London cabbies to protest over smartphone app.
Discussion
Yeah Addison Lee are absolute clowns and have been for years.
Uber's opening salvo today appears to be the launch of a new option where you can actually choose a black cab.
http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/11/uber-london-ube...
I presume they say that service will be limited at first because they won't have that many black cab drivers signed up yet.
Uber's opening salvo today appears to be the launch of a new option where you can actually choose a black cab.
http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/11/uber-london-ube...
I presume they say that service will be limited at first because they won't have that many black cab drivers signed up yet.
sjg said:
I use Uber quite a bit. They kept on doing promo codes making it very cheap for a while, but even at regular prices you can travel in an E-class for slightly less than a black cab, a Prius for a lot less than a black cab, or a LWB S-class or 7-series for a bit more than a black cab. Prices adjust with demand so you pay a bit more at high peak times (but those are times when you'd struggle to hail a cab anyway). You pay straight off the card associated with your account. The drivers I've used all seem happy with the arrangement.
The London cab is cramped, noisy, uncomfortable, and I'm not convinced the drivers do a better job of routing or avoiding traffic than a modern satnav. The knowledge at this point is just about limiting new drivers rather than being a necessary thing to do the job. Until last week, I lived well inside the zone that every taxi driver has to know every street for the knowledge - yet I still had to direct them the last few streets there. As said, finding one with a "working" card machine is a rare thing, and one that will just shut up for the journey even rarer.
Adapt or die. They've dug their heels in for years over more suitable taxis, over card payments and the rest - something better comes along and so the solution is to try to shut them down. Shame.
When you use Uber, what sort of minicab do you get? By which I mean how does Uber vet its mincabs and more importantly its drivers? The London cab is cramped, noisy, uncomfortable, and I'm not convinced the drivers do a better job of routing or avoiding traffic than a modern satnav. The knowledge at this point is just about limiting new drivers rather than being a necessary thing to do the job. Until last week, I lived well inside the zone that every taxi driver has to know every street for the knowledge - yet I still had to direct them the last few streets there. As said, finding one with a "working" card machine is a rare thing, and one that will just shut up for the journey even rarer.
Adapt or die. They've dug their heels in for years over more suitable taxis, over card payments and the rest - something better comes along and so the solution is to try to shut them down. Shame.
Having known someone who (foolishly) got into a "minicab" in the small hours in central London, which then had a large crash after which the driver ran off leaving them badly injured, for that and various other reasons I am not a big fan of minicabs in general.
GTIR said:
I'm pretty sure a hackney vehicle can't refuse a fair no matter how short.
I had a chap who tried to get a taxi from T5 to T1 urgently and the driver told him to f
k off!
Unfortunately he worked for TfL in the licensing department!
He works in transport and thinks a cab is the fastest way from T5 to T1?I had a chap who tried to get a taxi from T5 to T1 urgently and the driver told him to f
k off!Unfortunately he worked for TfL in the licensing department!
No wonder TfL make odd decisions.
So just today Uber came out and said they have added black cabs to their app, so you can book a black cab through the app. That was about 4 hours ago they said that, why did the strike (which is now causing issues apparently from people from work who've been down the Strand) go ahead?
okgo said:
So just today Uber came out and said they have added black cabs to their app, so you can book a black cab through the app. That was about 4 hours ago they said that, why did the strike (which is now causing issues apparently from people from work who've been down the Strand) go ahead?
Apparently, they're not annoyed with Uber, they're annoyed with TfL for letting Uber operate oyster said:
He works in transport and thinks a cab is the fastest way from T5 to T1?
No wonder TfL make odd decisions.
I'd say it's a close call if you factor in the time going down to the tube platforms at T5 (5 mins), waiting on the platform (about 10 mins for most of the day), then the long walk from T1 tube platform up to the travelator tunnels up to T1 departures (5-10 mins). Don't underestimate how much a few minutes walk here and there adds up and before you know it the quick change via tube has taken you 20 minutes. A cab will definitely do T5 -> T1 via the perimeter road in 10 mins.No wonder TfL make odd decisions.
Anyway uber.com signups up 850% today apparently
http://www.itv.com/news/london/update/2014-06-11/8...
Nice one LTDA!
I found it quite hard to sympathise with the black cabbie (one of the protest leaders - and a former Policeman, apparently) who was interviewed on 5Live this morning. To be honest, it was pretty hard to make out what exactly his argument was. I imagine he was deliberately trying to avoid stating his opposition was just a black and white case of wanting to protect his closed market (such that it is closed). I was quite surprised that the several texts that were broadcast a few minutes later in response to his interview were simultaneously very supportive of the cabbies' protest and their position but also very critical of the "biased" interview.
Central London's in a right old mess right now. I thought this thread would have had more traction today.
Central London's in a right old mess right now. I thought this thread would have had more traction today.
The black cabbies only have themselves to blame by trying to monopolise the industry and failing.
