Bike Taxis banned (Ken thinks they're dangerous)
Discussion
What next??
www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1390874,00.html
No more 'A to B without the Q' as London bans motorbike taxis
Andrew Clark, transport correspondent
Saturday January 15, 2005
The Guardian
They are billed as a way to get from "A to B without the Q". But motorcycle taxis, beloved of high-flying executives and time-pressed celebrities, are to be banned in London because Ken Livingstone believes they are dangerous.
Renowned for their ability to weave in and out of traffic, such taxis appeared in the capital a decade ago and now have a cult following - users have included the architect Richard Rogers, the broadcasters Jon Snow and Trevor Phillips, and the chairman of HSBC, Sir John Bond.
An initiative by the capital's mayor includes a little-noticed clause which says a private hire vehicle should have "four wheels"; this will outlaw motorcycle taxis at the end of March.
One company facing closure is Virgin Limobikes, which runs nine Yamaha FJR1300s. Its managing director, Ceri Mort, said all bikes had special backrests to take passengers, and their drivers each had at least 10 years' experience.
"There's a complete lack of understanding of what we're about," said Mr Mort, who charges up to £70 for the journey from central London to Heathrow. He complained the measure was ill-considered, saying companies like his were being targeted when someone with a criminal record could get a job as an unlicensed minicab driver in two minutes.
Other operators include Addison Lee Taxi Bikes, Passenger Bikes, and London Executive. Customers have included the Duchess of Devonshire, who once needed urgent treatment from a hairdresser.
In 2003 Tony Blair's doctor was summoned to Downing Street on a motorcycle taxi when the prime minister had stomach pains
The Motorcycle Industry Association has accused Mr Livingstone of being "bikeist". It points out that not a single person has been killed or seriously injured on a motorcyle taxi in the capital, and that they have been used across the continent for many years.
Transport for London's Public Carriage Office yesterday pointed out that in a consultation on minicab licensing sent to 4,000 people only one had raised concerns about motorcycle taxis
A TfL spokeswoman said: "The purpose of private hire licensing is to ensure the safety of passengers. We're not convinced that motorcycle taxis are safe."
www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1390874,00.html
No more 'A to B without the Q' as London bans motorbike taxis
Andrew Clark, transport correspondent
Saturday January 15, 2005
The Guardian
They are billed as a way to get from "A to B without the Q". But motorcycle taxis, beloved of high-flying executives and time-pressed celebrities, are to be banned in London because Ken Livingstone believes they are dangerous.
Renowned for their ability to weave in and out of traffic, such taxis appeared in the capital a decade ago and now have a cult following - users have included the architect Richard Rogers, the broadcasters Jon Snow and Trevor Phillips, and the chairman of HSBC, Sir John Bond.
An initiative by the capital's mayor includes a little-noticed clause which says a private hire vehicle should have "four wheels"; this will outlaw motorcycle taxis at the end of March.
One company facing closure is Virgin Limobikes, which runs nine Yamaha FJR1300s. Its managing director, Ceri Mort, said all bikes had special backrests to take passengers, and their drivers each had at least 10 years' experience.
"There's a complete lack of understanding of what we're about," said Mr Mort, who charges up to £70 for the journey from central London to Heathrow. He complained the measure was ill-considered, saying companies like his were being targeted when someone with a criminal record could get a job as an unlicensed minicab driver in two minutes.
Other operators include Addison Lee Taxi Bikes, Passenger Bikes, and London Executive. Customers have included the Duchess of Devonshire, who once needed urgent treatment from a hairdresser.
In 2003 Tony Blair's doctor was summoned to Downing Street on a motorcycle taxi when the prime minister had stomach pains
The Motorcycle Industry Association has accused Mr Livingstone of being "bikeist". It points out that not a single person has been killed or seriously injured on a motorcyle taxi in the capital, and that they have been used across the continent for many years.
Transport for London's Public Carriage Office yesterday pointed out that in a consultation on minicab licensing sent to 4,000 people only one had raised concerns about motorcycle taxis
A TfL spokeswoman said: "The purpose of private hire licensing is to ensure the safety of passengers. We're not convinced that motorcycle taxis are safe."
Ken Livingstone banned everything today, except boiled lentils, organic home-knitted bicycles and fairly-traded Tibetan yaks' butter.
Commenting to reporters (who were only allowed to write with blunt crayons) he said "Everything is really dangerous and should be banned - unless I can legislate and tax the living Jesus out of it first."
The Mayor went on to cite the dangers of stabbing with pencils, getting out of bed without a helmet and allowing kettles to be sold without warning labels saying "danger - may cause injury if heated contents poured over small children."
