Taxi driver protest

Taxipete29 · 05-03-2009 7:36pm

Karlmartini1 wrote: »

Trevor Deely went missing during a taxi strike and has never been seen since.

I cant believe that you are blaming this tragic event on taxi drivers and as for your other comments about drivers weight and appearance, I guarantee you wouldnt have the guts to make any of these arguments to a drivers face. You just keep taking your cheap little shots from behind your keyboard. Your a joke.

jack90210 · 05-03-2009 7:42pm

Only 800 showed up. That's really poor. Out of the supposed 25000. Bad mandate for action. Seems like there is 24200 taxi people happy enough. Maybe the 800 protestors should leave the industry and market equilibrium will be quicker to adjust.

Michael O'Leary (the king of the free market) said it all today really: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0305/breaking55.htm

Spook_ie · 05-03-2009 7:59pm

murphaph wrote: »

Absolutely. I would actually be in favour of no cost for the taxi plate at all (save for admin costs) and the barrier to entry being an ability to actually pass a knowledge test for the city you wish to work in, provide a much better minimum spec car and paint your car in a specific colour. This will discourage 'chancers' from dipping their toe unless they are serious.

This protest is what it is though-the placards tell the true story-the taximen want a cap on plates and nothing else. Sorry, no deal.

Yeah can just see it now loads of placards all saying

The demand is for a cap on plates while the entire industry is reconstructed from the ground up, included in the rebuild would be looking at the removal of transferability of license plates, knowledge tests, vehicle standards, double jobbers, plate/taxi rental companies, minimum/maximum working hours, numeracy tests, English and/or Irish comprehension, allocation of the number of vehicles to suit the size of the town etc. Nothing has been ruled in or out of discussions but the 1st step is a cap on plates while it's sorted out....

get a life will ya' just look at how big the flamin' banners would have to be......

Spook_ie · 05-03-2009 8:02pm

jack90210 wrote: »

Only 800 showed up. That's really poor. Out of the supposed 25000. Bad mandate for action. Seems like there is 24200 taxi people happy enough. Maybe the 800 protestors should leave the industry and market equilibrium will be quicker to adjust.

Michael O'Leary (the king of the free market) said it all today really: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0305/breaking55.htm

Well he would wouldn't he, not being able to use his own personal taxi to get in and out of town today....

BTW He would probably be one of the 1st in line to have his plate removed, seeing as he isn't providing a PSV for hire by the public......

Spook_ie · 05-03-2009 8:10pm

jack90210 wrote: »

Only 800 showed up. That's really poor. Out of the supposed 25000. Bad mandate for action. Seems like there is 24200 taxi people happy enough. Maybe the 800 protestors should leave the industry and market equilibrium will be quicker to adjust.

Michael O'Leary (the king of the free market) said it all today really: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0305/breaking55.htm

Press Association has it at 1200, RTE has it at 1500 not a large mandate no, but it's as large a mandate as some unions who claim to represent the taxi industry and getting bigger by the week.....

jack90210 · 05-03-2009 8:15pm

Spook_ie wrote: »

Press Association has it at 1200, RTE has it at 1500 not a large mandate no, but it's as large a mandate as some unions who claim to represent the taxi industry and getting bigger by the week.....

Irish Times: 800
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0305/breaking7.htm

Even if it was 1500 still pretty poor. Back to the old argument why should some self employed people get a cap on competition while the rest dont?

Taxi drivers v Plasters for example??

Taxipete29 · 05-03-2009 8:20pm

jack90210 wrote: »

Irish Times: 800
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0305/breaking7.htm

Even if it was 1500 still pretty poor. Back to the old argument why should some self employed people get a cap on competition while the rest dont?

Taxi drivers v Plasters for example??

Do you pay the Government €6500 to become a plasterer?? No you dont, its not the same, its totally different.

Read back over the mountains of taxi threads there have been,and this question has been asked in everyone and answered the same in everyone.

jack90210 · 05-03-2009 8:21pm

Yeh but you have a mountain of other start up costs also. Every business has start up costs. So taximen want to get rid of the 6500? The only barrier to entry they have remaining? Plasters also have to go through years of training to get to that point.

