Taxi driving chancers

Gerry Asstrix · 07-11-2010 12:23PM #1

Been coming accross alot of taxi drivers recently either trying to scam me or people I know.

Last night brother was at a concert, he's only 15, he rang me say he'd no money, it was 12'O Clock and needed a lift home, I said to him get a taxi because my car was out of action, I told him to flag a taxi and Id give him money for it when he got home, it was p*ssing rain and didnt want him walking home alone that time of night.

I only live approx 10 minutes drive from where he was in town, and approx 15 minutes later he arrives at the door looking for money, I ask how much it was, he turns around and says 20 euro!!!

I hit the roof asked him where he got the taxi, and which way it went, and why he hadnt said anything to me about being charged so much.
Him not being only 15 and very street wise he didnt know if that was dear and if he'd gone the quickest way, but considering it only took 15 minutes from the time he rang me till time he was home I assumed it wasnt he didnt do lap around the world.

Anyway I went out to taxi, driver was African if that matters, and asked how it had cost 20euro to get him from where he was in town to here, the driver said that what was on the meter, and that the late night weekend fee applied, trying to keep my cool I said that my brother had rang me 15 minutes ago, told me where he was and was geting a taxi and is now home and has told me which way he went and that your charging 20euro!

Taximan was abit befuddled and kept saying what was on meter
So I got annoyed and said look weekend fare or not, it doesnt cost 20euro to get from A to B, and that he was taking advantage my brother because he only a kid, and I wasnt having it.
He got annoyed and said he had to get paid, I offered to give him 10 euro and he said No Way, so I said no problem, took his plate number, name and reg and Id be reporting him to Regulator, he threatned to call Gaurds if I didnt pay, I threw him a tenner and said goodbye.
He shouted 'F*ck you' and drove off in speed.

Having alot of experiences like these with taxi drivers lately, and have be honest mostly foreigners, taxi drivers are always moaning that business is terrible, maybe they'd want look into why what this lark going on

djfattony2000 · 07-11-2010 12:29PM

To be fair 15 minutes in a taxi costs more than 10 euros

arybvtcw0eolkf · 07-11-2010 12:30PM

I hope he reports you to the guards for not paying the metered fare.

Your LEGALLY obliged to pay this, its the man wages and not for you to decide what a proper fare should be.

You've a neck tbh.

ball ox · 07-11-2010 12:30PM

In before the **** storm

Can you give a rough idea of where A & B are?

LookBehindYou · 07-11-2010 12:31PM

You should have got a receipt from the Taximan, which could be used as evidence when you complain to the Taxi regulator. The receipt would show the plate number, date, time, mileage and charges.

iPlop · 07-11-2010 12:31PM

Gerry Asstrix wrote: »

Anyway I went out to taxi, driver was African if that matters!

had the same problem last week ,he wanted 90 euro I laughed and waited until I got an irish driver who charged me 50.

Quick lock this thread before it turns nasty:pac:

Thoie · 07-11-2010 12:33PM

The easiest way to avoid slinging random accusations around the place is to get a receipt, examine the details (which will include the taxi number) and send it to the regulator if it looks odd.

You can get a rough idea of fares here: http://www.worldtaximeter.com/dublin? (don't forget to put in the appropriate time).

Cheap Thrills! · 07-11-2010 12:33PM

Yeh, can't see how €20 was too much for a 10-15 minute journey. At 12 at night the streets would have been empty. In 10-15 minutes he could have drove from city centre to ...for example Swords in that time....

Where do you live OP?

Gerry Asstrix · 07-11-2010 12:35PM

From where my brother was to my house does not cost 20 Euro, I can garuntee you that, I do take the route myself half drunk sometimes and at most Id say 9 euro, its literally a ten minute drive, and at 12'O Clock a straight run.

