Taxi Driver Online

mmmmm, not sure you could ignore him, been around fora for a while (not taxi fora) and I can see the signs, too many smileys for a start, the fuel that fires the folks you despise so much is you responding, don't respond and you have removed their teeth, go on TC try it, the way I see it, the more smileys you add, the higher your BP is.

Torn/Ross wrote:


And why would you need “the distraction from the reality of earning a living”? I though driving a taxi in Edinburgh was wonderful. In fact according to you and Ross (Your other half) it’s never been better. With the increase in work, new vehicle types, extra drivers, and the rise in tariffs you must be coining it in. Lots of money and job security all in the same package. A perfect existence I would have thought. And of course it’s always going to be this way. “The distraction from the reality of earning a living” na surely not. Who would need to be distracted from Utopia?


What we really need is these plate premiums to jump a little higher in line with the increase in business everyone is telling me about. Will £70,000 do the trick? What about driver’s rentals surely these will have to increase also? Do you want to pick a figure, say £350-£400 for 7 nights? Can we agree on that?


And you need a distraction can't think why

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All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

Well you seem to be having a bit of a struggle answering some of the questions I posed to you the other night, so I'll repeat one of the main ones below.

But I think it's just a case of what I claimed the other night - you're all hot air and no substance?



So which part(s) it is you have a problem with? Or if it's the whole shebang, perhaps you could try a couple of examples?

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

the sites condoning them

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

i think is a "billy no mates" in really life, so the only social interaction he gets is on the net with his pals.

also i think Skull loves the attention, and folks please remember that Mr Skull is the Original Taxi Baron with his two plates!

A wee contradiction in terms there don't you think?

"Real Life" like buying a publicly owned licence controlled by the council at an artificial value, and calling it a business.

Andy you talk about "Real Life" I don't think so somehow

Not to bright are are you 187ums


Away and have a think about it?

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All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

ok Skull, why dont you have a think about this, even if you managed to get your third "free plate" from the council, you too would be nothing more than a council employee.

so if its not a business, what would it be?

bit thick aren't you....

No 187ums you would be a pseudo employee of the Council. Just like you are now without the ideas of grandeur you are some sort of businessman, begging the council not to pull the plug on your little illusion.

As for “if it’s not a business what would it be” It would not be the illusion of a business it just might be a real one depending on how well you compete in a free market.

Not half as thick as you 'O' great businessman begging the council not to de-restrict.

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All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

You call me on not answering questions - there's a laugh. Any chance of encouraging Skull and Cross-bones to answer the who plethora of questions I've asked them. Nah- not actually a plethora, just the same questions repeated ad-nauseum which they refuse to answer and instead conduct a pathetic attempt to threaten and intimidate me to go away.

No struggle answering at all - it's just the minute you started quoted Jim Taylor - the Edinburgh Taxi Trade's own original conspiracy theorist - I knew the whole thing was a cobbled together piece of propaganda designed to back up your arguments and without any pretence of balance. As for the quotes from local papers, well even you accept they're not renowned for their accurate reporting. So the whole is thing is not worth wasting any more of my time on

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Keyboards and Cretins : Facts - not opinions - are the only truths

Damascus Moments - easy excuses for a sociopath

TDO the website of double standards and changing identities

As ever Garry - you're putting words in my mouth. Never claimed this is Utopia or any of the other stuff you've said.

Now if it's such a cr4p job and you hate taxi drivers so much - Why you still truying to get a free plate? and Why you still here "debating" the issues? - You're not driving a taxi any more - an no, I take no pleasure from the fact you're not working, if that is actually the truth you've told for once.

_________________
Keyboards and Cretins : Facts - not opinions - are the only truths

Damascus Moments - easy excuses for a sociopath

TDO the website of double standards and changing identities

It’s “such a cr4p job” because everything is going in the wrong direction. Shortage of drives increased hours, lower earnings, greater competition and no way to reverse the process. The Hacks share of the market is shrinking yet driver’s rentals and plate premiums go up. All of this just didn’t happen yesterday it’s been going this way for the last five years. The big problem is the competition does not worry about how much your plate is worth or how much you charge your driver. It’s only interested in taking your income.

