The use of Taxi Marshalls in Birmingham has been a resounding success for the Public & the Hackney trade.
Everybody knows that there are Bogus Taxis out there as previous news items have shown.There are also a minority of Private Hire drivers who openly Flimp as discovered by one prominent Taxi & Private Hire operator this weekend. In his own words:
”
On Friday and Saturday myself and staff from our office were on the street of Newcastle watching what was going on ! and i must admit it was not good to see what seemed to be a “free for all”
Blue Line today have dismissed 3 drivers who were caught bang to rights and a further two have been warned as we were not 100% sure
one of the drivers dismissed who drives a black Audi A6 was even unremorseful at his actions and fully admitted what he was doing !
and to our surprise he even told us he does it with the blessing of SOME of the Hacks ??? as when a job come to the hacks in the big market area that they don’t want they point that fare in the direction of this Audi A6 !!!
we will again do a further visits in the near future but i have to say some serious questions need to be asked to our LA over the clear lack of enforcement and the evident problems on the streets rendering the public they bleat on about uninsured by illegal plying for hire !” Well done Mr.Shanks
Taxi marshalling scheme helps thousands of people
Wolverhampton’s taxi marshals have helped more than 5,000 visitors to the city centre get home safely since the scheme began six months ago.
Feedback on the taxi marshalling scheme is showing it to be a great success as it enters the second half of its trial period.
Launched on 20 October 2006, the scheme provides visitors with a safe and convenient way to get a taxi home after a great night out in the city.
Taxi marshals, who operate from both Hackney Carriage and private hire taxi collection points on Friday and Saturday nights, offer a safe waiting area until a taxi arrives and have a direct link to taxi companies and drivers as well as the police.
The trial began thanks to a partnership between Wolverhampton City Council, the City Centre Company, West Midlands Police and Knightsafe24 (the city centre licensee forum).
Councillor Bishan Dass, Chair of Wolverhampton City Council’s Licensing Committee, said: “I’m delighted at how successful this scheme has been. Full Article Here.
The 12 Crimes of Christmas
Advice on how to avoid the crime wave that has become a feature of the season of goodwill, warning about the dangers of everything from fake cabs to bogus charity collections. Cheap imitations of big-name toys are also featured, along with an insight into how the rich pickings of festive shopping can tempt sneak thieves. View This Video Here. This Video is regrettably no longer available.
{ 100 comments… read them below or add one }
If the above account is right,concerning PH drivers being caught plying for hire at the Gate,and subsequently being `sacked` by Blue Line,then a `well done` Mr Shanks is in order,BUT, there are far more than just 2 of `Blue Lines` cars in town `flimping` than just 3….But granted….its a start. If a little surprising really when we have been assured that these drivers are all legitimately booked.
As for `Taxi Marshalls` of course they work if the marshalls themselves are told what to look out for…and do it.
BUT..enforcement in Newcastle….when everyone on here picks themselves up off the floor from laughing…. is that a quote from the late Spike Milligan….certainlt sounds like it.
Even a `free for all` has rules…..the Town don`t.
As for the Bigg Market..sounds like a `cherry pickers` system again..if the job isnt going far just get rid of it or double the fare….I`m not accusing ALL the drivers down there of doing that….but there IS a certain few that do…..we do know them.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@john dodds,
Mr Dodds it was apparent from talking to one of the drivers we dismissed that there is some collusion going on between hacks and private hires when there is a fare that a hackney does not want
if this is true this in its self is giving totally the wrong message to the private hires !! is this why we have this mess on the streets ??
the appropriate authorities have been informed of our actions with the drivers and are hoping to take statements from us regards our findings !
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Ian Shanks, I thought what you did was good but you spoilt it with the Fairy tale about Hacks handing out jobs to P/H,what a load of Bollocks. Do you honestly think anyone is goin to swallow that one,we can’t afford to give work away,I think your playin a good Mind game here but people will see through it!
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Rob,
read mr john dodss reply !!! he seems to disagree with you and makes a point its been knowingly going on far a while
looks like its you that is talking BOLLOCKS rob or do you klnow what is going on like tyou think you do !!
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@ian shanks, Like I said,I think you did a good thing.I won’t take that away from you but put it this way ‘I have never,ever witnessed a Hack giving a job to a Private Hire driver but I’ve seen what you witnessed at the weekend over & over again’ you have the word of a known flimper full of sour grapes saying: “well the Hacks say it’s ok” I don’t believe it. I can’t speak for john dodds maybe he thinks it goes on. I would like more Newcastle Hacks to come here and say it before I believe it.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade@Rob, Just last saturday while I was waiting for a booked fare at the top of the Bigg Market I was approached by a couple who asked me if I could take them to Jesmond.
