Taxi men and the ol' "I have no change"

Duggys Housemate

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

Lol, he can hardly provide the legislation to prove that there is nothing in law to suggest that change is required. All he has claimed is an absence of law, though I suppose he could give you a link to every single law in the state as some sort of grotesquely complicated reverse proof.


Is it not kind of obvious anyway? X provides Y with a service, all the law of the land should insist is that Y provides X with the agreed amount. Up to Y to have the required payment.

If certain retailers provide the facilties for an overpayment/change system then fair enough, but difficult to see why there should be a compulsion on them all to do so.

It's hardly certain retailers. It's all of them, from the smallest cafe to international retail. Except Taxi drivers.

There is in fact a law, and the law is simple. You charge the meter. Overcharging is illegal. In fact there are more price controls on Taxis than restaurants.

So if a guy says he has no change of a 50 for a fare of 30 he is attempting to overcharge.

Sunnyisland

If its a relatively short journey I would make sure I would have the change my self,longer journeys like the airport it never was a problem for me.

pabloh999

Taxis should be mobile atm's now? Good god.
If your driver happens to not have change of a fifty get over it ffs.
Some taxis in other countries are not legally obliged to give change on notes over a twenty.
It even says it on the door/window of the cab. Safety issues, being robbed/knifed etc

mikemac1

Father Damo wrote: »

Nearly every Irish driver rounded to the nearest 50 cent when I used to get them. As did I, if it was 9.70 I let him keep a full tenner, if it was 10.30 they would more often than not call it a square 10.

I dont know why they treated me differently to so many of you lot. Maybe because I had a chat and a banter with them and didnt usually regard taxi drivers like dog sh1t on a shoe like some people posting here.

Yep, I usually have a bit of banter with taximen

I give or take to the nearest 50c.
Sometimes I round up but sure the next taximan will round me down

It all works out in the end

But then I don't use ranks.
I flag my drivers down so I get no moaning about how long they were waiting.
Drivers just loooooove to be flagged down, I'm happy and they are happy

Duggys Housemate

pabloh999 wrote: »

Taxis should be mobile atm's now? Good god.
If your driver happens to not have change of a fifty get over it ffs.
Some taxis in other countries are not legally obliged to give change on notes over a twenty.
It even says it on the door/window of the cab. Safety issues, being robbed/knifed etc

Good for those other countries. Here they are expected to charge the meter.

Esoteric_

When I was in Galway one day for an interview for an in-company promotion, I was able to claim my fares back from the company. Got a taxi to the place where the interview was being held, the fare was just under 15 euro. I only had a fifty on me, he had no change and there was nowhere around to get change. The taxi driver had been talking to me about the area in Dublin where I live as his brother also lives there. Because we'd been having a chat and he presumably realised I wasn't a cnut, he asked me would I be needing a taxi back and he could just get it on the way back. He waited around for me to finish the interview, then drove me back to where I needed to go, then only charged me twenty euro for both fares, and turned off the meter while I ran into a shop to get change! Absolutely lovely man. I gave him a ten euro tip, because my fare should have been thirty euro anyway, and he added it as part of the fare to the handwritten receipt so that I could claim it all back anyway.

Best experience with a taxi driver, tbh. I've never had one go mad at me for only having a 50, and because they're nice about it, they get good tips.

Owen_S

When you're a student, you pay him with change....

patdshaker

YellowFeather wrote: »

I had a similar thing a few years ago. Had a job interview and got there about an hour too early and everywhere was shut. I got a taxi to a garage to get something to eat and back again, but I only had a €20 note to pay with. The taxi driver told me she didn't have change but not to worry and I could get her back when I was making loads of money in my new job.

Never forgot it (obviously), and I'd love to see her again and give her a big tip and thanks. It just goes to show how a good deed can stick in your memory.

A bit like my story I posted up earlier in the thread, in that situation I would ask for a card and use them when I needed a taxi from then on

Scioch

If they told me they had no change I'd say "You're shít out of luck so". They dont gots the change the dont gets the fare.

arybvtcw0eolkf

I worked as a taxi driver for three years, and its very easy to get caught short of change.. I'd typically go out with a hundred Euro float, I'd try to have fives and tens.. First fare gives you a fifty for a ten euro fare, now you've a fifty and sixty in change ~ until the next fare does the same and you're f*cked.

Shops are dead wide to you going in to break a fifty for a packet of gum, pubs won't break them either.

And a lot of the times I asked had they anything smaller I was being polite ~ I'd see whats in their purses/wallets and know they'd a stack of smaller notes but wanted to start breaking a fifty before they got to the pub.

There's only so much coin for change you can carry in a car too.

I'd suggest if you only have fifties be straight with the guy and ask him if he's got change.

