Taxi driver protest

MOH

Taxipete29 wrote: »

Well then we just need a harder test full stop, but just because the only incidents you have had are with Irish drivers does not make my point any less valid

Again the need for a harder test is paramount. Sat Navs do not know the quickest route to every location or where the traffic blackspots to avoid are. You get this through local knowledge.

Of course no one can know every street, but alot of immigrant drivers cant even bring you to specific areas of dublin without direction and saying they have a sat nav is unacceptable as they are supposed to know. What happens if the sat nav breaks????

You'd raised an issue of immigrant drivers not knowing Dublin. I was pointing out there's plenty of Irish drivers who don't know Dublin, but in my personal experience they're less likely to try to make up for it with aids like a street atlas or satnav. Of course all drivers should have a general knowledge of where different areas of the city are, but since that's not the case, I'd rather they at least have some means of finding out.

From my experience, 2 or more people in the car means that if one is going to get sick, the other can ask the driver to pull over quickly, its hard to do this with a mouth full of vomit. And as alot of people on their own tend to sit in the back of Taxis, the drivers cant always see what is going on with them.

I'm not sure if I was sitting beside someone about to puke how I'd know they were going to? And if you've got two or more people in the car, at least one of them is going to be in the back so you still can't see what's going on. Plus you possibly have someone in the front distracting you from what they're doing.

Why do the last 3 cars in that picture have their hazard lights on?
No idea, you would have to ask them

[/quote]
I know driving with your hazards on is illegal in some jurisdictions. I can't find a reference for Ireland. At the very least it's bad driving practice, since it renders your indicators largely useless.



Would taxi drivers be in favour of a temporary cap on licences, followed by a preparation period of maybe 6 months, after which all taxi drivers have to pass an initial test, with another, stricter, test a couple of years on. And recertification on a regular (maybe 5 year) basis? And if you fail any of those tests, you're banned from taxiing, with no compensation, regardless of how long you've been in the business?


By the way, do you realise embedding your answers in red within a quote makes it very difficult to quote you in response?

godtabh

Taxipete29 wrote: »

The public require a Taxi service, its essential. I dont think thats in dispute. In order to provide that PUBLIC service operators, must be able to make money.



Im not saying Taxis should be subsidised, far from it but in order to provide essential services in the private sector where the Government controls the barriers to entry, operators must first be able to cover their costs and secondly be able to make a living.

That attitude just stinks of we are owed a living.

The engineering industry provides a publi service
same as accounting
same as nursing

All are under threat yet there hasnt been one call for a cap on the number of people been let in to the industry.

murphaph

Taxipete29 wrote: »

No you are complaining about the guards not enforcing the law and for years every learner in the country flouted the law because it was accpetable and not enforced. If a law is not enforced then it will over time become accepted. Thas a fact, doesnt mean I agree with it

No, I was highlighting that years and years of seeing taximen breaking every rule of the road going when they are supposed to be professional drivers has helped erode any real public support taximen might have had. You broaght the guards into it and started blaming them for the illegal actions of taximen.

Taxipete29

kearnsr wrote: »

That attitude just stinks of we are owed a living.

The engineering industry provides a publi service
same as accounting
same as nursing

All are under threat yet there hasnt been one call for a cap on the number of people been let in to the industry.

Look i have said numerous times I dont feel Im owed a living, Im willing to work hard for my money, but there is a difference between working hard and just pissing into the wind.

There is a cap in these people entering the industry, companies and the HSE arent hiring them

Taxipete29

Jip wrote: »

Eh, I didn't get an answer. Should every other industry where jobs are being lost have a cap on the number of people allowed to work in that industry ?

Actually being lost now, not an industry like yours where it's now just harder to do as little work for maximum profit that you enjoyed for so many years.

There is a cap, the companies are not hiring people, thats a cap.

Most drivers didnt enjoy maximum profits for years, most drivers enjoyed a wage which was comparable with the average industrial wage. You forget that if a driver turns over €1000 a week that is not his wage. He/she has to pay for their car/maintenance/insurance/ NCTs/Radio rental and of course the mast important thing of all fuel, which has been rising in cost at a far higher rate than taxi prices have.

Your problem like so many posters here is that you are bitter towards Taxi drivers as you see them as beneath you, yet for a long time they earned a comparitively decent wage without having to posses any major qualifacations, now that we arent earning a decent wage and are complaining about it your delighted and quite happy to see us all squirm. If thats the case fine, just admit it. Dont try to make out your against a cap because it goes against the principles of the free market economy. Be honest.

