I just saw a line of taxis 40 cabs long...

The Scientician

at the top of my street. I wouldn't wanna be in that industry these days. Although there seemed to enough inebriated souls locally to avail of them. Must be **** being in a queue for an hour or more and the patron going around the corner!

im invisible

Isnt that always the way? Standin waiting half an hour, then forty show up at once

sdanseo

Got a taxi to town at 4.15pm on Tuesday - poor fecker told me he'd been sitting in Malahide since 10.30 and not one job in that time. You can only re-read the paper so many times!

Absolute luncay to be in that business for a living. The last 5,000 licences should never have been issued - the idea that the market would self regulate when so many people have turned to it as a fallback (I call them idiots, but there's an opinion for you) is pure stupid.

Plus, the majority of them - this is from personal experience - are TERRIBLE drivers. Total and utter disregard for everyone else and a total lack of knowledge of rules of the road. One lad I had ages ago had the gall to complain when an emergency vehicle came up his inside "what the fúck does he think he's doing"....etc.

opinion guy

The Scientician wrote: »

at the top of my street. I wouldn't wanna be in that industry these days. Although there seemed to enough inebriated souls locally to avail of them. Must be **** being in a queue for an hour or more and the patron going around the corner!

That used to work the other way around for a LOOOOoooooooonnnngggg time.
Turnaround is fair play

chucken1

The Scientician wrote: »

at the top of my street. I wouldn't wanna be in that industry these days. Although there seemed to enough inebriated souls locally to avail of them. Must be **** being in a queue for an hour or more and the patron going around the corner!

Ah its great to live in 'The Country' :cool:

Do you live in 'town' op?

wild_cat

Its not very often I agree with your typical taxi driver but its true that so many licences should not have been issued.

It's still really expensive to... Supply and demand my tail.

IvySlayer

A cap is needed.

One good thing is, more drivers mean more competition and better prices for us folk!

Cill Dara Abu

wild_cat wrote: »

Its not very often I agree with your typical taxi driver but its true that so many licences should not have been issued.

It's still really expensive to... Supply and demand my tail.

Always agree on a price before you get in a taxi, them meters are robbery.

OPENROAD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kzhwx8aOO0A

wild_cat

Cill Dara Abu wrote: »

Always agree on a price before you get in a taxi, them meters are robbery.

I actually have done that a few times. I usually let a shout in of "I only have a tenner... I know it costs 13 will that do" and I have never once been refused.

I'd prefer it to be like 5 euro but that's just me taking the piss and being a povo.

Kylo Ren

I like taxis, and bread. Yeah bread is good.

The Scientician

chucken1 wrote: »

Ah its great to live in 'The Country' :cool:

Do you live in 'town' op?

Swords, Co. Dublin.

LighterGuy

The Scientician wrote: »

at the top of my street. I wouldn't wanna be in that industry these days. Although there seemed to enough inebriated souls locally to avail of them. Must be **** being in a queue for an hour or more and the patron going around the corner!

Theres so many taxi's on the road these days. Its harder to make a living out of it.

But logic is a brilliant concept. If your average taxi driver wasnt making anything much he would jack it there and go on the social. But yet there are still so many taxis around. Im not being a dick. But I refuse to believe the poor mouth of the taxi drivers. Like yeah things are bad. yes you gotta work more, work harder for the money. But lots of them go on like they only make 40 quid a shift.

chucken1

The Scientician wrote: »

Swords, Co. Dublin.

....and you think this is of interest to the rest of the country???

wild_cat

chucken1 wrote: »

....and you think this is of interest to the rest of the country???

I think its interesting... and I'm not a Dub. I'm "down" the country a fair bit lately but I do live in Dublin. Like the other 1.1 million people who live there to, I'm sure a good few of them would find it interesting as well.

Plus its a pretty epic sight to see that many taxis lined up. Especially when they were renowned years ago for like having about 10 in the whole of Dublin. I also think the OP is pointing out how another quango in Ireland managed to royally **** things up.

chucken1

wild_cat wrote: »

I think its interesting... and I'm not a Dub. I'm "down" the country a fair bit lately but I do live in Dublin. Like the other 1.1 million people who live there to. I'm sure a good few of them would find it interesting as well.

