taxi experience

donegal_road

OP, what was the name of the street you were going to, out of interest. Why didn't the taxi driver call back to base and get directions? That is what always happens when ever I get a cab and the driver isn't sure of the exact address.

Do you think that the driver was 'chancing his arm' when he realised you weren't Irish and was just running down the clock to put up the fare?

fishy fishy

fishy fishy wrote: »

not what happened.

if I was in a shop with a bag of groceries and I got a little impatient at the shop assistant calculating my cost, so I decided to leave the shop WITH the unpaid groceries - now that would be Wrong.

That would be totally different, its difficult in this instance to compare a product and service as a product thats not to standard can be returned this is not possible with a service.

If you ordered groceries from a shop online and they arrived with half the order incorrect or priced differently, which has happened us and we walk back to the shop with the stuff and demanded a refund. As I said above if this was a service its not so easy to get a refund so the only sensible option is to refuse to pay.

fishy fishy wrote: »

I don't base my opinions on how many people don't follow the facts and say that they are right. it doesn't matter to me how many people disagree with me - the fact is the person agreed to the service that the taxman offered, then decided he didn't like it and wanted a free ride.

I don't base my opinions on a calculation of how many people disagree with me. That would be crazy.

The majority are almost always right though and the few people with outlandish opinions like yourself are almost never right.

The person agreed to a service that in their opinion has not being carried out as desired.

We had a plasterer do work on a room on our house before. The work was not up to standard so we refused to pay until he came and redid it all again to the correct standard, he was not happy but we stuck to our guns. He did do it properly the second time but if he had not returned to redo it he wouldn't have got paid.

You probably think we should have paid him some percentage just for doing something that was of no use.

fishy fishy

Christina Jolly Valor wrote: »

That would be totally different, its difficult in this instance to compare a product and service as a product thats not to standard can be returned this is not possible with a service.

If you ordered groceries from a shop online and they arrived with half the order incorrect or priced differently, which has happened us and we walk back to the shop with the stuff and demanded a refund. As I said above if this was a service its not so easy to get a refund so the only sensible option is to refuse to pay.




The majority are almost always right though and the few people with outlandish opinions like yourself are almost never right.

The person agreed to a service that in their opinion has not being carried out as desired.

We had a plasterer do work on a room on our house before. The work was not up to standard so we refused to pay until he came and redid it all again to the correct standard, he was not happy but we stuck to our guns. He did do it properly the second time but if he had not returned to redo it he wouldn't have got paid.

You probably think we should have paid him some percentage just for doing something that was of no use.

how nice for you. However if you actually read the post properly - the passenger agreed to get into the taxi even tho the taxi man said he would FIND the house. While the taxman was FINDING the house the passenger grew impatient and wanted out. It was the passengers choice - he knew the taxman had to FIND THE HOUSE - this suited him when he got into the taxi but not when he got to his destination. the flip side of the coin would be that maybe the passenger decided he would chance his arm and act all hard done by to get a free ride. but hey what think there are two sides to the story when we all know that once its posted on boards it's gospel.

Even so, it was the passengers choice to go ahead and get into the taxi, the passengers choice to berate the taxman, and the passengers choice to decide he would like to leave the taxi without paying. The taxman was justified in bringing him to the police station.

simples.

but I'm sure the passenger has learned his lesson and won't try that again.

Gerry T

fishy fishy wrote: »

if I was in a shop with a bag of groceries and I got a little impatient at the shop assistant calculating my cost, so I decided to leave the shop WITH the unpaid groceries - now that would be Wrong.

Not a good comparison. Say you got a plumber in to fix a problem. he says that's €100 and will take 2hrs to fix. After an Hr he says he has to go and get a hammer as he forgot it, then half hr after returning he says, I have to go get some filler. So at the end of the job he says, that will be €200 as I have been here 4Hrs with all the driving about. You would tell him to get stuffed and be prepared in future, not your fault he doesn't have the van loaded with whats needed
Do you get the point, a grocer doesn't charge for time, a Taxi driver does. The Taxi was booked so the driver SHOULD have know where the STREET was BEFORE he arrived to pick up the passenger. OR when the dispatch called him to pick up and drop to xxxx street, he should have said "you better get someone else to do that job because I'm a feckin edjit and don't know where that is"

leitmotiv

donegal_road wrote: »

OP, what was the name of the street you were going to, out of interest. Why didn't the taxi driver call back to base and get directions? That is what always happens when ever I get a cab and the driver isn't sure of the exact address.