Im honest, i feel their needs to be a cap and reform in the industry so that genuine taxi drivers like myself can earn a proper wage

Taxipete29

murphaph wrote: »

Tell them what? Not to drive in a bus lane while not carrying a fare paying passenger? They know well this is illegal but as has been done to death and is WELL KNOWN, taxi drivers regularly do this sort of thing and get away with it. They'd not get away with it with the Met or PSNI, just our amateur Gardai, so they do-just another reason why the public will never support bleating taxi drivers.

You brought the gardai into the argument right here as marked in bold. I was simply responding to what you said. Dont blame me because you cant put together a cohesive argument.

Taxipete29

MOH wrote: »

You'd raised an issue of immigrant drivers not knowing Dublin. I was pointing out there's plenty of Irish drivers who don't know Dublin, but in my personal experience they're less likely to try to make up for it with aids like a street atlas or satnav. Of course all drivers should have a general knowledge of where different areas of the city are, but since that's not the case, I'd rather they at least have some means of finding out.



I'm not sure if I was sitting beside someone about to puke how I'd know they were going to? And if you've got two or more people in the car, at least one of them is going to be in the back so you still can't see what's going on. Plus you possibly have someone in the front distracting you from what they're doing.

I know driving with your hazards on is illegal in some jurisdictions. I can't find a reference for Ireland. At the very least it's bad driving practice, since it renders your indicators largely useless.



Would taxi drivers be in favour of a temporary cap on licences, followed by a preparation period of maybe 6 months, after which all taxi drivers have to pass an initial test, with another, stricter, test a couple of years on. And recertification on a regular (maybe 5 year) basis? And if you fail any of those tests, you're banned from taxiing, with no compensation, regardless of how long you've been in the business?


By the way, do you realise embedding your answers in red within a quote makes it very difficult to quote you in response?[/QUOTE]

Ok i wont embed my response here.

1, I agree not all drivers know what they should know about the city, both Irish and immigrant. That just solidifies the point that we need a much harder test.

2, They were my reasons for being less likely to pick up someone on their own. If you worked in the industry you would understand this. Im not going to keep on about this one as I feel its not really applicable anymore given the state of the industry and availablity of taxis.

3, Im not sure about the legality of it, but I know you must have them on if your towing someone or driving slow for a mechanical reason to indiacte people should pass you.

4, I would be in favour of this to a certain degree, but the government would have to refund the licence fee to drivers who get kicked out.This would be a legal requirement I would imagine as I doubt the courts would accept otherwise if a case was brought, which it surely would

murphaph

Taxipete29 wrote: »

if a driver turns over €1000 a week that is not his wage. He/she has to pay for their car/maintenance/insurance/ NCTs/Radio rental and of course the mast important thing of all fuel

You forgot one thing...Income Tax!

The baying mob can draw their own conclusions from that ommission, an honest mistake I'm sure.

Taxi drivers seem to view themselves as employees or something. You are businessmen who took a business risk and now you feel that risk has not paid off well enough. Lots of businesses fail, MOST new businesses fail. You are just another business and the government will not cap licences ever again. They should improve standards but not cap licences under any circumstances. Economics will take care of supply and demand. A taxi driver can at least walk away from his business with relatively small debts or no debts at all. Many businessmen will have their businesses fail and will be saddled with their debt for years. That's their risk. They don't protest looking for artificial caps in their numbers.

Jip

Taxipete29 wrote: »

There is a cap, the companies are not hiring people, thats a cap.

Don't be riduculous, your argument is riddled with holes and you've basically shown it for what it is with that quote.

There's no cap, end of. People aren't prevented attempting to get jobs in that industry nor are they stopped from training or studying in that area. They just have to compete harder to get the jobs.

Now to use your logic in the same industry what you would want to happen is that people are actually prevented from even trying to get a job in that industry in order to keep it cushy for those already in there and artificially protect their jobs.

Taxi drivers such as yourself just don't want this competition, you just want to limit the amount of drivers so that those remaining can keep the work to themselves in order to artificially create a market for yourselves in order to create a false economy.

F, much try harder. Don't try push your persecution complex onto me. You chose your profession, you live with the good times and bad. When things go balls up don't whinge and look to be bailed out.

Im honest, i feel their needs to be a cap and reform in the industry so that genuine taxi drivers like myself can earn a proper wage

So you're now finally admitting what the public know, it's nothing to do with standards.

godtabh

Taxipete29 wrote: »

There is a cap in these people entering the industry, companies and the HSE arent hiring them

that isnt a cap. Thats supply and demand levelling things out. People will still enter the industry. Some will drop out.