He got the cab on Parnell Street and I live in Glasnevin near Phibsboro

Wibbs · 07-11-2010 12:36PM

I've taken a lot of taxis over the years. Maybe I've been lucky but I've only had three bad ones in my time that I can recall(in Ireland. Overseas can be "interesting"). A couple of chancers on the fare and a couple of right bloody weirdos. All Irish to boot. That's a pretty good record I'd say.

iPlop · 07-11-2010 12:37PM

Thoie wrote: »

The easiest way to avoid slinging random accusations around the place is to get a receipt, examine the details (which will include the taxi number) and send it to the regulator if it looks odd.

You can get a rough idea of fares here: http://www.worldtaximeter.com/dublin? (don't forget to put in the appropriate time).

Great application jused used it and it came up as 47 euro ,so the other guy was trying to rip me off

Wibbs · 07-11-2010 12:39PM

Peyton Agreeable Physics wrote: »

I hope he reports you to the guards for not paying the metered fare.

Your LEGALLY obliged to pay this, its the man wages and not for you to decide what a proper fare should be.

I'd have to partially disagree on this score tbh. If I regularly take a taxi on the same route at roughly the same time and it's normally 20 quid and then I get a guy who charges me 40, he will be told where to go and no mistake. This has happened to me. Now like I said it's very rare, but no way would I pay an extra rip off charge.

Gerry Asstrix · 07-11-2010 12:43PM

Thoie wrote: »

The easiest way to avoid slinging random accusations around the place is to get a receipt, examine the details (which will include the taxi number) and send it to the regulator if it looks odd.

You can get a rough idea of fares here: http://www.worldtaximeter.com/dublin? (don't forget to put in the appropriate time).

Just did it there and it 9/10 euro, so my brother was charged double, the dastard:mad:

arybvtcw0eolkf · 07-11-2010 12:47PM

Wibbs the OP's brother was at a concert last night, most likely 'Paradise' at The O2.

He's 15yrs old, alone and getting a cab from Parnell St. at midnight!.

I'd be more concerned at a 15 yr old out in the city at that hour of the night, and so far from a concert venue than a €20 fare.

Fare play to the driver for getting the lad home safe.

If I had a dispute I'd have paid the fare, gotten a receipt and made a complaint to the taxi regulators officer.. But I'd have paid the man his bloody wage.

Mr Benevolent · 07-11-2010 12:57PM

OP's post should be merged with 'Stingiest thing you've ever...' thread.

BillShorey · 07-11-2010 01:00PM

A few years ago I received advice from African colleagues of a friend of mine to stay away from taxis driven by Africans, that they were mostly scumbags who were in operation here and were using the taxis as a means to facilitate other activities such as drug running across the city. Now, I'm not saying all African taxi drivers are like this, I'm sure they're not, but if it's the common concensus from their fellow Africans here then it might be concerning. I'm happier supporting EU taxi drivers if I need to get a taxi in this day and age anyway.

You handled it very badly though and you're lucky he just went on his way. €10 is a lot to some people, particularly people who've travelled over from Africa as asylum seekers (given that we're clearly the nearest safe country to Africa it seems). You should have just taken his details and sent him on his way. €10 isn't worth a violent incident or him coming back later and bricking your windows, smashing up your car etc.

Nodin · 07-11-2010 01:05PM

BillShorey wrote: »

A few (........)shing up your car etc.

Not that you're using this as an excuse to bash asylum seekers, Africans etc. "African colleagues" is funny though.

mikemac · 07-11-2010 01:06PM

15 minutes at night with empty roads you can cover a lot of distance so can you tell us where A and B where?

You should have paid and gotten a receipt.

hucklebuck · 07-11-2010 01:09PM

Why not try it on the offical Taxi Regulator site, don't both putting the markers in the map:

http://www.taxiregulator.ie/consumer/taxi-tool/

I recommend getting a receipt off every taxi driver and check the roof sign on the receipt matches the roof sign. Got a taxi the other night and the better half's mam left her purse in the taxi and if he did not hand it in we can't complain to the taxi regulator as we don't know his roof sign.

stimpson · 07-11-2010 01:14PM

Gerry Asstrix wrote: »

He got the cab on Parnell Street and I live in Glasnevin near Phibsboro

That's definately a rip off. I live further out than that and a taxi from the quays comes in about 16 quid on a saturday night.