Do you think that the driver was 'chancing his arm' when he realised you weren't Irish and was just running down the clock to put up the fare?

Donegal, I don't really want to name the road for obvious reasons. But it was a well established (1950's?) location. I suggested to call base and that was when the driver flew into a rage!
I don't know whether he was chancing his arm or was just thick, in any case he didn't like 'foreigners' and had severe anger issues...

ibarelycare

fishy fishy wrote: »

how nice for you. However if you actually read the post properly - the passenger agreed to get into the taxi even tho the taxi man said he would FIND the house. While the taxman was FINDING the house the passenger grew impatient and wanted out. It was the passengers choice - he knew the taxman had to FIND THE HOUSE - this suited him when he got into the taxi but not when he got to his destination. the flip side of the coin would be that maybe the passenger decided he would chance his arm and act all hard done by to get a free ride. but hey what think there are two sides to the story when we all know that once its posted on boards it's gospel.

Even so, it was the passengers choice to go ahead and get into the taxi, the passengers choice to berate the taxman, and the passengers choice to decide he would like to leave the taxi without paying. The taxman was justified in bringing him to the police station.

simples.

but I'm sure the passenger has learned his lesson and won't try that again.

You seem to be reading between the lines and coming up with a whole other side to the story.

fishy fishy

leitmotiv wrote: »

Donegal, I don't really want to name the road for obvious reasons. But it was a well established (1950's?) location. I suggested to call base and that was when the driver flew into a rage!
I don't know whether he was chancing his arm or was just thick, in any case he didn't like 'foreigners' and had severe anger issues...

are you trying to say he was racist now?

Because he had an issue with you not paying a far, he is now racist who was flying into a rage?

the more you post, the more I understand why you were taken to the police station.

You know you were in the wrong I imagine but keep changing the goalpost to camouflage the fact that you didn't do the right thing.

Throwing the racist card down is the lowest of the low.

Gerry T

fishy fishy wrote: »

how nice for you. However if you actually read the post properly - the passenger agreed to get into the taxi even tho the taxi man said he would FIND the house. While the taxman was FINDING the house the passenger grew impatient and wanted out. It was the passengers choice - he knew the taxman had to FIND THE HOUSE - this suited him when he got into the taxi but not when he got to his destination. the flip side of the coin would be that maybe the passenger decided he would chance his arm and act all hard done by to get a free ride. but hey what think there are two sides to the story when we all know that once its posted on boards it's gospel.

Even so, it was the passengers choice to go ahead and get into the taxi, the passengers choice to berate the taxman, and the passengers choice to decide he would like to leave the taxi without paying. The taxman was justified in bringing him to the police station.

simples.

but I'm sure the passenger has learned his lesson and won't try that again.

leitmotiv wrote: »

Thanks for (most) replies! Just to be clear: I knew the exact street address but couldn't direct the driver. I gave the address when I booked, plenty of time to look it up, even on a map, not to mention satnav.

I don't really want any more trouble. I am just worried because he picked me up from my home and is very aggressiv....

Fishy you have a very one sided way of looking at this. "Finding the House" does not mean "driving around aimlessly" clocking up the meter. I would expect the Taxi Driver to call the dispatch and get directions, or call a fellow Taxi driver or plug in the street to his sat nav (seen as though he doesn't know main streets). THE main point is how the Taxi driver reacted, what he did when the passenger complained. That's the issue. We have more than enough Taxi's on the roads. If there are taxis with dirty smell cars, aggressive drivers they should loose their license, simple.

ibarelycare

fishy fishy wrote: »

are you trying to say he was racist now?

Because he had an issue with you not paying a far, he is now racist who was flying into a rage?

the more you post, the more I understand why you were taken to the police station.

You know you were in the wrong I imagine but keep changing the goalpost to camouflage the fact that you didn't do the right thing.

Throwing the racist card down is the lowest of the low.

The OP said from the start that the taxi driver acted like this towards him

leitmotiv wrote: »

I booked a taxi evening from my home to a street address about 4 miles away.