When the dot com boom went the numbers for CS courses dropped alot. People were not restricted from doing the coures they just had cop on.

Same thing will happen in engineering this year.

MOH

Taxipete29 wrote: »

4, I would be in favour of this to a certain degree, but the government would have to refund the licence fee to drivers who get kicked out.This would be a legal requirement I would imagine as I doubt the courts would accept otherwise if a case was brought, which it surely would

Is the license fee a one-off? If so I think a partial refund on a sliding scale - full refund for someone who's just paid it, much less for someone who paid it 8 years ago and has had the benefit for those years.

Put it another way: if a cap was brought in, with those or similar conditions, would you accept it if it turned out that there was a chance you yourself ended up being expelled?

Taxipete29

Jip wrote: »

Don't be riduculous, your argument is riddled with holes and you've basically shown it for what it is with that quote.

There's no cap, end of. People aren't prevented attempting to get jobs in that industry nor are they stopped from training or studying in that area. They just have to compete harder to get the jobs.

Now to use your logic in the same industry what you would want to happen is that people are actually prevented from even trying to get a job in that industry in order to keep it cushy for those already in there and artificially protect their jobs.

Taxi drivers such as yourself just don't want this competition, you just want to limit the amount of drivers so that those remaining can keep the work to themselves in order to artificially create a market for yourselves in order to create a false economy.

F, much try harder. Don't try push your persecution complex onto me. You chose your profession, you live with the good times and bad. When things go balls up don't whinge and look to be bailed out.



So you're now finally admitting what the public know, it's nothing to do with standards.

So reform has nothing to do with standards?, it never ceases to amaze how blinkered people like yourself only answer the parts of my argument that suits and dont comment on the sections they know they are wrong in.

When are you free-market/ no regulation people going to realise that that experiment has failed and failed miserably in this industry. The reason it has failed and will never succeed is because of a little thing called social responsibility. The Government have a social responsibiltity to reform the industry for both the public and the drivers.

There will be a moratorium put on licences, I guarantee it and if I am wrong so be it, I will come on here and apologise, but I am honest enough in my convictions to say that. Doubt any of you can say the same and its not a persacution complex becasue I really dont care what people think of me on an internet forum. What I do care about is people spouting nonsense about the free-market and in the next breath referring to drivers as "a stain on society" ( not you, but others). This only re-affirms my belief that you just dont like taxi drivers and it has nothing to do with if you feel we are right or not.

If there is a cap put in place in the morning there will still be more than enough taxis to meet demand even if the economy rebounds. 15k in dublin and there will always be drivers retiring/dying and just getting out so how will capping create any sort of "cosy cartel". The answer is it wont.

My argument is not full of holes at all and I dont see where you get that from, you are an armchair economist that thinks the free market is the only way forward in all industries and its not, as it fails to recognise socail responsibility and as I said earlier in the example of dublin bus.

Spook_ie

murphaph wrote: »

Tell them what? Not to drive in a bus lane while not carrying a fare paying passenger? They know well this is illegal but as has been done to death and is WELL KNOWN, taxi drivers regularly do this sort of thing and get away with it. They'd not get away with it with the Met or PSNI, just our amateur Gardai, so they do-just another reason why the public will never support bleating taxi drivers.

Is it the Gardai or the taxi drivers you should be complaining about?

Taxipete29

MOH wrote: »

Is the license fee a one-off? If so I think a partial refund on a sliding scale - full refund for someone who's just paid it, much less for someone who paid it 8 years ago and has had the benefit for those years.

Put it another way: if a cap was brought in, with those or similar conditions, would you accept it if it turned out that there was a chance you yourself ended up being expelled?

Yes I would because Im confident in my abilities as a driver and with my knowledge of the city that I would pass such a test.

The licence fee is a one off, however it is renewed every year at the cost of €125. I think your sliding scale idea is a good one as I reckon older drivers would be better prepared for a tougher test anyway so would have less to fear from a tougher test. This idea could really work in pratice.

Spook_ie

MOH wrote: »

The only problems I've ever had with drivers not knowing where places are has been with Irish drivers:
- not knowing O'Dwyer's, or Mount Street, or Merrion Square;
- going past the Malahide Road, up the Howth Road, and back along Collins Ave to get to Donnycarney;
- driving around for 20 minutes trying to find Pembroke Lane;

I've actually no problem with a driver not knowing where a particular street is - no one's going to know all of them. But most of the immigrant drivers I've had have SatNavs, so at least they've some chance of finding the place. The Irish drivers I've had problems with are the ones who are too cheap to even shell out €12 for a street atlas of Dublin.