I told them I couldn’t and told them to ask the driver of the newcastle hack which was parked on the other side of the road to me, they said they had already asked him and he said “I am not going to Richardson road, I am waiting for a decent fare” and he sent them across the road to me. The couple ended up getting into a Gateshead hack.
This sort of thing happens all too often.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Ian Shanks,
Unfortunately,certain `hacks` coluding with their `friends` on PH is not new,I have to say it has been known about for many years,the LA has known it goes on too,but decide not to act as with any other enforcement action that may be needed.
If by taking what enforcement action you can,I wish you all the luck in the world Ian,in getting the LA to take you seriously.
The only thing I have against the idea,is that if 1 person starts this sort of action,others may copy and whilst I doubt you (Ian Shanks) would do anything silly,we can`t assume someone else wouldnt and the last thing we need is drivers taking the Law into their own hands. However having said that,you are correct in thinking that this is 1 of many problems leading up to the `mess` we currently have on the streets.
As I said Ian,credit where its due,for taking action against your own `cowboy` drivers and getting rid of them….But I honestly can`t see Newcastle council doing anything constructive to sort the chaos out….BEFORE someone is hurt or (hopefully not) worse.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
what a lame excuse that is. it takes the biscuit completely. talk about clutching at straws to not look so bad to the trade
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
dug,wether shanksy is or isnt doing it to look good in the trade the point is HEs doing it and it is wots needed to be done so like i said before, credit where its due eh.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
look chaps!! i don’t want any of your credit or criticism as that’s not what i am doing it for !!
truthfully i have no intention of doing this to help you after many years of your having a go at me and our firm ! i simply want my drivers to work our system cover our work, and i don’t want them putting public at risk while ripping them off with my name attached to the side of the car.
but thanks anyway but you obviously think i have a ulterior motive !! i haven’t other than getting my drivers to conduct themselves in a correct manor
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@ian shanks, Stop gettin your Knickers in a twist man,I’ve read all your comments and posts on here and your fond of saying ‘let’s have sensible debate’ that’s good but you let yourself down everytime someone dissagrees with you,stop being so sensitive and lets have the sensible debate you say you crave.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Rob,
below is your comments and this is not sensible debate its simply having a go !!
@Ian Shanks, I thought what you did was good but you spoilt it with the Fairy tale about Hacks handing out jobs to P/H,what a load of Bollocks. Do you honestly think anyone is goin to swallow that one,we can’t afford to give work away,I think your playin a good Mind game here but people will see through it!
so why do people have to attempt to discredit peoples comments just because they don’t like what they read especially when its backed up from a well established hack drivers post ?
anyway i havent got my knickers in a twist !! but who told you i am a cross dresser ??
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@ian shanks, Ha!Ha! Ok apologies for that. But seriously things need to be done ,from all sides. I also read Sam Harrington just now and I echo his words “Lets not fight amongst ourselves, lets get the cowboys out of the trade, wether they be private hire or hack” Nice talkin to you!
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Rob,
no problem ! read my reply to sam !! its the only way i can see of dealing with the severity of the problem
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade@ian shanks, So you are Phyliss?
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@jamsey,
Eh ???
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade@ian shanks, come on Ian, take some credit where its due
I dont know you personally but i have used your firm for at least 20 years, and i can honestly say in all that time i think i have only had one problem regarding the booked car not turning up and getting the runaround from the office saying it had and that i was not there etc. but that was about 15 years ago !!!!
Times are changing, things move on and i think your company has moved well with the times, taxis and private hire are now a real and serious threat to the bus services, especially at nights, even Nexus now acknowledge that. Millions of pounds are spent by the Goverment on public transport, it is only in recent years that they have even considered taxis/ph as being a part of the public transport system.
Lets not fight amongst ourselves, lets get the cowboys out of the trade, wether they be private hire or hack, who knows… in 10 years time we all may get subsidised vehicles and subsidised fuel… and santa claus might come down the chimney.
Best wishes to everyone, and a happy 2009
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Sam Harrington,
good post and thank you !!
my thoughts would be to get some volunteer drivers in a organized way to man the streets, get the press involved to highlight the need for this because the LA fail to act on this situation which is a matter of great public safety.
getting the press to publish the fact people are not insured when not pre booking a car and how they are at risk. etc etc
shame the council into getting involved and promising to get involved and have a more active presence on the streets infuture or we will do it ourselves !!
or somthing like this ???????
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@ian shanks, There’s a website called http://newcastlecentric.com/ this guy writes an online newspaper of sorts about the Newcastle area I think he would be interested in your findings over the weekend.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@ian shanks,with your contacts and standing as the largest taxi office in the north east,surely a phone call to the evening chronicle&journal and to the local tv/news stations this story would be bigger news than the berwick saga and rightly so.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Ian Shanks, My partner is a journalist with North East Press and has many friends at NCJ Media (chronicle & journal) I can ask her to see if they’d want to run with the story if you’d like?
