Taxis with their signs right at the back of the roof???

highdef

I've noticed something odd of late. There appears to be an increasing number of taxis driving round (Dublin in this case) with their roof mounted signs located right at the back of the roof, instead of the normal prominent place at the centre or slightly forward of centre position.
Is this a new fashion trend amongst the trend setting drivers and if so, why? Is the sign positioned at the rear of the roof supposed to look like a fancy spoiler or something?

The main issue I have with it placed there is that a lot of the time you can't see the bloody sign until the taxi has almost passed because the high part of the roof obscures it. As with many roof lines, the rear often tapers away to a height a good few inches lower than the highest part of the roof, usually around the centre of the roof.....where the signs are traditionally placed.

Are there any taxi drivers out there who know why this is happening? If it's just a "fashion" thing, then it's probably resulting in lost business for you guys and gals because potential customers don't recognise your taxi as being a taxi until it's too late......depending on the type of vehicle you drive, of course.

Run_to_da_hills

I think only Irish taxi drivers do this.

corktina

are you suggesting that this is the new way to tell there's an Irish driver aboard now flags are disallowed?

There's usually rails or a sunroof or such on the roof of the car when this happens, that prevents the plate from sitting on the top of it.

Fuh Q

The reason for this is to do with the wiring, it allows the wire go through the bootlid instead of through the door seal. going through the door seal damages it causing water and wind to get in over time, it also damages the wires from the door closing on them.
It not completely sorted by routing it through the boot but its less damaging and less of a issue if water gets in.
Another reason is that the Taxi sign can be wired direct without a plug which helps a little bet when it comes to preventing theft of the sign.

Fuh Q

Fuh Q wrote: »

preventing theft of the sign.

Surely that's not a real issue? :eek: Who'd be bothered to try to steal a taxi plate?

hardCopy

KKV wrote: »

Surely that's not a real issue? :eek: Who'd be bothered to try to steal a taxi plate?

Someone who's not legally allowed drive a taxi?

wexford12

Deleted User wrote: »

Surely that's not a real issue? :eek: Who'd be bothered to try to steal a taxi plate?

I had mine stolen on a Thursday night cost me 130 to replace and a weekend of no work as they couldn't make one up in the one day. Id say it was stolen either for the magnets or just to pixx off a taxi driver

hardCopy

hardCopy wrote: »

Someone who's not legally allowed drive a taxi?

But surely if you steal a plate, taxi drivers will be on the lookout for it? I'd imagine you'd only be operating with it for an hour or two before there's a Garda knocking on the window?

Gumbo

Deleted User wrote: »

But surely if you steal a plate, taxi drivers will be on the lookout for it? I'd imagine you'd only be operating with it for an hour or two before there's a Garda knocking on the window?

Realistically, you could get away with it for some time. Not many garda will activally scan plate numbers while out on duty. Its like a robbed car, the garda will only pull it if its acting strange or pops up on the ANPR system.

Ive heard of this quite a bit tbh, and alot of them were used in robberies as when a car pulls up somewhere, people see the taxi plate and then dont take much notice of it.

steph1

You would be amazed what people steal.
I had one of the headrests stolen from my taxi a few weeks ago!

Gumbo

steph1 wrote: »

You would be amazed what people steal.
I had one of the headrests stolen from my taxi a few weeks ago!

Exact same happened to my father in law!

seanmacc

Probably not the reason why many are doing it but a taxi sign in the traditional place on the center of the roof can add as much as 30% onto a cars fuel consumption. Lowering the sign and placing it further back on the roof may lessen the effect of the sign on the cars aerodynamics.

Losty Dublin

kceire wrote: »

Exact same happened to my father in law!

Your father in law is prime suspect if you ask me

Losty Dublin

seanmacc wrote: »

Probably not the reason why many are doing it but a taxi sign in the traditional place on the center of the roof can add as much as 30% onto a cars fuel consumption. Lowering the sign and placing it further back on the roof may lessen the effect of the sign on the cars aerodynamics.

A few years ago the Taxi Regulator's office sent over a Skoda Octavia and Toyota Avensis taxi for aerodynamic tests at a wind tunnel in England to see what the effects were in moving a roof sign. They found that a sign located towards the back had less drag that one at the front but it was only around 10% of a difference. A length wards sign saved about 30% over a front mounted one.

Mind you, they blew about €60 grand to find all that out and the research has yet to be put to any practical use :rolleyes: