Taxi driver protest

Zulu

Spook_ie wrote: »

I have tended to stay out of this thread since it's reincarnation, but I have to take you to task on that outright blatent untruth. The Taxi Regulator and before that the Councils control the price not the taxi drivers, that's why there's a sealed taximeter installed in legitimate taxis...

blatent untruth? I think not. The Taxi Regulator controls the maximum price.

Taxi drivers are able to, should they wish, charge less. Evidently they won't do this though.

So if you are going to "take me to task", do so correctly, and while you're at it you might answer this question:

What problem do you have with fair competition?

Taxipete29

koolkid wrote: »

TBH none of the taxi drivers can not put up a decent argument on this.
They will not answer a straight question.
They say they are making no money & protest about it & then argue they are making money. If so you should be grateful in the current climate.
You have a job & are making money. What mre do you want???

I didnt want to get drawn into another on of these arguments because I have done it all before and answered all these questions before. My stance on the need for change has not altered however my views on how to acheive that change has.

I have not been asked any straight questions on this thread. What do you want to know??

Zulu

Taxipete29 wrote: »

I have not been asked any straight questions on this thread. What do you want to know??

WTF

Here's a straight question for you:

What problem do you have with fair competition?

gdael

Zulu wrote: »

WTF

Here's a straight question for you:

What problem do you have with fair competition?

Heres another:


What problem do you have with fair competition?

rubadub

blahblah06 wrote: »

you love reapeating yourself dont you rub.

No, I hate it, I find it extremely annoying having to repeatedly post the same question without answer. At least you are admitting you are actually seeing my questions reposted over and over, and just choosing to ignore them. No doubt you cannot come up with an answer which will not shed you in a very bad and hypocritical light. In this and the other thread nobody has yet given a reasonable answer to my questions, or others like Zulus fair trade question, which is pretty much the same as mine too.

rubadub wrote: »

Are there any other jobs that taximen think people should be forced into full time employment in? Or ones they should not be allowed to part time? Window cleaning perhaps, or general contract cleaning.

Taxipete29 wrote: »

Nobody is trying to stop people taking a 2nd job

Some seem to be

blahblah06 wrote: »

its the part timers greedy gits that really annoy me

Spook_ie

Zulu wrote: »

blatent untruth? I think not. The Taxi Regulator controls the maximum price.

Taxi drivers are able to, should they wish, charge less. Evidently they won't do this though.

So if you are going to "take me to task", do so correctly, and while you're at it you might answer this question:

What problem do you have with fair competition?

Get it right, you said the taxidrivers control the price, we don't the taxi regulator controls the price, myself as a taxidriver decide if you warrant a discount based on how nice a customer you are, what sort of mood I'm in, what bills I have forthcoming etc. BUT I don not control the price, it's fixed as per regulations.

As to what do I have against fair competition, myself nothing, I'll fight any businessman ( which is what I am ) on a level pitch. I don not count people who have a PAYE job as being on a level pitch, neither do I count people on Back To Work Enterprise Allowences as being on a level pitch.

As regards all the people on here who keep saying that taxidriving is a low skill therefore low paid job, I would remind you that it isn't a job it's a business with it's associated profit/loss margins. When those margins are being pressured from sources other than fair competition, I reserve the right to moan 'n whinge, as you put it.

As to the ultimate question that seems to keep cropping up about double jobbers, I drive my taxi full time to make a living and provide for my family responsibilities, as well as to make enough capital to reinvest in the business and keep the present investment on the road. To be forced into working excessive hours to keep my business afloat is not in the interests of either myself or the customer. The double jobbing (PAYE) taximen in the industry are undermining the ability for full time taxi drivers to make the business sufficently profitable to reinvest in the newer cars being regulated for. It is also a simple matter for the taxi regulator to issue the edict "You drive a taxi, then in the interests of public safety that is the only thing you can do" simplicity itself

blahblah06

Zulu wrote: »

blatent untruth? I think not. The Taxi Regulator controls the maximum price.

Taxi drivers are able to, should they wish, charge less. Evidently they won't do this though.

So if you are going to "take me to task", do so correctly, and while you're at it you might answer this question:

What problem do you have with fair competition?