The taxi arrived and we left. The driver asked me where my destination address was but I only knew it was in Mount Merrion. He said not to worry, that he would find it. As we arrived in the vicinity of Mount Merrion, he was not able to find my destination and drove around rather aimlessly. When I suggested that he should know local addresses or else use a satnav device or ask the dispatcher, he grew very aggressive, raised his voice and insulted me along the lines of how dare I as a foreigner to tell Irish people how to do their job. When I protested about his verbal abuse, he became even more aggressive. I became quite worried at this stage and we still had not found my destination. I asked to leave the taxi but the driver now demanded money and grabbed my bag containing presents and tried to violently pull it from my hands. He then centrally locked the car which was stationary at this stage, and shouted at me demanding money. I refused. He then drove off keeping me against my will in the locked car. I was very concerned now about my safety and asked where he was bringing me. He said (to my relief!) Dundrum Garda Station. When we arrived there, he left me locked in the car and went into the station returning with a Gard. The Gard suggested that I owed money to the driver. I said that I was not brought to my destination but attacked and insulted and that I did not owe the fare under the circumstances. The Gard noted my details, let me go and remained with the driver.
I hired a taxi at the Dundrum rank and was safely and friendly brought to my original destination.

I should say, that I have used taxis both for business and privately many times. I have never made a complaint or was scared in a taxi. I am a bit worried about my safety as I think that this driver is very angry, threatening and aggressive. And he knows where I live!

Was I right not to pay?

fishy fishy

Gerry T wrote: »

Fishy you have a very one sided way of looking at this. "Finding the House" does not mean "driving around aimlessly" clocking up the meter. I would expect the Taxi Driver to call the dispatch and get directions, or call a fellow Taxi driver or plug in the street to his sat nav (seen as though he doesn't know main streets). THE main point is how the Taxi driver reacted, what he did when the passenger complained. That's the issue. We have more than enough Taxi's on the roads. If there are taxis with dirty smell cars, aggressive drivers they should loose their license, simple.

if you actually read the original post, the driver was "stationary" and not driving.

too many contradictions on this post. As I say would love the taxman to give his side of the story -

osarusan

fishy fishy wrote: »

too many contradictions on this post. As I say would love the taxman to give his side of the story -

It would probably be more moderate than your side of the story.

fishy fishy

osarusan wrote: »

It would probably be more moderate than your side of the story.

as they say, there are two sides to every story, and then the truth.

the taxman was correct in going to the police. Let's hope everyone has learned something from this thread. Do not try to get out of paying for a cab - it will bite you in the ass.

fishy fishy

fishy fishy wrote: »

a

the more you post, the more I understand why you were taken to the police station.

Interesting how the Gardai were happy to to let the op go without forcing them to pay?

They must have also agreed the op was right so I don't see how they were bitten in the ass.

Gerry T

leitmotiv wrote: »

I booked a taxi evening from my home to a street address about 4 miles away.

The taxi arrived and we left. The driver asked me where my destination address was but I only knew it was in Mount Merrion. He said not to worry, that he would find it. As we arrived in the vicinity of Mount Merrion, he was not able to find my destination and drove around rather aimlessly. When I suggested that he should know local addresses or else use a satnav device or ask the dispatcher, he grew very aggressive, raised his voice and insulted me along the lines of how dare I as a foreigner to tell Irish people how to do their job. When I protested about his verbal abuse, he became even more aggressive. I became quite worried at this stage and we still had not found my destination. I asked to leave the taxi but the driver now demanded money and grabbed my bag containing presents and tried to violently pull it from my hands. He then centrally locked the car which was stationary at this stage, and shouted at me demanding money. I refused. He then drove off keeping me against my will in the locked car. I was very concerned now about my safety and asked where he was bringing me. He said (to my relief!) Dundrum Garda Station. When we arrived there, he left me locked in the car and went into the station returning with a Gard. The Gard suggested that I owed money to the driver. I said that I was not brought to my destination but attacked and insulted and that I did not owe the fare under the circumstances. The Gard noted my details, let me go and remained with the driver.
I hired a taxi at the Dundrum rank and was safely and friendly brought to my original destination.

I should say, that I have used taxis both for business and privately many times. I have never made a complaint or was scared in a taxi. I am a bit worried about my safety as I think that this driver is very angry, threatening and aggressive. And he knows where I live!

Was I right not to pay?

