Taxi Driver Online

What's your problem Jimbo, it seems as if you have a point to make about everything regardless of how vague or badly thought out that point may be.

Okay so you are against de-restriction so what, does that mean your skewed vision of one topic has to apply to all the rest as well.

You’re not debating any points everything is tainted by de-restriction, why don’t you make a contribution from an impartial and objective point of view.


Surprise us all why don’t you?


education:? education education:

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

I thought the point of a forum such as this was for people to state an opinion. Of course, it is clear that you are not in the least bit opiniated.
It is true I am anti-de-restriction, (in Lincoln) and that I will bare my butt in Woolworths window, should it ever happen here. It's such a wonderful thing, restricted plate numbers, even PH here want to adopt it! (see "This is Lincolnshire...)

I understand where you are coming from and that's fair enough everyone is entitled to their opinion but does the bias have to follow into every topic discussed? It doesn’t have to be us and them all the time. If any thing this is exactly how our political Lord’s and Masters divide and conquer the trade at every opportunity. Instead of going down the handbags at fifty paces route why not try and make a valid contribution to topics out with the derestriction model of the trade. Leave the bitchiness to the pro-restriction idiots that try and disrupted the forum. Don’t tell me you want to come across like some of them do, then claim quantity controls benefit the trade, most if not all of them are idiots. Their opinions and arguments just don’t stack up it’s “me and my little world plate value view on life”. If you like how it’s going in Lincoln then fine I'm happy for you and the Ph? Move on, it'll all come out in the wash anyway even Lincoln is not exempt from the march of progress.

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

Although Lincoln is restricted, as the plate premium is very low, and there are no multi plate holders screwing the drivers, as per the NTA. I have decided to issue Lincoln with an honorary de-limit.

As for the local PH drivers, I will issue them with an honorary brain, because they have yet to work out how their first one works.

_________________
IDFIMH

But you're not saying why the article was flawed.

That's like someone saying the Millenium Dome is a wedding cake. Unless they can explain why, it just makes them out to be a fruitcake.

Are you a fruitcake jimbo?

And, if restricted markets were so successful, then every market would be. Did you notice the number of planned economies in the latter half of the last century which abandoned the principle, changing to free market economics. Like the whole of Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union?

But, I'd be really interested Jimbo if you could tell me why councillors - who could be anything from a labourer through a lab technician to a council pen pusher - can manage the market we operate inj better than the needs and demand of the customers who use our service?

dont worry boys it seems all sherrif's are'nt as daft as miss mackie
victory as of 17/10/05 in edinburgh
more to follow
just want to enjoy this moment
told you we were right realcabforce/moron

When I said the article was fundamentally flawed, I was merely pointing out to the luddites amongst us the overuse of the phrase that is now so common on this site. "The cliche is the handrail of a crippled mind" (Spike Milligan) Whether or not the article is "FF" Is not for me to say.

It does not matter why councillors can manage the market, it is a fact that they do, under advice.

Councillors can manage our market, with help?

You just got to be having a laugh Jimbo. Either that or you are a stranger to reason.

Perhaps it hasn't happened yet in Lincoln, but here in Edinburgh we are being overrun by private hire. The taxi trade is being slaughtered. In Glasgow it already has been, outnumbered by around four to one.

Are you happy for your customers to get into private hire? It won't feed you or your family.


And, we've just learned that dubious buyers have just taken over our biggest private hire company. Very worrying.

But, back to the point. My experience is that councillors are self centred, inept at best, and probably corrupt. They refuse to listen to any argument other than that gleaned from the vested interests allied to them whose aim is protect the status quo. When asked to conduct a health and safety risk assesment to protect the interests of drivers and the public, they stoilcally refuse. They can't be seen to have acted in error so they ignore the matter. (Can't wait for the first legal suit resulting from this)

Our council leader was photographed at the local derby football match. Director's box. Slap up meal. Probably free drinks. Fine hospitality, at considerable expense. Will he have declared this freebie?

There is no help that councillors could be given that would transcend freebies like this. Which is why, when our local private hire tells our council that no more taxi licences are needed, the council refuses to issue more taxi licences.

Now, doesn't this suggest corruption?

You still reckon Jimbo they're fit to "manage" our market?

Edinburgh has a long way to go to catch up with Lincoln, jasbar.