The number of times I've been refused a cab ride as "it's too short" (usually £15), and as already mentioned credit cards are not accepted even when they have a machine because they all try and avoid declaring a chunk of their income.
Ultimately, black cabs need to adapt and embrace the new technology which frightens the living daylights out of most of them.
The number of times I've been refused a cab ride as "it's too short" (usually £15), and as already mentioned credit cards are not accepted even when they have a machine because they all try and avoid declaring a chunk of their income.
Ultimately, black cabs need to adapt and embrace the new technology which frightens the living daylights out of most of them.
BBC interviews with taxi drivers aren't always what they expect..............
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atfNL0_KAcs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atfNL0_KAcs
scenario8 said:
I found it quite hard to sympathise with the black cabbie
I accept that there is a lot wrong with the organisation of black cabs, I have more than a little sympathy with them. They are restricted by regulations to a considerable extent and some of it is very petty. It isn't a 'level playing field'.That said they are often a pain and if they do try and refuse a fare, it is the start of an argument. I've had to bring out a warrant card (figuratively) to be taken a short distance. If you are first in the rank, you get what you are given.
But in general they are honest and I'm trying to remember if I've ever received a report of sexual assault on a lone woman by a black cabbie. Mini cabs - now that's a different matter.
okgo said:
So just today Uber came out and said they have added black cabs to their app, so you can book a black cab through the app. That was about 4 hours ago they said that, why did the strike (which is now causing issues apparently from people from work who've been down the Strand) go ahead?
There wasn't a strike, just a protest. I'm partly with the cabbies on this one.Uber is a metered taxi service yet the don't have to follow the same rules and regulations as the black cab trade. That's what the protest is about.
Addison Lee are rife in London but they don't use taxi meters, they have a fare fixed before the journey.
Its a simple argument, the backstory being there are lots of very large investment firms backing Uber who stand to make a huge amount of money if they are allowed to operate in London and other Uk cities. They don't pay any taxes (again against TFL rules for a Licenced metered taxi service in London) and the majority of their cars are unsuitable for disabled people.
The cabbies are making a stand against TFL not Uber - as it happens Addison Lee are most likely to be the worst affected if Uber are allowed to operate as a metered service.
As for Uber offering to allow Black Taxis to join their ranks - laughable PR stunt , nothing more.
I rarely use Black cabs or minicabs in London as they're just too expensive but I'm on their side in this one.
Derek Smith said:
But in general they are honest and I'm trying to remember if I've ever received a report of sexual assault on a lone woman by a black cabbie. Mini cabs - now that's a different matter.
Well there was at least one bad egg black cab driver.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Worboys
Thought to be 13 years that he was up to no good and undetected by the various background checks that are supposed to make black cabs safe.
The GPS tracking that Uber employ and their database of which driver took which job, arguably makes them just as safe as supposedly vetted black cab drivers if not more so.
kev1974 said:
oyster said:
He works in transport and thinks a cab is the fastest way from T5 to T1?
No wonder TfL make odd decisions.
I'd say it's a close call if you factor in the time going down to the tube platforms at T5 (5 mins), waiting on the platform (about 10 mins for most of the day), then the long walk from T1 tube platform up to the travelator tunnels up to T1 departures (5-10 mins). Don't underestimate how much a few minutes walk here and there adds up and before you know it the quick change via tube has taken you 20 minutes. A cab will definitely do T5 -> T1 via the perimeter road in 10 mins.No wonder TfL make odd decisions.
Anyway uber.com signups up 850% today apparently
http://www.itv.com/news/london/update/2014-06-11/8...
Nice one LTDA!
It's not the cash cow it once was (hackney) and that applies to all towns.
The only way to make money is owning a medium/large company and renting cars out to drivers. You still get income without relying on what the driver earns.
The amount of times I've heard a taxi/private hire driver boast about "I charged him £400 cash and he gave me a £100 tip. Happens day in day out" blah blah blah.
Whilst they polish their 15yo S class and shuffle around in there scuffed Tesco shoes!
An industry full of bulls
tters, shysters and unskilled dullards. 
(Speaking as someone in the industry)
Rovinghawk said:
BBC interviews with taxi drivers aren't always what they expect..............
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atfNL0_KAcs
That video never gets old. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atfNL0_KAcs
kev1974 said:
The GPS tracking that Uber employ and their database of which driver took which job, arguably makes them just as safe as supposedly vetted black cab drivers if not more so.
Safer because you get the name and a photo of the driver, and I believe their vehicle registration and licence number too. Therefore, assuming Uber's document checking is thorough, you know that you are getting into a properly licensed vehicle. While I know that probably nearly all black cabs are legitimate, there is nothing stopping somebody buying one and then just going off and plying for hire. (Although I imagine most taxis have a "patch" and would spot a newcomer?)Edited by Gareth79 on Wednesday 11th June 17:25
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