Read the post. The driver did drive around aimlessly, he did get aggressive, he did say foreigners should not tell Irish people how to do their jobs (not racist but really bordering). The OP then explained in a second post that the exact street was given but he didn't know how to get there, other than it was near Mt Merrion.
No contradictions, changing of story or any such thing in all the OP posts. We take the OP story at face value and debate that. In this scenario the Taxi driver in my opinion was wrong, indefensible. No point in saying the truth is different so the OP is wrong, that's a different thread.
There is nothing in this story where I can see the Taxi driver was in the right. Getting physical and verbally abusive is not behaviour that society should tolerate. In this scenario the Taxi driver should feel the re-percussions. He should be fined/sacked/suspended. Ok the Taxi driver may have pulled a 14hr shift, had drunks and obnoxious people all day, but that comes with the job description. No excuse.

petes

Fishy fish could you do me a massive favor and actually go back and read the opening post. Multiple times. Don't leave anything out and don't skip any words or lines (don't read between any of them either to come up with your own story).

Jaysus!!

ibarelycare

fishy fishy wrote: »

as they say, there are two sides to every story, and then the truth.

the taxman was correct in going to the police. Let's hope everyone has learned something from this thread. Do not try to get out of paying for a cab - it will bite you in the ass.

Who has been bitten in the ass?

cardwizzard

OP has to pay the TAXMAN, is it October already:pac::pac:

professore

fishy fishy wrote: »

LOl, the dramatics of this post.

nobody was taken by force. the passenger was escorted to the nearest police station for failing to pay for a fare. If there was any "taken by force" involved I'm sure the police would have taken the taxi man for "kidnapping. However, this didn't happen. The taxman was correct in what he did.

Again, it would be very very interesting to get the correct version of events. Not the one-sided version.

Either way, taxman was right to bring a non-paying passenger to the police. It is up to him now to pursue the matter and get his fare back.

I would say any solicitor would disagree with you.

fishy fishy

professore wrote: »

I would say any solicitor would disagree with you.

wrong - taxi drivers are in their rights to bring an aggressive or non paying customer to the police station.

also I have read the first post - the passenger is slightly confused whether the taxman is driving aimlessly or stationary. LOL. Also he goes from the taxman being aggressive, to being scary with tattoos, to being an out and out racist. Not one word about the passenger agreeing to the taxman "finding" the house tho and getting into the car knowing that they would have to "find" the house. he had bo problem with it getting into the taxi - but hey why point out the obvious. Would ruin a good "tale".

I'm sure the passenger will be a little more clear next time.

professore

The next programming job I take on, I must remember to poke aimlessly at the keyboard for days, ask the client if he knows how to write a for loop, do half the job, demand full payment for my time, and if he doesn't pay, abuse him about being a foreigner (i.e. not from Cork) throw him in the back of my car and haul his ass to the Garda station.

Thanks to some of the posters on here for the tips ! and by the way, if you want any programming done, give me a call ! I wish all my clients were like you !!!

GreeBo

fishy fishy wrote: »

wrong - taxi drivers are in their rights to bring an aggressive or non paying customer to the police station.

also I have read the first post - the passenger is slightly confused whether the taxman is driving aimlessly or stationary. LOL. Also he goes from the taxman being aggressive, to being scary with tattoos, to being an out and out racist. Not one word about the passenger agreeing to the taxman "finding" the house tho and getting into the car knowing that they would have to "find" the house. he had bo problem with it getting into the taxi - but hey why point out the obvious. Would ruin a good "tale".

I'm sure the passenger will be a little more clear next time.

Dig up!

OP should complain to the regulator. The service received was not up to standard or what was expected.
Fishy would you expect a restaurant to only charge you half the price of you only ate half the food?
Some things are all or nothing, your trolling for example.

GreeBo

petes wrote: »

Fishy fish could you do me a massive favor and actually go back and read the opening post. Multiple times. Don't leave anything out and don't skip any words or lines (don't read between any of them either to come up with your own story).

Jaysus!!

Id appreciate if fishy just stopped posting drivel, or preferably altogether.

professore

fishy fishy wrote: »

wrong - taxi drivers are in their rights to bring an aggressive or non paying customer to the police station.

also I have read the first post - the passenger is slightly confused whether the taxman is driving aimlessly or stationary. LOL. Also he goes from the taxman being aggressive, to being scary with tattoos, to being an out and out racist. Not one word about the passenger agreeing to the taxman "finding" the house tho and getting into the car knowing that they would have to "find" the house. he had bo problem with it getting into the taxi - but hey why point out the obvious. Would ruin a good "tale".

