A general question for taxi drivers

mikemac

There a few taxi drivers on boards, here’s a general question and it’s by no means a taxi bashing thread. Just something I’m curious to know

When most drivers pull over to the side of the road they indicate left and stop. No problems with this.
When a taxi driver wants to pull over to the side of the road they never use the left indicator, they use the hazard lights.

Why is this? There could be loads of room for people to overtake so it’s possible they aren’t a hazard. If you doing a driving test and were told to pull into the left and stop where safe and then you slapped on the hazards, you’d be marked down for a fault.

So why are taxi drivers so fond of their hazard lights and by not indicating left. Just interesting to know…..
And do boards users recommend this as maybe it makes them more visible?

T-Maxx

I'm not a taxi driver, but I'd say the correct way of doing it is to:

1. Use the left indicator to indicate that you're pulling over, then
2. Once the car has come to a stop, put the hazard lights on to indicate a stationary vehicle (and potential hazard).

I suspect taxi drivers came into the habit of bypassing Step 1.

Slig

Also hazard lights are a universal parking permit allowing the driver to park anywhere at any time:D

_feedback_

Slig wrote: »

Also hazard lights are a universal parking permit allowing the driver to park anywhere at any time:D

Glad you mentioned that.. I was wondering what were these 'hazard lights' that the OP was talking about. Of course, they are me park anywhere lights.

In fairness, wouldn't say that it's just taxi drivers that are guilty of it OP.

cjt156

Slig wrote: »

Also hazard lights are a universal parking permit allowing the driver to park anywhere at any time:D

Also known as Nippin lights; as in
"I'm just nippin in fer a packet of fags"
"Just nippin in to pick up my dry cleaning"

dreamr

cjt156 wrote: »

Also known as Nippin lights; as in
"I'm just nippin in fer a packet of fags"
"Just nippin in to pick up my dry cleaning"

haha brilliant!:p:D

Steve

cjt156 wrote: »

Also known as Nippin lights; as in
"I'm just nippin in fer a packet of fags"
"Just nippin in to pick up my dry cleaning"

lolled.


I think it puts them in a better position legally if someone crashes into them. Hazards = more visible.

Stealdo

I wouldn't be too bothered by the practise in general but what gets me about it is when someone then pulls in behind them and the passing traffic can only see the right hand indicator. You then don't know whether they're indicating to move back out in the line of traffic or have the hazards on. This is worse with delivery trucks in fairness. Maybe hazard lights should flash a different colour or with a different pattern to indicators to make it clearer when you can only see one.

Vic Mackay

Because they're ignorant & lazy - nothing more to it.

Also - when they are pulled in in front of another car with their hazards on, you can't see the left light, so it just looks like the are indicating right to pull out! Retards just don't think...

VERYinterested

Stealdo wrote: »

I wouldn't be too bothered by the practise in general but what gets me about it is when someone then pulls in behind them and the passing traffic can only see the right hand indicator. You then don't know whether they're indicating to move back out in the line of traffic or have the hazards on. This is worse with delivery trucks in fairness. Maybe hazard lights should flash a different colour or with a different pattern to indicators to make it clearer when you can only see one.

+1! I was just about to post that, agree 100% It is also still possible in this day and age for someone to leave an indicator on for three miles, I thought most cars cancelled them automatically, obviously not. Very frustrating if you are travelling behind.

blorg

Many often leave the hazards on while pulling out, rather than putting on the right indicator. Drives me bats.

Leprechaun77

I know two taxi drivers and often book them for a journey into town when I'm going in/going home. His driving is absolutely shocking :eek:. He drives the car halfway into the bus lane and halfway into the 'normal lane'. When going around a roundabout he is oblivious to the lane markings and just drifts in and out at will. He will often switch lanes just to overtake 2-3 cars, fully knowing that he will have to cut back abruptly into the lane he was in previously in 10 seconds beforehand as he is taking a certain turn. This guys driving would have been resonably good before he became a taxi driver. I questioned him on this and he didn't even realise he was doing it. A few of the lads burst out laughing when I said this as they had experienced the same but did not say anything. The second guy I know has only started in the last year, so the deterioration is probably underway...