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@SC,
i would prefer to run a storey if volunteer drivers where prepared to get together a plan their own form of enforcement shaming the council for their lack of car !!
this would only be observation and photos and information gathering as confrontation with other drivers would have to be avoided
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@ian shanks, Once I get my freedom of information requests back about the number of out office hours worked by enforcement officers across November and December I’ll go to the press
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@ian shanks, the best enforcement officers would be ex taxi drivers, they know the score and will have seen most scams. As a PH driver who works for BLT predominantly in the city centre i see out of town hacks with no company livery on but are parked in busy places blatantly flimping. if they werent flimping they would need company livery on so they could be identified by the customer!
YES GREEN DERWENTSIDE PRIMERA OU02*** I’M WATCHING YOU,
and before some of you go off saying, ‘he works the city, he must flimp’ NO, never, i turned a job down to Shillbottle on saturday night in favour of my pre-booked job to jesmond. i’m by the book and anyone who knows who i am will vouch for that.
Rant over but i’d welcome much more enforcement but they need to do it from a different angle if they want results!!!!
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@BLT driver and proud of it, YOUR derwentside hack,green primera,this kids like dog shit, all over the place,he lives in prudhoe and the hack lads up there have chased him out of town a couple of times,this kid will flimp anywhere,he’s on derwentside plates cos he could’nt pass tynedale locality test,i never seen his car with top sign on but i know he grafts o toon p.h office,the only way to stop him flimping is for newcastle enforcement officers to get off their lazy arses and catch him bang to rights…now whats the chance of that happening….got more chance of england winning the next world cup fielding 11 one legged players…..hang on..i think ive just nominated newcastle uniteds 1st team to represent us in next world cup
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@jimmy d,
does he work for BLUE LINE ?
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade@jimmy d, i’v e seen the car parked up the west end sometimes during the day, at the top end of Condercum Road, just off the West Rd. there is also another FLIMPER on a derwentside plate who flimps Blu-bambu, a BMW 5 series!
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade@BLT driver and proud of it,
is he still kicking about!!! the aisan lad! he used to sniff about the bigg market with lansdowne stickers and NO data head, radio arieal or gps receiver!
the last time i seen that car was at the lights on the gateshead side of the tyne bridge, his punter thought i was giving him the eye, but he knew i was looking at him. I wrote his reg down, but not seen the car since, thought he may have jacked it in! it appears not.
ian perhaps thats where you missing plates are? after all it’s nigh on impossible to read a plate when it’s in the rear window at night with the muck off the roads and rain at this time of year. perhaps these who flout the laws are helping there ‘friends’ out?
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
First of all sorry I am late joining this one but I have to say I have come accross a fair few occasions when a Toon Hack has tried to pass me a Job, especially at Flares Bar (Circus Circus as I know it), it is normally a Peugeot 406 Saloon Toon Hack, the Lad is more Middle East origin than Asian, he will NOT drop off in Wallsend or North Shields, I asked him one day as I thought it was a Ambush!!!, he explained that he has had too many “Runners” and he passes folk from down here on to the NT PH gang in Town!, as they are “Cheaper”
By the way I did’nt take!
Personally I don’t know what all this Blueline stuff is about, in the early 90′s when I was young free slim and single, I would always flag a BLT down outside of the Ritzy (now Liquid), and would get a cheap Taxi (NT PH) home with a canny Driver and a decent Car, that’s if I could’nt be bothered to wait for a then £6.50 set fare home by the once great Foxhunters!
So as I know of!, 15 years later tackling BLT would be like taking the Tyne Bridge down!!!!
To summerise NT Private Hires have flimped in Town for 18 years I know off, I am sure you older ones can go further back, all Cities with a strong Nightlife have Flimpers from neighbouring Boroughs!
Example: Stornaway Isle of Lewis, Western Isles off the West Coast of Scotland, TWO hour + ferry ride away from Mainland or 30 minute flight!
Stornaway has it’s own Licensed Cars, in November 2007 I got into a Inverness Car (in Stornaway), no wonder he was there £3.65 start on the Meter!!!, and it went up in 40p’s…Flimper!, but that’s the rates up there!, this Island was like something off the Film Braveheart and it still had Town Centre Flimpers.
Regards
Stephen
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
mister shanks would not go in press and say its newcastle hacks fault wud he? this has got to be a joke. the whole problem of flimping is not his fault ata all, nor is the berick cars his fault. dream on.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
the blame for this lies solely at the local la,mr shanks has merely had the balls to go and witness how widespread the matter is.bringing it to the attention of press and north east public is the only way forward.if there was enforcement every weekend the matter would go away as the illegal flimpers would be forced to go and do work for the offices they work for.its a nationwide problem and the matter was highlighted on the one show on bbc1(friday 12th december)
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
if the post below is true and i have no need to doubt it, then the hackney trade are partly to blame for their own demise i would guess
Private hire driver Ncle Reply:
December 17th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
@Rob, Just last Saturday while I was waiting for a booked fare at the top of the Bigg Market I was approached by a couple who asked me if I could take them to Jesmond.
I told them I couldn’t’t and told them to ask the driver of the Newcastle hack which was parked on the other side of the road to me, they said they had already asked him and he said “I am not going to Richardson road, I am waiting for a decent fare” and he sent them across the road to me. The couple ended up getting into a Gateshead hack.
This sort of thing happens all too often.
ss ?
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Ian Shanks,
My partner has had a hack drive off as she was getting in because she said “Fenham hall drive mate” luckily she didn’t get hurt, but could have easily got caught in the door!
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Ian Shanks,i have had many an arguement with another driver on the ranks in the toon when this happens and it is happening more lately.I am from the old sckool where a fares a fare,but it pisses me off when i can see a fare blatently being knocked back by the car in front even though the people are perfectly sober and respecable,but the journey is obviously too small for the greedy tw£t first on the rank who wants to cherry pick!!!
Sometimes i have nearly had my head battered for speaking my mind,but thats life and it wont stop me!And then they wonder why people use PH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
When we are all out and about Flimp Spotting, check this one…..overloading Fiat Doblo’s!!!!, it appears that some Doblo Drivers think their Vehicle is a 5-6 seater!, and in NT and NC licensing they are actually only FOUR standard seaters, or one Wheelchair and the Carer!, a owner Driver of a PH one dropped five kids off at Tesco last night.
The only big Doblo I know is that hidious Berwick six seat Doblo at
“Rattle Hill Taxis”.
So get some Photo’s of these idiots and the Council know overloading is a offence and will NEED to act!
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
flimping simple answer, NO ph in the city centre between 11.00 pm and 4.00 am. PH pickup points for there booking positioned on the edge of the city. after all most PH firms say they make there fares walk to pick up points now, i.e pizza hut, what difference making them walk a little further and picking them up behicnd the central? barrack road? melbourne street?
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Andy Warhol, give yourself a nip, do you honestly think its safe for a single woman to walk on her own to the outskirts of town?
what about normal cars that flimp? ban all cars other then hacks? then what about hacks that ply for hire off the ranks? Ban them as well?
If this was to be done all that would happen is the ques on the ranks between 11pm and 4am on a Friday and Saturday night would get so big, the council would realise more plates to meet the demand , GENIUS plan! just what you all want, even more hacks in town!
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@SC,
hey i’m not suggest that they walk through the west end, most PH firms already suggest that the fare walks to a designated pick up point. i’m just merely tinkering.
and in your last paragraph, you are openly admitting that the amount of flimping that goes on in newcastle city centre is THROUGH THE ROOF!?! hey, more plates does not bother me if there is a demand for it on the ranks.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Andy Warhol, yes PH firms already have pick up points, but they dont ask them to walk as far as your saying and not out of busy safer areas!
I have never said flimping isn’t going on, but not every PH car in town is flimping. But if you are happy for the council to put more cars on the road just to cover an two 5 hour windows on a weekend, then good luck making an money during the slower weeks
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@SC,
ahhh but you see sc, if PH are clearly as busy as they say they are, most are booked in the city remember? then there will be hoards of people walking an extra 1/4 of a mile to a PH pickup point?
I mean whats more dangerous? a lady walking with several students dressed up to a PH pickup point on barrack road or a lady flagging a PH down, unknownly getting in an uninsured car, probably getting ripped off (they rip off the hacks so why not the puter, then teh hack gets the blame) with a driver who clearly has o regard for laws or passenger saftey?
give me superman, wonderwoman, capatain america and papa smurf anyday!
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade@Andy Warhol,
PH are there for customers satisfaction not for frustration HC, at the same time there are LA who supposed to respond to any of HC concerns about illegal flimping, etc.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Polish BLT Driver,
not sure what your getting at here?
if the LA dont do anything it then becomes the HC trade to try and push them into action.
busses are also there for customer satisfaction, but do you get picked up outside the restuarant/bar by your buss?
Why not GIVE PH what they already practicly have, pick up and booking points, but lets not put them in a place where they can be seen to ply for hire. Hack problem solved, PH problem solved – they get to park up in town legally! And IF the customer wants to step out of the bar straight into the taxi, then the HC is there for teh luxury.
so where all agreed then? Ban PH from city centres from 11 pm till 4 am, LETS ALL UNITE! get a petition going and get it into your local LA eh?
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Andy Warhol,
Ban PH from the town is simply not going to happen just because HC asks LA for it.
