Night driving in Dublin city centre

Jay D

I'm unaware if it has been brought up in the past I couldn't find anything on it.

Basically I feel that taxi drivers around town at night don't give an absolute f*ck for anything around them and are going to cause some accidents. I'm sure there has been some already. Jamming on wherever the hell they want, jutting into grab a fare, parking at green lights, holding up other traffic, while the idiot waits to see if that person they're eyeing up is looking for a taxi or not.

I'm not imagining this, I despise the prospect of driving through town after 10 at night. So if I've to get from IFSC to Camden St I'd take the Adelaide Rd route and back around, for example. But when I'm faced with having to go to say Christ Church, from the IFSC, it's just horrible what you have to put up with and something does need to be done about it. I know areas of the UK in Wales for example where taxi drivers wouldn't stop if you flagged them and you had to go to the rank. it would certainly cut out these díckheads being a complete nuisance if that were the case.

Lawrence1895

At least, Taxi drivers try not to push you off the bike or throw bottles at you, when you are cycling home during the night :rolleyes:

Spook_ie

Jay D wrote: »

I'm unaware if it has been brought up in the past I couldn't find anything on it.

Basically I feel that taxi drivers around town at night don't give an absolute f*ck for anything around them and are going to cause some accidents. I'm sure there has been some already. Jamming on wherever the hell they want, jutting into grab a fare, parking at green lights, holding up other traffic, while the idiot waits to see if that person they're eyeing up is looking for a taxi or not.

I'm not imagining this, I despise the prospect of driving through town after 10 at night. So if I've to get from IFSC to Camden St I'd take the Adelaide Rd route and back around, for example. But when I'm faced with having to go to say Christ Church, from the IFSC, it's just horrible what you have to put up with and something does need to be done about it. I know areas of the UK in Wales for example where taxi drivers wouldn't stop if you flagged them and you had to go to the rank. it would certainly cut out these díckheads being a complete nuisance if that were the case.

Yeah yeah yeah, here we go again, when taxi drivers complained about too many taxis everyone else was happy because they could get a taxi whenever they wanted because taxi's were Q'ing up to get fares. Now some people are realising that perhaps the taxi drivers did have a point. Well trouble is you left it too late to complain

Sacksian

Spook_ie wrote: »

Yeah yeah yeah, here we go again, when taxi drivers complained about too many taxis everyone else was happy because they could get a taxi whenever they wanted because taxi's were Q'ing up to get fares. Now some people are realising that perhaps the taxi drivers did have a point. Well trouble is you left it too late to complain

I think he's complaining about the quality of taxi driving late at night not the quantity of taxis.

If they're driving without due care, it doesn't matter whether there are 10 or 10,000.

teddansonswig

100% agree, have started a thread on this a year ago
every friday night for about 4 hours their should be an unmarked garda car with a representative from the taxi regulators office/NRA witnessing & recording Dublin city taxi behavior.

Marty McFly

I half agree with the op, I think some fo the driving by taxi drivers late at night in town is shocking but nor does the idea of them only being allowed to use ranks sound desirable. First of all theres not enough ranks, and what ones there are if it was the cae they were only allowed use ranks would be complete and utter chaos at them I would love to say it wouldnt cause rows but we all know it would.


So Id say leave things the way they are but what we do need is for taxi driver to be considerate for other drivers, indicate and do as much to accomodate other drivers on the road were possible and if they have blcoked the path of drivers behind at least have the decency to wave an apology to those they have, sadly not all but a lasrge amount but not all of taxi drivers pretty much have bad manners and feel no need to consider other drivers on the roads they use.

Spook_ie

Sacksian wrote: »

I think he's complaining about the quality of taxi driving late at night not the quantity of taxis.

If they're driving without due care, it doesn't matter whether there are 10 or 10,000.

Basically I feel that taxi drivers around town at night don't give an absolute f*ck for anything around them and are going to cause some accidents. I'm sure there has been some already. Jamming on wherever the hell they want, jutting into grab a fare, parking at green lights, holding up other traffic, while the idiot waits to see if that person they're eyeing up is looking for a taxi or not.

If only we were in some kind of utopian world, the reality though is that too many taxis are chasing too few customers, so as soon as they see a punter or have the inkling there might be one taxis are going to stop before another taxi does.