Mr Livingstone said "I carried out a full and thorough consultation process, and although absolutely no-one in the entire country agreed with me, I think everthing is dangerous, could cause injury and disadvantaged groups should be protected from it."
When pressed, he commented "What do you mean you don't know about the consultation - I asked my newts and they agreed."
Reports suggest Mr Livingstone is planning legislation to ban the sale of scissors to anyone without a licence, and cameras to detect pedestrians running with scissors.
(Reuters)
Commenting to reporters (who were only allowed to write with blunt crayons) he said "Everything is really dangerous and should be banned - unless I can legislate and tax the living Jesus out of it first."
The Mayor went on to cite the dangers of stabbing with pencils, getting out of bed without a helmet and allowing kettles to be sold without warning labels saying "danger - may cause injury if heated contents poured over small children."
Mr Livingstone said "I carried out a full and thorough consultation process, and although absolutely no-one in the entire country agreed with me, I think everthing is dangerous, could cause injury and disadvantaged groups should be protected from it."
When pressed, he commented "What do you mean you don't know about the consultation - I asked my newts and they agreed."
Reports suggest Mr Livingstone is planning legislation to ban the sale of scissors to anyone without a licence, and cameras to detect pedestrians running with scissors.
(Reuters)
k playing at? What is his real motive? 
This is utterly shocking.
People's livelihoods are at stake. They were providing a little known but clearly successful and wanted service with what appears to be an excellent safety record - and Red Ken is somehow allowed to just bring it to a halt?
This isn't democracy.
I am appalled.
People's livelihoods are at stake. They were providing a little known but clearly successful and wanted service with what appears to be an excellent safety record - and Red Ken is somehow allowed to just bring it to a halt?
This isn't democracy.
I am appalled.
catso said:
Transport for London's Public Carriage Office yesterday pointed out that in a consultation on minicab licensing sent to 4,000 people only one had raised concerns about motorcycle taxis
Who, exactly? Perhaps minicab owners?
catso said:
A TfL spokeswoman said: "The purpose of private hire licensing is to ensure the safety of passengers. We're not convinced that motorcycle taxis are safe."
There's been no KSIs to date. What will convince them? If the stats don't what will?
towman said:
He needs to concentrate on those stupid push bike thingies (like a rickshaw). The riders of these are a friggin nuisance. They require no training, have no consideration for other road users and no concept of the outcome if they get hit by my truck.
Steve
If these also have less than 4 wheels, then these too will be included in his ban.
I guess the "4 wheel" regulation also means that no taxis can have tracks, be 6x6s, or even be Reliant Robins or Grinnall Scorpion IIIs.
Perhaps the answer is these new tandem 2-seaters being built by Prodrive? They're narrow, but still do 0-60 in 4s. And of course CC exempt.
This is great news. As soon as the Germans have bought the stock exchange I thing all the ingredients for Kens plan for mediocraty will be in place. Some of the west end stores have already jumped ship and moved out to the provinces and one of the major banks now has its head office outside the capital. I think the implosion of London is imminent and its such a fantastic achievement for mad Ken. In the end it will have taken him less than 10 years to ruin the headquarters of what will have been once the 3rd largest economy in the world. And the beauty is it will only affect the thick bastards that votem him in for a 2nd time. 
Manchester is going to make a request to become a province of Germany.
Manchester is going to make a request to become a province of Germany.
catso said:
An initiative by the capital's mayor includes a little-noticed clause which says a private hire vehicle should have "four wheels"; this will outlaw motorcycle taxis at the end of March.
Can't they just get two toy wheels from something and somehow attach them to the side of bike (not in contact with the ground). Hey presto. The bike has 4 wheels.
Of course this depends how well the legislation is worded but from the paragraph above this would work
MMC said:
The motive's simple.
He's a communist - he believes in collective transport. All personal transport is bad and should be banned or taxed until it dies.
That why he hates motorcycles so much - the ultimate in personal transport; mobility without jams.
Indeed. ...and you never know, the rider may be a terrorist, you can't see his / her face after all...aaaarrrrgghhh no control!!!
D_Mike said:
An initiative by the capital's mayor includes a little-noticed clause which says a private hire vehicle should have "four wheels"; this will outlaw motorcycle taxis at the end of March.
Can't they just get two toy wheels from something and somehow attach them to the side of bike (not in contact with the ground). Hey presto. The bike has 4 wheels.
Of course this depends how well the legislation is worded but from the paragraph above this would work
Excatly what I thought when I read the thread
Or get them classified as a hackney carriage if it's possible?
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff