‘Inherently racist’

Fromthetrees

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

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

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

chin_grin

<gets popcorn>

whistlingtitan

Oh dear god that man should be gagged

staker

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

28064212

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

starbelgrade

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

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

28064212

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

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

1. Irishness of the driver
2. "Double-jobbing"
3. The taxi regulator

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

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

Thwip!

*grabs popcorn
*sits in comfortable chair

davet82

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

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

The Recliner

jpcarlow wrote: »

*grabs popcorn
*sits in comfortable chair

Get off me!

*leave the Popcorn*

Sister Assumpta

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

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

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

Get rid tbh.

telekon

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

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

Thwip!

The Recliner wrote: »

jpcarlow wrote: »

*grabs popcorn
*sits in comfortable chair

Get off me!

*leave the Popcorn*

well played :-D

Morlar

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

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

Dravokivich

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

krudler

starbelgrade wrote: »

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

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

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

Morlar

krudler wrote: »

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

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

Thwip!

28064212 wrote: »

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

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

1. Irishness of the driver
2. "Double-jobbing"
3. The taxi regulator

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

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

Well said :-D

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

Creamy Goodness

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

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

BraziliaNZ

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

Dr.Strange

Wow.

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

BraziliaNZ

Dr.Strange wrote: »

Wow.

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

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

Nothingbetter2d

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

daltonmd

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

dark crystal

Dr.Strange wrote: »

Wow.

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

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

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

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

unclejunior

nice one, now we know which ones are the scumbags

Morlar

daltonmd wrote: »

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

If it did not work they would not do it.

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

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

golden lane

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

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

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

28064212

Morlar wrote: »

If it did not work they would not do it.

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

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

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

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

Hannibal Smith

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

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

How rude! :eek:

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

However, I've also been in a few taxis with Irish taxi drivers and felt quite intimidated....one night I was a bit....erm....worse for wear and the taxi driver told me he could do anything to me and I wouldn't even know where I was....I sobered up pretty quickly!

I've had an Irish taxi driver sit and tell me how the non Irish taxi drivers are taking all their jobs, because they're not doing 'fair' hours. They come out for 2 hours a nighta nd take all the good fares apparently He sat there ranting all the while the meter was running and he argued with me when I tried to get him to knock money off! :eek::D

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

Morlar

28064212 wrote: »

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

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

daltonmd

Morlar wrote: »

If it did not work they would not do it.

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

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

That's my point exactly. Are they going to force Hairdressing salons who advertise that they are "African" to take down those signs? Are these not racist? What if, instead of the "green light" they put "I am an Irish taxi driver" would this be racism?

So then the people who will choose these taxis are then racists?

Where To

Driving a taxi is about as unskilled a job as you can get, anyone who can drive can do it.

However, making a successful living from driving a taxi requires skills, hard work and dedication.

This is what the 'sense of entitlement' drivers find difficult to grasp.

Ellis Dee

It's a rare thing indeed for me to agree with anything Varadkar says or does, but he has my full backing on this one.:eek: Casual racism and xenophobia are far too common in Ireland, and most of it is rooted in nothing more than pig-ignorant thickness, loutishness and a pathetically bad upbringing. There is not much Varadkar or any minister can do about that, but he can at least prevent groups like taxi drivers, who have been granted privileges - licences - that not everyone gets from abusing those privileges. :rolleyes:

The solution to the problem of rude passengers is to have recording cameras in every taxi. The technology is well developed and inexpensive.:D

Here in Helsinki, where I am now, you take the next taxi at a rank, irrespective of what colour the driver's skin is. A passenger who tried to move down the rank to another taxi would in all probability be refused passage, because such an overt display of racism would identify him/her as the kind of troublemaker/sh1thead than no taxi driver wants to have in the vehicle.:)

As for taxis in Ireland, I have to say that I have never had a bad experience with those I've used.:)

Tym

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

Yes, but that's not advertising to every passer-by to drive with them just because they're Islamic.

newport2

daltonmd wrote: »

That's my point exactly. Are they going to force Hairdressing salons who advertise that they are "African" to take down those signs? Are these not racist? What if, instead of the "green light" they put "I am an Irish taxi driver" would this be racism?

So then the people who will choose these taxis are then racists?

This is down to political correctness, so throw your logical and rational reasoning out the window.

Anyone should be allowed to illustrate their nationality. If a taxi driver has a green light indicating he is Irish he is not a racist. The issue lies with the customer who will only stop taxis with green lights.

BraziliaNZ

dark crystal wrote: »

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

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

Yeah that's kind of the reason only immigrants do this job in most rich countries

28064212

Morlar wrote: »

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

:rolleyes: I asked the question, the choices were defined in the question. The fact that you couldn't give a simple answer speaks volumes

Morlar

Ellis Dee wrote: »

....

As for taxis in Ireland, I have to say that I have never had a bad experience with those I've used.:)

The last 2 taxi's I took in Dublin city were African drivers. One added approx 30% to the journey time by going the wrong way and then trying to bluff & bluster his way out of admitting it (this was a reasonably short trip - I was late for an appointment and didn't have time to walk across town). The other time the driver went a way that was technically correct, in that on paper it was the right way to go. However he took no allowance for roadworks at that time or of the volume of traffic at that time.