Kind of like flys around ****

irishguy

Ya I used to live by shelbourne park and Saturday nights after the dogs were mad. They were parking everywhere blocking roads/entrances and when instructed to move by the guards they were often giving lip then moving straight back within 5mins. They like all other stupid driving should have on the stop fines.

In the uk if you stop on a red line or pick in a drop off area in the airport it's an instant fine. Regardless of what you tell the them, they take no excuses.

Gumbo

I see the same every day in the city centre from :

Cyclists
Truck Drivers
Women Drivers
Male Drivers
Bus Drivers

Wishbone Ash

kceire wrote: »

I see the same every day in the city centre from :

Cyclists
Truck Drivers
Women Drivers
Male Drivers
Bus Drivers

.....motorcyclists, pedestrians...etc

OP - taxis usually pick up/set down at the behest of their passengers, i.e. the general public. Perhaps you should address your concerns at them.

shakin

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

.....motorcyclists, pedestrians...etc

OP - taxis usually pick up/set down at the behest of their passengers, i.e. the general public. Perhaps you should address your concerns at them.

Well thats total crap-taxi drivers control the vehicles..they and only they decide when and where the taxi stops. Bad driving by taxis is the fault of the drivers..not the passengers imo.

starviewadams

Every weekend night traffic on Dame Street slows to a crawl because of taxi's stopping without any warning and parking wherever they feel like.

The last bus I get into town's last stop is supposed to be at Central Bank,but the bus drivers have everybody get off on Ormond Quay beside the Ha'Penny Bridge instead because they can't safely access the bus stop at Central Bank because of the taxi's parked there.

Same with the un-official rank that appears at the bottom of Grafton Street/Suffolk Street.

M three

teddansonswig wrote: »

100% agree, have started a thread on this a year ago
every friday night for about 4 hours their should be an unmarked garda car with a representative from the taxi regulators office/NRA witnessing & recording Dublin city taxi behavior.

Could a rep from the taxi regulator not just use their own car or even walk around rather than tie up another garda car?

I mean how are they going to collect all those takeaways?!

mikemac1

What's with the beeping?

I stand on the footpath checking my phone or maybe taking a moment to decide where I'll walk to and beep, beep, beep, taximan trying to get my attention

If I want you I'll let you know

I don't remember any of this 2 years ago

teddansonswig

M three wrote: »

Could a rep from the taxi regulator not just use their own car or even walk around rather than tie up another garda car?

I mean how are they going to collect all those takeaways?!

although I agree their takeaways are important, the current ''taxi regulation'' seems to have nothing to do with their behavior on the streets, and is tied up with bureaucracy.
only the garda / traffic garda can do anything about their style of driving at night. I just wish the regulating body took a more active approach in witnessing the dangerous taxi driving/parking that occurs every weekend in our city.

Piliger

This is all nothing new. Taxis have been driving like power addicted ignorant maniacs for years ! Why ? because they get away with it !

Taxis pay NO attention to any of the laws of the road. They drive through red lights. Do U turns wherever they like; hold everyone up when they like; park on double yellows, or double park, when they like. They NEVER get punished. Look at the taxis that park across the bottom of Grafton street on the double yellow ? If you or I parked on double yellow it would be a major fine ... but not for taxis.

The ONLY thing we can do is COMPLAIN !!!! not to here on Boards, but to our TD and to the Gardai themselves ! Write letters and not emails.

pabloh999

There is too many taxis.
Where should they all go?

CreepingDeath

Jay D wrote: »

Basically I feel that taxi drivers around town at night don't give an absolute f*ck for anything around them and are going to cause some accidents.

+1

Only last night a taxi driver nearly crashed into the side of my car.
It's the same bad taxi driving blackspot on the quays heading towards Heuston Station.

Google Map Link

Where the bus lane ends and there's a large junction box for traffic to merge in. But far too many taxi drivers just keep driving in the now "left turn only"
lane to undertake as many cars as possible and force their way in on the actual junction, approaching unexpected on the left hand side.

Anyway, I've the incident on my dashboard camera, and he'll be reported.
It's the only way these ***holes will learn.

