Do the taxi drivers in Dublin seem more aggressive since the MPDL? (mod note post #8)

MeWantBroadband

... passing very tightly, stopping merging, revving up behind you?

Cookie_Monster

MeWantBroadband wrote: »

... passing very tightly, stopping merging, revving up behind you?

sounds normal enough for a taxi...

Gerry

I don't know if it has changed with that law, but i find almost all of the near misses i have are with taxis. Insisting on their God given right to drive in "their lane" as much as possible - even when the other lanes are empty or nearly empty! The bus lane generally isn't enough for them either, if there is a bike lane to the left of the bus lane they'll encroach on that as well. Since they are supposed to be professional drivers I think they are a disgrace.
By comparison i find bus drivers either Dublin or private to be very courteous.

Kaisr Sose

No. It's the same. (Edit: The minimum passing bill is not law)

I have always found taxi drivers (as a general group) the most inconsiderate of all motorists to all road users at all times. They are always in a hurry to get one vehicle ahead, will change lane to over take and undertake, speed, encroach into cycle lanes, stop without warning, pull u-turns anywhere, not use indicators or use them when they have already started their manoeuvre, close pass cyclists at will, speed, break red lights, turn right where a right is turn is prohibited etc etc. If you attempt to vent your frustration at their lacy of consideration, whether as a cyclist, pedestrian or fellow motorist they are prone to being abususive and aggressive. It's always someone else's fault they are a bad driver.

They don't generally care about other road users and some sort of mechanism to report their driving needs to be introduced.

These are professional drivers, often driving more than 12hrs per day and there is no restrictions or monitoring of their behaviour. In reality their general driving (odd exceprions) falls way short of being of a "professional" standard.

Pkiernan

You'd think that with abundantly cheap recording technology freely available some folks would do something constructive rather than just whinge.

ED E

Driving for more than two hours a day makes you less intelligent, study finds
Similar results found for those watching TV more than three hours a day
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/driving-more-than-two-hours-day-less-intelligent-iq-watching-tv-computer-study-university-of-a7855416.html

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Lumen

Gerry wrote: »

I don't know if it has changed with that law, but i find almost all of the near misses i have are with taxis. Insisting on their God given right to drive in "their lane" as much as possible - even when the other lanes are empty or nearly empty! The bus lane generally isn't enough for them either, if there is a bike lane to the left of the bus lane they'll encroach on that as well

Ah get over yourself. It's not a "God given right", it's a legal right.

And who are you quoting with your "their lane"?

magicbastarder

<mod voice>guys, if this was a thread on the taxi forum giving out about cyclists as a group, we'd be rightly annoyed.

I'm reopening the thread, but am conscious that some of the language used is the sort of language used to condemn cyclists, which we find very frustrating; so please keep it sensible. i've been in more than a few taxis where the drivers are cyclists, or very supportive of them, so please don't use a wide brush.

#notalltaxidrivers</mod voice>

magicbastarder

also worth noting that the MPDL has not passed; granted, some people seem to think it has, given the publicity it received.

AlanG

Have noticed no difference in Taxi behaviour to be honest and I find most that I encounter on my commute to be fine.
In general they are just people trying to work long hard hours and provide for their families. I'm sure lots of them are recreational cyclists and have kids who cycle a lot so the idea that they all got together and decided to be more aggressive to cyclists says more about those who perceive this change than anyone driving for a living.
I tend to report any drivers who drive dangerously around me no matter what their profession.

punisher5112

One thing you need not mistake they are in no way a professional driver so get that out of your heads.

Be prepared for anything and so many are at it that really shouldn't be.

Lumen

magicbastarder wrote: »

#notalltaxidrivers

What have you got against tall taxi drivers?

magicbastarder

They have the drivers seat pushed too far back so there's less legroom in the back.

buffalo

magicbastarder wrote: »

also worth noting that the MPDL has not passed; granted, some people seem to think it has, given the publicity it received.

Thank goodness you re-opened the thread, I only arrived after the lock and spent a good five minutes shouting at my screen "What law!? There's no law! SOMEONE IS WRONG ON THE INTERNET!"

Tenzor07

UN-peacekeeping-envoy-to-solve-ongoing-dispute-between-dublin-drivers-cyclists/

Wishbone Ash

Gerry wrote: »

... i find almost all of the near misses i have are with taxis. Insisting on their God given right to drive in "their lane" as much as possible ....

That's simply because they are the car drivers you are likely to be closest to in areas with bus lanes. Nothing to do with the fact that they are taxi drivers. In the pre-bus lane era, close passes came from all types of drivers.

Gerry

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

That's simply because they are the car drivers you are likely to be closest to in areas with bus lanes. Nothing to do with the fact that they are taxi drivers. In the pre-bus lane era, close passes came from all types of drivers.