When I pointed that out he also tried to claim this way (sitting for approx 10 minutes in solid traffic) was as quick as the way that bypassed it when it clearly was not. My preference based on personal experience is for Irish national drivers. I am aware many of them are also assholes but they do know their way around and in my experience are less likely to try to rip me off either through their ignorance or intentionally. If they do make a mistake they are prepared to admit it and are less likely to try to bluff their way out of it pretending not to be aware of the issue. As the customer paying through the nose for this I don't see why I should be prevented from making an informed choice about which drivers I use based on my legitimate preference.

micropig

daltonmd wrote: »

That's my point exactly. Are they going to force Hairdressing salons who advertise that they are "African" to take down those signs? Are these not racist? What if, instead of the "green light" they put "I am an Irish taxi driver" would this be racism?

So then the people who will choose these taxis are then racists?

I here you a racist now father:p

It's about time the Taxi industry in Ireland sorted itself out. I don't care what nationality the driver is, as long as he can drive, clean car, decent price.


The worst I ever got ripped off was by an Irish Taxi driver who charged €75 for a 6KM journey. When asked for a receipt, he picked up a scrap of paper (old tesco receipt) off the floor and wrote €7.50 on it... WTF??.

Professional drivers my hole, it's scumbag Irish drivers like Jacko in the story above that give others a bad name. Now when in that town, I will never get in to a Taxi with an Irish driver. A foreign driver brought me on the same journey a week later for €10.

Renn

The last 2 taxi's I took in Dublin city were Irish drivers. One added approx 30% to the journey time by going the wrong way and then trying to bluff & bluster his way out of admitting it (this was a reasonably short trip - I was late for an appointment and didn't have time to walk across town). The other time the driver went a way that was technically correct, in that on paper it was the right way to go. However he took no allowance for roadworks at that time or of the volume of traffic at that time.

Show Time

I only ever use Irish cab drivers for the simple reason i don't want to be ripped off by some chap who has no idea where he is going.

Morlar

Renn wrote: »

The last 2 taxi's I took in Dublin city were Irish drivers. One added approx 30% to the journey time by going the wrong way and then trying to bluff & bluster his way out of admitting it (this was a reasonably short trip - I was late for an appointment and didn't have time to walk across town). The other time the driver went a way that was technically correct, in that on paper it was the right way to go. However he took no allowance for roadworks at that time or of the volume of traffic at that time.

If that is the case then you will have no problem with allowing customers to make an informed choice & let the market decide.

Victor

Morlar wrote: »

I disagree it's xenophobic to advertise your nationality.

It as much says "I'm Irish, hire me because I'm Irish"

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

I've never seen this. Regardless, how are you going to spot these things while hailing a taxi?

prinz

telekon wrote: »

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

This. Happy days.

Feeona

I'd say foreign taxi drivers are complaining about racism because they're losing out on fares to Irish taxi drivers. If the green light on a taxi led to decreased fares for Irish taxi drivers, this situation wouldn't have been brought to Leo Varadkar's attention at all.

Looks like one-nil to foreign taxi drivers in the current fares war. In the media 'politically correct ideas' will always be deemed loftier than 'money-grabbing greed'. Time for the Irish taxi drivers to go back to the drawing board.

micropig

Victor wrote: »

.

I've never seen this. Regardless, how are you going to spot these things while hailing a taxi?

The taxi driver looks like this
http://www.streetgangs.com/graphics/alig2_web.jpg

daveyeh

starbelgrade wrote: »

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

Too good not to be quoted.

daltonmd

micropig wrote: »

I here you a racist now father:p

It's about time the Taxi industry in Ireland sorted itself out. I don't care what nationality the driver is, as long as he can drive, clean car, decent price.


The worst I ever got ripped off was by an Irish Taxi driver who charged €75 for a 6KM journey. When asked for a receipt, he picked up a scrap of paper (old tesco receipt) off the floor and wrote €7.50 on it... WTF??.

Professional drivers my hole, it's scumbag Irish drivers like Jacko in the story above that give others a bad name. Now when in that town, I will never get in to a Taxi with an Irish driver. A foreign driver brought me on the same journey a week later for €10.

I know taxi drivers who will not take black people - especially black women one told me of a fare he took from a hosptial in town to Dun Laoghaire one Sunday morning - the fare should have been about 50 euro but he felt sorry for her and charged her 35 - she immediately accused him of being "racist" and robbing her.
When he tried to explain Sunday rates to her, she changed tack and said she would call the Garda and accuse him of "touching" her up - he was petrified and said he simply wouldn't take the chance again.

fishy fishy

while I am living in a democratic (and I use the word loosely) country, I will chose to get into whatever taxi I want - ALWAYS a reputable company taxi. I really don't care what varadker has to say - I'm sure he's not stranded late at night waiting on taxi's. Maybe before he spouts out about things he doesn't know about he may want to turn taximan for a weekend and experience the job himself - I'm sure he could find a taxi driver to "lend" him his cab for the weekend.

In the meantime I try to ignore rants from politicians who pretend they are all about the good of the people.

al28283

Fromthetrees wrote: »

Are they victims of circumstance or are they small minded bigots?

What is the difference between a small minded bigot and a big minded bigot?