I've recently got charged a normal rate but the meter showed under a fiver. I think some of the meters can be rigged. If he didn't go to the guards to report you then he had his reasons. I hope you got his number and reported him.

Gerry Asstrix · 07-11-2010 01:14PM

feelingstressed wrote: »

15 minutes at night with empty roads you can cover a lot of distance so can you tell us where A and B where?

You should have paid and gotten a receipt.

Parnell street to Phibsboro does not cost 20 euro, its grossly overpriced, if you knew the area you'd be flabbergasted yourself, and at 12 at night its pure robbery, 8/9 quid at the most.

When I lived in Lucan, it was 20 euro late at night from town to get home

Run_to_da_hills · 07-11-2010 01:17PM

I took a taxi back to Palmerstown from the CC with a mate a few months ago. Driver was black, my mate was blunt with him when boarding and said that the fare will be e14 and not a penny more.

On the way back the driver went off the beaten track through some housing estate near Cherry Orchard even myself who is not from the area could smell a rat.

We arrived at the destination and driver said e17. My mate gave him the e14 and said mate, I told you 14 is the fare from the city center to my estate. Its on the meter taxi driver said, Tough my mate said, I told you I am only paying e14.

Dont always believe what you see on the clock. In the OP's case the driver obviously took advantage of the kid and added on mileage to increase the fee on the clock This is a well known scam with non Irish taxi drivers, works in some countries but not in my back yard..

mikemac · 07-11-2010 01:18PM

There is a yellow sticker in the top left of the windscreen and back window

When I get into a cab I check the dates and see it's valid.
Another check you can do is approach from the front and the drivers ID will have the county on the back of it.
So you can see they are allowed get fares in your county.

Though if you live in Limerick city don't mind this as you know the mess that goes on between Limerick and Clare

If you're in the cab and things don't seem right, take out the mobile and you can write a text to yourself with the drivers details.
Always ask for a receipt

All of these for peace of mind and take no additional time at all

hucklebuck wrote: »

Got a taxi the other night and the better half's mam left her purse in the taxi and if he did not hand it in we can't complain to the taxi regulator as we don't know his roof sign.

You can hardly lodge a complaint about the driver if it doesn't get handed in.
Sure it's very likely the next passenger took it. The driver doesn't look around the back seat and floor after each fare

Gerry Asstrix · 07-11-2010 01:21PM

Peyton Agreeable Physics wrote: »

I hope he reports you to the guards for not paying the metered fare.

Your LEGALLY obliged to pay this, its the man wages and not for you to decide what a proper fare should be.

You've a neck tbh.

Im LEGALLY obliged to pay alot of things, but when something is blatantly unjust and a scam Im not going to pay because the law says so, the law also allows us to challange these things

And taxi drivers are at the wheel of the car, they decide what roads they can go down that will shorten or lenghten a journey and that it will affect the price, and its easy to do with a 15 year old kid

Hail 2 Da Thief · 07-11-2010 01:32PM

Peyton Agreeable Physics wrote: »

He's 15yrs old, alone and getting a cab from Parnell St. at midnight!.
Fare play to the driver for getting the lad home safe.

Jesus you say it like the taxi driver was some superhero coming to the lads aid.
He was only doing his job which is transporting people from A to B.

Peyton Agreeable Physics wrote: »

But I'd have paid the man his bloody wage.

But it's not his wage if he's charging double the ligitimate fare.
He's just shafting the customer.
Do you really believe people shouldn't stand up against chancers who act like this?

BillShorey · 07-11-2010 01:33PM

Looking on the taxi regulator site it would appear that the trip does indeed cost nowhere near €20.

You're right in that it'd be very easy for one of these guys to scam a 15 year old, it's not like the kid is going to object. Similarly as far as I know they target women for similar reason, they're just not going to put up a fight over it.

