Taxi's not getting checked for drink driving

Trampas

Driving back last night from Dublin CC and came across a Garda checkpoint.

I arrived behind at least a half a dozen taxis and all let through with a check for tax or insurance.

I was tested and on my way in 20 seconds but if Gardas let taxis through checkpoints then there is nothing to stop them going out for a few points, jump into the car and put the taxi sign on to get them home.

I have no problem with the tests.

Agent Smith

Trampas wrote: »

Driving back last night from Dublin CC and came across a Garda checkpoint.

I arrived behind at least a half a dozen taxis and all let through with a check for tax or insurance.

I was tested and on my way in 20 seconds but if Gardas let taxis through checkpoints then there is nothing to stop them going out for a few points, jump into the car and put the taxi sign on to get them home.

I have no problem with the tests.

I've been in taxi's where the drivers been tested

dirtydiesel

Doubt many if any taxi drivers would risk their licences by drink driving.

stealthyspeeder

Agent Smith wrote: »

I've been in taxi's where the drivers been tested

Me too, and the guard when giving the test to him said "Im sure you know exactly what to do by now", and he did he told us after that that was his 7th time in 2010!

rebel.ranter

Taxi drivers are regularly checked. If it was a random check point then it may have been just pot luck that the taxi drivers in front of you were not checked.

WalterMitty

Garda probably use their intuition in such cases as dont wont to delay taxi customers too much. Fairly self policing anyway, ive never got a taxi and smelt drink off of a taxi driver.

mgbgt1978

From what I hear from taxi drivers they can't afford to drink nowadays, never mind get caught for drink driving.
By the way, you don't happen to live in dublin 4 Trampas ?
The rest of us go for a few PINTS ,not POINTS .:D

Berty

There should be more reason to check taxi drivers than anybody else because they spend more time on the roads.

They could take an hour or two off to watch a match and then jump in the car after 2 or 3 pints and like most middle aged to elederly men say "sure I have been doing it for years, never tested, never crashed I'll be grand"

They ARE out there.

I drive for a living and I know people who have risked their licenses and I know people who drive for a living who have lost their licenses.

On the OPs observations, who is to say those drivers have not passed through the checkpoint(which moves around) a few times already that night?

I've been in taxis when the driver's been tested.

I also kicked up a fuss cause he kept the meter running the whole time.

(I was probably wrong to, but I'd had a bad night)

freighter

Berty wrote: »

There should be more reason to check taxi drivers than anybody else because they spend more time on the roads.

They could take an hour or two off to watch a match and then jump in the car after 2 or 3 pints and like most middle aged to elederly men say "sure I have been doing it for years, never tested, never crashed I'll be grand"

They ARE out there.

I drive for a living and I know people who have risked their licenses and I know people who drive for a living who have lost their licenses.

On the OPs observations, who is to say those drivers have not passed through the checkpoint(which moves around) a few times already that night?

You are right i wasnt going to post it but i remember being in cork city a few years ago and got a cab with a big fat fella big beard and all:D. He stunk of liquer. Couldnt wait to get out.

I Was VB

Berty wrote: »

There should be more reason to check taxi drivers than anybody else because they spend more time on the roads.

They could take an hour or two off to watch a match and then jump in the car after 2 or 3 pints and like most middle aged to elederly men say "sure I have been doing it for years, never tested, never crashed I'll be grand"

They ARE out there.

I drive for a living and I know people who have risked their licenses and I know people who drive for a living who have lost their licenses.

On the OPs observations, who is to say those drivers have not passed through the checkpoint(which moves around) a few times already that night?

Funny this, was out on Friday had about 10 pints so fairly happy, and i felt perfectly fine to drive.

I've been checked at checkpoints a few times with passangers in my taxi before, always kinda brick myself on the ''what ifs'' but at the fact that i'd brick myself sober at a checkpoint for drink drivers i'd never sit into a car by myself with drink on me let alone drive.

