Taxi Question

DDigital

I was walking home last night and one pulled up beside me and asked did I need a taxi. Just curious to know if that's legal, not that I'm going to report it or anything.

Cookie_Monster

no, its not. Have to be at a rank, flagged down or ordered via phone etc to a set pick up point.

Gumbo

OP, what kind of road were you walking on?
the driver could of thought you were on the way home from somewhere, you couldnt get a taxi and you were facing away from him so he was kind enough to stop imo.

fair play to him and all that.

mikemac

Could have been heading home and you were on his way so he thought he'd pull one last local fare before finishing up

BenShermin

I'm sick of this happening to me. I frequently work a 6am shift which involves me commuting to work by foot at 5am. I can't count the amount of times taxies stop and ask me if I need their service every morning.

Sign of the times I suppose, I'd much rather a taxi driver annoying me than a junkie at an ATM or an agressive beggar at a tram stop.

I'd never report it myself to be honest. I'd be more worried about rude drivers and drivers with with crap geographical knowledge of the cities they serve.

DDigital

I was walking along a main street and he was goin my direction alright. Suppose it is a sign of the times too. Didn't really bother me and I admit I got in and got a lower fare than normal. Was just wonderin what the story was with doin it.

foggy_lad

kceire wrote: »

OP, what kind of road were you walking on?
the driver could of thought you were on the way home from somewhere, you couldnt get a taxi and you were facing away from him so he was kind enough to stop imo.

fair play to him and all that.

feelingstressed wrote: »

Could have been heading home and you were on his way so he thought he'd pull one last local fare before finishing up

it is still illegal no matter where it happened or where the op was going to/coming from

DDigital

foggy_lad wrote: »

it is still illegal no matter where it happened or where the op was going to/coming from

I see that now. But does it go on much throughout the country I wonder? And in fairness do people give a damn?

Cookie_Monster

DDigital wrote: »

I see that now. But does it go on much throughout the country I wonder? And in fairness do people give a damn?

I'm sure the like of Patton and Aircoach give a big damn about it!

Its just another symptom of Ireland and the "it'll be grand" and "sure they were only little rules" attitude we have here

mikemac

If Aircoach pulled up at a taxi rank and touted for fares the taxi drivers wouldn't be slow in pointing out the rules

But seems it's fine to do it this way

paulm17781

I had to get an early flight on Friday morning, in 5 minutes I had two drivers do this, one even beeping his horn and shouting to get my attention! I'd never had this happen before. In both cases, I was walking the other direction on a one way street.

starviewadams

Was walking down Suffolk Street one night heading towards a line of waiting taxi's when one drove past the lot of them,beeped his horn and asked me where I was going,he said he'd give me the fare for a few quid cheaper then the lads behind him so I got in.

One of the waiting taxi's then drove up alongside us,and him and my driver had a shouting match for a minute or so before we drove off,was pretty funny at the time!

rx8

I have witnessed this happen twice in the last few days,both times within 50 yards of a taxi rank with cars queueing for a fare.On the second occasion I happened to stop beside the guy in question and gave him the "I know what you did" finger wagging, and he just shrugged and laughed and sped off.
I know it's a dog-eat-dog world out there in the taxi game,
but it seems to me that unless you are willing to ruthlessly carve up everybody on the road, then you will have an empty car for the day!

I know of one guy who got a call from his buddy recently to say he just saw him out and about when he really was in the pub on a night off. Cars are being cloned,plates are being duplicated and other guys are spending 8 or 9 hours driving a bus during the day and then going out working as taxi's for half the night !!

I always look for a printed receipt now, and check for the driver's ID,and if he hasn't got it he aint gettin' paid!!

mikemac

Yep, first thing I do in a cab is check the driver ID sign and also check the yellow sticker they have to check it's in date.

Always ask for a receipt.

I know nothing about cloned plates or other scams but I do what I can.
Never been ripped off yet, touch wood.

I know the rank by Connolly Station and it leads down another cobbled street towards Connolly Station carpark. Pass it every day on my lunch
I swear that rank is getting larger and larger every month.
Once it didn't reach the car park. Now it's getting closer to Major St, drivers use the paid parking area as a rank overflow. Not ideal if you want to park your private car, pay for parking as it's ful of taxis just sitting there for free. I'd imagine the council will kick in someday, they are ruthless at clamping in that area.

You'd be waiting hours to get to the top of that rank! It gets longer and longer every month

cson

Funny this should come up because I was walking down Suffolk St today and a taxi pulled up beside the Aircoach stop and out steps the driver asking were they going to the Airport , he was heading out there and did they want to come with him.

Thought it might have been illegal alright at the time; mean't to get his reg number but forgot. I'll mind to do so in future if I see it happen again though.

ongarboy

I remember during the taxi famine (pre deregulation), it amazed me when I went to certain places abroad, how the taxi's would all honk at you for attention in the hope of a fare when you came out of your hotel etc (particularly if you were a westerner in a less developed country). I laughed at the thought of imagining that ever happening in Ireland (kind of like the old Carlsberg fantasy ad re all the available taxis outside the bar at closing time). However both of those scenarios are a reality now - just shows how drivers are desperate for business.

BrianD

rx8 wrote: »

I have witnessed this happen twice in the last few days,both times within 50 yards of a taxi rank with cars queueing for a fare.On the second occasion I happened to stop beside the guy in question and gave him the "I know what you did" finger wagging, and he just shrugged and laughed and sped off.
I know it's a dog-eat-dog world out there in the taxi game,
but it seems to me that unless you are willing to ruthlessly carve up everybody on the road, then you will have an empty car for the day!

I know of one guy who got a call from his buddy recently to say he just saw him out and about when he really was in the pub on a night off. Cars are being cloned,plates are being duplicated and other guys are spending 8 or 9 hours driving a bus during the day and then going out working as taxi's for half the night !!

I always look for a printed receipt now, and check for the driver's ID,and if he hasn't got it he aint gettin' paid!!

The taxi situation in Dublin is now in freefal and out of control. It's in nobodys interest to continue with this ridiculous scenarios.

last Friday I was heading into a gig on my Dublin Bike and I could hardly get down Georges St. due to the parked cars on the left and an almost continuous line of taxis that were stopped in traffic on the right. It was hillarious. Then there was negotiating the illegal ranks on dame st. I also note that an illegal rank now extends south from McSorleys in Ranelagh - no doubt the D6-ers will make sure that this is shortlived.

The thought did occur to me - how many of these taxis are legit. It must be impossible to monitor what's being issued. I know the cops have a database and will sometimes run numbers to check but all the guy (I presume) has to say is his car is the garage getting serviced.

The time has come to introduce standards - a standard car colour (like Barcelona), car markings and a uniform for drivers. This will sort the men from the boys. Unfortunately, this will probably also mean the demise of the independent taxi owner/driver.