It's a shame to see people being taken advantage of, particularly by people we've opened our doors to so they could potentially make a better life here for themselves.

c0rk3r · 07-11-2010 01:35PM

What route did he take?

A taxi from parnell street to Botanic gardens in Glasnevin is around €12. Its hard to believe a fare could cost €20 unless he took the long way. This could be seen as massaging the fare or simply someone who doesnt know the area that well and went the way he knows. I find taximen usually ask "which way?" and if they don't i tell them which way. A fare could reach €20

I imagine an Irish guy would of rang the guards. Im not actually sure which way it would of went though.

UngratefulWhelp · 07-11-2010 01:35PM

I live in Drumcondra, near to St Pats, and usually go out socialising around Camden St.

A taxi home from there costs in the region of 15/16 euro. Either yer man was pulling a fast one or he took the scenic route via the Phoenix Park.

I take taxis regularly and two problems I occasionally find with the African lads is a) they don't know where they're going but will insist they do, and less commonly b) they conduct loud phone conversations in their native tongue. The second is actually mildly interesting as I try to figure out what the hell they're saying.

The only surprise so far on this thread is that some desperately politically correct soul hasn't intervened with 'but what about all the Irish taxi drivers who rip people off', a variant of which inevitably occurs when somebody moans about begging gypsies.

Catari Jaguar · 07-11-2010 01:38PM

I was in a taxi and the driver was African (seeing as how we're moaning abouit African drivers...) I was going from Christ Church to Townsend Street and the girl with me was going to Hawkins Street.

Driver brings us some back way, we come around by Merrion Square, down Lincoln Place and he says you can't drive Westland Row as it's one way (?!) I disagreed, but he brings us down Fenian street and says "You wanted Ringsend right?" "No, I want Townsend Street - back there". He swings round to an actual one way street and leaves meter on as he decides how to get backwards to Townsend street from Hanover street. I just told him to **** off with himself and that I'd walk the couple of min in the rain to my place. The poor girl with me didn't trust him at all so she got out with me and she had to walk up Townsend street on her own, in the middle of the night in the rain.

Bloody cheek of him to try and mislead us for extra money. I wanted to give him nothing but the other girl didn't want to cause a fuss. We gave him €8 and said take it or leave it. I'm pissed off that I didn't get his details to make a complaint. Maybe it was an innocent mistake but still... double check where you're going ffs!

LevelSpirit · 07-11-2010 01:41PM

A friend of mine had the same problem in July. Now he always tracks the route on his phone and takes the drivers details as soon as he gets in.
He's been overcharged several times since July and printed out the route and sent it along with the receipt and the divers details to the taxi regulator.
Needless to say nothing ever happened. They just say they are dealing with his complaints.

Perhaps we should all do this and post up the details here. Might make the regulator act for a change.

Anyone with GPS on their phones can use tracker apps.
Just start it when you get into the taxi and stop it when you get out. Get the receipt and you have everything you need.

Gerry Asstrix · 07-11-2010 01:48PM

c0rk3r wrote: »

What route did he take?

A taxi from parnell street to Botanic gardens in Glasnevin is around €12. Its hard to believe a fare could cost €20 unless he took the long way. This could be seen as massaging the fare or simply someone who doesnt know the area that well and went the way he knows. I find taximen usually ask "which way?" and if they don't i tell them which way. A fare could reach €20

I imagine an Irish guy would of rang the guards. Im not actually sure which way it would of went though.

Its not even that far up, we talking about Parnell Street to the Porterhouse end of Glasnevin here, and as I said my brother was on the phone to me and then less then 10 minutes he arrived at the house, and was telling me he needed 20 euro, when he asked me the way he went it was the bog standard route as the timeframe would indicate.

Plus aswell instead of parking outside the house, he parked a good bit down the street, which has me thinking that he expected my brother just to give him the 20 quid and wasnt expecting him to run into the house to get money from an adult, was like he was hiding out of viewpoint

Taxi driving chancers

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