So if you drive a silver van/people carrier taxi, 05-MH-XXX4 reg taxi and got beeped at that junction last night, you can expect my very best efforts to get you a few penalty points in the near future. :mad:

Jay D

CreepingDeath wrote: »

So if you drive a silver van/people carrier taxi, 05-MH-XXX4 reg taxi and got beeped at that junction last night, you can expect my very best efforts to get you a few penalty points in the near future. :mad:

How much are they and how easy are they etc? Could definitely use one!

Spook_ie wrote: »

Yeah yeah yeah, here we go again, when taxi drivers complained about too many taxis everyone else was happy because they could get a taxi whenever they wanted because taxi's were Q'ing up to get fares. Now some people are realising that perhaps the taxi drivers did have a point. Well trouble is you left it too late to complain

We needed more taxis, maybe they over did it. Do you not remember taxis being complete choosers in the past, that was hardly fair was it?

Marty McFly wrote: »

I half agree with the op, I think some fo the driving by taxi drivers late at night in town is shocking but nor does the idea of them only being allowed to use ranks sound desirable. First of all theres not enough ranks, and what ones there are if it was the cae they were only allowed use ranks would be complete and utter chaos at them I would love to say it wouldnt cause rows but we all know it would.

Well just from NYE in Cardiff a few years ago. Place was pretty jammers everywhere so I was expecting mayhem trying to get back to place. Taxi ranks were policed, taxis came and went, no problems it was brilliant. I know what you're saying, as it is it probably wouldn't work here but maybe if people got their finger out it could easily.

starviewadams wrote: »

Every weekend night traffic on Dame Street slows to a crawl because of taxi's stopping without any warning and parking wherever they feel like.

The last bus I get into town's last stop is supposed to be at Central Bank,but the bus drivers have everybody get off on Ormond Quay beside the Ha'Penny Bridge instead because they can't safely access the bus stop at Central Bank because of the taxi's parked there.

Same with the un-official rank that appears at the bottom of Grafton Street/Suffolk Street.

I don't think it's limited to weekends at all. Any night I drive through I have problems. It's just unbelievable a blind eye has been completely turned to this ridiculous development. Fair enough I have seen guards from time to time move them along outside City Bar Dame St or McDonalds etc O'Connell St but more needs to be done to enforce free traffic movement.



Just to reiterate, enforced ranks I see as the solution.

PhoenixParker

As a regular night driver in Dublin City Centre, I have a lot more problems with pedestrian behaviour than with taxi behaviour.

Dame Street slows to a crawl because drunk pedestrians feel entitled to step out in front of cars without looking.
It's not safe to drive faster than 10mph on a whole host of city centre streets any time after 9pm, especially at the weekends. Taxi behaviour has little to do with the problem in my experience.

CreepingDeath

Jay D wrote: »

How much are they and how easy are they etc? Could definitely use one!

Well this is the one I have, plus I've an 8Gb TF Card for it.

DealExtreme Link

But it all depends on how much you want to spend.
To me that one was a good compromise between hi-def video quality and price.

There's others which have built-in gps tracking/recording etc, if you're job is driving every day. But you're straying towards €200-€350 for a high end dashcam.

The one I have... you plug it into the cigarette socket and it starts recording when the engine is turned on and stops when the engine is turned off.
It recycles/overwrites old video clips, so you can leave it constantly recording.

It's quite visible in the windscreen, so I take it down when I'm parked anywhere. It records video and audio.

uch

PhoenixParker wrote: »

As a regular night driver in Dublin City Centre, I have a lot more problems with pedestrian behaviour than with taxi behaviour.

Dame Street slows to a crawl because drunk pedestrians feel entitled to step out in front of cars without looking.
It's not safe to drive faster than 10mph on a whole host of city centre streets any time after 9pm, especially at the weekends. Taxi behaviour has little to do with the problem in my experience.

Agree, try driving down South Great Georges street between 11pm- 1am on a friday or saturday night, you'll actually get gobshítes walking into the side of your car they're so drunk

uch

Jay D wrote: »

Just to reiterate, enforced ranks I see as the solution.

Most Cab drivers can't even get on a rank, so how are enforced ranks going to be a solution to them ?

Jay D

uch wrote: »

Most Cab drivers can't even get on a rank, so how are enforced ranks going to be a solution to them ?