You give out about people making generalisations about taxi drivers, then come out with this?! And how is one person on a Saturday night more likely to get sick than four?



Why do the last 3 cars in that picture have their hazard lights on?

Because we were instructed by the Gardai to have them on, why else? they weren't broken down or stopped for anything other than traffic lights /junctions or gardai instructions.....

Spook_ie

murphaph wrote: »

If (and it's a big if given the very low turnaout for the protest yesterday) there is a huge number of 'professional' taximen who want the part-timers and 'toe-dippers' out of the industry then there is a clear financial incentive for you 'professional' drivers to unilaterally opt for a common colour scheme to identify yourselves as 'professional' taxi drivers. The part timers and toe dippers will baulk at the idea of turning their private/family car into a shade of beige like Germany and will pull back from making that commitment that you professional drivers are prepared to make. If there are enough professional drivers out there who adopt the colour scheme, it will become a brand very rapidly and people will look for that colour car when hailing a cab. They will be suspicious of the 'un branded' cars with just a roof sign. Branding is very important. Why wait for the inneffective regulator when you can all get together and do this for yourselves. Those who don't will suffer from being unbranded.

Interesting idea, but how will you prevent scammers from just deciding to change the color of their cars so they can carry on scamming, surely you should actualy endevour to have a 100% professional service by regulation and if required capping of plates while measures/discussions are in place to acheive this. Many suggestions are/have been put forward to both TRs office and transport minister alike, it gets to the stage where you feel that you may as well talk to a brickwall and if a brickwall is in the way of acheiving redevelopment you hit the wall with a hammer and if the 1st hammer doesn't work you get a bigger hammer........we haven't even past the lump hammer stage yet!!

paulm17781

Taxipete29 wrote: »

What I do care about is people spouting nonsense about the free-market and in the next breath referring to drivers as "a stain on society" ( not you, but others). This only re-affirms my belief that you just dont like taxi drivers and it has nothing to do with if you feel we are right or not.

pamul17781 wrote:

Keep up your whinging and keep being a stain on society, yes as long as you have an attitude of "shout until I get what I want" you are a stain on society.

Where did I refer to taxi drivers as a stain on society? I said you with that attitude and the people like you are a stain on society. I never mentioned taxi drivers. Yet you say you don't have a persecution complex.

Funnily enough, while reading that thread I also found this

paulm17781 wrote:

This whole strike is quite futile. I guarantee on Thursday the media will report it as you wanting a cap on licenses

Oh look, that's what happened.

Did you see the thread on who supports the taxi drivers? Oh look, less than 10%.

Continue whinging.

worker1265

2qk4u wrote: »

Why is it a problem for you that taxi drivers made a good living ?
Taxi drivers have to pay tax or no licence.
Taxi fares are calculated on the meter, if you dont want to pay the fare then dont get in a taxi.
I suppose you are a model citizen ?

no cap on electricians in ireland. no pay between jobs.
no cap on plumbers in ireland. no pay between jobs.
no cap on G.O.'s in ireland. no pay between jobs.
no cap on Painter's in ireland. no pay between jobs.
no cap on engineer's in ireland. no pay between jobs.
no cap on majority of industries in ireland. no pay between jobs.
TAXI Drivers can go and take a running jump, selfish narrow people.

Most workers around looking for work are only getting offered €10ph.
GO's sweat their arses off for €15ph
Hard working people every where in Dublin earn between €9 low skill to and €20 ph for the very skilled.
Taxi drivers cost us workers €60ph to use, thats why you have no work.
Fares need to be €15/ph and then Taxi drivers will have more work.

The regulator must be smoking something if he thinks the fares are fair.

Spook_ie

murphaph wrote: »

No, I was highlighting that years and years of seeing taximen breaking every rule of the road going when they are supposed to be professional drivers has helped erode any real public support taximen might have had. You broaght the guards into it and started blaming them for the illegal actions of taximen.

being the notional NN on this thread I'll tell you something I've noticed...

70-75% of Irish Drivers haven't a clue how to drive safely/curteously or efficiently therefore it would be a logical assumption to think that 70-75% of taxi drivers are just the same. Maybe it's actualy time to ditch the Irish License and make all holders of Irish Licenses sit a proper EU test.

In fact that sounds like an even better idea as I think about it, as it would remove 75% of the cars and taxis from the road, forcing people onto public transport, reducing the spend on road infrastructure, allowing for a reallocation to public transport (bus/rail/taxi), more space for cyclits ( keep the Greens happy ), a reduction in the traffic gardai ( you wouldn't need as many as they would only need to maintain checkpoints to keep non licensed drivers off the road ) I like the thoughts, must speak to my green TD!!

murphaph

Spook_ie wrote: »

Is it the Gardai or the taxi drivers you should be complaining about?