Have u ever heard of 8202020?

gdael

This is funny.

http://irishtaxi.org/forum/index.php?topic=1712.0

Do taxi drivers actually think anyone is on their side? Talk about having your head up your arse

KoolKid

I have not been asked any straight questions on this thread. What do you want to know??

Why should Taxi drivers be given special treatment over any other business who are finding it difficult to make a profit.?
Why would any sane person stay running a business when they are not making any money?
If you are making money then what exactly is your protests about?
If there is no money to made is this business why would anyone be concerned about more people getting into the business?
If you owned a Spar & somebody opened a centra beside you. Would you class the owner of the Centra agreedy git because he owns another shop already?
Would you protest that this shop should be closed because it affect your business?

blahblah06

lol koolkid you keep on adding questions ive already answered the ones you asked me and you ignored me after i made a fool of you

blahblah06

also if you read the news as you say you must have missed this

30/03/2009 - 18:12:36
Taxi drivers staging a 24-hour work stoppage tonight vowed to step up their campaign for better working conditions.

Taxi Drivers For Change, which organised the protest, said it plans to submit constructive measures that will protect their livelihoods to Government and interested parties.


Read more: http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/eyaueyqlojcw/#ixzz0SygirSB5

Spook_ie

Does it matter if we have the public on our side or not, if I'm not making enough capital to run my business then TBH it doesn't make one iota of difference.

The only thing that would make a difference would be if the public did what they keep threatening to do and boycott taxis altogether, but at this late stage ( given the downturn in my profits ) even that's not going to make much difference.

I would suggest though that the answer is partly with the public. When you get a taxi make sure it's legit, check the drivers ID, check the meter is sealed and hasn't been tampered with and above all STOP taking the taxis that are illegaly ranked at places like the bottom of Grafton St, stand by them and flag a passing taxi down or cross the road and use the legal rank. You ( the lazy customer who would aid and abet some taxi drivers to break the law ) are the ones causing some of the problems..

gdael

Spook_ie wrote: »

Does it matter if we have the public on our side or not, if I'm not making enough capital to run my business then TBH it doesn't make one iota of difference.

The only thing that would make a difference would be if the public did what they keep threatening to do and boycott taxis altogether, but at this late stage ( given the downturn in my profits ) even that's not going to make much difference.

I would suggest though that the answer is partly with the public. When you get a taxi make sure it's legit, check the drivers ID, check the meter is sealed and hasn't been tampered with and above all STOP taking the taxis that are illegaly ranked at places like the bottom of Grafton St, stand by them and flag a passing taxi down or cross the road and use the legal rank. You ( the lazy customer who would aid and abet some taxi drivers to break the law ) are the ones causing some of the problems..

You forgot the most important advice of all for the customer.

NEVER get into any taxi without securing at least a 20% discount off the meter.

The lazy customer will always end up paying more than they should.

Spook_ie

gdael wrote: »

You for got the most important advice of all for the customer.

NEVER get into any taxi without securing at least a 20% discount off the meter.

The lazy customer will always end up paying more than they should.

That's your perogative, just means you'll never be a customer in my taxi. I can live with that given your attitude

Taxipete29

Zulu wrote: »

WTF

Here's a straight question for you:

What problem do you have with fair competition?

I dont have a problem with fair competition.

Is it fair competition though when there are illegal operators who have either no proper licence, proper insurance or are driving a cloned car??

Is it fair competition when most drivers invest in their car and licence yet up until recently some people who were long term unemployed were given large grants to set up as taxi drivers. This included the cost of obtaining the spsv licence and attending the training course to pass the test.

Drivers want the rules enforced. The rules the regulator has brought in but hasnt seen fit to enforce to any degree. There are 9 enforcement officers for the whole country when I last spoke to her office about 6 months ago. This is for 26000 taxis approx.

Drivers want the enforcement of section 36. This is about people with criminal records being stripped of their licences and also preventing criminals from obtaining licences in the future.

Is this so unreasonable???

Zulu

Spook_ie wrote: »

Get it right, you said the taxidrivers control the price, we don't the taxi regulator controls the price, myself as a taxidriver decide if you warrant a discount

I take it you don't see the contradiction there. :rolleyes:
I got it right. The regulator controls the maximum price. You control the price. You can choose, as you suggested, to lower that price.

I don not control the price,

You do.

it's fixed as per regulations.

Only the maximum price is fixed.

I don not count people who have a PAYE job as being on a level pitch, neither do I count people on Back To Work Enterprise Allowences as being on a level pitch.

Why not? You all drive a cab. Whats the difference?

When those margins are being pressured from sources other than fair competition, I reserve the right to moan 'n whinge, as you put it.

"Other than fair competition", whats not fair about the competition? Do they have super cabs? Flying cabs?? Time machines??? Whats not fair about the competition?

I drive my taxi full time to make a living and provide for my family responsibilities, as well as to make enough capital to reinvest in the business and keep the present investment on the road. To be forced into working excessive hours to keep my business afloat is not in the interests of either myself or the customer.

Oh, I see. So you'd prefer us to be left waiting for hours, just to ensure you always have a fare is it? Get real. You are competiting in an open market. That's the nature of capitalism.

blahblah06 wrote: »

Have u ever heard of 8202020?

You ever heard of answering a straight question:
Whats your problem with fair competition?

At least we got Spook_ie's answer: it's competition! He's against competition.

Spook_ie wrote: »

You ( the lazy customer who would aid and abet some taxi drivers to break the law ) are the ones causing some of the problems..

Yes, of couse! It's our fault. :rolleyes:

blahblah06

zulu read what peat just said and get a life. I answered all I was asked. its also ot our fault there is illegals on the raod and parking illegally now is it. thats what were fighting for. trying to help you and us

Zulu

Taxipete29 wrote: »

I dont have a problem with fair competition.

Clearly you do if you wish to limit the amount of taxi plates on offer.

Is it fair competition though when there are illegal operators who have either no proper licence, proper insurance or are driving a cloned car??

If it's already illegal isn't that a problem for the Guards? How is blocking the capital going to resolve that?

Is it fair competition when most drivers invest in their car and licence yet up until recently some people who were long term unemployed were given large grants to set up as taxi drivers.

Ah right, so we shouldn't give support to unemployed people to help them get a job?

Drivers want the enforcement of section 36. This is about people with criminal records being stripped of their licences and also preventing criminals from obtaining licences in the future.

Thats what the protest was about? Really?? Pull the other one. If business was booming you wouldn't give a monkeys fuck in a Siberian snow storm for section 36. You were protesting against fair competition.

Is this so unreasonable???

Is disrupting approx 1 million people because you are finding the current economy difficult unreasonable? Yes. Yes it is.

Rowley Birkin QC

Spook_ie wrote: »

I would suggest though that the answer is partly with the public. When you get a taxi make sure it's legit, check the drivers ID, check the meter is sealed and hasn't been tampered with and above all STOP taking the taxis that are illegaly ranked at places like the bottom of Grafton St, stand by them and flag a passing taxi down or cross the road and use the legal rank. You ( the lazy customer who would aid and abet some taxi drivers to break the law ) are the ones causing some of the problems..

You are presuming that people care about this issue. To be perfectly honest, on the very rare occasions that I want a taxi, I'll take the nearest one around. Doesn't particularly bother me where he was parked up beforehand.

We, your customers, are the ones causing the problems?! Seriously?

blahblah06

Zulu wrote: »

Clearly you do if you wish to limit the amount of taxi plates on offer.

Drivers are calling for the suspension of new licences and a review of the taxi industry.

you cant fix a problem with an industry if things are not put on hold

blahblah06

bigkev49 wrote: »

You are presuming that people care about this issue. To be perfectly honest, on the very rare occasions that I want a taxi, I'll take the nearest one around. Doesn't particularly bother me where he was parked up beforehand.

We, your customers, are the ones causing the problems?! Seriously?

do u care if there illegal drivers ?

Zulu

blahblah06 wrote: »

zulu read what peat just said and get a life.

Don't tell me to "get a life", it's rude & ignorant.
So you're still going to aviod the question then?

I answered all I was asked.

You haven't. You are lying. You have not answered this one question:
What is your problem with fair competition?

blahblah06

Zulu wrote: »

Don't tell me to "get a life", it's rude & ignorant.
So you're still going to aviod the question then?
You haven't. You are lying. You have not answered this one question:
What is your problem with fair competition?

never said i had a prob with FAIR competition. get a life

btw its avoid..

Rowley Birkin QC

blahblah06 wrote: »

Drivers are calling for the suspension of new licences and a review of the taxi industry.

you cant fix a problem with an industry if things are not put on hold

When will the message get through, it's up to the industry to fix itself!

If you are not happy with the amount of money you are getting/your conditions then get out of it and go do something else. Taxi driving is a low skill, low wage means of employment. Talking it up to be something else and thinking that the govt. or the public at large is particularly interested is laughable at best, delusional at the other end of things.

Hootanany

Are the illegal taxis cheaper if so vote with your pocket

Rowley Birkin QC

blahblah06 wrote: »

do u care if there illegal drivers ?

Illegal as in they don't pull in at ranks or illegal as in they are unlicensed?

Unlicensed: yes, I care.
Don't pull in at ranks etc.: couldn't care less.

blahblah06

bigkev49 wrote: »

When will the message get through, it's up to the industry to fix itself!

If you are not happy with the amount of money you are getting/your conditions then get out of it and go do something else. Taxi driving is a low skill, low wage means of employment. Talking it up to be something else and thinking that the govt. or the public at large is particularly interested is laughable at best, delusional at the other end of things.

the taxi industry has a taxi regulator who along with the gov fixes the problems on our behalf just like management do for staff.

Im quite happy with the amount of money im getting but I am prepared to fight for my future and familys future to minimise as much damage as possible is caused

blahblah06

bigkev49 wrote: »

Illegal as in they don't pull in at ranks or illegal as in they are unlicensed?

Unlicensed: yes, I care.
Don't pull in at ranks etc.: couldn't care less.

how do you know if there licensed may I ask ?

Also I thought the arguments been made earlier on in this thread were people giving out about saying taxi drivers work from the ranks and not the streets

Spook_ie

Zulu wrote: »

I take it you don't see the contradiction there. :rolleyes:
I got it right. The regulator controls the maximum price. You control the price. You can choose, as you suggested, to lower that price.
You do.
Only the maximum price is fixed.
Why not? You all drive a cab. Whats the difference?
"Other than fair competition", whats not fair about the competition? Do they have super cabs? Flying cabs?? Time machines??? Whats not fair about the competition?
Oh, I see. So you'd prefer us to be left waiting for hours, just to ensure you always have a fare is it? Get real. You are competiting in an open market. That's the nature of capitalism.
You ever heard of answering a straight question:
Whats your problem with fair competition?

At least we got Spook_ie's answer: it's competition! He's against competition.

Yes, of couse! It's our fault. :rolleyes:

No you're still in error, the taxi driver does not control the price, he controls the amount ( if any ) discount he's prepared to offer. That is not in control of the price as the original post intimated.

If you do not understand about " fairness of competition " in the context outlined, then I would suggest that you need to further your education perhaps a course on business start up cost/business running costs/self employed taxation etc.

As to being left waiting for hours, no, just not able to walk out of any pub/chippy/cinema etc. to find an illegal rank of about 20 taxis, 5-10 minutes wait for a taxi would not ( in my view ) be unreasonable.

You do have my answer, please don't paraphase it, I am against unfair competition as you would know if you actualy read the posts

As to what do I have against fair competition, myself nothing, I'll fight any businessman ( which is what I am ) on a level pitch. I don not count people who have a PAYE job as being on a level pitch, neither do I count people on Back To Work Enterprise Allowences as being on a level pitch.

If you allow taxis that are not legaly plying for hire to take you, YES you are at fault, no need for a rolling of the eyes, I suspect that you are the type of person that would complain about walking the 20 meters to the legal rank because it's to far!

Zulu

blahblah06 wrote: »

never said i had a prob with FAIR competition.

You did when you went on protest.

get a life

Stop telling me to "get a life" it's rude & ignorant.

btw its avoid..

You are seriously correcting my spelling? Seriously?? You??? Spelling???? That's fucking comical.

blahblah06

Zulu wrote: »

You did when you went on protest.
Stop telling me to "get a life" it's rude & ignorant.

You are seriously correcting my spelling? Seriously?? You??? Spelling???? That's fucking comical.

I think you will find out 100 taxi drivers went on strike. How do u know I went?

As ive said before ive no prob with new drivers coming into the game once there up to scratch and legal.

Yes I am correcting your spelling as people like to do that on this thread. get a life.

now so thats all the questions asked lets see what other sh*t people come up with

Spook_ie

bigkev49 wrote: »

When will the message get through, it's up to the industry to fix itself!

If you are not happy with the amount of money you are getting/your conditions then get out of it and go do something else. Taxi driving is a low skill, low wage means of employment. Talking it up to be something else and thinking that the govt. or the public at large is particularly interested is laughable at best, delusional at the other end of things.

OH I'm delusional because I see myself as a self employed businessman? That's the only thing that's wrong here, the public misconception that they don't realise we are all running a sole trader business..

Taxipete29

Zulu wrote: »

Clearly you do if you wish to limit the amount of taxi plates on offer.
If it's already illegal isn't that a problem for the Guards? How is blocking the capital going to resolve that?

Ah right, so we shouldn't give support to unemployed people to help them get a job?

Thats what the protest was about? Really?? Pull the other one. If business was booming you wouldn't give a monkeys fuck in a Siberian snow storm for section 36. You were protesting against fair competition.

Is disrupting approx 1 million people because you are finding the current economy difficult unreasonable? Yes. Yes it is.

Where in this thread did I say I wanted to restrcit the number of plates??

The regulators office has responsibilty for this. The guards have washed their hands of it as a result.

Look if you think these people getting this handout from the government is fair competition then I am not going to waste my time arguing the point with you.

That was part of it. Not all but part of what drivers want.

I wasnt protesting, I didnt protest, I wasnt involved in the protest. How many different ways would you like me to say it. I have no problem debating the issue with you but at least have the courtesy to read what I have previously written.

Yes it is unreasonable. As I said above though. I WASNT INVOLVED

Zulu

Spook_ie wrote: »

No you're still in error, the taxi driver does not control the price, he controls the amount ( if any ) discount he's prepared to offer.

And hence the cost of the product to the customer. So in other words, the price.

If you do not understand about " fairness of competition " in the context outlined, then I would suggest that you need to further your education perhaps a course on business start up cost/business running costs/self employed taxation etc.

I understand perfectly well, I'm self employed and running a business successfully, so I'll forego your advice thanks. You'd do well to heed your own advice though.

I am against unfair competition as you would know if you actualy read the posts

Whats unfair about the competition? You all have cars. Do some have flying cars?

I suspect that you are the type of person that would complain about walking the 20 meters to the legal rank because it's to far!

You can think what you like, but beware, you might encourage to "suspect" what type of person you are.

Spook_ie

Hootanany wrote: »

Are the illegal taxis cheaper if so vote with your pocket

Yep sensible answer, then when the entire taxi industry is illegal it'll be a level playing field. I'll just renew my insurance as an ordinary car then, that'll save me about €2K, why bother with a meter that'll save another few euro, oh **** let's go the whole way and I'll not even bother with a plate......

Zulu

blahblah06 wrote: »

I think you will find out 100 taxi drivers went on strike. How do u know I went?

So you didn't protest?

Yes I am correcting your spelling as people like to do that on this thread.

And do you enjoy it? Does it make you feel smart? Do you feel like you've got one up?
Because everyone else thinks its very sad.

get a life.

I've now already asked you twice to stop telling me to "get a life" it's rude & ignorant. Do you wish to be perceived as a rude & ignorant person?

population

Zulu wrote: »

Clearly you do if you wish to limit the amount of taxi plates on offer.
If it's already illegal isn't that a problem for the Guards? How is blocking the capital going to resolve that?

Ah right, so we shouldn't give support to unemployed people to help them get a job?

Thats what the protest was about? Really?? Pull the other one. If business was booming you wouldn't give a monkeys fuck in a Siberian snow storm for section 36. You were protesting against fair competition.

Is disrupting approx 1 million people because you are finding the current economy difficult unreasonable? Yes. Yes it is.

Good post

blahblah06

Zulu wrote: »

So you didn't protest?
And do you enjoy it? Does it make you feel smart? Do you feel like you've got one up?
Because everyone else thinks its very sad.
I've now already asked you twice to stop telling me to "get a life" it's rude & ignorant. Do you wish to be perceived as a rude & ignorant person?

nope I did not protest

well I thought it was quite sad but people seem to accept it.

I like saying get a life.

Spook_ie

Zulu wrote: »

And hence the cost of the product to the customer. So in other words, the price.

I understand perfectly well, I'm self employed and running a business successfully, so I'll forego your advice thanks. You'd do well to heed your own advice though.

Whats unfair about the competition? You all have cars. Do some have flying cars?

You can think what you like, but beware, you might encourage to "suspect" what type of person you are.

Point of order...It's not a product it's a service, the service has a regulated charge, which I may offer a discount on, I don't, therefore the price is set by the regulator. I often ( in the good ol' days had people offering silly prices to take them somewhere I never did any job for more than the price set by the regulatory framework in existence at the time.

I do heed my own advice, wouldn't be much good as advice if I ignored it myself.

Any business that's subjected to outside influence and interference that benefits one businessman over another is unfair competition.

Santa Claus

I think the new Taxi Regulator is a waste of time, carraige office always did a good job in the past and took direct action on any complaints received (they also used to drive round stopping taxi and checking their licence etc occassionally).

Anyway the taxi drivers protesting were just stupid, pissing off their own customers because they're finding it hard to make a living. If they wanted to block a street then why didn't they pick kildare street and block the dail so the TDs couldn't drive home at 2pm on Thursday afternoon for the weekend ?

I only use 1 particular taxi company because they're prompt, the cars are generally very clean and the drivers never moan about how hard it is to make a living....In fact some of the drivers say that there's loads of account/radio work out there (but that's not cash in hand and some taxi drivers prefer cash in hand jobs).

gdael

Spook_ie wrote: »

Point of order...It's not a product it's a service, the service has a regulated charge, which I may offer a discount on, I don't, therefore the price is set by the regulator. I often ( in the good ol' days had people offering silly prices to take them somewhere I never did any job for more than the price set by the regulatory framework in existence at the time.

I do heed my own advice, wouldn't be much good as advice if I ignored it myself.

Any business that's subjected to outside influence and interference that benefits one businessman over another is unfair competition.

Who decides how much the customer pays at the end of the trip?
You do. Therefore you control the price. Is that so hard to admit?

I wouldnt worry if i were you anyway, the customer is controlling the price more and more now. Any fool who gets into a taxi without securing a reduction is just asking to take it up the ass.
Sure you can refuse them, but then you earn ZERO. Good business skills there.

Spook_ie

gdael wrote: »

Who decides how much the customer pays at the end of the trip?
You do. Therefore you control the price. Is that so hard to admit?

I wouldnt worry if i were you anyway, the customer is controlling the price more and more now. Any fool who gets into a taxi without securing a reduction is just asking to take it up the ass.
Sure you can refuse them, but then you earn ZERO. Good business skills there.

Not so, many of the customers who get in asking for a discount have already spent their money on the beer, it is my honest opinion that they probably haven't even got the €5 they offer as it's already been pissed up the wall... sad but true

Spook_ie

Or as anafterthought....

You want to pay a ****e price then you'll get a ****e service, you want a quality service then I'll charge you the quality price, which means NO discount in my taxi

rubadub

blahblah06 wrote: »

I answered all I was asked.

No you didn't thats why I, and others, kept repeating questions over and over.

blahblah06 wrote: »

As ive said before ive no prob with new drivers coming into the game once there up to scratch and legal.

