35 taxi drivers commit suicide in the last year.

How many people committed suicide in the construction trade? In the hotel trade? In the IT trade?

jackiebaron

Deleted User wrote: »

How many people committed suicide in the construction trade? In the hotel trade? In the IT trade?

Is the IT business as shattered as the construction industry?

Snakeblood

jackiebaron wrote: »

Is the IT business as shattered as the construction industry?

I think it's a little beside the point. change it to 'any industry in trouble'.

but no, the IT business isn't as ruined as construction.

xflyer

Any suicide is a tragedy whatever the reason. But it is deeply cynical of the Taxi federation to use it as a means of exerting political influence. It won't work anyway.

The fact is that Taxi drivers are self employed. No one asked them to become Taxi drivers. It was their own decision. You don't turn to Taxi driving as a last resort. You have invest quite a bit of money to start. If there are too many Taxi drivers out there then eventually market forces will reduce that number. To suggest a cap on numbers is absurd. What next? A cap on the number of people opening shops or becoming van drivers, plumbers, electricians, chimney sweeps, window cleaners or going into any business?

I'm self employed and if I can't make a decent living out of it then I should try something else not go crying to the government and demanding they should prevent people coming along and competing with me.

Taxi drivers need to get used to the reality that it's a relatively low paid job with long hours. In many countries it's a job for newly arrived immigrants. It's going that way here too. They are prepared to put in the hours. It also seems to me that there is an unspoken racism inherent in many of complaints of the Taxi federation. During the summer in Galway anyway, suddenly Taxis began to sport large tricolours on the doors. The message was clear enough. But spoilt somewhat when African drivers began doing the same.

I'm not sure why Taxi drivers feel they should be treated any different to any other self employed people. If it isn't working out for you move on or work longer hours. Don't kill yourself.

mikemac

xflyer wrote: »

But spoilt somewhat when African drivers began doing the same.

No, they were from the Ivory Coast, you missed the flag was turned around

http://www.google.ie/images?hl=en&pwst=1&q=ivory%20coast%20flag&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=1920&bih=1080

xflyer

xflyer wrote: »

Taxi drivers need to get used to the reality that it's a relatively low paid job with long hours. In many countries it's a job for newly arrived immigrants. It's going that way here too. They are prepared to put in the hours. It also seems to me that there is an unspoken racism inherent in many of complaints of the Taxi federation. During the summer in Galway anyway, suddenly Taxis began to sport large tricolours on the doors. The message was clear enough. But spoilt somewhat when African drivers began doing the same.

Try and spot a black taxi driver on an O' Connell st. rank. I wonder how many other professions are segregated by race?

Capt'n Midnight

curlzy wrote: »

This is spot on, the government ruined the taxi industry the same why they've screwed up with housing. The price of a taxi plate was up to 75k before deregulation so people were planning on using them as retirement funds. Now they're worth 2k if even and you can't even earn a wage with them. Don't blame the taxi drivers, blame the government, they just pulled the rug out from under an entire industry with zero preparation.

The problem was/is that the plate was transferable. 75K would have bought you a good house in the day. And it was the taxi drivers who made money on selling the plate, not the government.

Complete miss management, plates should not be transferable, same problems with pub licenses and I'm sure other stuff too, The first person to get the license had to qualify for it , after that it can be sold on rather than earned

In future maybe the government can have beauty contests for these types of non-transferable licenses, probably include milk quotas and fishing limits too.



Also it's well known that suicides occur after people hear of other suicides, so if there is another spate of suicides amongst taxi drivers in the next week or two then the publicity is to blame.


If you are self employed you can't get much dole, but if you become bankrupt (after transferring all you assets to your kin) would you be entitled to the full dole on the basis you can' no longer be self employed ?

Snakeblood

curlzy wrote: »

This is spot on, the government ruined the taxi industry the same why they've screwed up with housing. The price of a taxi plate was up to 75k before deregulation so people were planning on using them as retirement funds. Now they're worth 2k if even and you can't even earn a wage with them. Don't blame the taxi drivers, blame the government, they just pulled the rug out from under an entire industry with zero preparation.

Do you remember the taxi industry in the 90s? They were fighting tooth and nail against any form of deregulation. They wouldn't make any concessions to the government, they brought Dublin to a standstill with their protests, and they lost.

It's *their* fault that they didn't negotiate with the government about an orderly deregulation. They had a closed system which meant that it was impossible to get a taxi without queuing for ages, because *they* wouldn't let enough new licenses be issued.