Plus its a pretty epic sight to see that many taxi's lined up. Especially when they were renowned years ago for like having about 10 in the whole of Dublin. I also think the OP is pointing out how another quango in Ireland managed to royally **** things up.

Ok. How interesting would it be if I posted a thread on AH about whats going on outside my front door right now?
Baring in mind you dont know anything about where I live?

The Scientician

chucken1 wrote: »

....and you think this is of interest to the rest of the country???

Eh, oops I thought I was posting on swords.ie... :rolleyes:

Jesus Wept

wild_cat wrote: »

I think its interesting... and I'm not a Dub. I'm "down" the country a fair bit lately but I do live in Dublin. Like the other 1.1 million people who live there to. I'm sure a good few of them would find it interesting as well.

Plus its a pretty epic sight to see that many taxi's lined up. Especially when they were renowned years ago for like having about 10 in the whole of Dublin. I also think the OP is pointing out how another quango in Ireland managed to royally **** things up.

You can see 40 or more taxis queueing outside McGowans in Phibsboro plenty of nights if that is your thing.

Taxi spotting could be the new train spotting.

Twice in town I have seen a particular taxi, it's a Bentley. No recession in their house, etc, always strikes me as odd.

wild_cat

chucken1 wrote: »

Ok. How interesting would it be if I posted a thread on AH about whats going on outside my front door right now?
Baring in mind you dont know anything about where I live?

Well if you're living in a Rural area there could be some epic shit going on right outside your door right now. Badgers having a right term... Foxes playing..

If you're living in a small town the local scum bag could be bating the ****e out of someone...

I'd be interested in that stuff you see. Plus no one forced you in here. I find half the threads here not suited to my tastes but I don't go around complaining.

chucken1

wild_cat wrote: »

Well if you're living in a Rural area there could be some epic shit going on right outside your door right now. Badgers having a right term... Foxes playing..

If you're living in a small town the local scum bag could be bating the ****e out of someone...

I'd be interested in that stuff you see. Plus no one forced you in here. I find half the threads here not suited to my tastes but I don't go around complaining.

No need to be like that. If this was at 3.30PM it WOULD be moved to a regional forum...

wild_cat

The-Rigger wrote: »

Twice in town I have seen a particular taxi, it's a Bentley. No recession in their house, etc, always strikes me as odd.

I've seen that a fair few times myself. I think its a corporate client job... kinda thing. I sleepily tried to hail it one morning in Dolphin's barn... the fellow driving it didn't let onto see me.

I do like viewing large collections of things though. Imagine them in convoy... everyone would stop and stare.

The Scientician

chucken1 wrote: »

No need to be like that. If this was at 3.30PM it WOULD be moved to a regional forum...

So there are no taxis outside Dublin?

starbelgrade

chucken1 wrote: »

No need to be like that. If this was at 3.30PM it WOULD be moved to a regional forum...

In fairness, he's only writing about his own his own experiences.

And there's taxi queues in most places in Ireland. I see them all the time in Sligo.

Jesus Wept

wild_cat wrote: »

I've seen that a fair few times myself. I think its a corporate client job... kinda thing. I sleepily tried to hail it one morning in Dolphin's barn... the fellow driving it didn't let onto see me.

I do like viewing large collections of things though. Imagine them in convoy... everyone would stop and stare.

Why put a taxi plate on it it's for corporate use? So they can drive in taxi lanes? Would look slicker without a taxi plate stuck on top of it.

Lanaier

chucken1 wrote: »

....and you think this is of interest to the rest of the country???

What's your point?

I haven't even lived in the country in over 8 years and this thread is interesting to me.
I'm curious as to what the taxi situation will be like when I return.

wild_cat

The-Rigger wrote: »

Why put a taxi plate on it it's for corporate use? So they can drive in taxi lanes? Would look slicker without a taxi plate stuck on top of it.

I'd say its solely to use the taxi/bus lanes.

chucken1

starbelgrade wrote: »

In fairness, he's only writing about his own his own experiences.

And there's taxi queues in most places in Ireland. I see them all the time in Sligo.

My point is..its Dublin..so why is it in AH?
Try the same thread tomorrow at 3.30 PM?
It will be moved. Just saying!

starbelgrade

chucken1 wrote: »

My point is..its Dublin..so why is it in AH?
Try the same thread tomorrow at 3.30 PM?
It will be moved. Just saying!