Whomsoever is breaking the law. Laws aren't there to be broken when there's no guard about. The laws are there for the good of society. Taxi drivers regularly use bus lanes when they're not supposed to so why would I blame the gardai for the actions of the driver? The failures of the gardai are a seperate issue and one that needs addressing, but it doesn't absolve illegal behaviour by taxi drivers. I'm amazed the pair of you are still trying to blame the guards for illegal driving by taximen.

murphaph

Spook_ie wrote: »

Interesting idea, but how will you prevent scammers from just deciding to change the color of their cars so they can carry on scamming

What scammers? I thought the problem you guys was too many licences?

paulm17781

What's a G.O. (as I prepare to be embarrassed at how obvious it is. )?

murphaph

General Operative?

Spook_ie

murphaph wrote: »

You forgot one thing...Income Tax!

The baying mob can draw their own conclusions from that ommission, an honest mistake I'm sure.

Taxi drivers seem to view themselves as employees or something. You are businessmen who took a business risk and now you feel that risk has not paid off well enough. Lots of businesses fail, MOST new businesses fail. You are just another business and the government will not cap licences ever again. They should improve standards but not cap licences under any circumstances. Economics will take care of supply and demand. A taxi driver can at least walk away from his business with relatively small debts or no debts at all. Many businessmen will have their businesses fail and will be saddled with their debt for years. That's their risk. They don't protest looking for artificial caps in their numbers.

One of the major problems that's allowing a low level of professionalism, surely it would be better to cap the plates and restructure the industry from the ground up. Remove the transferability of plates ( no gain if fees are increased ), raise the price to €20,000 ( straight into government coffers ), pay any driver wanting to get out of the industry the €6500 ( an incentive to remove some of the scammers ) value of a current plate, review and regulate the hiring out of taxis and plates ( I could hire out my car to you on a basis of you pay me €200 and no questions asked, as the hire side is self regulated and we all know what a f-up self regulation is ) there are lots of ideas for improving the industry BUT and this is what TDFC is about the 1st step is a temporary moritorium on plate numbers....

Taxipete29

worker1265 wrote: »

no cap on electricians in ireland. no pay between jobs.
no cap on plumbers in ireland. no pay between jobs.
no cap on G.O.'s in ireland. no pay between jobs.
no cap on Painter's in ireland. no pay between jobs.
no cap on engineer's in ireland. no pay between jobs.
no cap on majority of industries in ireland. no pay between jobs.
TAXI Drivers can go and take a running jump, selfish narrow people.

Most workers around looking for work are only getting offered €10ph.
GO's sweat their arses off for €15ph
Hard working people every where in Dublin earn between €9 low skill to and €20 ph for the very skilled.
Taxi drivers cost us workers €60ph to use, thats why you have no work.
Fares need to be €15/ph and then Taxi drivers will have more work.

The regulator must be smoking something if he thinks the fares are fair.

I think your smoking something if you think that anyone could afford to run a taxi for 15ph. You seem to forget that taxi drivers only turnover that €60 ph if they always have a fare in the car. This almost never happens. We are lucky to turnover €10ph. This dont forget is only turnover, not wages. Most drivers are lucky if their earnings after expenses are €3 ph.

paulm17781

Taxipete29 wrote: »

I think your smoking something if you think that anyone could afford to run a taxi for 15ph. You seem to forget that taxi drivers only turnover that €60 ph if they always have a fare in the car. This almost never happens. We are lucky to turnover €10ph. This dont forget is only turnover, not wages. Most drivers are lucky if their earnings after expenses are €3 ph.

It was €4 last week.

murphaph

paulm17781 wrote: »

It was €4 last week.

it must be all the extra licences issued in the last 7 days.

Spook_ie

worker1265 wrote: »

no cap on electricians in ireland. no pay between jobs.
no cap on plumbers in ireland. no pay between jobs.
no cap on G.O.'s in ireland. no pay between jobs.
no cap on Painter's in ireland. no pay between jobs.
no cap on engineer's in ireland. no pay between jobs.
no cap on majority of industries in ireland. no pay between jobs.
TAXI Drivers can go and take a running jump, selfish narrow people.

Most workers around looking for work are only getting offered €10ph.
GO's sweat their arses off for €15ph
Hard working people every where in Dublin earn between €9 low skill to and €20 ph for the very skilled.
Taxi drivers cost us workers €60ph to use, thats why you have no work.
Fares need to be €15/ph and then Taxi drivers will have more work.