The government ****ed them over because they were trying **** everyone else over. If they'd negotiated in good faith and seen sense, things could have been more gradual. But they didn't, so there they are. No sympathy for them.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Rojomcdojo wrote: »

Try and spot a black taxi driver on an O' Connell st. rank. I wonder how many other professions are segregated by race?

Which O'Connell St?

Marlowe Hundreds Tail

Marlowe Hundreds Tail wrote: »

Which O'Connell St?

The one people actually give a shít about

mikemac

In town of course

We all know a city centre is town

Degsy

Rojomcdojo wrote: »

Try and spot a black taxi driver on an O' Connell st. rank.?

Try and spot a white taxi driver in dawson st or sth anne st.

Rojomcdojo wrote: »

I wonder how many other professions are segregated by race?

When did you last see a white "toilet attendent" in apub?

OutlawPete

Or a Chinese person in a chipper.

Or a Mexican in a Chinese for that matter.

Degsy

Degsy wrote: »

Try and spot a white taxi driver in dawson st or sth anne st.

I'll admit it is mostly black guys, but I always see a few white drivers out of their cars talking when walking up Dawson st.

When did you last see a white "toilet attendent" in apub?

Hardly a fair comparison? Clutching at straws really.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Rojomcdojo wrote: »

I
Hardly a fair comparison? Clutching at straws really.

Why?...

Degsy

Rojomcdojo wrote: »

Hardly a fair comparison? Clutching at straws really.

No..you were implying that black peopel can be excluded in ireland because of thier race..i'm telling you that Whitey gets excluded from jobs working in toilets.

Apart from that weird orange guy in fibbers,

Marlowe Hundreds Tail

Marlowe Hundreds Tail wrote: »

Why?...

OK, maybe I'm a bit simple so you'll have to explain to me why the toilet attendant industry being predominantly composed of black immigrants has any relation whatsoever to racism in the taxi industry?

Degsy

Degsy wrote: »

No..you were implying that black peopel can be excluded in ireland because of thier race..i'm telling you that Whitey gets excluded from jobs working in toilets.

Apart from that weird orange guy in fibbers,

Really? Got any proof of any cases where a white guy was told he couldn't become a toilet attendant because he wasn't black?

Degsy

Rojomcdojo wrote: »

OK, maybe I'm a bit simple so you'll have to explain to me why the toilet attendant industry being predominantly composed of black immigrants has any relation whatsoever to racism in the taxi industry?

Well if they're all black then they must exclude white people..thats racism is it not?

Degsy

Degsy wrote: »

Well if they're all black then they must exclude white people..thats racism is it not?

That's a brilliant argument, well thought out and the proof you've presented has indeed proven without a shadow of a doubt that racism is rife in the toilet attendant industry.

Bill2673

xflyer wrote: »

Any suicide is a tragedy whatever the reason. But it is deeply cynical of the Taxi federation to use it as a means of exerting political influence. It won't work anyway.

The fact is that Taxi drivers are self employed. No one asked them to become Taxi drivers. It was their own decision. You don't turn to Taxi driving as a last resort. You have invest quite a bit of money to start. If there are too many Taxi drivers out there then eventually market forces will reduce that number. To suggest a cap on numbers is absurd. What next? A cap on the number of people opening shops or becoming van drivers, plumbers, electricians, chimney sweeps, window cleaners or going into any business?

I'm self employed and if I can't make a decent living out of it then I should try something else not go crying to the government and demanding they should prevent people coming along and competing with me.

Taxi drivers need to get used to the reality that it's a relatively low paid job with long hours. In many countries it's a job for newly arrived immigrants. It's going that way here too. They are prepared to put in the hours. It also seems to me that there is an unspoken racism inherent in many of complaints of the Taxi federation. During the summer in Galway anyway, suddenly Taxis began to sport large tricolours on the doors. The message was clear enough. But spoilt somewhat when African drivers began doing the same.

I'm not sure why Taxi drivers feel they should be treated any different to any other self employed people. If it isn't working out for you move on or work longer hours. Don't kill yourself.

Statistically, if 35 taxi drivers have committed suicide in the past year, that is a very high amount. Statistically, the figure is normally 2 in 10,000 per annum. 35 in 11,000 in one year is very very high.

For me (and i am not a taxi driver and have no connection to them), the principal issue for society is why are these people killing themselves and what can be done about it re counselling, support and so on.