Ok well for example, it would cut out inconsiderate mentality making sudden dangerous movements to pull in and collect someone, or jam on in the hope they will get the person they've passed that just put their hand out after they'd passed, or maybe cut out complete and absolute plebs parking dead at green traffic lights.

It would create some organised behaviour in the city centre because at the moment it's horrible. I do take into account that people in general are careless when drunk and do cause hassle but taxi professionals clearly need to be more responsible.

How can most cab drivers not get on a rank? If you mean the short size of current ones i'm thinking we should have some more.

pabloh999

Any city in the world cab drivers are percieved to be maybe slightly reckless drivers.

They're entire livelihood i.e paying the mortgage and putting food on the table depends on getting the next customer in their car.

Therefore percieved recklesness in the never ending hunt for the next customer.
Common sense really:rolleyes:

Edit - throw in massive taxi oversupply into the mix and the reckless driving will be multiplied

CreepingDeath

pabloh999 wrote: »

Any city in the world cab drivers are percieved to be maybe slightly reckless drivers.

They're entire livelihood i.e paying the mortgage and putting food on the table depends on getting the next customer in their car.

Slightly reckless?
That's an understatement.

They're aggressive drivers who, as full time drivers, should have a higher standard of driving and manners, not worse.

Crying about mortgage and food has absolutely nothing to do with driving properly, safely and respecting other people on the road.

Marty McFly

I hate this over supply off taxi drivers argument give over, there is not an over supply its just we now have an adequate amount of taix drivers in Dublin City.

For years there was nowhere near enough in Dublin I rememeber nights having to baiscally walk home because I couldnt get a taxi in the city centre, you could be waiting a long long time to get one, now theres a decent amount taxi drivers cant pick and choose or name there price and the power has retuned to the the paying customer all we here is how there are to many taxis give over.

Yeh you have to work more hours and harder to earn the same amount as you used to, There was a time when being a taxi driver was a licence to print money but hard luck we all have to work hard to earn our wage.

pabloh999

Marty McFly wrote: »

I hate this over supply off taxi drivers argument give over, there is not an over supply its just we now have an adequate amount of taix drivers in Dublin City.

For years there was nowhere near enough in Dublin I rememeber nights having to baiscally walk home because I couldnt get a taxi in the city centre, you could be waiting a long long time to get one, now theres a decent amount taxi drivers cant pick and choose or name there price and the power has retuned to the the paying customer all we here is how there are to many taxis give over.

Yeh you have to work more hours and harder to earn the same amount as you used to, There was a time when being a taxi driver was a licence to print money but hard luck we all have to work hard to earn our wage.

Adequate?
Have you not driven down Dame st/Camden st/Dawson st at the weekend

Marty McFly

pabloh999 wrote: »

Adequate?
Have you not driven down Dame st/Camden st/Dawson st at the weekend

Yes I have and ive also been one of the people coming out and getting into on the taxis along there, and I for one like that I can walk out and get a taxi immediately instead being stuck in town for hours trying to get one or having to get the nightlink home which at times was like taking your life into your own hands.

So yes its adequate for a capital city to have enough taxis so us the paying customer is not left wating hours for a taxi.

At the same time keeping on topic does not mean taxi drivers can not be more considerate of other rooa users, simple manners is all it is.

Wishbone Ash

When people refer to an over-supply of taxis they are usually referring to the abundance of them during the day especially around mid-morning when ever rank is full with a queue to get into them. At the airport at that time there will often be a couple of hundred taxis queuing to get into the holding area where they may have to wait another hour or two to get a fare. Perhaps there should have been a different licencing system whereby some licences are only valid during specific hours - eg. 10pm to 6am.

Spook_ie

Marty McFly wrote: »

Yes I have and ive also been one of the people coming out and getting into on the taxis along there, and I for one like that I can walk out and get a taxi immediately instead being stuck in town for hours trying to get one or having to get the nightlink home which at times was like taking your life into your own hands.

So yes its adequate for a capital city to have enough taxis so us the paying customer is not left wating hours for a taxi.

At the same time keeping on topic does not mean taxi drivers can not be more considerate of other rooa users, simple manners is all it is.

Manners are often the first thing to disappear when you're in a free for all and the results of your competing in that free for all will decide if you can feed your children and pay your mortgage or just choose one of them.

