Taxi Drivers

Misc · Post by **Misc** » Thu 30 Apr, 2009 3:17 pm

BLAKEY wrote: With every respect folks, this is the wrong approach altogether. Why on earth should a bus operator go to the expense of putting extra buses on a service when it is the job of the Council/Police/Magistrates to sort this out "good and proper and quickly" !! I'd like to see First put on the amount of number ones they claim you should be able to expect and would be really mad if I saw a bendy bus sat on its own doing nowt! Absolutely rubbish service from town, certainly between the hours of four and half six on an afternoon when you might want to get home. Stupid monopoly.Back to taxi drivers - I fully accept that lots of drivers are only doing their jobs, but it does seem that **certain** firms may be in the pocket of the authorities somewhat...A few years ago I attended Leeds University, and we were told to always use "black and white" taxis for our own safety, and given the number of two firms. One of them was fine, but the other would regularly tell you that a car would be with you in 20 minutes and then no taxi would turn up. When you phoned to ask where it was they would claim "it came and you weren't there" - total lies and really compromising people's safety, especially given that they would tell you to wait OUTSIDE your block of flats (before mobile phones were within the means of students). This happened to me and my friends at least eight or ten times. They would also attempt to overcharge you despite the meters. What exactly is better about the "black and whites"? It seems to me that they might have had their day, could the law be changed and minicabs able to get insurance to be flagged down?

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Thu 30 Apr, 2009 9:27 pm

Misc wrote: BLAKEY wrote: With every respect folks, this is the wrong approach altogether. Why on earth should a bus operator go to the expense of putting extra buses on a service when it is the job of the Council/Police/Magistrates to sort this out "good and proper and quickly" !! I'd like to see First put on the amount of number ones they claim you should be able to expect and would be really mad if I saw a bendy bus sat on its own doing nowt! Absolutely rubbish service from town, certainly between the hours of four and half six on an afternoon when you might want to get home. Stupid monopoly.Back to taxi drivers - I fully accept that lots of drivers are only doing their jobs, but it does seem that **certain** firms may be in the pocket of the authorities somewhat...A few years ago I attended Leeds University, and we were told to always use "black and white" taxis for our own safety, and given the number of two firms. One of them was fine, but the other would regularly tell you that a car would be with you in 20 minutes and then no taxi would turn up. When you phoned to ask where it was they would claim "it came and you weren't there" - total lies and really compromising people's safety, especially given that they would tell you to wait OUTSIDE your block of flats (before mobile phones were within the means of students). This happened to me and my friends at least eight or ten times. They would also attempt to overcharge you despite the meters. What exactly is better about the "black and whites"? It seems to me that they might have had their day, could the law be changed and minicabs able to get insurance to be flagged down? The main difference is that a private hire HAS to be pre-booked - if you simply grab one off the street the driver is breaking the law and his insurance is invalid, meaning if anything happens you're not covered. A hackney carriage (black and white in Leeds) doesn't have to be pre-booked and can be hailed on the street or simply picked up at a taxi rank - although from an earlier posting (and my personal experience) it seems that they disregard on-street hailing preferring to ignore fare paying passengers in order to queue for half an hour at the station taxi rank...Black and white taxi drivers also have to complete a much tougher test to get a taxi licence.

Cardiarms · Post by **Cardiarms** » Fri 01 May, 2009 1:01 am

B&Ws queing well down Boar Lane tonight.

Reginal Perrin · Post by **Reginal Perrin** » Fri 01 May, 2009 1:42 pm

raveydavey wrote: Misc wrote: BLAKEY wrote: With every respect folks, this is the wrong approach altogether. Why on earth should a bus operator go to the expense of putting extra buses on a service when it is the job of the Council/Police/Magistrates to sort this out "good and proper and quickly" !! I'd like to see First put on the amount of number ones they claim you should be able to expect and would be really mad if I saw a bendy bus sat on its own doing nowt! Absolutely rubbish service from town, certainly between the hours of four and half six on an afternoon when you might want to get home. Stupid monopoly.Back to taxi drivers - I fully accept that lots of drivers are only doing their jobs, but it does seem that **certain** firms may be in the pocket of the authorities somewhat...A few years ago I attended Leeds University, and we were told to always use "black and white" taxis for our own safety, and given the number of two firms. One of them was fine, but the other would regularly tell you that a car would be with you in 20 minutes and then no taxi would turn up. When you phoned to ask where it was they would claim "it came and you weren't there" - total lies and really compromising people's safety, especially given that they would tell you to wait OUTSIDE your block of flats (before mobile phones were within the means of students). This happened to me and my friends at least eight or ten times. They would also attempt to overcharge you despite the meters. What exactly is better about the "black and whites"? It seems to me that they might have had their day, could the law be changed and minicabs able to get insurance to be flagged down? The main difference is that a private hire HAS to be pre-booked - if you simply grab one off the street the driver is breaking the law and his insurance is invalid, meaning if anything happens you're not covered. A hackney carriage (black and white in Leeds) doesn't have to be pre-booked and can be hailed on the street or simply picked up at a taxi rank - although from an earlier posting (and my personal experience) it seems that they disregard on-street hailing preferring to ignore fare paying passengers in order to queue for half an hour at the station taxi rank...Black and white taxi drivers also have to complete a much tougher test to get a taxi licence. The cheap availability of Sat Nav negates any real need for any kind of "knowledge" and the issue of hailing them down ,they don't do it d so they are really just expensive minicabs which you have to queue for at the station.The market should be opened up and Minicabs (which ARE regulated) should be allowed to be hailed if they buy a "Fare / No Fare" light from the council and fares per mile agreed accross town. If they made a unit which combined the light with a trip computer they could hold the monopoly and make some dough for us tax payers.

