Taxi Driver Online

I didn't say the system works, I have plenty of problems with it myself. However shouldn't we be working to make it a better system and not the other way round? Do you think that if we deregulated and let just anyone drive a taxi, that more or less people would use them?

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Sometimes the most telling information comes from what's not said...

I never said you claimed the system works, I'm only telling you how it does work and for the Lawyers, Police and the Politicians, it works just fine.

As for deregulation that depends on the quality controls you have in place to determine the value of individuals who join and leave your trade and the frequency of both.

Deregulation, is only a problem if you have no control over the mechanism which regulates your trade.

Oh and you don't and they do. Prepare to be sh*t on from a great height.

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

You didn't answer my question - do you think that if we deregulated and let just anyone drive a taxi, that more or less people would use them?
What quality controls would you suggest to determine the value of an individual?
Which we don't, so it would be a problem wouldn't it?

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Sometimes the most telling information comes from what's not said...

Deregulation has nothing to do with "anybody driving a taxi". Taxi and ph drivers will still have to undergo the same tests and checks they do today.

You can never wheedle out every bad apple that joins any particular profession; jut look at this news column and see how many licenced drivers have been caught "Doing Things", whether it's being rude to people, running drugs, speeding, driving carelessly, whatever. It happens in all walks of life.

The case mentioned in the OP proves a point, and could also show that the DBS check system also doesn't work!

CC- I am thinking that we all at some time or another have been taken home by a far worse person. Myself for example did not know that the owner of a local taxi company had previous for gun crime - he is now doing a few years because a member of his family bubbled him (cos he is a tw$t) (old air rifle/whatever in the closet), I heard of some pretty nasty things happening between him and his drivers.........but nothing with the customers.

I did say that the guy (the original) is probably not one of life's nice guys, no convictions, but he had a problem outside of his line of work.......so where do you draw the line! if you and your missus had a few loud verbals that got a bit testy - should your job be brought into it? because it seems to me that whenever one of our own commits a foul...its a RED card that does not happen elsewhere.

I do not know if it is the same where you are but down here you - pass your driving test (again), you do your knowledge of the local topography, you go on a disabled course (1 hour) and I believe they now have to do a BTEC/whatever + of course a CRB check for the resies. The rest have a letter of good conduct from Saddam Akba the local war lord, extolling the virtues for the rest, saying what a conscientious obedient wonderful person/people they are, and then you/I (Jack Nicholson "The Shining") get a license to mix with anyone and everyone

Nowhere is there a one on one to see if any of us are a round peg in a round hole, basically leaving the L.A's up and down the country being the cause of the problem through treating the job/occupation in a derisory manner, and that in my opinion is the root cause of the problems in the taxi trade. I am surprised that someone has NOT sued a local authority for dereliction of duty on that one.

The point raised that the driver is in contact on a close basis with members of the public does not really hold water, as many other occupations have the same yardstick - but they still get to keep their job. I mean to say who would want to be alone in a house with that mental bitch who has a list of convictions

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Common sense........is just not that Common.

The CRB checks etc are governed by regulations. I asked what might happen if such regulations were removed, so that just anyone could drive a taxi.Exactly, that's my point. Just because these things happen doesn't mean we shouldn't work to reduce their occurence or say "well someone did that in X profession and kept their job so it's ok"It depends on the circumstances. If you get your taxi licence then 3 days later have a heated domestic and a neighbour calls police, do you not think your suitability for the job should be questioned? I don't think that's really comparable to vandalising a stranger's car because of where it's parked though, having never even met the person and just deciding to vandalise their car. It's a different kettle of fish.
This relates to the previous argument. Just because things like these go on in some lines of work, does that mean we should just take it lying down and accept it as a fact of life, or should we do something about it?

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Sometimes the most telling information comes from what's not said...

To put things into perspective; My thoughts are that unless you/I have committed a crime/misdemeanor within a given profession/occupation - then why should it affect your profession/occupation?

Take speeding offences for example - there are quite a few motorists out there that are well over the 12 points supposedly disqualification level, and yet because the punishment exceeds the offence - they can still carry on as was. I am of the opinion that we should be treated the same i.e "the punishment should fit the crime/misdemeanor.

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Common sense........is just not that Common.

Just because the crime wasn't committed on the job, doesn't mean it can't relate to the job. For example, if a man had lots of previous for robbing vulnerable people, do you think he should be able to work as a social/care worker visiting vulnerable/elderly people in their homes? You've got to draw the line somewhere.With respect I don't see how this is an example of whether a crime being committed in a job affects the job. As for speeding, it's good that the courts can see sense sometimes and realise that the limits they impose are not always realistic. More flexibility on their part would be good, but they need to make good decisions. I agree that the punishment should fit the crime, but there are some circumstances where losing your job should definitely be part of the punishment.

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Sometimes the most telling information comes from what's not said...

Is being rude to punters acceptable?

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IDFIMH

We are not a million miles apart in agreeing! however with the person in question he did not have "lots of previous". If this person had committed something bad in relation to the job then I would be saying "off with his head". Criminal behaviour comes in differing categories! if his painting another car was to do with a customer issue, then I would also be saying "Off with his head". Having said that and I have yet to hear condemnation of - drivers on here have commented that they know of drivers that have glued up a door lock of a "runner" customer - so where do you.............. .




We disagree on the circumstances. All I ask is that we are treated as any other trade/profession and that is the "Yard stick" that is laid out.




You have lost me a bit on that one - but I will go along with a NO.

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Common sense........is just not that Common.

You don't think that the train of thought "look at this c*nt parking here, i'll show him what for..." is related to road rage? I'm all for fairness and justice, and if some people are stupid enough to do a runner from a taxi in a place where the driver can see their car/house, then tough sh*t. Gluing up door locks though, never thought of that one.....Runners are not customers, they are robbers/thieves posing as customers. Let's say an armed robber comes into a shop to do his business, and the shop assistant takes him down and gives him a bit of a beating to subdue him so he can't hurt anyone. Should they lose their job? I don't think this is the same thing as electing yourself as the vigilante parking police and deciding to decorate someone's car who you've never even met with spray paint.

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Sometimes the most telling information comes from what's not said...

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