Nobody who came into taxiing since the days of deregulation would argue that the situation of 2000 odd taxis for a major city was nothing but a license to print money however even the dog on the street ( if he hasn't been run over by them ) can see that there are too many taxis, you sound like one of the people that wouldn't be willing to wait even 5 minutes for a taxi before crying out about how long we've been waiting

Marty McFly

Spook_ie wrote: »

Manners are often the first thing to disappear when you're in a free for all and the results of your competing in that free for all will decide if you can feed your children and pay your mortgage or just choose one of them.

Nobody who came into taxiing since the days of deregulation would argue that the situation of 2000 odd taxis for a major city was nothing but a license to print money however even the dog on the street ( if he hasn't been run over by them ) can see that there are too many taxis, you sound like one of the people that wouldn't be willing to wait even 5 minutes for a taxi before crying out about how long we've been waiting

Stop being so dramatic, missing one fare does not meean there kids will be left to go though a famine and there house will be reposessed. Yes they have to work hard like most do and nothing ever excuses bad manners and that goes for everything in life not just taxi drivers going for fares.


No Ive no problem waiting five mins :rolleyes: but I did have a problem struggling to get one at all, but why would i as a paying customer complain about being able to get a taxi immediately. Taxi drivers are making a living like everyone else im getting tired of the we have it so hard break out the violin routine theres no money, there to many of us, its a competitive market like all others. If youre willing to work the hours you can make a decent liviing.

Spook_ie

Marty McFly wrote: »

Stop being so dramatic, missing one fare does not meean there kids will be left to go though a famine and there house will be reposessed. Yes they have to work hard like most do and nothing ever excuses bad manners and that goes for everything in life not just taxi drivers going for fares.


No Ive no problem waiting five mins :rolleyes: but I did have a problem struggling to get one at all, but why would i as a paying customer complain about being able to get a taxi immediately. Taxi drivers are making a living like everyone else im getting tired of the we have it so hard break out the violin routine theres no money, there to many of us, its a competitive market like all others. If youre willing to work the hours you can make a decent liviing.

Tell you what, you try it and see how many taxis get a fare in front of you before you manage to get one!

As for the rest of your BS about decent living at it again try it and then come back and tell us all about your wonderful experience and how loaded you are

Marty McFly

Spook_ie wrote: »

Tell you what, you try it and see how many taxis get a fare in front of you before you manage to get one!

As for the rest of your BS about decent living at it again try it and then come back and tell us all about your wonderful experience and how loaded you are

Hit a nerve did I. You sound like a child crying over being the last child to be given a sweet. Exactly people will get a fare before you and you will aslo get one before a few others thats the nature of the business. Always was and always will be.

Its not a job I want or would do I never stated it was easy but the for the love of god give the dramatics a rest, Ive even had taxi drivers laugh about the way some taxi drivers go on about there being no money in it etc, like everything else you get out of it what you put into it, and some do make a decent living from it, I live in an estate that has plenty of taxi drivers and guess what none of there familys are looking destitute or have had there houses reposessed.

Spook_ie

Marty McFly wrote: »

Hit a nerve did I. You sound like a child crying over being the last child to be given a sweet. Exactly people will get a fare before you and you will aslo get one before a few others thats the nature of the business. Always was and always will be.

Its not a job I want or would do I never stated it was easy but the for the love of god give the dramatics a rest, Ive even had taxi drivers laugh about the way some taxi drivers go on about there being no money in it etc, like everything else you get out of it what you put into it, and some do make a decent living from it, I live in an estate that has plenty of taxi drivers and guess what none of there familys are looking destitute or have had there houses reposessed.

Sure sure, if you haven't and aren't prepared to try the job to see the reality of it, then do everyone in Ireland a favor and keep your wisecracks to yourself

Marty McFly

Spook_ie wrote: »

Sure sure, if you haven't and aren't prepared to try the job to see the reality of it, then do everyone in Ireland a favor and keep your wisecracks to yourself

Really that the strength of the argument you can provide, I havent nor am I going to try the job as I am currently employed and work hard in my job, "do everyone in Ireland a favor" really? :pac:

They werent wisecracks I was pointing out how overly dramatic some of your statements were. As ive stated there are plenty of taxi drivers around my area and I would use taxis regulary enough and have had enough conversations with taxi drivers to be somewhat informed and Ive no doubt they all work hard to earn the money they do but they are not living in poverty as you would have us believe and each fare isnt a life or death affair which excuses ever having no manners when behind the wheel.

pabloh999

OP - maybe driving in a busy city is not for you? Take a bus?