The regulator must be smoking something if he thinks the fares are fair.

Other than the SELF EMPLOYED ( an awful lot of plumbers /painters / plasterers etc. would have been PAYE as they worked for someone) all of them are entitled to Social Welfare between jobs, single entity painters etc. would have been much more akin to taxi drivers as they wouldn't get paid between jobs, in fact exactly like taxi drivers as I don't get paid between jobs, in fact if I had 2 X 20 min ( some nights I wish it were that busy ) fares in 2 hours then I earned €20 per hour out of which I would have to pay running expenses and then income tax/ PRSI on the remaining profit.....

Spook_ie

murphaph wrote: »

Whomsoever is breaking the law. Laws aren't there to be broken when there's no guard about. The laws are there for the good of society. Taxi drivers regularly use bus lanes when they're not supposed to so why would I blame the gardai for the actions of the driver? The failures of the gardai are a seperate issue and one that needs addressing, but it doesn't absolve illegal behaviour by taxi drivers. I'm amazed the pair of you are still trying to blame the guards for illegal driving by taximen.

I'm not, in fact I'm encouraging you to report any wrong doings by taxi drivers and private drivers alike, maybe then I might feel safer when driving your kids home at night and not have to worry about who's going to break the next red light

Taxipete29

paulm17781 wrote: »

It was €4 last week.

I find it very ironic that none of these threads are ever started by drivers, but by people whinging about drivers whinging. It seems to be a fact that the public do more whinging about taxi drivers, than taxi drivers do about the need for industry reform.

paulm17781

Taxipete29 wrote: »

I find it very ironic that none of these threads are ever started by drivers, but by people whinging about drivers whinging. It seems to be a fact that the public do more whinging about taxi drivers, than taxi drivers do about the need for industry reform.

What's your point? I didn't start them, I didn't say I'd protest until I get what I want. What I would like, is for you to accept your in an unfortunate situation and the government aren't responsible.

the_syco

Spook_ie wrote: »

Maybe it's actualy time to ditch the Irish License and make all holders of Irish Licenses sit a proper EU test.

So we'd be taught on how to overtake, and how to use the motorway?

=-=

Personally, I find it funny for anyone who got in after deregulation that wants a cap. Before deregulation, sure, those lads paid a fortune (and sometimes their house) for their plates, and they knew their area. Currently lots of the taxi people don't know the location of some streets.

Taxipete29

paulm17781 wrote: »

What's your point? I didn't start them, I didn't say I'd protest until I get what I want. What I would like, is for you to accept your in an unfortunate situation and the government aren't responsible.

I know I am in an unfortunate situation, but I hope to get out of it as soon as I can find a job. Im probably lucky in that my CV is quite good and have a better chance than some guys I know of getting a job.

The government do share some responsibility, they should of regulated the industry properly from the word go. Then maybe, it wouldnt be quite as easy as just throwing a plate up on the family saloon and away you go. Better standards from the start would of introduced natural barriers to entry without a need for a cap and the industry would of settled down much quicker.

I know I am running a business and should accept that businesses fail, but the reason my business is failing has nothing to do with my ability to run it, or even that its a bad business. Its the failure of the government to regulate an industry properly.

This argument applies to alot of industries in this country, never more true than with the banks. If we had proper regulation there, maybe we wouldnt be in the mess we are in now. Should we not blame the government for their failings there either????

Carawaystick

Taxipete29 wrote: »

Should we not blame the government for their failings there either????

Yeah, I blame them for all the hours I wasted, standing freezing and waiting to get a taxi home when the govt capped the number of taxi licenses. It hasn't been too much of a problem since.

uma

Carawaystick wrote: »

Yeah, I blame them for all the hours I wasted, standing freezing and waiting to get a taxi home when the govt capped the number of taxi licenses. It hasn't been too much of a problem since.

will be blaming them in a while when most of the decent drivers will have dropped out because its not affordable and it will be knackers only trying to rip you off. I do hope you enjoy that

uma

the_syco wrote: »

So we'd be taught on how to overtake, and how to use the motorway?

=-=

Personally, I find it funny for anyone who got in after deregulation that wants a cap. Before deregulation, sure, those lads paid a fortune (and sometimes their house) for their plates, and they knew their area. Currently lots of the taxi people don't know the location of some streets.

i find it funny that you see no difference between regulation and deregulation and are basically saying that if you wanted deregulation when there were only 2.800 taxis in Dublin you should still have the same opinion when it has gone completly the other way at 16000 taxis !:D

godtabh

Taxipete29 wrote: »

I know I am running a business and should accept that businesses fail, but the reason my business is failing has nothing to do with my ability to run it, or even that its a bad business.