I know exactly what you mean. But half the Mods are asleep now.

Let's wreck the place!!

Hank_Jones

The-Rigger wrote: »

Why put a taxi plate on it it's for corporate use? So they can drive in taxi lanes? Would look slicker without a taxi plate stuck on top of it.

It is indeed so that they can drive in taxi lanes.

I believe Michael O'Leary's chauffeur driven car has a taxi plate, for that very reason.

Turpentine

chucken1 wrote: »

My point is..its Dublin..so why is it in AH?
Try the same thread tomorrow at 3.30 PM?
It will be moved. Just saying!

Thanks for the heads-up!

LighterGuy wrote: »

But logic is a brilliant concept. If your average taxi driver wasnt making anything much he would jack it there and go on the social. But yet there are still so many taxis around. Im not being a dick. But I refuse to believe the poor mouth of the taxi drivers. Like yeah things are bad. yes you gotta work more, work harder for the money. But lots of them go on like they only make 40 quid a shift.

If you're self-employed you can't get social welfare should your business fail. Is that applicable to taxi drivers? Genuine question.

chucken1

starbelgrade wrote: »

I know exactly what you mean. But half the Mods are asleep now.

Let's wreck the place!!

Oiche Mhaith

SalmonLeap

Cars that get taxi registered so they can drive in the bus lanes are legally obligated to stop if they're hailed while they aren't carrying a passenger. If you see a bentley with a taxi plate, I'd suggest you try hailing it with a video camera going in case they ignore you...

Anyway, 4 years ago there wasn't a taxi to be had in Dublin after midnight. It was particularly hellish the later it got. Standing in a queue for a cab with a bunch of drunken aggressive psychopaths had little appeal.

The problem is, for all the whining that's come with all the extra taxis (and there are too many, yes) prices for a taxi trip are still at Celtic Tiger levels. Forgive me if I'm a bit unsympathetic.

marcsignal

better a queue of taxis, than a queue of people waiting for taxis..

Turpentine

SalmonLeap wrote: »

The problem is, for all the whining that's come with all the extra taxis (and there are too many, yes) prices for a taxi trip are still at Celtic Tiger levels. Forgive me if I'm a bit unsympathetic.

You can't blame the drivers themselves for that in fairness, the regulator sets the price on the meter.

mikemac

I remember the old days though it was Galway, not Dublin

Queing in Eyre Sq and not even at the usual times. Try to get a taxi on Saturday around five pm after your shopping and you'd be queuing.
Ask for a short run like to the Hunstman which is about two km and you'd get abuse.

When GMIT sorted out a cheap bus service back from "town" for nights the drivers were fuming and objected to it.

On one other note:
Suicide is a particular issue in Ireland, it was always there but it's rising which is tragic.
Every time there is a taximan on Joe Duffy they start talking about suicide and their comrades, it's almost like they are playing the "suicide card" to get sympathy.
I don't like it, pretty distasteful tbh

Turpentine

Turpentine wrote: »

You can't blame the drivers themselves for that in fairness, the regulator sets the price on the meter.

The regulator sets the maximum price. Nothing stopping them offering lower.

As for the market regulating itself, if the job is that miserable why don't they just leave and try to retrain or something. I don't think we should have some arbitrary cap set on it just because they're used to having things their own way. Especially now it's actually possible to get taxis.

Tar.Aldarion

why wait in a queue so long when they can drive around? 6 hours for one job?!

dissed doc

The Scientician wrote: »

at the top of my street. I wouldn't wanna be in that industry these days. Although there seemed to enough inebriated souls locally to avail of them. Must be **** being in a queue for an hour or more and the patron going around the corner!

AFAIR, there are now around the same number of taxis in Dublin as in New York (13-14,000 or something like that). Quite an insane scenario.

phasers

LighterGuy wrote: »

But logic is a brilliant concept. If your average taxi driver wasnt making anything much he would jack it there and go on the social. But yet there are still so many taxis around. Im not being a dick. But I refuse to believe the poor mouth of the taxi drivers. Like yeah things are bad. yes you gotta work more, work harder for the money. But lots of them go on like they only make 40 quid a shift.