No, compared to other bus lane users they are by far the worst.

Gerry

Lumen wrote: »

Ah get over yourself. It's not a "God given right", it's a legal right.

And who are you quoting with your "their lane"?

It's not a legal right to drive without due care and consideration. Leaving a few inches while passing counts as that in my book. Sorry if this doesn't fit your definition. Do you enjoy being buzzed by taxis? I mean they are professionals so I'm probably worrying about nothing

marcus001

Haven't had any bad run ins with taxis. At least they know how to keep up with the traffic. If you're running late and you see two lanes one with taxis one without you get behind the taxis. Nothing worse than missing the lights because some youngwun was checking her phone.

crosstownk

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

That's simply because they are the car drivers you are likely to be closest to in areas with bus lanes. Nothing to do with the fact that they are taxi drivers. In the pre-bus lane era, close passes came from all types of drivers.

While I usually have more encounters with taxi drivers, I do think that it is simply down to the fact that I share bus lanes with them and therefore encounter them a lot more than private cars.

That said, I find Dublin Bus drivers to be a lot more 'cyclist friendly' than taxi drivers. I also find Aircoach drivers to be very accommodating. Other private coach companies can be hit and miss.

While taxi drivers drive for a living, they are not professional drivers. Professional driver training is neither given nor required.

Jimoslimos

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

That's simply because they are the car drivers you are likely to be closest to in areas with bus lanes. Nothing to do with the fact that they are taxi drivers. In the pre-bus lane era, close passes came from all types of drivers.

Not sure it is a proximity issue. I commute in London and spend a good deal of time in bus lanes with black/hackney cabs, motorbikes, and buses. All of which are generally ok 99% of the time.

White van drivers and construction lorries also, despite the negative press, usually ok and accommodating.

The absolute worst drivers, without a shadow of a doubt, are those in private hire minicabs/Uber. Special shoutout to the d1cks driving for Addison Lee in Ford Galaxys and ANYONE in a white Toyota Prius :mad:

07Lapierre

When it comes to close passes, I find Taxi drivers tend to be the most aggressive. By aggressive I mean they will actually close pass while making either visual and/or verbal expressions of anger!

So my top 5 (order of aggression) is:
1. Taxi's
2. Buses
3. Inexperienced/ignorant motorists
4. Van drivers
5. HGV's

Lumen

Gerry wrote: »

Do you enjoy being buzzed by taxis? I mean they are professionals so I'm probably worrying about nothing

I don't remember having a bad encounter with a taxi in the ten years ish I've been cycling in Dublin.

Are you new to cycling?

smacl

crosstownk wrote: »

Other private coach companies can be hit and miss.

Hopefully more the latter

07Lapierre

Lumen wrote: »

I don't remember having a bad encounter with a taxi in the ten years ish I've been cycling in Dublin.

Are you new to cycling?

Really? Wow... I've had quite a few incidents with taxis. I remember one guy drove beside me with the passenger window down and was shouting at me to "get a f***ing car!"

papu

Lumen wrote: »

I don't remember having a bad encounter with a taxi in the ten years ish I've been cycling in Dublin.

that's all the proof we need then.
/thread. :rolleyes:

Most of the encounters I've had with taxi drivers have been negative, not using indicators and stopping in ridiculous places with no warning to take on and let off fares.

When you do converse with them, they either laugh at you or swear at you.

Kaisr Sose

07Lapierre wrote: »

Really? Wow... I've had quite a few incidents with taxis. I remember one guy drove beside me with the passenger window down and was shouting at me to "get a f***ing car!"

Second that. They are top of my list for unpredictability and lack of consideration for all other road users. Many are just way to impatient, when patience would be order of the day.

To be fair, they are not the only ones at this, but as a group stand out.

Wishbone Ash

papu wrote: »

.... stopping in ridiculous places with no warning to take on and let off fares....

Presumably at the behest of those fare payers.

Gerry

Lumen wrote: »

I don't remember having a bad encounter with a taxi in the ten years ish I've been cycling in Dublin.

Are you new to cycling?

Good for you my friend. I'm just relating my personal experience, seems I'm not a lone crazy.
By are you new to cycling what do you mean? I'll get used to near misses by taxis? I'm cycling 30 years if that helps, my first cycle to Dublin probably 22 Years ago .

Kaisr Sose

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Presumably at the behest of those fare payers.

Not always. I had one do it to me on OConnell St to answer his phone. Seen another parked on a cycle lane counting his takings..

Hauki

Slight off-topic but I've had most issues and close-calls with other cyclists and pedestrians. Especially commuters on old clonkers and Dublin-bikes seem to be the worst kind of people in traffic. Zero situational awareness, zero respect for other road users and zero respect to traffic laws. They are a clear danger to themselves and other road users.