As you have just said that the LA don’t do anything about flimping etc. and it is now becomes the matter for HC trade to try and push them into action. If PH driver was risking losing his taxi license (LA can arrange that) the flimping would stop or be reduced dramatically, as simple as that.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
clown!!!! typical hack driver if it wasnt for ph bringing punters into city you wouldnt have anybody to take home between 11 and 4 and as for your moneys down from 4 years ago,do you think this is just u,were all in the same boat,join a decent office and graft instead of sitting on rank reading your paper/comic waiting for punters to come to you,the only thing worse than a whinging hack driver is a whinging hack driver who thinks the world owes him a living
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@phd,
well thankyou for bringing up a suggesting …
… after all we sit on our arse doing nowt till 11 as said, waiting for said customer to come and tear us away from the dailly read of rodger red hat. So why dont we just do your job aswell? HC’s set up a LOW BUDGET office, telling customers that they will be picked up and brought INTO the city at the rate of the north easts cheapest firms. We hand cards out.. get a radio system set up … pay a desk clerk or two … and alas we do your job getting a pat on the back of drivers such as yourself for actually getting off our rear ends. After all, we literally go all over, so 780 city hacks could cover quite an area no problem … ahhh the follow on’s we could have …
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Andy Warhol, it go’s to show if 780 hacks are struggling to make a living out of the 100,000 people that go out in town every weekend night, yet more PH’s are on the road now and are not getting paranoid about where “the work” has gone, the public have voted with their wallets and have gone for the cheaper service.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@SC, What do you envisage for the future SC ? no cap on PH so the fleets keep growing,people keep ‘voting with their wallets’ eventually no work for Hacks,still no cap on PH,only so many people. What is happening to Hacks will happen to you aswell and you are just helping it along. There’s no paranoia here,the PH just have’nt caught up yet but your numbers are set to increase this year,with Hacks coming into offices and laid off workers turning to the Taxi trade for their living. the evidence is as plain as the nose on your face. The them and us attitude, we can all be guilty of,will be everyone’s downfall the drivers,PH & Hack will all be losers. Our respective trades lack strength in this country because there are two ‘opposing’ sides to the Taxi trade and the people with the biggest interests in the business will always find a way to exploit this difference.Make no mistake the metaphoric road ahead is heading for gridlock and if you can’t see that then you have’nt really got your business head on,we are all businessmen and as such we have to recognise that this trend can’t go on. What Business worth it’s salt would increase the workforce in 2009 especially one in the leisure & transportation of people industry.It’s only common business sense to look at the economy and the sectors we are linked to and take a more cautious approach to our business,yet some still come here blowing raspberries at each other. Honestly Gents,I’m everybodies friend and as a friend I tell you ‘take a step back and look at things carefully’ no argument here I’m just telling it from a sensible viewpoint so please don’t come back giving me grief it will serve no good Business purpose.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Admin, IMO things are going to get a lot worse, I think the trade on both side are in for much harder times, thing and working practices from drivers and office will have to change if they are to survive, but as you have stated “we are all business men” and as anybody with a successful business will tell you, you must constantly evolve with the trends in order to survive.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Tradeno …
… the ph plates are not capped, add to this the influx of out of town plates added to the greed of offices who do not care where the drivers get there work from but are happy to take there £110 per week knowing that they cannot fucnction without paying them what they want, and THATS the reason for so many PH drivers.
… so sc if PH drivers have it all rosey, and everybody wants to use them then why do so many flimp? Again i cast your memory back to the 2 or 3 weeks after plate day 2008. the enforcement did their sting, and low and behold the first 3 weeks of july, access out of the city was a lot easier… no PH clogging up every road parking putside every bar, we had ques YES QUES on ranks on a friday in JULY! I tell you sc it has been a long time since i have seen that! do you think WE the HC trade did not notice this? or our takings for the weekends over this period were up to what we had not seen for a few years? remember this was meant to be our worst time of year!
wallets? hmmm, well i do belive most offices charge in the region of hack rate 1 with the exception of a couple! do teh vast majority of the 100,000 people care about a few extra quid in a taxi at 2 am in the morning when they have just paid £6.50 for that kebab or £3.50 a bottle of beer? Lets be honest MOST dont even care that the car they might have just flagged down might be uninsured!
so the proof is in the pudding for me, and EVRY other HC driver in newcastle I talk to. WE ARE NOT FOOLS! we know that when the PH suddenly disapear after a sting, then reappear a few weeks later those few weeks gave a TRUE indication of just how many ARE NOT booked.
or sc, are you going to give me some crap about the magnetic fields of the earth, caused the axel of the earth to pivet during this window caused the publics attudes in taxis to change for 3 weeks?
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Andy Warhol, PH is not all rosey, but am more realistic in knowing that it a shift in public spending that is seeing less people going out, thus making less work from town, across the country 5 pubs a day are closing, wheatherspoons have just dropped their beer to under £1 to try and encourage people back out, this all shows the change in spending.