Always a beliver in the rule ''12 hours from bottle to throttle''

Michael 09

I was tested last nite and same story, all the taxis in from of me let through without a test...

sesna

Deleted User wrote: »

I've been in taxis when the driver's been tested.

I also kicked up a fuss cause he kept the meter running the whole time.

(I was probably wrong to, but I'd had a bad night)

For the whole 30 seconds it took him to blow into the machine?

How stingey of you.

sesna

sesna wrote: »

For the whole 30 seconds it took him to blow into the machine?

How stingey of you.

For the whole 6 minutes that I was stopped in a line of traffic behind the checkpoint, that the taxi driver struggled to find his licence for and then for the chat he had with the guard after.

€5 that I felt I didn't actually get €5 worth of taxi for.

sesna

Deleted User wrote: »

For the whole 6 minutes that I was stopped in a line of traffic behind the checkpoint, that the taxi driver struggled to find his licence for and then for the chat he had with the guard after.

€5 that I felt I didn't actually get €5 worth of taxi for.

Im sure the chat wasn't that long 20 seconds? Finding licence maybe 20 seconds at most.

As regards traffic, do you expect taxi drivers to stop their meters when you encounter regular daytime traffic too, or when they are stopped at red lights ?

sesna

sesna wrote: »

Im sure the chat wasn't that long 20 seconds? Finding licence maybe 20 seconds at most.

As regards traffic, do you expect taxi drivers to stop their meters when you encounter regular daytime traffic too, or when they are stopped at red lights ?

/off topic

He was spectacularly taking the piss with the time wasting. Of course he wouldn't have stopped the meter, but I felt that he used the opportunity to milk time/money from me. Not too dissimilar from when a driver takes the long way home tbh.

I Was VB

Deleted User wrote: »

/off topic

He was spectacularly taking the piss with the time wasting. Of course he wouldn't have stopped the meter, but I felt that he used the opportunity to milk time/money from me. Not too dissimilar from when a driver takes the long way home tbh.

Listen dont take it out on the taxi driver cos ya didnt get your hole in copperface jacks when all the other pigs are snout deep in face of your mates.

I know when i get stopped its yes guard / no guard, what do ya expect him to do?? Start ordering the gardai to hurry up??

Spook_ie

Ah sure don't forget the time it took him to get the car back into gear and take the handbrake off....robbin bastard taxi driver scum

kayos

Trampas wrote: »

Driving back last night from Dublin CC and came across a Garda checkpoint.

I arrived behind at least a half a dozen taxis and all let through with a check for tax or insurance.

I was tested and on my way in 20 seconds but if Gardas let taxis through checkpoints then there is nothing to stop them going out for a few points, jump into the car and put the taxi sign on to get them home.

I have no problem with the tests.

Meh try working in a country pub all day, serving a cop from another town all day about 4 or 5 pints and a couple of whiskey chasers, then that night when driving home getting asked to blow into the bag by......the cop you served all day. You first guarda, you first.

wayne0308

Trampas wrote: »

Driving back last night from Dublin CC and came across a Garda checkpoint.

I arrived behind at least a half a dozen taxis and all let through with a check for tax or insurance.

I was tested and on my way in 20 seconds but if Gardas let taxis through checkpoints then there is nothing to stop them going out for a few points, jump into the car and put the taxi sign on to get them home.

I have no problem with the tests.

Both my parents drive public service vehicles. My father a taxi and my mother a hackney. On the bank holiday weekend both of them were breathalysed at separate times during the weekend. It's a regular occurrence in Dungarvan at least on any busy time period on the roads (Bank hol, xmas, new year etc.). It's not as common at other times but it still does happen.

Usually they are flagged on after a check of the insurance, tax etc. if they have customers in the car but they'd usually end up getting checked later as they might pass by the same check point a few times in an hour. But in a bigger town this shouldn't be the case.