Karlmartini1 · 05-03-2009 8:22pm

I suspect the taxi drivers demands for regulation only apply to limiting the number of plates. If there was a requirement for london type cabs only and a difficult 'knowlege' test to pass and various other types of restrictions they would be protesting that also. It's also worth noting how many times I have had to listen to taxi drivers complaining about all the black taxi drivers in Dublin. I once had a driver who who made a point of noting down the taxi plate number of every black taxi driver he saw. What he was going to do with this information, I don't know. I'm not saying all taxi drivers are racists but some are and some have no problem venting their racism to passengers.

People keep bringing up a comparison with New York. It should be noted that New York taxi medallions have been known to trade for up to $600,000. Many of these taxis are driven 24 hours a day in 3 shifts by drivers who will never have a hope of owning their own medallion.

Another complaint I have is being passed by a taxi with the light on on a saturday night, only to see the same taxi stop 50 yards past me to pickup a group of 4 simply because he will make more money carrying a group.

Spook_ie · 05-03-2009 8:28pm

jack90210 wrote: »

Yeh but you have a mountain of other start up costs also. Every business has start up costs. So taximen want to get rid of the 6500? The only barrier to entry they have remaining? Plasters also have to go through years of training to get to that point.

Whoever said they want to get rid of the €6500, my money would be to remove the transferability of plates and put the price up to €20,000, also a good plasterer has to go through years of training, same as a good taxi driver....

Taxipete29 · 05-03-2009 8:28pm

jack90210 wrote: »

Yeh but you have a mountain of other start up costs also. Every business has start up costs. So taximen want to get rid of the 6500? The only barrier to entry they have remaining? Plasters also have to go through years of training to get to that point.

No of course not, my point is that its a licence fee and that if the Government want to licence an industry they should regulate it appropriatly and not allow the regulator to sit on a report from Goodbodys for 3 months.

I suspect that this report recommends an immediate cap on plates to allow for reform, just as drivers are asking for and the regulator is holding it up to avoid looking stupid as she has been told this over and over

jack90210 · 05-03-2009 8:32pm

A taxi driver could be on the road in a matter of weeks. A plaster has to go through years of training absorbing the opportunity cost of engaging in better paid work such as taxidriving but ultimately unskilled and therefore in the long run they deserve to make better wages. So why again should we limit entrants to an unskilled, easy to do industry? This 6500 thing is rubbish as I have just pointed out you are not considering opportunity cost when comparing your industry to others.

Spook_ie · 05-03-2009 8:36pm

Karlmartini1 wrote: »

I suspect the taxi drivers demands for regulation only apply to limiting the number of plates. If there was a requirement for london type cabs only and a difficult 'knowlege' test to pass and various other types of restrictions they would be protesting that also. It's also worth noting how many times I have had to listen to taxi drivers complaining about all the black taxi drivers in Dublin. I once had a driver who who made a point of noting down the taxi plate number of every black taxi driver he saw. What he was going to do with this information, I don't know. I'm not saying all taxi drivers are racists but some are and some have no problem venting their racism to passengers.

People keep bringing up a comparison with New York. It should be noted that New York taxi medallions have been known to trade for up to $600,000. Many of these taxis are driven 24 hours a day in 3 shifts by drivers who will never have a hope of owning their own medallion.

Another complaint I have is being passed by a taxi with the light on on a saturday night, only to see the same taxi stop 50 yards past me to pickup a group of 4 simply because he will make more money carrying a group.

Read the posts, we want a temporary cap on plates as a start point, I'm glad you agree that not all taxi drivers are racists much the same as customers ( being a NN myself, but having lived in Dublin for the last 18 years, I can vouch for this ), as to NY medallions, no transferability of licenses easily sorts that and as for driving past you to pick up a fare down the road, at this present moment thats a highly unlikely scenario, you'd be more likely to get 2 or 3 cabs claimimg they saw you 1st..