Am not sitting around thinking everybody else is taken work from me, I am being Pro active and changing my working hours, doing more work out of town, door to door work on a weekend night because people are having a night at their mates house to save money. Am sure Ian can back up the change in work patterns.
Yes drivers are flimping, its happened for years, but unless the council and police work to rule, it will continue. But how much can you honestly contribute to a change in work load? The fact the ranks were full shows that the vast majority of the public will que and wait, otherwise they’d be all walking up and down the private hire pick up point trying to jump in.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Andy Warhol, do you want some lo salt go go on all those chips on your shoulders? people do care about a few quid after a night out, thats why PHV’s are doing work in town so often when HC’s are queing up forming illegal ranks- if you believe a problem exists with flimping on the scale you claim then get on to your LA and DEMAND action. i don’t have a problem with that, most PHD’s do the job right and will back me up on what i say
I did a PREBOOKED job last night from The Gate to Washington, 3 drops and the job was £17, on New Years eve the people got a HC from Clayton Street chippy doing the same drop offs and the metered fare was £39, now granted it was Xmas eve and you would have been running on a higher tarrif but £39?????
A couple of quid??
The money they saved would have bought them a lot of chips
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@BLT driver and proud of it,
hmmm always a hack eh? did they tell you that, was it black with red door crests? I’m sure they did. The amount of times I have picked up a passenger took them home only for them to be suprised that the fare is no where as MUCH as they paid the week before. I then ask did you get in off a rank or ‘flag’ one down, they can never remember. car type or anything … dont always take what your 3 sheets to the wind pick up tells you!
and again i take you back to PARAGRAPH 2! the proof is in the pudding with flimping mate, i am not going to dispel what i seen with me own eyes! or what i counted in me own money bag!
again, WE in newcastle keep plugging away at tyhe council, ACTION takes time …
no chips on my shoulders mate, just for EVERYONE to do there jobs properly, LA’s, HC’s, PH and office’s.
so if no flimping goes on, lets all GET TOGETHER and demand PH pickup points away from ranks and clubs, like i said, dont want to get you done for plying for hire. and lets cut down on the traffic in the city centre, let the emergency services get around easier, and joe public might not keep getting knocked down, and DEMAND that newcastle stop PH and other traffic comming into the centre between 11 and 4.00 am.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Andy Warhol, Yes a hack, with citycabs written all over the side.
NO matter what is said on here, you’re always gonna be right n everyone else is gonna be wrong. lets just close the streets off to everyone all the time just for all the honest black cab drivers in town. Lets face it, you are all by the book, the best of the best. Wish id never sold my hack plates (yes i had 2) then i would be 1 of the ‘elete’
As for my passengers being 3 shets to the wind they were anything but drunk, all were fully aware of the drivers actions on christmas eve but he ‘knew a short cut’ however i went with the directions they gave me.
They werent at all pi**ed last night either.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Andy Warhol, Too true mate, p*ssed or sober you can always rely on the punter to embellish the facts. a few weeks back I took some people to the toon and clocked £22 from the coast. I recently picked them up again and they said ” you’re not goin to rip us off like the last one are you,he charged us £32″ “when was that and where from?” I asked, it turned out it was the time and place I took them. I just said “no mate it won’t be more than £22!” AND BLT,D & Proud I take it they took everything in but the Plate number..so observant but missed the plate number on the back,the doors and in the windscreen…Peddle it to someone else mate. I know lots of BLT drivers and your a mystery to all of them mate..do you even exist or are you one of Shanksys alter egos like JD&C ?
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@nth, no mate i do exist, ive been in this game 16 years, i dont spout off, only air my thoughts and opinions as i see em. i didnt ask my pasengers if they got a plate number of the citycabs car but am pleased he did rob them as theyve always used black cabs till he charged them £39 on xmas eve but theyve used BLT since and they claim to go to town every Saturday night so hes done the other ‘elete’ drivers no favours has he.
Crack on doubting me mate, it bothers me not!
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade@BLT driver and proud of it, That’s if it was a hack as we all know that many private hire have more than office rates on their meter or don’t put the meter on at all and even worse might not be licensed at all just like the driver that tried to get the young girl in his car last year after already serving time for rape. I would also like to point out that the driver was caught & sentenced due to the vigilance of an N/C hack driver not the police or LA officers or anyone from the public. That was after driving around looking for a victim for over 2 hours. That alone shows that they need to do something about stopping private hire from any borough sitting in the city centre as it blatantly obvious that too many are willing to take the chance of breaking the law. You only had to look at the co-op up from the gate on Saturday night. Stick a police car there & you get no private hire there, they all go to Grainger St. & vice verse…By stopping all cars except hacks the city will be a lot safer for the public & easier for the police to spot a bogus taxi driver. And before all you private hire come on shouting & screaming and giving yourself high blood pressure I’m not saying your all bad apples after all I was once private hire driver myself. But like always a few bad apples spoil it for everyone. But in Newcastle it’s not just a few is it. And before Mr. Shanks comes on in agreement about something should be done & blaming the L/A he should start by looking at his own cars like the ford Galaxy with blacked out back windows & no plate on it going to Birtley Saturday night about 02.00hrs.
