Taxi Driver Online

Saw a new (to me) ad on TV last night. On the theme "how does he sleep at night?" a taxi driver took a fare the long way round, turning a £4 fare into a £23 fare. Personally, I find this practise nothing more than an urban myth. On the rare occasion that I have been accused of "going the long way" it is because of the one way system. I cannot see why any taxi driver would bother. Do you?

Err, to turn a £4 fare into a £23 one?

I'm quite sure it goes on, and since nothing's perfect and there's cheats in every walk of life, then it's hardly surprising that there's some in the trade.

I've certainly done it myself on occassion (inadvertently, and of course I've adjusted the fare accordingly) and I know other drivers do it, but the question is whether it's inadvertent or not. But I've actually heard other drivers bragging about it, and there are plenty of drivers who accuse others of it.

So I don't think it's all urban myth, but I think you're correct in that some of it is myth, because, as you allude, many passengers think they know the score, but they actually don't.

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

I'm guilty of doing it once
Picked some big mouthed numskull from the station, he wanted to go to a nearby town (about 20min away maximum).
I was 10mins late and apologised for being late as i always do (but i'll only apologise once and thats it) he was booked for 8am and i arrived at 8.10 he said he had a meeting in the town at 9, and if he wasn't there on time he'd "have my job". so (trying to keep cool and not throw him out) i assured him he'd be there on time and set off.
He kept going on about me being late even though he'd booked the car an hour before, so i took him the very long way around and a £15 fare turned into £25.
By the time we got there with 10mins to spare he'd calmed down and gave me a £5 tip!
Trouble is, he asked me to pick him back up again 2 hrs later but i coudnt remember which of the long routes i'd taken him!! to get the fare back up to the £25!!
That'll teach me!!

one of the circuit owners down here has sent a complaint to the advertinsing standards people.
i mean how *******g sad is that?

What are his grounds of complaint?

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

i think he is saying that its defarmitery or something like that.
but i dont like the bloke either.
in fact he no longer owns the firm. sold out a year ago.
maybe thats why he has time to p*** around writing letters.

Well there's another advert featuring an unscrupulous factory worker, but I don't think there's any grounds for action by any particular factory worker.

Perhaps he should realise that the advert is supposed to be a bit tongue-in-cheek - after all, the miscreants in the various adverts are depicted drinking the advertiser's product, so any association of bad practices with the taxi trade should also reflect on Horlicks!

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

That was filmed on our rank outside of Newcastle central station and thet had the audacity to use a cab from a neighboring borough!

In the past when I have taken a few short cuts (when they existed) to speed the punter to their destination. I have had the complaint. 'That was a long way round' Now I don't bother. I just sit in the traffic. Sometimes they now say. 'Do you know any short cuts driver'..

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Make trafic wardens redundant. PARK LEGALLY.
Congestion charge! Before it was free.