Taxipete29 · 05-03-2009 8:40pm

Karlmartini1 wrote: »

I suspect the taxi drivers demands for regulation only apply to limiting the number of plates. If there was a requirement for london type cabs only and a difficult 'knowlege' test to pass and various other types of restrictions they would be protesting that also. It's also worth noting how many times I have had to listen to taxi drivers complaining about all the black taxi drivers in Dublin. I once had a driver who who made a point of noting down the taxi plate number of every black taxi driver he saw. What he was going to do with this information, I don't know. I'm not saying all taxi drivers are racists but some are and some have no problem venting their racism to passengers.

Most drivers are in favour of a more difficult test.
Im not racist by any means but how do drivers pass a test when they dont know where Stephans Green is??? And these stories of immigrant drivers not having a clue where they are going are not urban legends. There has been rumours for a long time that immigrant drivers dont need to score as highly on the test to pass as Irish ones do, how true this is I dont know, but they seem to have some merit considering the appaling knowledge of alot of immigrant taxi drivers.

Concerning the guy writing down the plate numbers, there is a major amount of illegal cabs operating in the city. They have cloned licences. This while not an exclusively immigrant issue, it seems to be more previlant wiht them. Point being perhaps he was watching out for this kind of operation.

People keep bringing up a comparison with New York. It should be noted that New York taxi medallions have been known to trade for up to $600,000. Many of these taxis are driven 24 hours a day in 3 shifts by drivers who will never have a hope of owning their own medallion.
If they trade for that kind of money, drivers can obviously make a decent living driving for 8 hours

Another complaint I have is being passed by a taxi with the light on on a saturday night, only to see the same taxi stop 50 yards past me to pickup a group of 4 simply because he will make more money carrying a group.

One guy or girl on there own are not ideal passengers on a saturday night as they are the most troublesome group of passengers you can have. They fall asleep and you cant wake them up, they have no money in some cases, they are more likely to get sick in the car and they are more likely to do a runner.

Spook_ie · 05-03-2009 8:41pm

jack90210 wrote: »

A taxi driver could be on the road in a matter of weeks. A plaster has to go through years of training absorbing the opportunity cost of engaging in better paid work such as taxidriving but ultimately unskilled and therefore in the long run they deserve to make better wages. So why again should we limit entrants to an unskilled, easy to do industry? This 6500 thing is rubbish as I have just pointed out you are not considering opportunity cost when comparing your industry to others.

Realy.....

You can become a qualified Plasterer in just 6 weeks of training!
You can gain the City & Guilds 6217 Plastering qualification in just six weeks, the intensive courses are excellent in getting you up to the required standard to enter the work place.
You will be trained in a purpose built environment and will be plastering walls from day one.

http://www.plastering-courses.info/?gclid=CKGK_bzFjJkCFQ0zQgodWnTJnA

And of course there's nothing to stop you from doing a bit here and there while you're traing.....seems a lot like taxi driving to me...

jack90210 · 05-03-2009 8:43pm

Spook_ie wrote: »

Realy.....

http://www.plastering-courses.info/?gclid=CKGK_bzFjJkCFQ0zQgodWnTJnA

Site doesnt work for me. But maybe your right I'm not sure what wages plasters earn but I do know electricians take 4 years to qualify and therefore my point holds for them.

acontadino · 05-03-2009 8:44pm

my dad himself a taxi driver, says that many taxi drivers really hold a deep seated hatred against mainly (non-white) taxi drivers. i'd say many of the original 2,000 are very bitter.

Taxipete29 · 05-03-2009 8:57pm

jack90210 wrote: »

A taxi driver could be on the road in a matter of weeks. A plaster has to go through years of training absorbing the opportunity cost of engaging in better paid work such as taxidriving but ultimately unskilled and therefore in the long run they deserve to make better wages. So why again should we limit entrants to an unskilled, easy to do industry? This 6500 thing is rubbish as I have just pointed out you are not considering opportunity cost when comparing your industry to others.

For starters it takes alot longer than a few weeks to become a taxi driver, its probably closer to 6 months from the time you first submit your application. Its not unskilled, you must have a full drivng licence and a knowledge of the city or area you are working in. Are these not skills???

There are limitations in all industries just not always regulatory ones. Trades people serve apprenticeships, if there is not a high demand for that skill you wont get one. I doubt there are very many apprenticeships on offer at the moment, infact I know alot of guys who cant even finish theirs as there companies have laid them off. Thats the industry putting there own cap on numbers.