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@Newcastle Hack,
You want to take a long hard look at those sorry little Gits that sit at the Central Station before you BAN other local Authority vehicles coming into Town!!.
Berwick is going, but you will not get rid of North Tyneside & Gateshead!!!!
Revellers want a cheap Taxi to go home with a British Driver, it is simple as that!!!
The Customer is always right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NEVER MIND BEING FOCUSED ON BLUELINE, THE TWO (NORTH SHIELDS & GATESHEAD) CENTRAL FIRMS AND ANYONE ELSE WHO DARES TO COME INTO YOUR PRECIOUS CITY….GO AND PICK ON NODA WITH ALL THEIR BITTER HALFWITS!!!….WHO THINK EVERYONE SHOULD BOW TO THEM, NEW YEARS EVE A NODA HACK ESCORTED THREE PEOPLE HE DID’NT WANT TO TAKE INTO A GATESHEAD CENTRAL PH, SO STOP WHINGING ABOUT OUTSIDERS.
Regards
Stephen
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@Stephen (FKA Central Enth.), You had a couple of cans Stephen? Do the number of exclamation marks denote the amount of cans? Yesterday you wanted to be banned from the City as you were sick of doing £11 returns….I sometimes wonder about you mate! Bring in Psychological testing that’s what I say.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade@Stephen (FKA Central Enth.), If the gateshead hack was sat in town that would never happenTry thinking about it mate.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade@Stephen (FKA Central Enth.),
well well well, true colours and all that …
… i think you will find that the majority of newcastle hack drivers ARE British/English or Geordie! Because some one has a different colour skin there all of a sudden foreign? you must be one of the ‘people’ who presume cause someone has different colour skin, they must not speak a word on english eh? or not know where they are going? I would be willing to bet the VAST MAJORITY of newcastle hack drivers have a better ‘knowledge’ than most PH! they might not know EVERY STREET in one particular area, but they will know a ‘LARGER’ area! I’ve done PH and HC and belive me mate, theres places i didnt even know about i’ve been as a HC driver.
as has been said, safety is paramount to the public, I wouyld have NO PROBLEM picking up or dropping at points in whitley bay, so why you in newcastle?
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Tradedid you just bypass my 2nd paragraph? the customers HAD NO CHOICE but to walk to ranks, as the PH who sit around were NOT There. After a few weeks ALL went back to normal, and the PH reappear, joe public pops out of bar, said PH guy makes eye contact, and lures him in.
let me tell you something mate … IF the council came out and did there job, like they DID through those few weeks, you must remember, the hounest PH guys takings MUST have went down as the cars either worked there office or went home … then it would not be the”paranoid” HC’s that would be in trouble but the offices would be full of those who earn a crust ligitly and those who flimp at weekends! And remember MOST of joe public DONT book a return trip cause they dont know when they are comming home!
facts and figures eh? alright. why dosent ian show how many cars worked his offices on the friday and saturday nights 3 weeks after the sting and 3 weeks prior? and then show just how many jobs a car avaeraged before and after? And I put it to any person who says it did not change that they are a liar.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Andy Warhol, read again, I have not bypassed any of your statement, but your statement is based on YOUR opinion of how successful this sting was, I have asked before for this to be backed up with facts, but to date nobody has come up with any FACTS only opinions!
My work load as not significantly different we weeks after the “sting” which am sure can be backed up by Blue Line.
You have it in your head that 1000′s of PH are in town flimping it to death, I agree with you that its happening, just not on the scale that you think! look around at the current economic climate , its a knock on effect.
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We are starting to bicker again about what goes on in Town, but I think that the trade will lose some Drivers after this Christmas build up that was virtually non-existent!!!!
It’s OK doing 16 hours on Christmas day and earning £300+, but what about all December and the end of November, NOWT, no build up anywhere, the amount of Cars I observed laid up from all the Offices was fairly sad to see, so I think a lot of Drivers now realise that things are not right!, and may look at something else!
This will probably be the worst January for all of us, especially when NT Council are constantly Licensing ex-Bandits, in which I think is a disgrace!
Regards
Stephen
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
Andy Warhol!