I'm sure the passenger will be a little more clear next time.

YAWN. He couldn't even find the street, never mind the house. And who said anything about a TAXMAN? Those Revenue hounds can find any house in the country

professore

While I totally sympathise with the OP, I got to admit this thread is great fun

StephenHendry

fishy fishy wrote: »

wrong - taxi drivers are in their rights to bring an aggressive or non paying customer to the police station.

also I have read the first post - the passenger is slightly confused whether the taxman is driving aimlessly or stationary. LOL. Also he goes from the taxman being aggressive, to being scary with tattoos, to being an out and out racist. Not one word about the passenger agreeing to the taxman "finding" the house tho and getting into the car knowing that they would have to "find" the house. he had bo problem with it getting into the taxi - but hey why point out the obvious. Would ruin a good "tale".

I'm sure the passenger will be a little more clear next time.

the taxman :P you amuse me every time you put typo in your posts. the onus is on the taxi driver to behave professionally, responsibly , whatever way you want to put up. the op mentions that he/she gave x address to the taxi driver to which he said he would find it and bring the op there.

that was the time for the taxi driver to say look, im not sure where x address is , ill check my map, satnav etc. to which he didnt. from what the op has said, he drove him to mount merrion and then he says to the op , i don't know where x address/street is.

the op rightly abit miffed said i thought you knew where to bring me and the taxi driver gets really p1ssed, gives the op some attitude as he realises his mistake in not finding out at the start of the journey where the op wanted to go.

taxi driver then overreacts then imo, gets agressive with the op etc. the taxi driver is in the wrong, he has done more wrongs imo than the op. the garda then, having listened to both sides then decides to let the op go and has a word with taxidriver. according to the op , the garda didn't make the op pay the fare so it would then suggest he felt the op decision not to pay was reasonable

fishy fishy

professore wrote: »

While I totally sympathise with the OP, I got to admit this thread is great fun

it is, but its getting quite boring now to be honest. also its making me hungry with all the posts about restaurants. does boards people ever have food of their brains.

gallag

bumper234 wrote: »

Here is a question for all of the people who think the taxi driver is right. I don't know op so don't know how he looks. I am 5-11 17 stone of tattooed shaved head ex bouncer with a dublin accent and a stare that can scare off chuggers, beggers and big issue sellers from 30 paces.

If that was me in the taxi and i had made the comments op had made would the driver have given me the abuse? Would he have tried to lock me in and would he have tried to abduct me by taking me against me will? Or do you think he would have just called the guards and if i tried to move off follow me?

Driver was i the wrong 100% and anyone thinking differently should ask themselves how they would be feeling right now if op was their child?

17 stone and only 5, 11 tall, you obese dude, the chuggers are probably scarred you are hungry ffs, if all else fails they can walk at a moderate pace away from you.

bumper234

GreeBo wrote: »

Id appreciate if fishy just stopped posting drivel, or preferably altogether.

★★★★★THIS★★★★★

Please stop feeding the troll guys or if you MUST feed it please don't quote it. Some of us have it on ignore and don't wish to know what waffle the tosser is spouting.

bumper234

gallag wrote: »

17 stone and only 5, 11 tall, you obese dude, the chuggers are probably scarred you are hungry ffs, if all else fails they can walk at a moderate pace away from you.

Oh YAY


Just what the thread needed. Another sarcastic illiterate troll to derail the debate with an asinine off topic comment.


Ignored.

old_aussie

syklops wrote: »

Ah, a taxi thread. We've not had one of these in a while.

You didn't know the address you were going to but you criticised him for not memorising every street, lane and road in Dublin? Why didn't you just get out when you were in Mt Merrion and go and find your destination?

99% of disputes I have had with taxi drivers have been solved by saying "Let me out here, I'll walk the rest of the way", and then paying what it said on the meter, or close enough.

You didn't know the address you were going to

The OP booked a taxi from home to a street address about 4 miles away

99% of disputes I have had with taxi drivers have been solved by saying
"Let me out here, I'll walk the rest of the way.

The OP states..I know my destination address, but I only know it's in Mount Merrion.

Why would the OP get out and walk if he didn't know where he was going? In that he doesn't know the area.

What other parts of the original post are you(and all the people who thanked you) having trouble comprehending, maybe a reread of the OP would be helpful.