FFs, a 1995 Nissan Sunny as a taxi...

Kersh · 23-08-2006 09:30AM #1

I just saw a 95 sunny, with a taxi plate, and he had a fare!!
That is ridiculous. Plus it was tatty. There must be some sort of minimum criteria to register a car as a taxi. It makes the country look like a joke to tourists seeing these sh1t heap taxis that rob them.
I got charged 11 euro to get from swords to Airport. At least it was a 00 primera :mad:

maidhc · 23-08-2006 09:32AM

Kersh wrote:

I just saw a 95 sunny, with a taxi plate, and he had a fare!!

People can't like paying 5x the value of the car for a spin into town!

mloc123 · 23-08-2006 10:59AM

I saw a very tatty camry taxi yesterday, must have been at least 15 years old. I wouldn't pay to get into it.

aphex™ · 23-08-2006 11:05AM

Well with the new rules he won't be running anything over 10 years old very soon.

peasant · 23-08-2006 11:06AM

What's the situation actually ...?

You're at a taxi rank, about to get a taxi. The first in line is the crappy old Nissan Sunny, the next one some tatty old Toyota and the third one down something nice and shiny, 06 with leather seats and so on.

Can you pick and choose which one you want?

Possibly even without starting an argument with the first two cabbies or them beating up the third guy?

I mean ...after all you pay the fare ...you should be able to refuse certain substandard taxis ...

fletch · 23-08-2006 11:11AM

Plus there is the safety aspect...not sure i'd want to be in a clapped out Sunny with some mad taxi driver driving!

maidhc · 23-08-2006 11:12AM

OT, but do taxi drivers have to get an NCT even on a new car?

Stephen · 23-08-2006 12:13PM

They have to get a DOE test done every year.

seamus · 23-08-2006 12:29PM

peasant wrote:

You're at a taxi rank, about to get a taxi. The first in line is the crappy old Nissan Sunny, the next one some tatty old Toyota and the third one down something nice and shiny, 06 with leather seats and so on.

Can you pick and choose which one you want?

Possibly even without starting an argument with the first two cabbies or them beating up the third guy?

I mean ...after all you pay the fare ...you should be able to refuse certain substandard taxis ...

There's no law which states that you must take the first taxi in the queue, but the unions probably have some sort of agreement between drivers, and there's definitely some sort of honour thing going on.
You can absolutely skip a taxi if it doesn't suit your requirements - take a people carrier if you've more than four people, or take a large car over a small one if you've loads of luggage. But to skip one because you don't like the look of it is just going to cause an argument. The drivers behind will refuse to take you, or the car in front will f and blind at the driver who takes you.

Ultimately, you're paying for someone to drive you somewhere, not for a particular vehicle. All you can expect is that the car is legally safe and relatively clean inside. If you were concerned about your appearance from the outside, you'd hire a limo.

Wishbone Ash · 23-08-2006 12:40PM

peasant wrote:

Can you pick and choose which one you want?

You can get around it by offering the taxi to the person behind you in the queue. Some people do that at Dublin Airport while they are waiting for the S class that may be second or third in the queue. I presume it's legal!

I've seen a Ford Fiesta at Dublin Airport ( must be fun with luggage) and a Fiat Punto at the Omni Centre. I think the regulations only state that it must have four doors.

PS Has the restriction on tow bars been lifted? I've seen lots of taxis with them lately

mike65 · 23-08-2006 02:43PM

I don't see a particular problem with an old car so long as its large enough to be passenger friendly, clean and roadworthy. A '95 Sunny would fail at least one of those criteria.

Mike.

Volvoboy · 23-08-2006 05:26PM

Seen the extreme to the stupid as a taxi, '06 Merc S-Class anyone??

or

06 Toyota Landcruiser?

Really, seen some silly things as a Joe.

-NAVB-

Tipsy Mac · 23-08-2006 05:43PM

Spotted a 92 Toyota Carina II Taxi today, he probable makes more in a week than the car is worth

colm_mcm · 23-08-2006 06:06PM

Unfortunately the Carina E rarely breaks down, so while your man with the 06 S Class is paying €2000 a month on finance, and every second week in the dealers getting something fixed, Carina man's taxi is long since paid for and if something goes wrong it'll be cheap to fix or replace the car.

mloc123 · 23-08-2006 06:15PM

Wishbone Ash wrote:

I've seen a Ford Fiesta at Dublin Airport ( must be fun with luggage) and a Fiat Punto at the Omni Centre. I think the regulations only state that it must have four doors.