They can't, they're self employed and thus entitled to no help from the state.

Being a taxi driver is like being trapped really, most have no other skills or education and are at an age where getting another job would be pretty difficult, and they probably have mortgages and families so can't afford to retrain. People say that the taxi industry will "level out" because people will leave the game because they earn so little, but what little they earn they really need and in reality they have no alternative.

And for the record, my Dad is a taxi driver and has regularly made less than 20 euro in 6 hours of working. And he puts more than that into the feckin car in diesel.

It's frustrating when people like you act like taxi drivers are raking it in. They're really, really not.

The industry is crying out for regulation but it's not coming. There has to be a balance between having no taxis on the road like in the old days and what we have now. All those yellow signs in Town on a Saturday night is just beyond ridiculous.

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

why wait in a queue so long when they can drive around? 6 hours for one job?!

Wastes fuel, and there's no guarantee that in 6 hours of driving you'll find anything. at least on a rank you are guaranteed some work at the end of it.

7sr2z3fely84g5

phasers wrote: »

Being a taxi driver is like being trapped really, most have no other skills or education and are at an age where getting another job would be pretty difficult.

some got pay offs from companies or retired from the army/guards so are getting this on top of their pensions.

rubadub

wild_cat wrote: »

Its not very often I agree with your typical taxi driver but its true that so many licences should not have been issued.

I don't see the problem with having 10 million licences, people have the choice to buy them or not. If there were licences for other jobs I wouldn't see much of a problem either, unless there were too few licences.

SalmonLeap wrote: »

Cars that get taxi registered so they can drive in the bus lanes are legally obligated to stop if they're hailed while they aren't carrying a passenger.

I think if they have their taxi light off they get away with it, they can just say they are on their way to a job and I think they are allowed in the lane.

Naos

I like when taxi men get into that 'too much competition' rant.

Makes it all the sweeter when it's followed with a "Off to my apartment in Lanzarote for the 3rd time this year" story.

If you're sitting in queue for 6 hours and havent got a job, I'd be asking questions eg:

1) What self-promotion do you do?
2) Why would you stay in the same spot when there's clearly no work?

Phasers wrote:

Wastes fuel, and there's no guarantee that in 6 hours of driving you'll find anything. at least on a rank you are guaranteed some work at the end of it.

They are in business. You need to spend money to make money. It's not going to just fall in your lap.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Naos wrote: »

I like when taxi men get into that 'too much competition' rant.

Makes it all the sweeter when it's followed with a "Off to my apartment in Lanzarote for the 3rd time this year" story.

If you're sitting in queue for 6 hours and havent got a job, I'd be asking questions eg:

1) What self-promotion do you do?
2) Why would you stay in the same spot when there's clearly no work?



They are in business. You need to spend money to make money. It's not going to just fall in your lap.

You have absolutely no idea what your talking about, and this is coming from someone who drove a taxi too.

I thought it was my ticket to retirement from the defence forces and didn't believe that things were so bad.

Even when a bank manager advised me that spending money on setting up a taxi was the worse possible thing I could do I didn't listen.

The post Phasers made on the subject is bang on the money, if there was do you think I'd still be working two jobs, paying a small fortune in taxes along the way and freezing my bollox of on the door of one?.

Its gas that even in real life I talk to people who've never drove a taxi and they have all the answers!.

Driving around looking for work, next time your out in Dublin city have a look - particularly in the city center, have a long hard look and tell me how you could possibly make money when there are hundred's (not sure how it is in country towns and cities) of taxes sharing the same road as you, in front, behind and filtering from the side roads.

I've witnessed emergency vehicles take fifteen minutes from O'Connell St to Parliment St at 3 in the morning because of the amount of taxi's clogging the quays.

As for your statement re. Lanzarote - a little creative writing perhaps?...

I don't know a full time taxi driver now is who not working a six or seven day week to try earn a living.

As for leaving the industry, its not that easy.

Many owe loans on their cars & plates, and as they're self employed they are entitled to nothing from the social welfare, and not one would have a lump to tide them over until something come's up.

I could go on, but like I said Phasers post just about sum's it up - read it again and take it as gospel.

beerbuddy

Thr problem is mostly at the weekend.
If you are in Dublin have a look at the Taxi sign.I f it has a D then it is a Dublin Licence.
Later on in the year only those displaying the D will be able to work in Dublin.Normally the others just come up to Dublin for weekend work so the market is crowded.