Or a taxi :pac:

CreepingDeath

Spook_ie wrote: »

Manners are often the first thing to disappear when you're in a free for all and the results of your competing in that free for all will decide if you can feed your children and pay your mortgage or just choose one of them.

Ah quit the melodramatics about justifying bad driving behaviour for some fictional "honourable" cause of mortgage and family.

Look at this Youtube dashcam video of mine, it happened last Wednesday.
Skip to 28 seconds, where he comes out of nowhere and forces his way into my lane

An utterly selfish scumbag taxi driver undertook a load of cars, and forcibly cut his way into my lane from a left-hand only lane.

Ignore the girlfriends cries of "road rage" when I simply beeped the cnut for his illegal driving manoeuvre.

FYI: I'm reporting him to the guards this weekend. I've a hi-def video footage of it, clear view of his reg number etc, and seriously hope he challenges it to go to court.

Just wondering what offence the guards would go for
- careless driving
- dangerous driving
- illegal turn? ( using a left hand lane to undertake? when going straight? )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5V5QZS4MDhw

So this is the daily face of taxi drivers in Dublin, and a classic example of the OP's original point.

There was no race for a passenger here, so none of your apologist excuses will work in this instance.

PhoenixParker

The worst driver in that clip is the non-taxi driver straight in front of you, who starts out in a bus lane, then can't quite decide what lane he wants to be in.

The taxi-driver should have gotten out of the left hand turn only lane and moved into your lane before the junction, but there's a real problem with the road markings in that area. I walk the route every day and I've seen near misses there several times, caused by a variety of different drivers.

The end of the bus lane is very poorly signposted, and the three narrow lanes become two wide lanes without any continuation through the junction. You can see the problem with the road markings on google maps.


There's a problem, but taxi drivers are no worse than anyone else.

CreepingDeath

PhoenixParker wrote: »

The worst driver in that clip is the non-taxi driver straight in front of you, who starts out in a bus lane, then can't quite decide what lane he wants to be in.

I disagree.
I think they're well used to that junction and by moving into the middle a bit they defensively stop taxi drivers from dangerously undertaking them.
I reckon it's behaviour learned from bitter experience.

PhoenixParker wrote: »

The taxi-driver should have gotten out of the left hand turn only lane and moved into your lane before the junction, but there's a real problem with the road markings in that area.

Taxi drivers know those roads like the back of their hands.
There's no excuses for not filtering in before the junction.

They didn't even flash their hazards to apologise.
Nope, I'm off to the guards this weekend.
It's a losing battle teaching taxi drivers manners, but worth a try.

And I did look at Google maps already, it's out of date.
They re-marked the roads.
At the very start of the video there's a yellow sign saying that the left lane is for left turn only, and the two middle lanes are for proceeding straight ahead.

PhoenixParker wrote: »

There's a problem, but taxi drivers are no worse than anyone else.

I completely disagree.
At that particular junction taxi drivers are by far the worse offenders.
Buses and cars merge in well in advance, and there's a large yellow junction box ( the size of 2 buses ) to allow merging in stopped traffic.

I've nearly been side-swiped a few times by taxis a few times there.
In fact it's one of the reasons I spent over €100 on a dashboard camera.

pabloh999

CreepingDeath wrote: »

They didn't even flash their hazards to apologise.
Nope, I'm off to the guards this weekend..

Where in the rules of the road are flashing your hazards? :rolleyes:
Dry your eyes ffs

Spook_ie

CreepingDeath wrote: »

Ah quit the melodramatics about justifying bad driving behaviour for some fictional "honourable" cause of mortgage and family.

Look at this Youtube dashcam video of mine, it happened last Wednesday.
Skip to 28 seconds, where he comes out of nowhere and forces his way into my lane

An utterly selfish scumbag taxi driver undertook a load of cars, and forcibly cut his way into my lane from a left-hand only lane.