To the people who post that that they gave smart/snotty answer's to taxi drivers ~ you didn't, you're only trying to look like smart asses on a forum!.. Apart from aggressive drunks almost 100% of people are understanding and decent folk.

Scioch

Alaia Wooden Tugboat wrote: »

To the people who post that that they gave smart/snotty answer's to taxi drivers ~ you didn't, you're only trying to look like smart asses on a forum!.. Apart from aggressive drunks almost 100% of people are understanding and decent folk.

I'd be understanding to a point but if they drive me to where I'm going and then turn around and tell me they cant break a 20 then its their own fcukin problem. 100% of the time too they have the change they just dont want to put themselves out. 50 would be understandable but anything smaller is just laziness on their part if they make a habit of it. And they must do if shops can see them coming.

People in retail are decent folk too and if they can break a 50 for someone to help em out of a jam they will do it. I worked in retail myself for a few years and did it regularly but certain people will start treating the place like a bank if you let them.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Scioch wrote: »

I worked in retail myself for a few years and did it regularly but certain people will start treating the place like a bank if you let them.

And thats exactly what happens in taxi's, and you get used to noting whats in someone's wallet/purse esp. early on Friday and Saturday evenings because you know they're using you to break the fifties.

Rarely I'd get caught short of coin, those times I'd round down the fare ~ tbh you're not really losing out on too much before someone gives you a stack of coin for a small fare, typically people would pay fiver fares in coin anyway.

Maybe it was just my manner, but I never had anyone get smart if I couldn't break a fifty ~ and it happened regular enough, esp Saturday evenings when people who hit the ATM's before heading into the city.

Scioch

Alaia Wooden Tugboat wrote: »

And thats exactly what happens in taxi's, and you get used to noting whats in someone's wallet/purse esp. early on Friday and Saturday evenings because you know they're using you to break the fifties.

Rarely I'd get caught short of coin, those times I'd round down the fare ~ tbh you're not really losing out on too much before someone gives you a stack of coin for a small fare, typically people would pay fiver fares in coin anyway.

Maybe it was just my manner, but I never had anyone get smart if I couldn't break a fifty ~ and it happened regular enough, esp Saturday evenings when people who hit the ATM's before heading into the city.

Probably has a lot to do with it, you get a certain amount of people in those types of jobs who are just sick and tired of people and just dont have the interest any more in being polite. I'd understand that too, didnt take me long in my job to grow to resent people in general. But as a customer I'm always polite and if someone doesnt want to return the curtsey I'd tend to be fairly short with them. If they cant break a note the problem is ultimately theirs, always was that way for me in retail. Sometimes you'd had to go to a shop close by to find change, I was never rude but taxi drivers seem to be a law unto themselves in that regard, they feel they have licence to speak to people whatever way they want or say anything they want.

validusername1

suicide_circus wrote: »

Off topic but my gf was on a work night out last winter, she left the nightclub to come home cause some clown was hassling her. We live a 15min walk from the club but she was nervous walking through town alone at 2am, in heels and freezing cold. She went to the taxi rank and the first two drivers refused the fare on the basis it was too small.

That's happened me before in Dublin.. well my friend who's a guy was the one asking, he went and asked 4 taxis for us and they all said no 'cause the journey was too short, eventually he had to tell the next taxi he would pay him €10 straight if he just took us home, so the taxi guy took the €10 before he started the car and didn't turn on the metre. The fare would've probably only been about a fiver otherwise and that's only because the minimum charge is €4 something. Thought it was crazy we had to do that just to get them to do their job

One time when it was like 4am I had no way home and where I was taxis don't just drive round, you have to ring them, and I only lived less than a 5 minute drive down the road and I knew if I rang a taxi they'd just say the journey was too short and wouldn't do it 'cause I've tried before, so I sat there wondering if I should start walking, then a guard car drove past and asked if I was ok, they ended up offering & giving me a lift home. Taxis should just do their job..

Spook_ie

Scioch wrote: »

<snipped>And they must do if shops can see them coming.

People in retail are decent folk too and if they can break a 50 for someone to help em out of a jam they will do it. I worked in retail myself for a few years and did it regularly but certain people will start treating the place like a bank if you let them.

Y'mean like taxi drivers who have just given their change away to the guy with a €50 and now need to break it.....

Duggys Housemate

Spook_ie wrote: »

Y'mean like taxi drivers who have just given their change away to the guy with a €50 and now need to break it.....

yeah, like that.

Scioch

Spook_ie wrote: »

Y'mean like taxi drivers who have just given their change away to the guy with a €50 and now need to break it.....

Shops aint banks. If they refuse someone change you can be sure they've seen the guy before and dont want to put themselves out for the sake of someone else's business. Taxi drivers have brains, dont they ?

Ya reckon if they all got together and brain stormed they could come up with a plan of carrying more change ? Or hire a financial consultant to advise them on when they need to stop at a bank ? You think every business in the country shuts down if more than one person pays with a 50 ?

