Taxi Driver Online

No not at all I have been on both sides of the fence only to realise what you said about negotiation will never happen-it makes sense but not in this trade.

That's why I asked how long you'd been driving and referred to you as a cabby.

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

I couldn't imagine anyone more difficult to negotiate with than yourself Skull, but you have traded information with me over the last few hours quite happily - and isn't that part of negotiating.

It seems far less hassle than a confrontational approach, far too energetic, all that hot under the collar stuff.

1979 by the way, that's when I got my badge first time round.

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The higher the fewer.

Both of us had nothing to lose, a real negotiation comes in when wee both want to make gains at the others expense. You might not be so forthcoming believing you had a £60,000 investment with me proposing to take it away?

Some of the guys in Edinburgh paid £50,000 for a the title of "businessman" and the only thing propping up their little world is the over supply drivers.

Now put yourself in there shoes Onzon-you believe you bought a "business" and then find out it's all bollix.


Dublin being a case in point.

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

With the recent comment on the Irish Taxi industry I thought it might be helpful to post the link to one of their main industry websites, which contains some useful information

http://www.taxi.ie/

Regards

JD

Thanks for that.

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

It's not though, is it?

There's a burgeoning PH trade going on in the suburbs. CEC have the responsibility of managing a delicate juggling act, that involves keeping both sides of the trade in the air at the same time.

Any mass migration of PH drivers to become HC plate holders, would destabilise the system and leave the PH proprietors no alternative but to replace their drivers from elsewhere.

That's what is mainly supporting plate values at the moment.

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The higher the fewer.

Ozon writes:



Oh yes it is.



The Ph operates in a free market while the Hacks operate in a restricted market but only in plate numbers and drivers shifts. There is no juggling act and that’s the point, nor should there be, if it’s a free market then it should be free for all and not restricted for some. Each trade should establish its right to be there on its own merits without interference from politicians.



That’s life in a free market- you learn to compete or you die.



What supports plate “values” is an abundance of cheap labour, it’s of no consequence where it comes from only the effect it has on driver’s rentals propping up plate scarcity “values”.

The end result being someone ignorant of how the game is played shells out £50,000 exacerbating the situation even further. Then it's £60,000 and then £70,000...

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

All roads lead to Rome.

ok, here we go then.



I'm now a plate holder, I've paid the market price for it, with every intention of maximising my investment, until I eventually sell it at the time that I think most prudent.

I am well aware of the risks involved in such an investment because I am smart enough to have made this informed decision for myself, independent of any group consensus that may prevail at the time.

I believe that I am in control of this situation because I have made contingency plans for all possible eventualities (being a prudent investor) and have, over time, absorbed my current status into my life in general and my self image in particular.

Now here's the twist.

It all comes unravelled. But not from some exterior event as I expect and have fully planned for, but rather from a series of internal events to do with my private life, which are totally unexpected and would be regarded by most, as being essentially beyond my control.

The end result of which is, that due to the above unexpected situation, I have no alternative but to sell my plate.

OK Skull, I have put myself in that person's shoes and I can tell you that I am very, very annoyed. Especially as I have to watch someone else reap the investment rewards from my plate.

It's fictional, but that's the plate holder's shoes that I have chosen to be in.

Now tell me, how would you suggest I deal with this?

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The higher the fewer.

Onzon

Well first off I would suggest your investment in the scarcity “value” of a plate is not a risk but a gamble. You also assume that selling the plate is an option but what if it’s not? What if the council pulls the plug on plate numbers prior to the unravelling of your personal life, what then? The maximizing of your investment is purely fictional unless you sell before the crash and not before. What you have invested in is a lottery ticket; the job just comes with the territory.

A risk and a gamble are two different things: The difference with a risk, if you lose you can recover and your resources will not be depleted you return to your original position with acceptable losses-this being your exit strategy, the choice when to exit is yours and not theirs.

A gamble on the other hand can mean the loss of everything with a whole slew of other problems into the bargain- the plate being worthless.

A gamble has no exit strategy it’s like rolling a dice betting the council will not de-restrict before you sell. The choice is ultimately theirs and not yours anyone lucky enough to sell before they decide has just got lucky, hence the gamble.

You claim to be in control and to have contingency plans but all your plans depend on having a plate to sell.

I would suggest you should never buy a plate for a false “value” but since you have you can now drive the vehicle yourself.

At least you still have a job although not one with a lottery ticket

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

So you bought a plate to maximise your investment? How do you intend to maximise that investment? A plate is not like a normal business where you can invest finances to increase productivity or to obtain additional custom, which in turn accelerates growth?

There is no growth in plate values that can be made by your own hard work? Growth or lack of it comes by the grace of councillors who may or may not decide to remove Quantity controls. Therefore your first business assumption falls at the first hurdle.

Regards

JD

At the end of the day people can't really be blamed for buying and selling plates if the regulations allow it. Not a great fan of it, but we are where we are.

I am however a great fan of stopping it, and the easiest way is to end taxi quotas. Thus no value to trade in.

As for existing plate-holders who may lose their premium, my view is tough. Many of them have bought their plates by queue jumping the lads on the waiting lists.

And I really couldn't give a f*** about them.

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IDFIMH

Well it has to be fictional, because 'prudent investor' and 'taxi plate' are contradictory, surely?

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

Yes, the timing of the sale is crucial.

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The higher the fewer.

Admittedly many of the economic aspects of the taxi trade are unique.

However, if I put a driver on the shifts that I do not drive myself, I increase my profits and by providing a round the clock service to my customers, I am facilitating growth. With the extra profit I can therefore pay off my plate purchase loan faster.

The increase in customers always precedes any new issue of plates, there fore plate values will always increase in value if customer numbers are increasing.

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The higher the fewer.

Nowadays they most surely are.

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The higher the fewer.