Taxi Driver Online

Cab ride could prove deadly

The standard of taxi driving in three of Britain's big cities is so poor that passengers and other road users are at risk of being killed or injured, claims a survey.

Undercover reporters and driving test examiners posed as paying customers to investigate the standard of cab driving in Birmingham, London and Manchester.

They put 30 black cab and mini-cab drivers through a driving test without their knowledge, and claimed 94 per cent failed to come up to the level required. In Manchester, they found black cab drivers broke the speed limit, accelerated aggressively up to junctions, ran red lights and slammed on the brakes.

One driver managed to hit 70mph in a 40mph zone and, on one occasion, took both hands off the wheel to play with his mobile, the researchers said.

In London, driving examiner Colin Connell noted one driver who was intimidating other road users, while also hitting 60mph in a 30mph zone.

That's not the kind of behaviour anyone, especially paying customers, should have to put up with, he said.

Another cabbie drove an entire 20-minute journey with a cup of hot coffee in his hand, the researchers said. And in Birmingham, one driver kept turning round to talk to his passengers, while another pulled out into the path of an oncoming car, forcing it to slam on its brakes.

The survey was carried out by reporters from the weekly motoring magazine Auto Express working alongside experienced driving examiners.

They posed as customers taking cab journeys.

Auto Express editor in chief David Johns said: We launched this investigation because of the poor standards of driving we've all experienced in taxis of both kinds. We didn't expect good driving in our survey, but we were shocked at how bad it was. Lives are needlessly put at risk and a driving test for cabbies should be mandatory.

If drivers are subsequently prosecuted for certain motoring offences, such as careless driving, they should lose their taxi licence.

Can you buy shares in the Driving Standards Agency?

But hand on heart, who doesn't believe what the report says?

Not me.

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IDFIMH

i heard a little about this last week (he he he sussex)

out of 15 HC drivers 2 passed

out of 15 PH drivers 0 passed

makes HC drivers 200% better if we spin it right!

wheres Alistair Campbell when you rally need him?

regards

Captain Cab

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

surely Captain it isn't 200% cos a ph driver would need to pass before you can work it out?

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A member of the Hire or Reward Industry

I will be interested to read the article to see how many of those PH were actually mini-cab drivers.

If say it was 5, then that leaves 10 licensed PH drivers.

So in fact, the story should read,
More licensed HC drivers fail the test, than licensed PH drivers.

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IDFIMH

Naaaa, I was talking to the bloke who wrote the article

he said they tested drivers from different areas (rather than sussex 15 times)

had any strange fares recently sussex?

and did any ask yoy to slam on your brakes when then hit the dashboard with a clipboard?

regards

Captain cab

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

Well funny you should mention about weird jobs.

I dropped off at Watford station the other day, got paid, and then this bloke said to me, take this one your next.

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IDFIMH

I dont,
its a plea for jobs for the boys, to create more work for examiners.

if these [edited by admin] are right who gave the drivers a pass certificate in the first place?

come on its a conspiracy otherwise examiners will be made redundant as test applications fall off

how guilable you are sussex

Ahhh, but one day when you grow out from being a PH caterpillar, you'll turn into a beautiful HC butterfly

Then your attitude will change young man

regards

captain cab

But how many of us want our families to be taken home by the chap with a cup of tea in his hands?

Or even the chap that did 70 in a 30 area?

Or even the mobile phone chap?

Or even any of the 28, out of the 30?

Certainly not me.

But what is wrong with testing professional drivers, on there driving standards?

Could it be that the endless supply of drivers, that feed some of the leeches will suddenly dry up?

Surely not.

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IDFIMH

Sussex mate.
they have passed a test and will do so again

then they will do all the things you mention in addition to eating a mCDONALDS

KIN ELL MAN

if you dont wanna risk in life get a taxi!

As clear as mud.

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IDFIMH

yes not a good one that

If we had a full driving test in my area it would wipe out about a third of us.
Which could be a good way to help out if we dereg.

Actually, I was quite impressed with the results. Especially the guy who managed to drive around for 20 minutes with a cup of hot coffee in his hand.

I tried it today, and now, from personal experience, I can say that the report is a malicious lie.

My coffee could not (I repeat: not!) stay hot for 20 minutes while driving.

I conclude, therefore. that the report is fundamentally flawed.

And now to change the subject: In a (far more credible) recent report, it was found that no Taxi or PH driver had the average number of arms, legs, or eyes...

Now, what do you make of that one?

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There is Significant Unmet Demand for my Opinion.