‘Inherently racist’

Fromthetrees · 15-05-2012 11:13AM #1

TRANSPORT LEO VARADKAR has said that the green lights on taxi roofs will have to be removed.
He said that other signs on Irish taxis that indicate a driver is Irish are “inherently racist” and “inherently xenophobic”.
Responding to TheJournal.ie’s exclusive report yesterday that some taxi drivers in Dublin were potentially using a covert signal to each other and potential customers that they are Irish, Varadkar said that the green lights would “have to be removed”.

http://www.thejournal.ie/inherently-racist-varadkar-critical-of-signs-of-irishness-on-dublin-taxis-451351-May2012/

I've been hearing taxi drivers giving out about non Irish taxi drivers for years, looks like they are doing something about it now.
Are they victims of circumstance or are they small minded bigots?

chin_grin · 15-05-2012 11:15AM

whistlingtitan · 15-05-2012 11:16AM

Oh dear god that man should be gagged

staker · 15-05-2012 11:18AM

Wonder how high up his list of priorities the likes of the sulky racing and amenities on major motorways are?

15-05-2012 11:18AM

Your post is missing part of Varadkar's quote: "The green light does not form part of the official sign so it is not permitted and the green lights do have to be removed". They have to be removed because they're not part of the sign, not because it's racist.

starbelgrade · 15-05-2012 11:21AM

Irish taxi drivers are generally fine, but Irish taxi drivers from Dublin are a breed apart - it's like they did advanced degrees in the "Joe Duffy School of Moaning".

Just shut the fuck up & drive the taxi and stop whinging about "dem bleedin' black tuk ur jobs". No-one fucking cares.

15-05-2012 11:31AM

The solution to the taxi-driver's woes is quite simple. Form a professional union, with strict joining requirements. Create a minimum set of criteria: good car, clean car, excellent knowledge of the locality, low prices. Make these taxis identifiable to customers and develop a reputation for excellence. These are things customers care about.

Things customers do not care about once the above criteria are met:

Irishness of the driver
"Double-jobbing"
The taxi regulator

Any union based on any of the above have absolutely no interest to the customer, yet they're the most commonly displayed attributes on taxis. I've never once seen a taxi proclaiming their excellent local knowledge, or that they have a great, clean car that provides a smooth ride, but I've seen dozens of "Irish", "Full-time taxi-driver" or anti-regulator stickers.

Dozens of industries self-regulate. They create their own professional bodies to ensure that members are recognised as adhering to a minimum set standard. Yet taxi-drivers, for which there are virtually no entry barriers, have not copped on to that fact

Thwip! · 15-05-2012 11:32AM

*grabs popcorn
*sits in comfortable chair

davet82 · 15-05-2012 11:34AM

if the lights were red lets say to show they were african drivers would it be racist to ask to take them down or racist that they have them up?

anyways if they're not apart of the official display take them down, there are plenty of racist bumper stickers that can be bought i'm sure

The Recliner · 15-05-2012 11:35AM

jpcarlow wrote: »

*grabs popcorn
*sits in comfortable chair

Get off me!

*leave the Popcorn*

Sister Assumpta · 15-05-2012 11:35AM

I was in doubt as to how racist these lights were yesterday, until I read this comment from the NPHTA representative

“I couldn’t see how it would be racist if an individual wants to identify himself for different reasons,” he told RTÉ Radio

If it's a case that you simply want people to see your taxi light more clearly, as happens some places on the continent, just say so. But this talk of "identifying himself for different reasons" makes me smell a rather large rat.

Get rid tbh.

telekon · 15-05-2012 11:37AM

If it is anyway true, I will avoid the green-lit cabs like the plague.

Would much prefer a drive with a foreign taxi driver than listening to the constant, xenophobic ramblings of a bitter Irish one.

Thwip! · 15-05-2012 11:38AM

The Recliner wrote: »

jpcarlow wrote: »

*grabs popcorn
*sits in comfortable chair

Get off me!

*leave the Popcorn*

well played :-D

Morlar · 15-05-2012 11:39AM

I disagree it's xenophobic to advertise your nationality. It's giving people an informed choice. I'd always prefer an Irish born person as a taxi driver, simply because in my experience they know their way around better, have better manners and are less likely to be beligerent or bullish when asked about why they are going such and such a way and so on. My experience of African-born taxi drivers would lead me to prefer Irish or Polish or Russian etc over those ones. Call that whatever you want but that is my choice based on my experience & I am not going to have my mind changed on that.

Plenty of islamic taxi drivers advertise their religon within the car, playing islamic music, having korans and islamic texts prominently on display etc., I wonder if varadkar is also going to be bothered by that at all ?

Dravokivich · 15-05-2012 11:40AM

I've never taken notice of any additional trinkets. I just look out for a taxi with the light on when I go to get one.

krudler · 15-05-2012 11:41AM

starbelgrade wrote: »

Irish taxi drivers are generally fine, but Irish taxi drivers from Dublin are a breed apart - it's like they did advanced degrees in the "Joe Duffy School of Moaning".

Just shut the fuck up & drive the taxi and stop whinging about "dem bleedin' black tuk ur jobs". No-one fucking cares.

also have post doctorates in the "Unbelieveable self entitlement in a zero skill job"

Morlar · 15-05-2012 11:42AM

krudler wrote: »

also have post doctorates in the "Unbelieveable self entitlement in a zero skill job"

I am not a taxi driver but I'd guess there is a certain skill to dealing with condescending (along with all other kinds) customers on a daily basis.