But you do seem to have a problem with new drivers even if up to scratch and legal, from reading this

blahblah06 wrote: »

at the end of the day there getting into the game cause there not scroungers and dont wanna be on the dole fare play for making something of themselves. ive no prob with new full time drivers getting into the game as ive said before. its the part timers greedy gits that really annoy me

You have repeatedly said you are against part timers, many of whom I expect are fully legal and fully competent taximen. I am sure many of your fellow taximen would find your comments insulting.

blahblah06 wrote: »

I like saying get a life.

It just seems you are looking to be banned or get this thread locked as a cop out, since you know you cannot give a reasonable answer to the questions asked.

Taxipete29 wrote: »

I dont have a problem with fair competition.

Is it fair competition though when there are illegal operators who have either no proper licence, proper insurance or are driving a cloned car??

Is it fair competition when most drivers invest in their car and licence yet up until recently some people who were long term unemployed were given large grants to set up as taxi drivers. This included the cost of obtaining the spsv licence and attending the training course to pass the test.

Drivers want the rules enforced. The rules the regulator has brought in but hasnt seen fit to enforce to any degree. There are 9 enforcement officers for the whole country when I last spoke to her office about 6 months ago. This is for 26000 taxis approx.

Drivers want the enforcement of section 36. This is about people with criminal records being stripped of their licences and also preventing criminals from obtaining licences in the future.

Is this so unreasonable???

I don't think anybody has said any of that is unreasonable, they think calling for a halt on new licences is unreasonable. That seems to be the main request, most stuff being said in this thread is simply used to avoid answering the questions really being asked. Maybe a career in politics would be good if the taxiing doesn't work out. All this crap about public safety etc is laughable, as though its the main concern.

Spook_ie wrote: »

Point of order...It's not a product it's a service, the service has a regulated charge, which I may offer a discount on, I don't, therefore the price is set by the regulator.

So cutting through all the pedantics I expect most people would say you do control of the price.

Spook_ie wrote: »

As to what do I have against fair competition, myself nothing, I'll fight any businessman ( which is what I am ) on a level pitch. I don not count people who have a PAYE job as being on a level pitch, neither do I count people on Back To Work Enterprise Allowences as being on a level pitch.

But the law and many people do consider it fair, and a level pitch. People in many industries face the exact same competition.

Spook_ie wrote: »

As regards all the people on here who keep saying that taxidriving is a low skill therefore low paid job, I would remind you that it isn't a job it's a business with it's associated profit/loss margins. When those margins are being pressured from sources other than fair competition, I reserve the right to moan 'n whinge, as you put it.

More pedantics, job/business whatever you want to call it lots of people are able to do it, otherwise there would not be so many doing it, end of story, simple supply & demand.

Spook_ie wrote: »

To be forced into working excessive hours to keep my business afloat is not in the interests of either myself or the customer. The double jobbing (PAYE) taximen in the industry are undermining the ability for full time taxi drivers to make the business sufficently profitable to reinvest in the newer cars being regulated for.

Maybe you should be campaigning on a ban on doctors driving home or anybody working over 40hrs, this facade is fooling nobody. I know a few self employed workers having to work excessive hours, I know tilers who are under pressure, less work now and an influx of competent tradesmen from east europe, many who are part time workers too, with other PAYE jobs on the side.

blahblah06

I've said from the start full time drivers i've no problem with it's Part time taxi drivers are scum. Every full time cab driver would agree with that and that's the end of it. I've wasted enough time on this thread.

Bitching over questions with children over 37 pages is crazy. Looking forward to the outcome of the talks.

Me get banned? Doubt it considering taxi men have been called every name under the sun on this thread.

Good night. Oh and get a life

Taxipete29

rubadub wrote: »

No you didn't thats why I, and others, kept repeating questions over and over.


But you do seem to have a problem with new drivers even if up to scratch and legal, from reading this

You have repeatedly said you are against part timers, many of whom I expect are fully legal and fully competent taximen. I am sure many of your fellow taximen would find your comments insulting.


It just seems you are looking to be banned or get this thread locked as a cop out, since you know you cannot give a reasonable answer to the questions asked.


I don't think anybody has said any of that is unreasonable, they think calling for a halt on new licences is unreasonable. That seems to be the main request, most stuff being said in this thread is simply used to avoid answering the questions really being asked. Maybe a career in politics would be good if the taxiing doesn't work out. All this crap about public safety etc is laughable, as though its the main concern.