AndrewJRenko

Hauki wrote: »

They are a clear danger to themselves and other road users.

Are many people killed by this 'clear danger' each year?

Hauki

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Are many people killed by this 'clear danger' each year?

You must understand that someone doesn't need to die in order for some behavior to be dangerous?

Wishbone Ash

Kaisr Sose wrote: »

Not always. I had one do it to me on OConnell St to answer his phone. Seen another parked on a cycle lane counting his takings..

Yes, but my comment was in relation to papu's comment about taking on and letting off fares.

See below.

papu wrote: »

...and stopping in ridiculous places with no warning to take on and let off fares......

AndrewJRenko

Hauki wrote: »

You must understand that someone doesn't need to die in order for some behavior to be dangerous?

So no deaths then - are many people injured as a result of this behaviour?

papu

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Presumably at the behest of those fare payers.

Presumably there is a way to collect and drop off fares that doesn't endanger other road users...

John_Rambo

crosstownk wrote: »

While I usually have more encounters with taxi drivers, I do think that it is simply down to the fact that I share bus lanes with them and therefore encounter them a lot more than private cars.

That said, I find Dublin Bus drivers to be a lot more 'cyclist friendly' than taxi drivers. I also find Aircoach drivers to be very accommodating. Other private coach companies can be hit and miss.

While taxi drivers drive for a living, they are not professional drivers. Professional driver training is neither given nor required.

This.

And it's obvious that Dublin Bus drivers get continuous training/updated training as road/traffic conditions and cultures change and new scenarios are happening. Somebody is talking to them, they must be having meetings, memos, they're up-grading their driving. They are professionals and I find they've professionally improved and moved with the times regarding their driving and cyclists. Personally, it's reciprocated when buses need to pull out, pull in. I'll signal clearly and give them space and room.

I don't think taxi drivers have this advantage to deal with changing situations like certain areas reverting back to cycling. They're left with peer chat, banter on the ranks, on the road and in taxi offices with no alternative reasoning. This can lead to "perceived" rules and laws, how to deal with perceived problems along with entrenched attitudes.

I've been in taxis when the drivers been talking about cyclists and on more than one occasion their perception of the law and what they can and can't do is bonkers. Seriously, things like a twelve inch curbside rule for cyclists, illegal for cyclists to overtake each other, illegal to cycle without a helmet, illegal for cyclists to change lane... they simply don't have continuous or upgraded training. And some aren't up with the rules of the road. Most are. But some and I say some have not got a clue. They're relying on taxi rank banter.

The ones that post on forums like these would be the ones that would be more clued in. No point in preaching to them.

The cyclists that post on forums like these would be the ones that would be more clued in too!

So, taking the mod warning in the thread, this is just an observation on some taxi drivers. There's a lack of training and skill support for professional taxi drivers and that lack of ongoing training to deal with new and evolving changes in areas that taxi's operate in is glaringly obvious.

marcus001

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Are many people killed by this 'clear danger' each year?

Cycling is now the most dangerous form of transport for young men in Ireland so I would say a lot of beginner cyclists are killed because they don't know what they're doing.

RobertFoster

marcus001 wrote: »

Cycling is now the most dangerous form of transport for young men in Ireland so I would say a lot of beginner cyclists are killed because they don't know what they're doing.

Where did you get that statistic?

http://www.rsa.ie/RSA/Road-Safety/Our-Research/Deaths-injuries-on-Irish-roads/

RSA wrote:

[In 2016] there were 81 Drivers killed, 38 Passengers, 35 Pedestrians, 22 Motorcyclists and 10 Pedal Cyclists.

marcus001

RobertFoster wrote: »

Where did you get that statistic?

http://www.rsa.ie/RSA/Road-Safety/Our-Research/Deaths-injuries-on-Irish-roads/

Just on the face of it those stats seem to confirm what I said. About 8 times as many drivers were killed than cyclists. Do you think there are only 8 times more drivers than cyclists?

But here's an article about the actual study:

http://www.dublinlive.ie/news/dublin-news/trinity-ucd-study-suggests-cycling-13149050

AndrewJRenko

marcus001 wrote: »

Cycling is now the most dangerous form of transport for young men in Ireland so I would say a lot of beginner cyclists are killed because they don't know what they're doing.

RobertFoster wrote: »

Where did you get that statistic?

http://www.rsa.ie/RSA/Road-Safety/Our-Research/Deaths-injuries-on-Irish-roads/

Good question. I'm fairly sure there is no indication that most of the cyclists killed are Young or Men - but hey, keep blaming the victims, it's so much easier than really addressing the issue.

marcus001

Weepsie wrote: »

Have you read the study itself?

I've better things to be doing tbh