Brandy · Post by **Brandy** » Fri 01 May, 2009 1:52 pm

The market should be opened up and Minicabs (which ARE regulated) should be allowed to be hailed if they buy a "Fare / No Fare" light from the council and fares per mile agreed accross town. If they made a unit which combined the light with a trip computer they could hold the monopoly and make some dough for us tax payers. That sounds about right reggie-have you ever thought about going into politics mate?

Post by **chameleon** » Fri 01 May, 2009 6:32 pm

Brandy wrote: The market should be opened up and Minicabs (which ARE regulated) should be allowed to be hailed if they buy a "Fare / No Fare" light from the council and fares per mile agreed accross town. If they made a unit which combined the light with a trip computer they could hold the monopoly and make some dough for us tax payers. That sounds about right reggie-have you ever thought about going into politics mate?Given that a very large number of Private Hire drivers are said to be 'day-trippers' from anywhere from Newcastle to Nottinbham, and maybe beyound, Sat Nav is probably the only way they find their destination

Post by **tyke bhoy** » Thu 21 May, 2009 3:34 pm

Frustrated by LCCs lack of progress on this and 3 successive nights of queing over 5 minutes to cover the 40 or so yards I have just submitted a slightly less generic version of this to both Arriva and Last Leeds' customer services via their web feedback forms Submitted to Bus Companies wrote: This applies to any service that travels eastbound on Boar Lane from City Square and turns into Mill Hill to exit Leeds via the Dark arches, turns right into New Station Street for the Station Interchange and to a lesser extent continues on Boar Lane to the Corn Exchange.On a regular basis traffic (mainly buses) wishing to turn right into Mill Hill and New Station Street is being seriously delayed (several minutes) by the fact that Leeds Taxi drivers have decided, unchallenged by their licensing authority, to extend their Leeds Station taxi rank on to a public highway. This means they are obstructing a public highway, a nuisance Leeds City Council not only seem to be not to bothered about but have actually adjusted the road layout to make the obstruction easier.Buses and other traffic wishing to turn right into Mill Hill can avoid the delay by performing a dangerous and probably illegal manoeuvre. Boar Lane is a two way street as far as Lower Basinghall Street, just short of City Square, to allow access to the latter. Frustrated traffic is driving the wrong way on this two-way stretch of Boar Lane from Lower Basinghall Street to turn right into Mill Hill. This is further exacerbated as LCC have installed a zebra crossing across the junction of Mill Hill with Boar Lane.Traffic continuing on Boar Lane is delayed as the queuing taxis are preventing easy access and regress for buses using stops at the Bond Street Interchange.

Post by **tyke bhoy** » Thu 21 May, 2009 3:36 pm

Double post because it reported my first as "dangerous"

Reginal Perrin · Post by **Reginal Perrin** » Thu 21 May, 2009 5:25 pm

tyke bhoy wrote: Frustrated by LCCs lack of progress on this and 3 successive nights of queing over 5 minutes to cover the 40 or so yards I have just submitted a slightly less generic version of this to both Arriva and Last Leeds' customer services via their web feedback forms Submitted to Bus Companies wrote: This applies to any service that travels eastbound on Boar Lane from City Square and turns into Mill Hill to exit Leeds via the Dark arches, turns right into New Station Street for the Station Interchange and to a lesser extent continues on Boar Lane to the Corn Exchange.On a regular basis traffic (mainly buses) wishing to turn right into Mill Hill and New Station Street is being seriously delayed (several minutes) by the fact that Leeds Taxi drivers have decided, unchallenged by their licensing authority, to extend their Leeds Station taxi rank on to a public highway. This means they are obstructing a public highway, a nuisance Leeds City Council not only seem to be not to bothered about but have actually adjusted the road layout to make the obstruction easier.Buses and other traffic wishing to turn right into Mill Hill can avoid the delay by performing a dangerous and probably illegal manoeuvre. Boar Lane is a two way street as far as Lower Basinghall Street, just short of City Square, to allow access to the latter. Frustrated traffic is driving the wrong way on this two-way stretch of Boar Lane from Lower Basinghall Street to turn right into Mill Hill. This is further exacerbated as LCC have installed a zebra crossing across the junction of Mill Hill with Boar Lane.Traffic continuing on Boar Lane is delayed as the queuing taxis are preventing easy access and regress for buses using stops at the Bond Street Interchange. That's a very good letter and highlights the problem exactly. You might have added hat you pretty much have to make an illegal move at any busy time just to enter Mill Hill as the zebra crossign is constantly in use.

Post by **chameleon** » Thu 03 Sep, 2009 7:21 pm

Well, well, well!Old news from here finally found and reported in the YEP:http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/n ... 3735.jpBUT - it is reported that the Council 'were forced to act' over the taxi grid lock on Boar Lane, contrary to the suggestions they could do nothing!Maybe SL had a little part to play in thisThey do though suggest the problem will be difficult to solve and talking about The Headrow - with so many taxis trying to use the popular ranks.... Surely if a rank holds say 4 cars, the rest piling up are causing an obstruction. The lawful remedy of financial penalty to start with is already there - have it enforced Mr Council Traffic Man!