when a space is available. Amazed an accident had not happened here yet.

Terrontress

Victor wrote: »

AFAIK there is an evening rank on the west side of the street.

I do think that where a rank is provided that other taxis shouldn't be allowed pick up with in a certain distance. In cases like this, it would be dependent on having a second ank northbound.

The difficulty there is when the rank points in the wrong direction.

I used to live on the Triangle in Ranelagh. The main rank points toward the AIB and the feeder rank toward Rathmines. I tried once or twice to take a taxi towards Rathmines and was always told to cross the road and take the first taxi from that.

So I get in to the taxi and tell him where I want to go. He puts on the meter then puts on his indicator and we wait for the traffic to clear. The lights go green and he starts to edge forward, attempting to do a u-turn. It was about 3 or 4 minutes in time and 3 or 4 euro on the meter by the time we get to the position of the first car I tried to get in to!

The best thing about all the taxis on the road is that so many taxi drivers now have the good sense to do the best for themselves and not operate with some twisted sense of loyalty to each other at the expense of the public.

ciaran67

Come on... someone must have at least one nice story about a taxi driver.

Apparently the devil drove a taxi out of Tallaght, fact.

dogmatix

Yeah – heard about that one. Guy hails a taxi from Tallaght, wants to go to the hell fire club. Gets into taxi and wrinkles his nose at the appalling stench of hydrogen sulphide. Arrives at his destination and is about to pay his fare when he drops his coins. As he gets down on his hands and knees to retrieve his money, he notices the driver has cloven feet. Driver then laughs manically and disappears in a puff of evil smelling smoke. Of course it could all be an urban legend… except for the part where the taxi was smelly.

ciaran67

dogmatix wrote: »

Yeah – heard about that one. Guy hails a taxi from Tallaght, wants to go to the hell fire club. Gets into taxi and wrinkles his nose at the appalling stench of hydrogen sulphide. Arrives at his destination and is about to pay his fare when he drops his coins. As he gets down on his hands and knees to retrieve his money, he notices the driver has cloven feet. Driver then laughs manically and disappears in a puff of evil smelling smoke. Of course it could all be an urban legend… except for the part where the taxi was smelly.

Hands and knees... hell fire club. I see where you got the dog bit in your name.

Ham'nd'egger

Terrontress wrote: »

The difficulty there is when the rank points in the wrong direction.

I used to live on the Triangle in Ranelagh. The main rank points toward the AIB and the feeder rank toward Rathmines. I tried once or twice to take a taxi towards Rathmines and was always told to cross the road and take the first taxi from that.

There is no feeder rank at Ranalagh; the rank here is formed on both sides

AlekSmart

Very interesting observation Terrontress....

He puts on the meter then puts on his indicator and we wait for the traffic to clear. The lights go green and he starts to edge forward, attempting to do a u-turn.

This element is perhaps the single most dangerous element of any motoring close to Taxi-Ranks.

Once a fare enters the cab,any other motorist really must automatically assume that the Taxi will then IMMEDIATELY hang a U-Turn.

Usually this will be a sudden and unsignalled manouvere with no cogniscance taken of Solid White Lines,Cross Hatched areas or any Statutory Signage banning such manouveres.

Are there any specific Road Traffic regulations allowing Taxi`s to perform U-Turns at or near pick-up points ?

My understanding is that if a Taxi picks up a fare heading in the opposite direction,the driver must perform a Turnabout at a suitably safe location and only then activate the meter...is this correct ?

ciaran67

AlekSmart wrote: »

My understanding is that if a Taxi picks up a fare heading in the opposite direction,the driver must perform a Turnabout at a suitably safe location and only then activate the meter...is this correct ?

No. From Regulator site.

When does the hire start at a taxi rank?

When the driver agrees to take the passenger at which point the meter should start. The driver is entitled to start the meter before he or she helps with luggage or assists passengers into the vehicle.

Terrontress

Hamndegger wrote: »

There is no feeder rank at Ranalagh; the rank here is formed on both sides

So can I get into a taxi outside Xtravision and head towards Rathmines?

This definitely was not the case when I lived there but I'll accept it may have changed.

problemchimp

stop wrote: »

Taxis parking at the bottom of Grafton St really wrecks my head. They park on double yellow lines, block the road in such a manner that buses can't pass, and blocks bus traffic all the way back up to the bus gate.

I've seen the Gardai moving them on frequently, but they just wave them away, instead of ticketing them. If a taxi driver is issued the maximum fine everytime they park illegally, it'll cut it out fairly sharpish.
As it is I'm tempted to get into one of these cabs, to get them off the "rank" then hop out at the next set of lights!:mad:

that would cost you 4.45 euro minimum. are you a bit thick?

Terrontress

dogmatix wrote: »

Yeah – heard about that one. Guy hails a taxi from Tallaght, wants to go to the hell fire club. Gets into taxi and wrinkles his nose at the appalling stench of hydrogen sulphide. Arrives at his destination and is about to pay his fare when he drops his coins. As he gets down on his hands and knees to retrieve his money, he notices the driver has cloven feet. Driver then laughs manically and disappears in a puff of evil smelling smoke. Of course it could all be an urban legend… except for the part where the taxi was smelly.

Story sounds suspect to me. Devil, believable. Cloven feet, fine. Hydrogen sulphide, no problem. Puff of smoke, why not?

But a Dublin taxi driver disappearing before he's had a chance to get the money - no chance. Chances are he'll hang around long enough to tap the passenger for a tip as well as the full fare.

Ham'nd'egger

Terrontress wrote: »

So can I get into a taxi outside Xtravision and head towards Rathmines?

This definitely was not the case when I lived there but I'll accept it may have changed.

You may choose whatever taxi you want from a rank if you so wish.

In saying that, drivers waiting at a rank and intending passengers usually treat a rank as a queue so the first car gets the passengers so you can expect a few looks should you take a car down the queue for obvious reasons.

Terrontress

Hamndegger wrote: »

You may choose whatever taxi you want from a rank if you so wish.

In saying that, drivers waiting at a rank and intending passengers usually treat a rank as a queue so the first car gets the passengers so you can expect a few looks should you take a car down the queue for obvious reasons.

For obvious reasons?

There is a taxi on a rank with no cars in front of it and it is facing the direction in which I want to travel and there are 'obvious reasons' why I shouldn't take it? And obvious reasons why I should cross the road, get in to a taxi pointing in the wrong direction which is hemmed in by traffic thereby wasting time and money? Nonsense!

Taxi drivers are obsessed with their petty rules but the hand that feeds them does not care.