So cutting through all the pedantics I expect most people would say you do control of the price.


But the law and many people do consider it fair, and a level pitch. People in many industries face the exact same competition.

More pedantics, job/business whatever you want to call it lots of people are able to do it, otherwise there would not be so many doing it, end of story, simple supply & demand.


Maybe you should be campaigning on a ban on doctors driving home or anybody working over 40hrs, this facade is fooling nobody. I know a few self employed workers having to work excessive hours, I know tilers who are under pressure, less work now and an influx of competent tradesmen from east europe, many who are part time workers too, with other PAYE jobs on the side.

You are quite wrong. The halt of new licences is not the main thing being called for. The idea that it is all about licences is what has been portrayed in the press. Primarily I believe because they have no interest in the facts of the situation and its the easiet thing to report and requires little research.

The following is the submission made to the Minister a while back by the group involved in the protest last week.

http://taxidriversforchange.org/Submission.html

A TEMPORARY moratorium on new licences is one element of this submission but is by no means the only issue.

Have a look through it and tell me then if its all just smoke and mirrors to reduce numbers like you suggest

KoolKid

blahblah06 wrote: »

Drivers are calling for the suspension of new licences

Still waiting on a logical answer as to why the taxi drivers should be protected against competition over any other industry.

blahblah06 wrote: »

never said i had a prob with FAIR competition.

But in the above quote you want a suspension of new licences

blahblah06 wrote: »

how do you know if there licensed may I ask ?

Also I thought the arguments been made earlier on in this thread were people giving out about saying taxi drivers work from the ranks and not the streets

Aren't taxi trivers allowed do both??

blahblah06 wrote: »

I think you will find out 100 taxi drivers went on strike. How do u know I went?

As ive said before ive no prob with new drivers coming into the game once there up to scratch and legal.

But you just said you wanted a suspension of new licences?????

gdael wrote: »

Who decides how much the customer pays at the end of the trip?
You do. Therefore you control the price. Is that so hard to admit?

They dont seem to be able to understand that

Spook_ie wrote: »

Not so, many of the customers who get in asking for a discount have already spent their money on the beer, it is my honest opinion that they probably haven't even got the €5 they offer as it's already been pissed up the wall... sad but true

With that regard for your customers its no wonder your finding it hard to make a few euro.

blahblah06 wrote: »

Part time taxi drivers are scum.

You really do have issues. You hate your customers & part timers are scum???

the_syco

Spook_ie wrote: »

If you allow taxis that are not legaly plying for hire to take you, YES you are at fault, no need for a rolling of the eyes, I suspect that you are the type of person that would complain about walking the 20 meters to the legal rank because it's to far!

What tell-tale signs is there that the taxi is illegal? At the moment, I flag down a taxi with a yellow box on its roof, ensure the picture on the taxi ID looks like the driver, and the date is valid. Is there anything else i should look for?

Taxipete29 wrote: »

TEMPORARY

And how long is that?

ArmaniJeanss

Taxipete29 wrote: »

A TEMPORARY moratorium on new licences is one element of this submission but is by no means the only issue.

If ye were willing to drop this element of the submission, (and as a show of good faith actually emphasise that you completely definitely totally dont want a moratorium) then you might get a hearing from the public/newspapers etc.

So long as that particular point exists in your submission then it is what everyone is going to concentrate on.

A lot of your other requests are reasonable and are worthy of debate.
(You should probably drop the request for the resignation of the TRC, its a bit of a childish negotiation point really).

Spook_ie

Spook_ie wrote: »

Or as anafterthought....

You want to pay a ****e price then you'll get a ****e service, you want a quality service then I'll charge you the quality price, which means NO discount in my taxi

I get a taxi because I need a lift from A to B and the buses are finished or I'm in a particular rush etc.

A clean car, to not be talked sh1te to and safe driving isn't a 'quality' service, it's bloody expected.

For the prices you ask for I should literally be sitting in a seat that gives you a massage while sipping on a cold/warm drink depending on the weather