I thought there was a minimum wheel base length?

bazz26 · 23-08-2006 08:31PM

The other side of the coin is that on a cold windy wet day and your standing in the taxi queue for ages, you'll be very happy indeed to see a 1995 Nissan Sunny or similar pull up into the rank. Very unlikely you'll be giving up your place in the queue in the hope that an S Class may arrive.

Wishbone Ash · 23-08-2006 08:56PM

Volvoboy wrote:

Seen the extreme to the stupid as a taxi, '06 Merc S-Class anyone??

AFAIK most of the luxury taxis are really limos but work as taxis when business is slack. eg S class, Chrysler 300 C, 7 series BMW, Lexus 430 etc.

Guy:Incognito · 23-08-2006 10:18PM

Volvoboy wrote:

Seen the extreme to the stupid as a taxi, '06 Merc S-Class anyone??

or

06 Toyota Landcruiser?

Really, seen some silly things as a Joe.

-NAVB-

Saw a 02 s500 in town the other day. Poor taxi drivers moaning about their income:rolleyes: . Even if he only bougth it as a 2nd hand, the going rate is around 45k.

Seth Brundle · 23-08-2006 10:26PM

colm_mcm wrote:

Unfortunately the Carina E rarely breaks down

My fathers old one must have been the exception to the rule then!

ninty9er · 23-08-2006 11:35PM

bazz26 wrote:

The other side of the coin is that on a cold windy wet day and your standing in the taxi queue for ages, you'll be very happy indeed to see a 1995 Nissan Sunny or similar pull up into the rank. Very unlikely you'll be giving up your place in the queue in the hope that an S Class may arrive.

Have you seen the guy on William St. with the old LS400, must be a bitch on petrol. especially taxi driver style driving.

Actually OT rant. That rank is a joke with front passengers getting in Traffic side. there has to be some regulation against this.

I will give manufacturers their due on improving technology and say that I was chauffeured round in an S350 from last thursday to monday and it got Limerick-Passage East - Dunmore East. D.E-Tramore return x 3 and the odd bit in between (D.E to wexford by ferry etc..) on 3/4 of a tank. still prob €100 to fill it though.

seamus wrote:

There's no law which states that you must take the first taxi in the queue, but the unions probably have some sort of agreement between drivers, and there's definitely some sort of honour thing going on.
.

The particular William St. one in Limerick has a sign stating "first taxi" meaning that subsequent drivers must refuse to take fares when there's a car in front

ninty9er · 23-08-2006 11:40PM

kbannon wrote:

My fathers old one must have been the exception to the rule then!

Must have!!

Between my dad and my mam's family there have been 4 Carina II and 2 Carina E. None have caused the slightest bit of mechanical trouble. my dad's one was 11 years old when he sold it ant the only problem was a Head lamp relay that had to be replaced and the damaged paintwork where it was hit by a golfball at 50 mph

Fey! · 24-08-2006 10:34AM

Best taxi I've seen was a Range Rover a couple of christmasses ago.

HashSlinging · 24-08-2006 11:13AM

There should be a rule that all taxi's must be "E-Class" standard or above, these guys make a packet! I know someone who recently took up taxi driving and is doing very well at it, he has a passat TDI.. just as a starter.

darkbeatz · 24-08-2006 01:04PM

Kersh wrote:

I just saw a 95 sunny, with a taxi plate, and he had a fare!!
That is ridiculous. Plus it was tatty. There must be some sort of minimum criteria to register a car as a taxi. It makes the country look like a joke to tourists seeing these sh1t heap taxis that rob them.
I got charged 11 euro to get from swords to Airport. At least it was a 00 primera :mad:

this is laughable. I completley agree with you here. It makes my blood boil the state of some of the taxis on our roads. I think taxi drivers should get a tax incentive to purchase decent cars for doing their job

Wishbone Ash · 24-08-2006 02:13PM

darkbeatz wrote:

It makes my blood boil the state of some of the taxis on our roads.

It dosen't take much to make your blood boil - relax

PS - It doesn't just happen here. We queued for a taxi in an African country one time and what pulls up but a Fiat Cinqcento (spelling?). We thought it must be a joke and I was half expecting Jeremy Beadle to jump out of somewhere. My daughter's buggy wouldn't fit in the boot!

FFs, a 1995 Nissan Sunny as a taxi...

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