What the Taxi Federation does for political purposes whether its right or wrong is secondary, in my opinion, to the above.

Either we have compassion as a society or we don't. If nearly 4 in every 1000 taxi drivers killed themselves in the past year, that makes them a group in society with serious issues, even compared to all the other groups that are facing difficulties.

I'm assuming that the figure of 35 is correct (which is a big If).

Nodin

The Waltzing Consumer wrote: »

That is your opinion, and one that lacks any class. It is a pity the majority of people are happy with the taxi regulator and would disagree with you. .

.....and I couldn't give a shite if everyone bar me agreed with her. The tone and manner of her statements were confrontational and only going to provoke people.

The Waltzing Consumer wrote: »

People generalise groups, such as FF or the Catholic Church or in this case the taxi drivers, all the time. It is not the best way of arguing, but it is much more preferable to singling out a priest or member of FF and sling personal abuse. Call me old fashioned but it is even worse when you use sexist language if the person is a woman. Criticize the woman all you want in her role in the job, but when the best you can come up with is calling her a "fcuk" and a "wagon", you lost any respect for your argument and yourself.

If anyone does something that needs criticism, or abuse, then thats what they should receive. "sexist" language my arse.

Rojomcdojo wrote:

That's a brilliant argument, well thought out and the proof you've presented has indeed proven without a shadow of a doubt that racism is rife in the toilet attendant industry. .

You're now meeting the "Degsy Question". Is he serious, or not?

Degsy

Rojomcdojo wrote: »

That's a brilliant argument, well thought out and the proof you've presented has indeed proven without a shadow of a doubt that racism is rife in the toilet attendant industry.

Yeah..did a good job didnt i?

How'd you like those apples?:rolleyes:

consultech

Anyone who uses this thread to rant about taxi drivers is fairly disgusting. Pretty shocking statistic tbh. I can see how it could be the case though. The government have sold the hard-working drivers out there so so short - Things like paying in full for plates for people only in the country a few weeks. Shelling out a few grand < Supporting them for a year+ on the dole. Sickening stuff.

A couple of my relatives have been forced to pack in the companies they spent their adult lives building and turn to driving a taxi because they have no other qualifications. This for the last 3 years or so, 12 hours a day, 6 days a week. From being directors, to cleaning up vomit and piss left in their back seats by 20 year old celtic tiger cubs.

Bill2673

I don't know Boards all that well and I never really understood the whole After Hours thing......but how the hell did this quite serious and sad topic turn into a discussion about bloody toilet attendants......what the hell are you people thinking?

consultech

consultech wrote: »

A couple of my relatives have been forced to pack in the companies they spent their adult lives building and turn to driving a taxi because they have no other qualifications. This for the last 3 years or so, 12 hours a day, 6 days a week. From being directors, to cleaning up vomit and piss left in their back seats by 20 year old celtic tiger cubs.

And I think people like this may be skewing the suicide statistics. A lot of the people in question MAY have turned to taxi driving as a last hope.

Nodin

Bill2673 wrote: »

I don't know Boards all that well and I never really understood the whole After Hours thing......but how the hell did this quite serious and sad topic turn into a discussion about bloody toilet attendants......what the hell are you people thinking?

...in fairness, thats not a phenomena confined to AH.

mikemac

consultech wrote: »

turn to driving a taxi because they have no other qualifications. This for the last 3 years or so, 12 hours a day, 6 days a week.

And then I see full time driver stickers. And hear them complaining that PAYE workers are very tired driving their taxi and it's unsafe. They are probably correct.

But the full time drivers are doing even more hours. Wouldn't like to get your relatives taxi

Gunsfortoys

Bill2673 wrote: »

I don't know Boards all that well and I never really understood the whole After Hours thing......but how the hell did this quite serious and sad topic turn into a discussion about bloody toilet attendants......what the hell are you people thinking?

Taxi drivers as people don't matter apparently, yet if a celebrity dies that people didn't know personally, its RIP this and RIP that.

In all fairness though I shouldn't have posted this in after hours.

Degsy

Bill2673 wrote: »

I don't know Boards all that well and I never really understood the whole After Hours thing......but how the hell did this quite serious and sad topic turn into a discussion about bloody toilet attendants......what the hell are you people thinking?

I for one would like to see the statistics on people who have been refused jobs as toilet attendants on grounds of race and thier subsequent suicide.

Shockingly high,i would wager.