Taxi Driver Online

Still, the point is, at the end of the day, there will be no DSA tests in Lincoln. If you want them, just realise the true costs involved for the individual. And don't call me shirley.

Isn't it a bit arrogant to believe that experience taxi drivers don't need their abilities measured?

Drive around Edinburgh and see reality.

Last night a cabby stopped to pick up on a corner. As I was moving around the obstruction he moved off. No mirror, no signal. No awareness of other road users.

I've lost count of the number of times I've been hailed on zig zag lines, pulled past them to wait to pick up, only for another driver to stop on the lines and take the fare.

I can't wait for testing driving skills. Every other passenger carrying service requires drivers to prove their competence, it's amazing cabbies have got away without this for so long.

Public safety is paramount.

Of course, if this improves quality control and hastens derestriction, well it would be churlish to pretend I wasn't aware of the benefits.

Yes, well said Mr Jasbar.

No doubt many people like the driver you mentioned will have unblemished driving records, but personally I wouldn't like to be driven by them, and they are certainly more at risk as regards accidents, even if they haven't had one already.

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

Why wait then Jasbar, go and do it now.

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Fair Trade, Rational Thinking

The Daily Telegraph, Tuesday 6th. December.

"Poor drivers more likely to be careless after retraining"

"Courses intended to retrain poor drivers are to be reviewed after research showed them to be ineffective.The department of transport said it was looking at changing the scheme" More at page six todays paper, but need I add more?

But the whole point of the DSA taxi test isn't just to try and make bad drivers good, but to make bad drivers ex PH/taxi drivers if they stay bad.

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IDFIMH

And the existing system does not weed them out?

In My lovely parish, pick up six points, and you need to pay a visit to the licensing committee to explain why.

By the way Sussex, I spotted an Eastbourne PH here when the famous christmas market was on, not you I hope, this town aint big enough for the both of us, and I aint gonna leave!

Yes, how about the full story - I can't find it anywhere, even on the Torygraph website.

I wouldn't doubt that what the DfT is on about entirely plausible, but that's a bit like saying that if a degree from the InnerCity Metropolitan University is crap then an Oxbridge degree is as well - if we don't know exactly what the story is about then there's not much that can be said about it.

And if the author hasn't cottoned on to the DoT's renaming yet after several years, then should we trust what the rest of the story says

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

I could go out tonight, break numerous speed limits, tailgate numerous drivers, not bother with indicators, use my mobile phone several times, etc etc etc but the chances of me actually being brougth to book for them is pretty remote.

So the answer to your question is, NO!

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

By the way Jimbo, wasn't it you who said that you had NEVER broken any speed limit?

Thus I find your apparent claim that the current system weeds bad drivers out even more astonishing than if it was made by anyone else

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

Part one. Prove otherwise, or accept my claim.

Part two. Why so?

I wasn't disputing what you said you never breaking speed limits. The point I was making is that to that extent then you will more aware than most that road traffic law is routinely broken with impunity, thus your claim that the current system weeds out the bad 'uns hardly holds water, surely

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

And nor will driving tests weed out bad drivers. I cannot believe that a bad driver when taking a test, would be foolish enough to drive in a way that may lead to a failure, by exeeding the speed limit, or jumping lights, for example. Everyone knows where fixed speed cameras are located in their own district, and are unlikely to be caught by them. Those that are, deserve to be. When I talk of bad drivers here, I mean the ones with bad driving habits, not the ones who are not spacially (sic) aware of other road users.
A one hour test,( preceeded by ten one hour lessons,) will not alter the habitual nature of any driver. Who, since passing their original driving test, shuffles the steering wheel without crossing their arms? But if it was a proceedural requirement of the DSA test, would you do it? So would I.

But then I see a DSA test as a waste of time, where others see it as a way of deterring part timers entering the trade.

Well of course there's a major deficiency in any test of this nature in that you won't necessarily drive that way in the real world - that's why the roads are policed, but the problem is that that's putting it a bit strongly.

But that doesn't mean that a test won't do any good, since there are clearly lot's of drivers who drive to close to other vehicles, for example, but that's just because they haven't a clue, so if passing a test could rid them of bad habits like that then that would be a positive.

No, it's not just about deterring part-time drivers, and in any case that's a bit rich from someone who's quite happy just to have his LA arbitrarily decide who can operate a taxi and who can't.

As I said a few weeks ago, much of the opposition to the test is from people who are worried that they won't get enough weekend drivers for their cars, so all the flannel that we hear from them is just a smokescreen.

And why have any driving test at all?

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

"Why have any kind of driver test at all?"

Good question.

So, what is a drving test for?