Correct me if I'm wrong Jimbo but it's:

Population: 84,000
Taxis: 30
PH: 216

Assuming the population of Edinburgh is five times that in Lincoln, the equivalent figures would be:

Taxis: 150
PH: 1,080

That's why I'm still a bit perplexed as to why Lincoln plates are only worth a couple of grand. I wonder how much plates in Edinburgh would be worth if there were only 150 taxis as compared to the actual £40,000 with over 1,200 taxis

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

jasbar "And, we've just learned that dubious buyers have just taken over our biggest private hire company. Very worrying. " do you know something about david coutts ? the information available on the net doesn,t seem too bad--former dundee councillor, failed to get elected an MP, owned taxi-company (505050),bars(partnership with steve cardownie in edinburgh was i suppose dodgy in your eyes) the only thing strange that i found was that he applied for a dundee taxi drivers licence giving an address in queensferry road edinburgh in 2000 (possibly an lawyers/accountants) this took about 5 mins so more probaly there but i got bored

sorry wrong about 505050!

A lot of this stuff rung a bell, and I think Mr Coutts is the taxi operator referred to in this part of Myth and Reality:



He was the one living in Estonia, I think

Perhaps one of the Dundee posters could confirm this?

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

This story says that he had pubs in Lithuania, but it certainly in the same neck of the woods.


Time called on Cardownie's Russian-themed vodka bar

A RUSSIAN theme bar set up in Edinburgh's West End by Deputy Lord Provost Steve Cardownie and an associate of Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov has been ordered to close.

A court order has been served against Da-da-da! in Shandwick Place by the owners of the building, forcing it to shut down.


It is believed neighbouring tenants are unhappy at the noise from drinkers visiting the bar, which specialises in Russian vodkas.

Councillor Cardownie's business partner David Coutts - the middle man who helped arrange the Deputy Lord Provost's controversial defection from Labour to the SNP - is instead turning his attention to the city's taxi trade.

He is a leading member of a consortium which is buying a controlling share in Festival City Cars, one of the Capital's biggest private hire car companies.

But Mr Coutts today said rumours in the taxi trade that Cllr Cardownie was joining him in his new venture were untrue.

Festival City Cars has been involved in a long-running battle with the council over whether private hire firms should be allowed to join black cabs and buses in using the city's greenways.

Da-da-da! has been forced to close after Town Centre Securities, the property firm which owns the building in which it is based, decided it no longer wanted a bar on the premises.

An interim interdict has been served on Da-da-da! which the bar's operators have decided not to contest. It is thought the bar building will now be taken over by a bookmaker.

Mr Coutts, who established links with Hearts' major shareholder as a result of running a chain of bars in Mr Romanov's home country of Lithuania, said: "They decided they no longer wished to have a public house on the premises and served the interdict. We have accepted that decision and are happy with that."

It is understood that Festival City Car's managing director Ian Brown will retain a minority interest in the company following the takeover of the firm by Mr Coutts' consortium.

Cllr Cardownie, 52, faces being stripped of his post as the Capital's festivals champion and possibly even his role as deputy provost after defecting from the council's ruling Labour group last week.

He switched to the SNP, after more than 20 years in the Labour Party, following secret meetings with leading nationalists set up by Mr Coutts - a former SNP councillor in Dundee.

The move has aroused rancour in the City Chambers and means that Labour must now rely on the casting vote of Lord Provost Lesley Hinds to guide through its most controversial policies.

Town Centre Securities owns properties across the Capital, including a number in Shandwick Place. No one at the company could be reached for comment.

Cllr Cardownie's involvement with Da-da-da! has caused him embarrassment in the past.

The bar was accused by council officials of running as a pub for more than two months without the correct planning permission.

An undercover council investigator found the bar was breaking its planning permission in July last year. Da-da-da! only had planning permission to operate as a restaurant, but the investigator found customers were buying drinks with no intention of buying food.

Cllr Cardownie, a director of Da-da-da!, said at the time he was not involved in the day to day running of the bar.

Cllr Cardownie is representing the city on a trip to Taipei in Taiwan and could not be contacted for comment.

He has been banned from making further foreign trips following his defection from Labour

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

Meet me on the road Diesel and I'll explain this to you, as best I can.

I never have said they are fit to "manage" our market, I said that it is a fact that they do manage the market, whether you or I, or anyone else likes it or not. ipso facto. live with it.