I “hate taxi drivers” because they see themselves as just that. How many times have you heard it said “he’s just a driver” or “I’m just a driver” You don’t sell your services or place a value on your worth you are told what you will pay and if you don’t like it you will be replaced. The truth is you are casual labour in a market that decides your value based on what the driver is forced to pay through over supply. It has nothing to do with how much money you earn if it did your rentals would reduce in line with the reduction in work.

The “free plate” all of the above should explain that. If I am going to drive a taxi even part-time it’s got to be worth my while. I am not going to pay anyone £300 a week for a drive. I paid the last guy £250 for seven nights on the street and he sold up because as he put it “there’s no money in the game anymore” and it’s only going to get worse.

Look at it this way £300 rental + £120-£150 fuel= £450 now add your travelling costs or your own private car into the equation. That’s before you have earned a bean and the Tax man wants a 25% cut on top of that.

If I was working in Tescos stacking shelves for the hours you work in this game I would be making more money.

Torn the game is fecked and it’s limping along using the driver as a walking stick. I want a plate so I can control my own costs and hours whether it is part-time or full-time. Like I said before I decided not anyone else. If the work is there on a Fri/Sat night then that’s when I would work.

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All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

Somehow I'd like to believe you, but given your history and renowned comments at the time of the 3maxblack case and since, it will take more than the above to convince me you just want a plate to work weekends if it suits.

You've previously claimed that the PH don't go to the trouble of buying and licensing a car, the cost of insurance and buying a meter etc just to work on a Fri/Sat night so why would it suddenly be worthwhile to do that with a Taxi? If it makes no sense for a PH it makes even less sense for a taxi.

Kind of blows your argument about a significant part of the rise in PH numbers not being just weekenders out of the sky. A quick count of the PH seagulls in George Street on a weekend night compared to a week night tells you that's how it is. Add to that the drop in PHC numbers recently. and that tells it's own story.

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Keyboards and Cretins : Facts - not opinions - are the only truths

Damascus Moments - easy excuses for a sociopath

TDO the website of double standards and changing identities

I hope that everyone answers questions put to them. But please remember, I'm not Skull's keeper, and he's big enough to answer for himself.



So instead of the waffle why don't you be more specific either as regards Jim Taylor or the local press?

If M&R is as bad as you make out then it shouldn't be difficult to critique a couple of examples - indeed, it should surely take less time than it takes to add all those smilies to your posts

No Torn, you are avoiding the issue because you have no substantive critique to offer.

Your new signature speaks volumes, but ironically against yourself rather than other people

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

Torncasualty Wrote:



No what I am saying is that is a possibility and the very least I would do. I know one guy who has a £6000 TX1 and only drives it at weekends sometimes Thursday through to Sunday more often or not three nights out of the four. His costs are cut dramatically by the very fact his taxi doubles as his private vehicle. No private car and no extra finance, insurance, road tax, or running costs just to get to his work.



I never claimed the “PH don't go to the trouble of buying and licensing a car, the cost of insurance and buying a meter etc just to work on a Fri/Sat night”. A lot probably do if for anything just to have a nice vehicle for their family paid for by a Ph weekend radio circuit. But once again if his private car is doubling for his working vehicle it’s a huge saving and one of the main reasons the Hacks cannot compete. At the end of he day its work you use to do.



Once again I claimed no such thing. The drop in Ph numbers means absolutely nothing in the scheme of things. In the long term they are steadily increasing plucking one year out of five or six hardly makes a comparison. What I can tell you is the Ph from areas surrounding Edinburgh have risen dramatically and in line with the reduction in country work picked up off the streets. Add that to the current Edinburgh Ph fleet and you will see any reduction is insignificant.

Torn I am attempting to answer your questions and your cynicism openly and honestly this is your chance to debate the real issues.

Now you answer my questions.

Where do you see yourself in the next two years as a driver?

How much less are you prepared to earn and how much more are you prepared to pay for your rental or a plate to keep you in employment?

What happens when you find yourself out of employment for whatever reason where do you find work?

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All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

STU wrote on Fasties




This is exactly why drivers should be given the choice to control their own working environment. Who can afford to pay a £300 a week rental for this?

The choice to drive or own should be exactly that, a choice. Imagine the saving if his taxi doubled as his private car? He could then work his own hours and control his own costs. Competition can only bring rentals down in line with income.


£300 a week rent or £40,000 to buy, what a f****** joke.


'DOG EAT DOG' coming to a cinema near you

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All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"