Taxi Driver Online

This is quite interesting...I mean...we are going to have to find 20,000 odd drivers that actually like competition and are actually prepared to work in a competitive market place possibly at lower rates.

should be interesting.

CC

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

I had a break in into my cab in broad daylght today; lock completely smashed out, loads of stuff missing, in an open car park at midday & I took my cab to the garage I use in Coventry.

We started talking about the TX4 & its BBQ problems, & remember these three guys have about 60 years of cab building & repairing betweem them; albeit on the Metrocab line.

They are absolutely convinced that these fires are nothing to do with diesel, but are all electrical fires.

They say that the earlier models' battery terminals are so close to the bodywork that it's not true.

They also pointed out that diesel is very hard to ignite, unless it is completely atomised (?) - you tell me what that means - & they just could not believe that these fires are fuel related. Although they did admit that if for instance a rag was soaked in diesel, that would catch fire.

These three are not a bunch of clowns, they are top mechanics.

They, all three of them, believe that there is an inherent fault in the wiring system.

Remember, I'm not a mechanic, just the messenger.

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Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

Have all the ones that have gone up had a similar mileage? If so ,how many?

i'm in the clear............just!!! well, at least for the time being. My cab is 201730 so unless they decide to include another 1000 in their sights i should be off the hook.

I really feel for the guys hit by this, the only solution if they can't find a cab to rent would be perhaps to contact a mate who works the opposite shift to them and see if they can come to a cab sharing arrangement for the time being.......not the best solution i know but at least it means the guys can keep working. I'll be having words with a couple of mates in case the worse happens.

All of this is terrible news if you are affected by the PCO decision, and as the lad from Hornchurch points out the sensible drivers that are members of the LTDA or any of the other driver organisations will stand in a good position when it comes to receiving compensation.

However there can only be about 1600 TX4's out of around 20'000 licensed taxi's in London, and in one of the few sensible things he's ever said, Mr Andersonshelter (Thomasthetaxi, LondonJim. . . etc) mooted the idea of single shifted (owner drivers) sharing their Taxi's which would assist those drivers struggling to find a rental. There ain't many where I live, but if you live in East London I'm sure a neighbour won't be far away.

Whatever happens, and a conclusion will arrive at some stage as something in common started these fires, the Minicab trade won't be licensed to pick up from the streets.

The other course of action, that being the more militant one, is to disregard the PCO notice and continue working, just like London Buses did when their bendy buses kept going up in flames the other year.

We already work at the lower rate when you consider some London PH companies charge the best part of £80 to the Airport.

Thanks for the acknowledgement GBC,
but please do not advise drivers to be militant and carry on driving on a stop. If the worst were to happen and a passenger dies in a fire the driver will be charged with manslaughter and that's a fact. If caught driving on stop the police will charge you with driving without insurance and touting and you will, under the new regulations have your bill revoked.

We are all in this together and we need to come out of our comfort zone and make our cabs available to those who unfortunately cant work. Some drivers can face a couple of weeks off work but there are many who work on a very fine financial line.
Its time to all pull together. It could get a lot worse in the next few days especially if all the TX4's are pulled of the road.
Don't be tempted to carry on driving on stop, you stick out like a soar thumb, I saw two 56 TX4's tonight, greed, desperation or just foolish?
Look round for a friendly face and ask if you can share.
On a brighter note!
I heard tonight from a garage owner that all rental garages have been told by the PCO to present as many taxis for passing as they can get ready up to K reg's and if in a reasonable state they will be passed and plated.
But mid term cabs will still get stop notes from SGS.

Thank goodness for that, but exactly how does your motor differ from the iffy ones?

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IDFIMH

It would be a desperate measure to carry on, but I'm not so sure losing your house isn't as desperate.

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IDFIMH

Just to answer a couple of points. On Saturday late afternoon I was turfed off the St Pancras Eurostar rank by the Eurostar marshall who showed me the PCO letter, and stated "you are not insured so we can't let you pick up our passengers". Later at Liverpool St, they refused to raise the barrier to let me in. I gave up and went home.

Also the CCTV and the Congestion Charge cameras are working 24 hours so they will pick up 56 reg cabs working. The PCO only need to press a few computer buttons to establish what vehicles are working.

Also as you are now not licensed any vehicle will have to pay the congestion charge if in town during the hours it works.

I have asked a few drivers locally about sharing but they all declined and to be honest I don't blame them. I look after my cab and I wouldn't want another driver using it. If he crashed it I would have more problems than I have now.

Be Lucky

If the LTDa get compensation for their drivers , then evryone will get it. Once they set that precedent any no win ,no fee lawyer would take LTI to the cleaners.

You all remember the 100's of TX2's M&O's cannot sell ?? Many are sitting in their show room and dozens more on the roof at Brewery Road.

Why the hell aren't these cabs being plated immediatley for use by the affected drivers ??

Someone's got to get a grip. This is what happens when you have people in charge of a trade and know sod all about it.

Probably because no one has bought them.

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Grandad,

Edinburgh Cab Office Labels TX4s 'unfit for purpose'

http://taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=9517

_________________
Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

That's my point. They can't sell them. Well, they might yet, but it's insane......those cabs could be temporarily plated to ease present shortage.