While I understand the idea of oppurtunity cost, I just dont see how it applies in this case. Most apprenticeships begin between 18 and 21. I only know of and have only seen a few guys of this age in our industry. Alot of drivers are actually ex- trades men in various fields who got into the taxi game before the building boom or left as they were getting too old to work on sites. Point being, nobody leaves school and goes straight into taxi driving, they usually have worked in other fields for several years before entering. This negates your argument about oppurtunity cost

jack90210 · 05-03-2009 9:02pm

Taxipete29 wrote: »

For starters it takes alot longer than a few weeks to become a taxi driver, its probably closer to 6 months from the time you first submit your application. Its not unskilled, you must have a full drivng licence and a knowledge of the city or area you are working in. Are these not skills???

Yes they are skills. Skills that many people have and are easy to attain. I have those skills and I'm not a taximan. The 6 month thing is just pure paperwork rubbish its not a time where you are doing anything.

There are limitations in all industries just not always regulatory ones. Trades people serve apprenticeships, if there is not a high demand for that skill you wont get one. I doubt there are very many apprenticeships on offer at the moment, infact I know alot of guys who cant even finish theirs as there companies have laid them off. Thats the industry putting there own cap on numbers.

No that would be the free market putting a cap on numbers. Just as what will occur in taxis.

While I understand the idea of oppurtunity cost, I just dont see how it applies in this case. Most apprenticeships begin between 18 and 21. I only know of and have only seen a few guys of this age in our industry. Alot of drivers are actually ex- trades men in various fields who got into the taxi game before the building boom or left as they were getting too old to work on sites. Point being, nobody leaves school and goes straight into taxi driving, they usually have worked in other fields for several years before entering. This negates your argument about oppurtunity cost

[/quote]

Who said the 18-21 year old had to be driving a taxi, they could work in a call centre, do donkey office work, work in a retail store. They'll be making more then in their apprenticeship but they are losing money now (op cost) to make money in the future. So no it doesn't negate my argument, far from it.

lostexpectation · 05-03-2009 9:02pm

Disruption due to today's protest was kept to a minimum with gardai and drivers working together to coordinate the event.

so how much chaos was there?

athtrasna · 05-03-2009 9:07pm

None whatsoever, in fact traffic was better than normal, way better. Got from Merrion Square, down Pearse St, Quays and into the Phoenix Park in 15 minutes!

Taxipete29 · 05-03-2009 9:08pm

jack90210 wrote: »

Yes they are skills. Skills that many people have and are easy to attain. I have those skills and I'm not a taximan. The 6 month thing is just pure paperwork rubbish its not a time where you are doing anything.

Any skill is easy to attain if you have the apptitude, its just a matter of how long it takes.

No that would be the free market putting a cap on numbers. Just as what will occur in taxis.
This is where your argument falls apart as the Taxi Industry is not a free market as its regulated by the Government.

Who said the 18-21 year old had to be driving a taxi, they could work in a call centre, do donkey office work, work in a retail store. They'll be making more then in their apprenticeship but they are losing money now (op cost) to make money in the future. So no it doesn't negate my argument, far from it.[/QUOTE]
Well we are talking about the taxi industry not any other job. I agree when it comes to other jobs you mentioned but the taxi industry is what we are talking about and I pointed out thats its not like that.

Spook_ie · 05-03-2009 9:08pm

jack90210 wrote: »

Site doesnt work for me. But maybe your right I'm not sure what wages plasters earn but I do know electricians take 4 years to qualify and therefore my point holds for them.

Actualy you don't need to be a member of RECI to work in electrics in Ireland ( though it may well be desirable ) and as RECI would be the people looking for a time served aprenticeship your argument is again sunk......In other words I could ( if I so desired ) advertise my services as an electrician, even if I were color blind and didn't know my AC from my elbow :cool:

godtabh · 05-03-2009 9:32pm

Taxipete29 wrote: »

Do you pay the Government €6500 to become a plasterer?? No you dont, its not the same, its totally different.

Read back over the mountains of taxi threads there have been,and this question has been asked in everyone and answered the same in everyone.