The same could be said about all the local business that have closed in the last 6 months.

I play an inter firms soccer league on Monday nights. 12 teams started out. Only 6 finished as they either closed or let go most of their staff.

I wonder what makes the taxi industry any different to them. Not one other industry is asking for a cap like the taxi industry is

Taxipete29

kearnsr wrote: »

The same could be said about all the local business that have closed in the last 6 months.

I play an inter firms soccer league on Monday nights. 12 teams started out. Only 6 finished as they either closed or let go most of their staff.

I wonder what makes the taxi industry any different to them. Not one other industry is asking for a cap like the taxi industry is

You left out the part of my post that explains the part you quoted. Your taking my point out of context. Quote the whole thing and then what you say doesnt apply in the same way.

buzzerbuckley

kearnsr wrote: »

The same could be said about all the local business that have closed in the last 6 months.

I play an inter firms soccer league on Monday nights. 12 teams started out. Only 6 finished as they either closed or let go most of their staff.

I wonder what makes the taxi industry any different to them. Not one other industry is asking for a cap like the taxi industry is

The Taxi industry is different than most others as it is a Public service industry run privatley.Most other countries in the world including the UK have quotas of taxis in their local areas instead of this free for all madness we now have here.

A fair comparison is the proff football industry.it is capped and only a certain number of teams are allowed in each league thus meaning in effect there can only be a certain number of proffesional footballers in each country.The governing body ( regulator) overseas the amount of teams needed and cannot simply just give a license to everybody remotly interested.

To compare it to the plumbing industry or retail industry shows pure ignorance.

Spook_ie

the_syco wrote: »

So we'd be taught on how to overtake, and how to use the motorway?

=-=

Personally, I find it funny for anyone who got in after deregulation that wants a cap. Before deregulation, sure, those lads paid a fortune (and sometimes their house) for their plates, and they knew their area. Currently lots of the taxi people don't know the location of some streets.

This is an example of when we say that people can hear us but they aren't listening....

We want a moritorium on license plates for a temporary period while a root n branch revision is made of the entire industry and people listen to the taxi drivers as well as the unions ( who don't represent all the drivers and indeed have some vested interests that directly oppose taxi DRIVERS interests )

caff

buzzerbuckley wrote: »

The Taxi industry is different than most others as it is a Public service industry run privatley.Most other countries in the world including the UK have quotas of taxis in their local areas instead of this free for all madness we now have here.

A fair comparison is the proff football industry.it is capped and only a certain number of teams are allowed in each league thus meaning in effect there can only be a certain number of proffesional footballers in each country.The governing body ( regulator) overseas the amount of teams needed and cannot simply just give a license to everybody remotly interested.

To compare it to the plumbing industry or retail industry shows pure ignorance.

Are the cap on teams not set by the governing bodies of each league? Don't think its anything to do with the government at all its the football industry themselves

godtabh

buzzerbuckley wrote: »

The Taxi industry is different than most others as it is a Public service industry run privatley.Most other countries in the world including the UK have quotas of taxis in their local areas instead of this free for all madness we now have here.

A fair comparison is the proff football industry.it is capped and only a certain number of teams are allowed in each league thus meaning in effect there can only be a certain number of proffesional footballers in each country.The governing body ( regulator) overseas the amount of teams needed and cannot simply just give a license to everybody remotly interested.

To compare it to the plumbing industry or retail industry shows pure ignorance.

You obviously dont know much about football!

Ham'nd'egger

caff wrote: »

Are the cap on teams not set by the governing bodies of each league? Don't think its anything to do with the government at all its the football industry themselves

In that example, the Football Association is the same as the Transport minister in that they set the rules controlling the numbers in their respective leagues.

buzzerbuckley

There is a cap on tv and radio stations another public service providers in ireland too.

murphaph

Hamndegger wrote: »

In that example, the Football Association is the same as the Transport minister in that they set the rules controlling the numbers in their respective leagues.

