Taxi Driver Online

Liverpool Daily Echo

February 1, 2007, Thursday

HEADLINE: Drive to ban cherry-pick cabbies from our streets

RIP-off taxi drivers are set to be driven off Liverpool's streets.

Licensing and safety officials are gearing up for a second sweep on "cherry-picking" cabbies, who overcharge people in the city centre, mainly late at night.

A similar sting just before Christmas saw eight drivers put before the licensing authorities. They were caught after avoiding regulated ranks to pick people up off the streets.

Today, Liverpool's Chamber of Commerce promised a harder hit on those who businesses say are literally driving people out of the city. Peter Jones, the chamber's Business Crime Direct manager, said: "The vast majority of taxi operators are responsible and do a good job.

"But there are those who tarnish others by looking out for themselves and only being interested in making a quick buck. "People are being put off coming into the city because of their actions.

"We want people to feel safe and they've got value for money when they come to Liverpool, not tell their friends they've been scammed." Police, council and trading standards are all preparing for the second wave of undercover stings.

The rogue drivers are said to park near busy restaurants, pubs, clubs and taxi ranks with their lights off and wait for customers to approach. They will then haggle a price, usually massively inflated, which the revellers pay in their desperation to get home.

Mr Jones added: "We need the public's help. "People should always note down the number of the cab and contact the licensing office if they suspect a driver is cherry picking.

"We want to hear of any cab not using the meter or naming their price before the journey." The Transport and General Workers union, which represents large numbers of legitimate drivers, backs the move to root out rogue cabbies.

Tommy McIntyre, T&G representative, said: "This type of practice does nothing for the cab trade. "We've got 3,500 taxi drivers working in Liverpool and the vast majority are decent and hardworking."
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IDFIMH

If someone offers you a large some of money, while lets say, you are sitting with your light off having a break, is it illegal for you to take the money? You are a licenced cabby after all. And if someone wants to pay more, how can you stop him? You could even run the meter and point to the rest of the cash as being a large tip?

Can't say fairer than that

Remember, the customer approaches you and makes you an offer, and you still run the meter. Surely a big generous tip for a job well done is not against your licencing conditions

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

You must be incredibly niave.

How many times have taxi drivers fallen for the 'theres a good tip in it for you' line?

CC

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

Oh, I forget to mention, the customer tips you up-front 'here take this £20 for what should be a £5 fare and keep the change'....

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

If thats how you all operate in Edinburgh fair enough....no wonder there's an increase in PH

Personally I hope the trading standards people in Liverpool catch the culprits and get their licenses revoked.

CC

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

It was the Ph that started it. They used to rank up all over the place a peak times doing exactly what I described, well at least the smart ones.

This is what happens when one fleet is restricted in numbers. The rest adapt to the circumstances of their environment. They become resourceful and who can blame them? The Hack fleet thought they were above the opposition, and lost their grip on reality. Hence the meteoric rise of the ph still being ignored today.

The owners can't see past plate premiums and driver's rentals, but the loss of their market share tells a different story. Some are now advocating that customers use ph and buses, rather than raise the number of their own fleet.

Strange old world eh

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

What the licensing offices do not realise is that they are the root cause of the problem re cherry picking, by deregulating and allowing numbers in that they cannot supervise/control.

We are all eating out of the same piece of cake, and they have created a situation, the cake gets smaller, but the drivers o/heads remain the same if not more i.e inflation.

The problem is rife in Cardiff, but what do they expect when you knock a guys/girls standard of living. They cannot control P.H picking up off the streets, so I do not see how they are going to stop this.

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if you cannot be yourself, then who can you be.

Well Liverpool is 100% restricted, and appears to most to be the worst culprits.

But really the issue isn't over limited or de-limited, but over pi** poor enforcement.

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IDFIMH

How successfull the tactic of no organising in the Grovell capital [Cardiff] more hours less money, we musnt be confrontational must we take it on the chin like good boyos eh? no wonder the karsie has no Industry left, the only exceptions being the Tower Colliery, and hopefully Burberry in Treorchy. But the cab industry dog eat dog as usual!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ORGANISE EDUCATE AGITATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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The views expressed by this contributor do not neccesarily reflect the policys of The GMB Nationally or of the GMB London Region.

All you are doing is constantly showing your inability to get a foot on the rung of Cardiff, you are the trade unionst - ORGANISE - but you cannot, because they will not put up with the vitriolic bull S**t that you spew out.

We do need someone, but they have to be professional - do not bother applying, or have you already been turned down. Nothing like a woman scorned is there.

Decisions can be made by those who do not turn up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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if you cannot be yourself, then who can you be.

There was a time when I thought Terry would work out that the enemy isn't the drivers, and we are not just a pack of pillocks waiting for the second coming.

And how wrong was I?

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IDFIMH

What have you lot got against cherry picking? The Ph started it in Edinburgh, the hacks then picked up the ball.

It's simply supply and demand after all. How about getting on with your job? And stop worrying about people who do the same job better than you....

If a driver doesn't want to pick the scum off the streets at peak times, and wants to hold out for a better offer - from someone who doesn't want to wait with the scum in the scrum- so what?

I pay more to jump the queue every-time. I would be mighty pi**ed off is someone refused to take more cash and told me to wait.

You lot need to get a life - as I've said before - money talks bus*** walks.

The only thing I see here, is a lot of sanctimonious bullsh** from driver's not too good at picking Cherry's - or members of the public not wanting to put their hand in their pockets for a premium service - wake-up and smell the coffee, this is what a free market is all about.

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

The pride of the Edinburgh Cab trade speaks

CC

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

I just tell it how it is

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