I've paid over €10k to become an engineer. I'm not asking them to cap anythng. Its the same thing

godtabh · 05-03-2009 9:33pm

Spook_ie wrote: »

In other words I could ( if I so desired ) advertise my services as an electrician, even if I were color blind and didn't know my AC from my elbow :cool:

You wouldnt be an electrican. You'd be a chancer sorry I mean handy man

Taxipete29 · 05-03-2009 9:38pm

kearnsr wrote: »

I've paid over €10k to become an egineer. I'm not asking them to cap anythng. Its the same thing

Maybe you should of paid a little more and learned how to spell it.

godtabh · 05-03-2009 9:39pm

Taxipete29 wrote: »

Maybe you should of paid a little more and learned how to spell it.

It wasnt an english class

Taxipete29 · 05-03-2009 9:42pm

kearnsr wrote: »

It wasnt an english class

Obviously

Jumpy · 05-03-2009 9:47pm

Taxipete29 wrote: »

Maybe you should of paid a little more and learned how to spell it.

Should of? Should have perhaps?

godtabh · 05-03-2009 9:50pm

Taxipete29 wrote: »

Obviously

and yet I still managed to get my 2 degrees. Suppose I'd take that over working 12 hours a day for €50 because I've no other qualifications. Or do you? What qualifies you to drive a taxi?

I like the www.taxitaxi.ie blurb

* Earn €1000 gross cash with as little required as a €16 taxi licence - you just need to put in the hours - say 50 hours a week.

All you need is a PSV licence

This must be why you think we owe you.

Man I've wasted 6 years in college

Taxipete29 · 05-03-2009 9:52pm

Jumpy wrote: »

Should of? Should have perhaps?

Grammer Nazi

Taxipete29 · 05-03-2009 10:04pm

kearnsr wrote: »

and yet I still managed to get my 2 degrees. Suppose I'd take that over working 12 hours a day for €50 because I've no other qualifications. Or do you? What qualifies you to drive a taxi?

I like the www.taxitaxi.ie blurb

* Earn €1000 gross cash with as little required as a €16 taxi licence - you just need to put in the hours - say 50 hours a week.

All you need is a PSV licence

This must be why you think we owe you.

Man I've wasted 6 years in college

I have little time for people who rave on about how many degrees they have and what they are qualified for, when all their doing is trying to measure the size of their *****.

I have got formal education qualifactions, but I dont feel the need to go shouting about them on an internet forum.

I dont think im owed anything and its quite ironic you quote a site which sells and rents out taxis, they are hardly going to paint a true picture of the industry as it currently stands now are they.

godtabh · 05-03-2009 10:06pm

Taxipete29 wrote: »

I dont think im owed anything and its quite ironic you quote a site which sells and rents out taxis, they are hardly going to paint a true picture of the industry as it currently stands now are they.

So is that why I should believe what the taxi industry says there being too many taxis?

Taxipete29 · 05-03-2009 10:14pm

kearnsr wrote: »

So is that why I should believe what the taxi industry says there being too many taxis?

To be fair I doubt anyone is disputing that there is too many taxis. The question is do you believe there should be a cap placed on licences or just let market forces sort it out. I know you believe the latter, but surely you recognise there are too many taxis???

godtabh · 05-03-2009 10:19pm

Taxipete29 wrote: »

To be fair I doubt anyone is disputing that there is too many taxis. The question is do you believe there should be a cap placed on licences or just let market forces sort it out. I know you believe the latter, but surely you recognise there are too many taxis???

Its an open market. There cant be to many taxis.

jack90210 · 05-03-2009 10:20pm

kearnsr wrote: »

Its an open market. There cant be to many taxis.

+1

Taxi drivers need to study economics.

Taxipete29 · 05-03-2009 10:28pm

kearnsr wrote: »

Its an open market. There cant be to many taxis.

Thats a ridiculous statement. It makes no sense at all. I assume one of your degrees is not in Economics

Taxipete29 · 05-03-2009 10:31pm

jack90210 wrote: »

+1

Taxi drivers need to study economics.

Of course there can be too many entrants into any market and under normal market conditions the surplus will leave based on supply and demand, but this has not happened in the taxi industry as it has few barriers to entry but huge barriers to exiting.

godtabh · 05-03-2009 10:33pm

Taxipete29 wrote: »

Thats a ridiculous statement. It makes no sense at all. I assume one of your degrees is not in Economics

Your formal education qualifications clearly aren’t related to rocket science.

Taxis don’t have the right to cap numbers because they believe there are to many drivers. A free market (or so I believe) is that any one can join it and make a go of it. Its their risk. If risk pays off fair enough. If they are back protesting 6 months later because the promised €1000 a week didn’t materialise then tuff titties

godtabh · 05-03-2009 10:36pm

Taxipete29 wrote: »

Of course there can be too many entrants into any market and under normal market conditions the surplus will leave based on supply and demand, but this has not happened in the taxi industry as it has few barriers to entry but huge barriers to exiting.

Cry me a river. You didnt walk into the industry blind. If you did then thats your fault.

Supply and demand balance its self out naturally butthe way you are proposing is just looking after yourself and doesnt help any one who may come along who can make a living based on current conditons.

What happens if things pick up and there is a massive demand for taxis? Would you lift the cap? Not with a few more protests I'd say

jack90210 · 05-03-2009 10:36pm

Taxipete29 wrote: »

Of course there can be too many entrants into any market and under normal market conditions the surplus will leave based on supply and demand, but this has not happened in the taxi industry as it has few barriers to entry but huge barriers to exiting.

It will eventually, if as you claim, there isnt enough money to go around. Market adjustments don't happen over night.

Taxipete29 · 05-03-2009 10:43pm

kearnsr wrote: »

Your formal education qualifications clearly aren’t related to rocket science.

Taxis don’t have the right to cap numbers because they believe there are to many drivers. A free market (or so I believe) is that any one can join it and make a go of it. Its their risk. If risk pays off fair enough. If they are back protesting 6 months later because the promised €1000 a week didn’t materialise then tuff titties

The cap is to allow for reform of the industry, so the barriers to entry will be increased and the industry will be better regulated. When these reforms are in completed then open it back up for anyone who wants to get in and meets the new standards. This is what is being asked for.

Why is the regulator sitting on a report into the industry from Goodbodys for the last 3 months???

Taxipete29 · 05-03-2009 10:48pm

kearnsr wrote: »

Cry me a river. You didnt walk into the industry blind. If you did then thats your fault.

Supply and demand balance its self out naturally butthe way you are proposing is just looking after yourself and doesnt help any one who may come along who can make a living based on current conditons.

What happens if things pick up and there is a massive demand for taxis? Would you lift the cap? Not with a few more protests I'd say

Your making assumptions now and not paying attention to anything I have said.

godtabh · 05-03-2009 11:02pm

Taxipete29 wrote: »

Your making assumptions now and not paying attention to anything I have said.

They are assumptions based the previous actions of taxi drivers

confused-dazed · 05-03-2009 11:05pm

HydeRoad wrote: »

You lot are unbelievable. You are either sitting in work dossing on boards, or sitting at home dossing on boards. Charmed lives.

I am NOT out protesting with the taxi drivers today. Instead I have an appointment with the bank this afternoon to plead with them AGAIN to give me more time to try to sell my home before they take it. I cannot get a buyer. I have sold my taxi plate, but cannot sell the car, which is worthless. I cannot taxi in it, as it is overdue maintenance that I cannot afford. The money from the plate is gone on overdue bills.

I have been going into Social Welfare for weeks now, and they string me along and tell me every reason why I am entitled to nothing. Citizens Information also told me I am entitled to nothing. I have to go into the bank, and explain to them that my income is ZERO. NOTHING. I have no money to give them. Not even a dole payment. I hope they don't start proceedings to put me in jail. I was honest all my life, and worked hard.

At least in jail I would be guaranteed shelter and a meal. Perhaps that is where some of you would like to see me. After all, in the words of paulm17781 I am only a 'stain' on society.

There are plenty of taxi drivers on this protest who are not destitute. They are older, and don't have the mortgages and commitments of the younger guys. That does not take away from the desperate situation of some of the younger guys. I'm sure some of them are only in it for what they can get, but I don't care, because whether they win or lose their case, it's too late for me. Sure there's a few who would happily drag us back to the 1970s, but screw them, too. Unfortunately, many of them haven't a clue about good PR or fighting a just case. But then, they were paid up members of a union that should have been doing that for them, and instead, has let them down. I would have hoped that in andrewdeerpark's 'capitalist free system' there would be some threshold slightly above ZERO that nobody would be let fall. Maybe if I could afford to emigrate, then he wouldn't have the disgust of having to look at me.

I am sorely sorry I ever got into taxiing. I hung myself out the window with loans to do so. But I was strung along by this regulator with promises of high standards and an industry that was modernising itself. Instead she opened the floodgates to hundreds of people who quite obviously never had to pass any kind of knowledge or suitability test, and all the promises of standards in the industry were proved to be lies, like everything else that comes out of this government. I was sold a booger, and now I am paying dearly. I don't want a cap on anything, just some standards I could have aspired to, and some self respect. Instead it is a free-for-all, with no standards whatsoever. That's your 'free market' system in action.

There you are now, paulm17781, I didn't want to broadcast my personal business on a public forum, but I hope you are happy. You can carry on with your self satisfied insults now all you want. I won't trouble you further. I will withdraw my ID to protect what little self respect I have left.

after reading this i'll keep it very short. why the hell were the protesting taxi drivers allowed to use the bus lanes today. they weren't plying for hire nor did they have a fare yet i didn't see one guard on the bus lanes doing these guys. as i said it's short.
after reading hydes post it kinda gets you in the heart no matter how much people hate taxi drivers. i've always enjoyed his posts and out of all the taxi drivers that post hyde has to be the most genuine and honest one i've come across here.
have the taxi drivers not lobbied the opposition to act on their behalf.?

Taxipete29 · 05-03-2009 11:24pm

kearnsr wrote: »

They are assumptions based the previous actions of taxi drivers

In a bygone era and under different conditions. Those actions were by a few thousand drivers, many of whom are no longer even in the industry. Open your mind just a fraction and you might see things are not the same.

godtabh · 05-03-2009 11:31pm

Taxipete29 wrote: »

In a bygone era and under different conditions. Those actions were by a few thousand drivers, many of whom are no longer even in the industry. Open your mind just a fraction and you might see things are not the same.

Taxi drivers in the past protested about deregulation.

They are now protesting about the need for regulation and capping numbers.

Whats changed?

Taxipete29 · 05-03-2009 11:31pm

confused-dazed wrote: »

after reading this i'll keep it very short. why the hell were the protesting taxi drivers allowed to use the bus lanes today. they weren't plying for hire nor did they have a fare yet i didn't see one guard on the bus lanes doing these guys. as i said it's short.
after reading hydes post it kinda gets you in the heart no matter how much people hate taxi drivers. i've always enjoyed his posts and out of all the taxi drivers that post hyde has to be the most genuine and honest one i've come across here.
have the taxi drivers not lobbied the opposition to act on their behalf.?

The organisers were acting in consultation with the Garda Traffic Corp and its was under their direction that taxis were in those bus lanes.

There are several opposition TDs who have become involved including Tommy Broughan, Labour spokesperson on Transport and Joe Costello. The organisers have also encouraged drivers to approach their local TDs.

lods · 05-03-2009 11:32pm

confused-dazed wrote: »

after reading this i'll keep it very short. why the hell were the protesting taxi drivers allowed to use the bus lanes today. they weren't plying for hire nor did they have a fare yet i didn't see one guard on the bus lanes doing these guys. as i said it's short.
after reading hydes post it kinda gets you in the heart no matter how much people hate taxi drivers. i've always enjoyed his posts and out of all the taxi drivers that post hyde has to be the most genuine and honest one i've come across here.
have the taxi drivers not lobbied the opposition to act on their behalf.?

Also park at ranks and not be available for hire.

Taxipete29 · 05-03-2009 11:33pm

kearnsr wrote: »

Taxi drivers in the past protested about deregulation.

They are now protesting about the need for regulation and capping numbers.

Whats changed?

That those drivers were trying to protect their super-normal profits. We are now trying to protect the future of the industry. Big difference.

Taxi driver protest

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