Ignore the girlfriends cries of "road rage" when I simply beeped the cnut for his illegal driving manoeuvre.

FYI: I'm reporting him to the guards this weekend. I've a hi-def video footage of it, clear view of his reg number etc, and seriously hope he challenges it to go to court.

Just wondering what offence the guards would go for
- careless driving
- dangerous driving
- illegal turn? ( using a left hand lane to undertake? when going straight? )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5V5QZS4MDhw

So this is the daily face of taxi drivers in Dublin, and a classic example of the OP's original point.

There was no race for a passenger here, so none of your apologist excuses will work in this instance.

Not excusing him but how often are girlfriends just soooo right

RATM

starviewadams wrote: »

Every weekend night traffic on Dame Street slows to a crawl because of taxi's stopping without any warning and parking wherever they feel like.

The last bus I get into town's last stop is supposed to be at Central Bank,but the bus drivers have everybody get off on Ormond Quay beside the Ha'Penny Bridge instead because they can't safely access the bus stop at Central Bank because of the taxi's parked there.

Same with the un-official rank that appears at the bottom of Grafton Street/Suffolk Street.

I'm often in a mates place in Temple Bar on a Friday and leave in the car about 1 or 2am. I have to drive through Temple Bar from near Paliment Street towards Fitzsimons and then turn left to get onto the quays towards my home.

The section I have to drive in Temple Bar is less than 200 metres but on more than one occasion it has taken 15 minutes to cover it because loads of taxis have just stopped and decided to set up a rank in the middle of the road. They just sit there and make only pretending attempts to move on as slowly as possible in the hope that someone will get in. I know that the drivers are keen for a fare but blocking the roads and kerb crawling is just sheer ignorance of other road users who just want get somewhere.

Spook_ie

RATM wrote: »

I'm often in a mates place in Temple Bar on a Friday and leave in the car about 1 or 2am. I have to drive through Temple Bar from near Paliment Street towards Fitzsimons and then turn left to get onto the quays towards my home.

The section I have to drive in Temple Bar is less than 200 metres but on more than one occasion it has taken 15 minutes to cover it because loads of taxis have just stopped and decided to set up a rank in the middle of the road. They just sit there and make only pretending attempts to move on as slowly as possible in the hope that someone will get in. I know that the drivers are keen for a fare but blocking the roads and kerb crawling is just sheer ignorance of other road users who just want get somewhere.

Ah but what would Marty and others do, they'd need to wait for 10.9 sec or (God Forbid! ) walk to the rank

Wishbone Ash

Those of you who seem to get wound up about driving through the city centre at night should try cycling. Then you see just how much cyclists have to put up with from motorists and pedestrians. At least when a drunken pedestrian walks in front of your car, you're unlikely to get injured yourself. And I have been hospitalised twice so far this year from accidents caused by careless motorists who seem to think a bicycle has no right of way. I have also had numerous 'near misses' from vehicles turning right across my path when I have had right of way (many of them taxis). To add insult to injury they then loudly sound their horn and shout about "road tax".

Many cyclists are now wearing helmet cameras. I think I know what Santa is going to bring now!

CreepingDeath wrote: »

They didn't even flash their hazards to apologise

Apologies for sounding pedantic but that would have been illegal. In a public place, hazard lights may only be used on a stationary vehicle.

Jay D

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Those of you who seem to get wound up about driving through the city centre at night should try cycling. Then you see just how much cyclists have to put up with from motorists and pedestrians. At least when a drunken pedestrian walks in front of your car, you're unlikely to get injured yourself. And I have been hospitalised twice so far this year from accidents caused by careless motorists who seem to think a bicycle has no right of way. I have also had numerous 'near misses' from vehicles turning right across my path when I have had right of way (many of them taxis). To add insult to injury they then loudly sound their horn and shout about "road tax".

Many cyclists are now wearing helmet cameras. I think I know what Santa is going to bring now!


Apologies for sounding pedantic but that would have been illegal. In a public place, hazard lights may only be used on a stationary vehicle.

I cycled for a long time and I'm well aware of the crap you have to put up with, my pet hate being the complete ignorance absolute dopes turning left sometimes practice. However, I am making a point of the illegal, dangerous and totally annoying driving from taxis in town, I don't see why people are trying to take away from that point constantly. I'm not making it up.