The FA/Football league/Premier League are PRIVATE organisations. People are of course free to go set up their own league structure with as many teams as they like. Therefore there is no cap. You are asking for a LEGAL cap to be placed on numbers in your industry. No such cap exists in football, it is a decision made by the football clubs themselves who form the leagues and divisions.

confused-dazed

just a couple of things i want to say here.
it wasn't to long ago that we had taxi drivers whinging,moaning and foaming at the mouth because the guards hit them at one of their prime illegal spots and dished out fines to all involved. i'm sure one of our taxi regs could mention the place, if not i'll post it in a few days. just seeing how short their memories can be.
now spookie nice pic you posted of the rank in o'connell street, blocking a 24hr rank. i heard a spat on the radio between tommy 'o'gorman and the guy/crowd that organised this protest. you going on about to many taxi's not enough work. then why did you stop other taxi drivers that weren't protesting from using the o'connel street rank. as well as all the other ranks that were blocked.
you posted earlier about me being in two places as once, do you not know who i am. i'm superman.:D
you see those arrows at junctions and on streets that are either turning left or right. they're not decorations they're there for everyone. not just joe motorist.
you see those double yellow lines on the roads ,not decorations either. just in case you dont know it means no parking.
as for taxi plate maybe you should set up your on school considering your studying a bit. a school for taxi drivers on how to read the following
"20.00 -06.00 taxi rank "or are these signs just for decoration as well.
damn in infants they teach you how to read a clock and by primany school they teach you the 24hr clock, but alas this doesn't comprehend in a taxi drivers brain what any of the signs i've mentioned mean ( these are but just a few by the way)
as for my poll.
i'm not going to reply to that thread. i set it up for joe public, maybe i should've put in bold." taxi drivers need not reply."
oh and if bus drivers go on strike i'll be doing a poll on them as well. just to be fair.at least they know how to drive. unlike other stereo type drivers i know :rolleyes:
as i've said before BIFFO needs more money in the coffers, now's his chance. let the guards enforce the rules of the road properly and to the law. damn with all the fines being dished out our taxes mightn't go up with all the money rolling in from fines. even better he could take us out of the recession.

Ham'nd'egger

murphaph wrote: »

The FA/Football league/Premier League are PRIVATE organisations. People are of course free to go set up their own league structure with as many teams as they like. Therefore there is no cap. You are asking for a LEGAL cap to be placed on numbers in your industry. No such cap exists in football, it is a decision made by the football clubs themselves who form the leagues and divisions.

As usual, you miss the point made by Buzzer (Selectively as usual, shock horror) so once again typing slowly for your benefit; sports leagues control the numbers under their jurisdiction in order to control their sports more effectively. They may allow new teams to enter or they can form new divisions but only under specified criteria otherwise chaos ensues.

murphaph

Hamndegger wrote: »

As usual, you miss the point made by Buzzer (Selectively as usual, shock horror) so once again typing slowly for your benefit; sports leagues control the numbers under their jurisdiction in order to control their sports more effectively. They may allow new teams to enter or they can form new divisions but only under specified criteria otherwise chaos ensues.

No point missed at all. It is simply not a valid comparison. That's all. Everyone can see a private football league's clubs deciding the terms has nothing in common with public taxis. A comparison with the football league that actually is valid would be for independent taxi drivers at the protest to form a 'premier league' of taxi drivers...better cars, standard colour, driver in smart uniform . You could form this yourself. A premier league for the 'professional drivers'. It looks a lot better than a manky sticker with "Irish driver" on it. The part timers wouldn't bother making the investment and would lose out. You are businessmen, not charity cases....market yourselves together if you are truly united.

Ham'nd'egger

It is valid and it shows you to be utterly wrong yet again.

murphaph wrote: »

No point missed at all. It is simply not a valid comparison. That's all. Everyone can see a private football league's clubs deciding the terms has nothing in common with public taxis. A comparison with the football league that actually is valid would be for independent taxi drivers at the protest to form a 'premier league' of taxi drivers...better cars, standard colour, driver in smart uniform . You could form this yourself. A premier league for the 'professional drivers'. It looks a lot better than a manky sticker with "Irish driver" on it. The part timers wouldn't bother making the investment and would lose out. You are businessmen, not charity cases....market yourselves together if you are truly united.

Terrontress

The interesting thing about this thread is that the taxi drivers believe themselves to be infallibly right. If someone points out misbehaviour of taxi drivers, the drivers on here claim that that is why they are striking. "I got overcharged" "We are striking to do away with that". "taxis are driving illegaly" "striking will weed out the bad drivers etc." The drivers are supporting the claims of everyone else but they see that as backing up their strike.

Taxipete is claiming that posters here are looking down on taxi drivers and this is wrong. It seems he is looking down on certain elements of the taxi driving population.

One final thing to clear up some previous misinformation from a taxi driver: In order to hail a taxi on the city streets in the UK, be it London, Belfast, Edinburgh or anywhere; it has to be a black taxi type of vehicle or one which offers the same functionality. Normal family saloon cars are for pre-booking only.