Thwip! · 15-05-2012 11:42AM

28064212 wrote: »

The solution to the taxi-driver's woes is quite simple. Form a professional union, with strict joining requirements. Create a minimum set of criteria: good car, clean car, excellent knowledge of the locality, low prices. Make these taxis identifiable to customers and develop a reputation for excellence. These are things customers care about.

Things customers do not care about once the above criteria are met:
Irishness of the driver

"Double-jobbing"

The taxi regulator

Any union based on any of the above have absolutely no interest to the customer, yet they're the most commonly displayed attributes on taxis. I've never once seen a taxi proclaiming their excellent local knowledge, or that they have a great, clean car that provides a smooth ride, but I've seen dozens of "Irish", "Full-time taxi-driver" or anti-regulator stickers.

Dozens of industries self-regulate. They create their own professional bodies to ensure that members are recognised as adhering to a minimum set standard. Yet taxi-drivers, for which there are virtually no entry barriers, have not copped on to that fact

Well said :-D

The last taxi driver i dealt with used google maps to find the bowling alley

Creamy Goodness · 15-05-2012 11:44AM

i don't need a green light to let me know there's an irish taxi driver in the queue.

i just look at the ignorant racist asshole sitting in the driver seat.

BraziliaNZ · 15-05-2012 11:46AM

This show of narrow mindedness is embarrassing and I can only hope it doesn't receive international attention. Lest we forget it's about as unskilled as unskilled labour gets. Taxis ripped us off for decades and now that there's competition and availability and they're not earning a grand a week and paying little or no tax they're in a strop. Get a real job if times are tough ffs.

Dr.Strange · 15-05-2012 11:55AM

Wow.

Some people really have a completely condescending attitude to Taxi Drivers.

BraziliaNZ · 15-05-2012 11:57AM

Dr.Strange wrote: »

Wow.

Some people really have a completely condescending attitude to Taxi Drivers.

I just don't see why they think they should be special, it's unskilled labour, which in many other Western countries is a job for immigrants, apart from the overly regulated London Black Cabs.

Nothingbetter2d · 15-05-2012 12:00PM

all the taxi drivers that are irish should buy green cars (have a particular shade of green made up especially for it) next time they upgrade.... i'd like to see leo stop that

daltonmd · 15-05-2012 12:03PM

I'd love to see where this idea originated from? Instead of directing the blame squarely on the taxi drivers, couldn't we could easily assume that this is as a result of what they are hearing from their customers.

dark crystal · 15-05-2012 12:05PM

Dr.Strange wrote: »

Wow.

Some people really have a completely condescending attitude to Taxi Drivers.

Sure they're only unskilled oiks dontcha know. Kinda handy when you need them all the same.

My dad drove taxis for a while when work dried up a few years back and he worked long hours, took abuse, got robbed and assaulted and got talked to like he was dirt.

Yeah, he felt really privileged to be doing that job alright.

unclejunior · 15-05-2012 12:07PM

nice one, now we know which ones are the scumbags

Morlar · 15-05-2012 12:09PM

daltonmd wrote: »

I'd love to see where this idea originated from? Instead of directing the blame squarely on the taxi drivers, couldn't we could easily assume that this is as a result of what they are hearing from their customers.

If it did not work they would not do it.

The reason why it works is clearly because many people prefer an Irish driver over a non national one.

I think if the govt. want to involve themselves in this issue then they should start with addressing why many people prefer Irish born drivers over non national ones, rather than putting it's energies into trying to prevent customers from making an informed choice. That's a typical superficial step which is not going to address or resolve anything for anyone.

golden lane · 15-05-2012 12:13PM

ireland, like all the other eu country's joined up.......

obey the rules, or get out...........

it was obvious that all this would happen........

15-05-2012 12:14PM

Morlar wrote: »

If it did not work they would not do it.

The reason why it works is clearly because many people prefer an Irish driver over a non national one.

I think if the govt. want to involve themselves in this issue then they should start with addressing why many people prefer Irish born drivers over non national ones, rather than putting it's energies into trying to prevent customers from making an informed choice. That's a typical superficial step which is not going to address or resolve anything for anyone.

The only issue the government have involved themselves in this regard is the removal of illegal additions to the signage. One representative of the government has said his personal opinion is that legal stickers are racist.

Out of curiosity, would you prefer a bad Irish taxi-driver or a good non-national one?

Hannibal Smith · 15-05-2012 12:15PM

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

I just don't see why they think they should be special, it's unskilled labour, which in many other Western countries is a job for immigrants, apart from the overly regulated London Black Cabs.

How rude! :eek:

I've had plenty of non Irish taxi drivers and been ripped off by most of them....they go the wrong way....'oh sorry, did you not want to go this way'...yeah I wanted to go to South Dublin via Donegal :rolleyes:

However, I've also been in a few taxis with Irish taxi drivers and felt quite intimidated....one night I was a bit....erm....worse for wear

and the taxi driver told me he could do anything to me and I wouldn't even know where I was....I sobered up pretty quickly!

I've had an Irish taxi driver sit and tell me how the non Irish taxi drivers are taking all their jobs, because they're not doing 'fair' hours. They come out for 2 hours a nighta nd take all the good fares apparently

He sat there ranting all the while the meter was running and he argued with me when I tried to get him to knock money off! :eek::D

I don't really know what my point is now....I don't have time for any of them really

:D

Morlar · 15-05-2012 12:17PM

28064212 wrote: »

Out of curiosity, would you prefer a bad Irish taxi-driver or a good non-national one?

Those are not the choices. That's a very tired debating tactic if you don't mind me saying so.

‘Inherently racist’

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