Cicero

Jadiel Low Ration wrote: »

Even when a bank manager advised me that spending money on setting up a taxi was the worse possible thing I could do I didn't listen.

One of the reasons why there are so many taxis is because the barriers to entry to this business are quite small and there are no "specialist" skills required- I can see why you and many others saw this as a viable option- unfortunately, you all went into the industry at the same time.

In addition, it is becoming very difficult to stop taxis being rented out and used 24 hours a day- you see the Guards setting up checkpoints to check on taxis but they can only do so much. I've seen many taxis stopped up on side-streets- one guy gets out of the drivers side, another gets in and drives off- I've seen that happening too many times for it not to be a regular occurrence.

As a consumer I like the fact that I can get a taxi any time of the day/night- but there is a need to take a look at illegal taxis, unregistered taxi drivers, unsafe cars used as taxis etc etc as I think we'll be left with one very dodgy untrustworthy taxi service if the current practices continue.

arybvtcw0eolkf

beerbuddy wrote: »

Thr problem is mostly at the weekend.
If you are in Dublin have a look at the Taxi sign.I f it has a D then it is a Dublin Licence.
Later on in the year only those displaying the D will be able to work in Dublin.Normally the others just come up to Dublin for weekend work so the market is crowded.

You can also hold a licence for another county and still work in Dublin, an example being the residences of the old Mosney camp, most are are now licensed to work in Dublin, Meath & Louth and display D MH and LD stickers on their signs.

Monty Burnz

wild_cat wrote: »

Plus its a pretty epic sight to see that many taxis lined up. Especially when they were renowned years ago for like having about 10 in the whole of Dublin. I also think the OP is pointing out how another quango in Ireland managed to royally **** things up.

Where is the **** up? The taxi drivers used to run a closed shop for their own benefit, meaning that they made huge money, paid almost no tax, and it was impossible to get a taxi when you needed one. And even if you did, the driver would tell you **** off if he didn't fancy going out of town.

The industry should be regulated to suit the customer. And from a customer point of view, things are much, much better. And if you are a taxi driver and you aren't making enough money, do something else for a living - nobody is stopping you. Now we will get a proper balance between the needs of the customer and the needs of the driver, instead of the customers being totally shafted as before.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Monty Burnz wrote: »

The industry should be regulated to suit the customer. And from a customer point of view, things are much, much better.

Actually its not, the industry has been in a race to the bottom for the last few years. Even Prime Time covered this recently.

Monty Burnz wrote: »

And if you are a taxi driver and you aren't making enough money, do something else for a living - nobody is stopping you..

You haven't read the thread have you?.

mikemac

I know the danger of driving tired and coming close to falling asleep at the wheel, spent years working crazy shifts and nights. Hated nights :mad:

So nobody wants a driver who is shattered and pulling seventy hour weeks. Even more

Jadiel Low Ration wrote: »

I don't know a full time taxi driver now is who not working a six or seven day week to try earn a living.

Full time drivers complain about part-times cherry picking the busy hours and that that it's dangerous to work excessively after their PAYE job.

But then they go and do the exact same thing and work dangerously long hours.

And the end result is both the full timers and part timers are working too long.
Short of installing tachographs there isn't a solution

But it's dangerous and I'm sure there are accidents caused by shattered drivers who realy shouldn't be out on the roads

Monty Burnz

Jadiel Low Ration wrote: »

Actually its not, the industry has been in a race to the bottom for the last few years. Even Prime Time covered this recently.

Things are better. You can get a taxi. In the past, you couldn't.

Jadiel Low Ration wrote: »

You haven't read the thread have you?.

I have, but I'm tired of hearing the same old guff. If you don't want to drive a taxi, get some more saleable skills and do something else. The world does not owe taxi drivers a living.

goose2005

IvySlayer wrote: »

A cap is needed.

One good thing is, more drivers mean more competition and better prices for us folk!

The taxi industry exists to serve the public, not as a cartel to serve drivers. We don't pass laws to restrict the number of newsagents or hairdressers on a street. Taxi driving is a low-skilled job, stop pretending that you deserve a big income.