Spook_ie

Scioch wrote: »

Shops aint banks. If they refuse someone change you can be sure they've seen the guy before and dont want to put themselves out for the sake of someone else's business. Taxi drivers have brains, dont they ?

Ya reckon if they all got together and brain stormed they could come up with a plan of carrying more change ? Or hire a financial consultant to advise them on when they need to stop at a bank ? You think every business in the country shuts down if more than one person pays with a 50 ?

But you're missing the point that taxis aren't shops, they don't have a secure safe or alarm system to put a €300 float into to keep it relatively safe

not yet

goose2005 wrote: »

Tear off a quarter of it and give him the rest, that'll soften his cough

Would sudafed not be better..........

Scioch

Spook_ie wrote: »

But you're missing the point that taxis aren't shops, they don't have a secure safe or alarm system to put a €1000 float into to keep it relatively safe

Where does the money they take in go ? They keep cash on them and if its a busy night they will end it with quite a few euro. So why the song and dance about starting the night with a bit extra in case they need it ?

Spook_ie

Scioch wrote: »

Where does the money they take in go ? They keep cash on them and if its a busy night they will end it with quite a few euro. So why the song and dance about starting the night with a bit extra in case they need it ?

God Almighty simple maths for you

you start with a float of €50, say you take in €250 you have €300 in a non secure environment

you start with €250, say you take in €250 you have €500 in a non secure environment

Which is the more sensible from a security aspect?

Duggys Housemate

Spook_ie wrote: »

God Almighty simple maths for you

you start with a float of €50, say you take in €250 you have €300 in a non secure environment

you start with €250, say you take in €250 you have €500 in a non secure environment

Which is the more sensible from a security aspect?

so you would never play down the float?

Spook_ie

Duggys Housemate wrote: »

so you would never play down the float?

I would never take more than €50 in notes out with me to start a shift

Duggys Housemate

Spook_ie wrote: »

I would never take more than €50 in notes out with me to start a shift

you didnt answer the question.

Scioch

Spook_ie wrote: »

God Almighty simple maths for you

you start with a float of €50, say you take in €250 you have €300 in a non secure environment

you start with €250, say you take in €250 you have €500 in a non secure environment

Which is the more sensible from a security aspect?

Why work at all if your so afraid of holding money ? Do they go home early on busy nights to avoid ending the night with too much money ?

You're holding money, whether its 300 or 500 its the same from a security perspective. You keep a float of whatever you need to do the job, some simple business logic for ya.

LynnGrace

Came across this situation for first time yesterday evening.Fare was 16.50 . Driver said he had no change for 20.00. Eventually he went and asked another taxi driver nearby for change. Don't know if he expected me to leave him the twenty...

Mint Sauce

Grayson wrote: »

I don't think they have any signs saying "exact change only"

I think legally no company, shop, etc etc, has to give you change.

Gummy Panda

I miss flutt. He would've told us a story about how he pissed on the back of the taxi drivers seat

anncoates

While some tax drivers can be cunts, it's no harm to show the courtesy of warning that you only have a fifty before you get in.

suicide_circus

LynnGrace wrote: »

Came across this situation for first time yesterday evening.Fare was 16.50 . Driver said he had no change for 20.00. Eventually he went and asked another taxi driver nearby for change. Don't know if he expected me to leave him the twenty...

He was just hoping you would get fed up and leave without your change. He didnt have €3.50 on him? The guy had no business driving a taxi.

LynnGrace

suicide_circus wrote: »

He was just hoping you would get fed up and leave without your change. He didnt have €3.50 on him? The guy had no business driving a taxi.

Yes,I think that was what he hoped. Whatever about the argument re change for fifty euro notes, I think claiming to not have €3.50 was nonsense.

StephenHendry

they ought to have change, sufficient change, ok if you had a 100e note then ok i'd understand but not for 50, 20 etc. a sign of laziness imo

donegal_road

they should have a debit card facility

jaffacakesyum

I think customers would be a lot more understanding if their taxi fare was actually decent value. I know it's not the taxi man's fault personally, but fares in this country are a joke.

anncoates

jaffacakesyum wrote: »

I think customers would be a lot more understanding if their taxi fare was actually decent value. I know it's not the taxi man's fault personally, but fares in this country are a joke.

Well, taxis are generally a luxury.

Spook_ie

jaffacakesyum wrote: »

I think customers would be a lot more understanding if their taxi fare was actually decent value. I know it's not the taxi man's fault personally, but fares in this country are a joke.

Hmm, how would that work then.

You have a fare of €10, pay with a €50 you need €40 back

reduce all the fares by 50% so the customer is (in your opinion ) getting decent value

You have a fare of €5, pay with a €50 you need €45 back

People would still be complaining about taxi drivers and floats but now they're expecting even more change back!