You can spout what you want about the PH Drivers in the Town, but I for one and many others don’t like going into Town to do Set Fares back to the Coast Whitley Bay/Tynemouth etc, I can’t speak for BLT or the Gateshead Gang, but it’s nowt worse when you pick up four Lads or Lasses to take them back to Whitley for a £11.00 stiff!!!, these idiots know it costs more on the Metro for four people!, unfortunately we at the Coast have to do these Bookings to get by!
So you can throw some of us Coastal crowd out anytime!!!!!
Regards
Stephen
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
i would just like to add a few more points.
firstly sc – it was not just MY opinion it was the opinion of EVERY newcastle hack driver that worked before AND after. ONLY A FOOL COULD NOT SEE IT! And where were ALL the PH the night the police moved on those who were not booked?
secondly – I dont believe theres 1,000s comming in but definatley 100′s! Remeber theres in the region of 780 newcastle HC’s and IF some 300 PH/out of town cars come into the city centre looking to steal work thats ‘deregulated’ to nearly half! and if those cars take £100.00 each on a night, thats what £30,000.00 divided over say ALL hacks are out – 780, thats in the region of £40.00. Over a weekend thats £80.00 being taken from the HC trade! Now I estimate the truth is HIGHER, as I, and most drivers over the said period were better off to the tune of £50 to £60 on the fridays and saturdays!
now you can spout off all YOU like, but I like so many, wont ignore facts and figures. What I will say AGAIN, is with regular enforcement and prosecutions, it would be your business in danager and not mine, as I have already said when people ‘complain’ that i charge double what BLT does to the coast, i tell them that they should have booked a return, THE REPLY IS ALWAYS THE SAME! ‘we never know when were going to go home though’!
and stephen, you seem to belive that people will leave the trade about now, to do what exactly? have you been to a job centre lately, have you spoken to people in various trades? Remeber 2 things, the pattern of the trade has changed A LOT since the last reccession. We now have more people who are willing to spend 14 hours a day 6 or 7 days a week waiting just to take home £500, but ian says thats good? maybe just to good? so offices will continue to swap with drivers who have no choice but to taxi because there work in there trade has all but dried up! that unfortunately is the nature of the beast.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Stephen (FKA Central Enth.),”…when NT Council are constantly Licensing ex-Bandits, in which I think is a disgrace!”
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
heres hoping that it’s not a bad a year as we all think, and that the start of the traffic regulations in newcastle city centre is the start of limited access to out of towners and PH …
… for our passengers saftey eh?
happy new year and all that s**t
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@Ian Shanks, Cross Dresser………..
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@jamsey, Get a life,the last time i heard the name Phyliss mentioned he was a noda driver??.Another one who sold out!!!!!!
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@ian shanks, no Ian he doesnt work for any office,he thinks he’s a newcastle hack, he has no morals but does know he’s doing wrong as ive seen him pull up at top of big mkt (mcdonalds) sit for a minute then drive off, to go n park at the old fire station for a minute then to drive off n go to pasta hut again top of the big market.
How do i know this? i got a blank at Mcdonalds when he was plying for hire so followed the primera for 10 mins to confirm what i allready knew!
i ugre anyone who sees him to make it known to him without threat of violence that you know his game!
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
The only way to get rid of the flimpers in Newcastle or elsewhere is to name them and shame them on this site ?just what Nexus metro would do to their fare-dodgers…….
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@eagle-eye, well i’ve named and shamed two………..they spoil our work and potentially our familes christmas’s why don’t WE try and spoil it for them?
anymore for anymore?
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@eagle-eye, This site is available to ‘name & shame’ It’s easy to create a page for this purpose and I would happily do that but without content it would be useless.Driver participation is what’s needed,photo’s,videos,plate numbers,times & dates etc.
After that the LA should implement a Marshall system with designated pick up points for P/H which would be Marshalled.The same on Hackney Ranks. The Marshalls would know immediately if a non Hackney car approached a Rank and move them on.This would be beneficial to everyone,except the serial Flimper of course.Any Thoughts on how we may convince the LA’s to implement this? After all it is the LA’s reponsibility to protect the Public who use the Taxis & P/H that they Licence. At the moment they do nothing more than collect & Bank our money with no apparent thoughts as to how we operate.They call themselves ‘Enforcement’ but what do they enforce? They make sure we are Licenced,Roadworthy,Insured etc.but their duty of care should not stop at that. Taxi Licensing is a huge part of the LA’s revenue and it’s about time they earned it!
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@BLT driver and proud of it,
The best Flimpers to catch are those idiots at the Co-op in Newgate Street, they are their every weekend night, the “fab five” as the Toon Hacks at the Gate call them, apart from Flimping they block that narrow artery on the road just at front of the Gate Rank to the Boards at the Building site, Buses are sick if them too, they don’t just flimp they steal all the PH bookings from North Tyneside, this weekend I will get their plate numbers and stick them on here I think.
So that’s one Five Star PH, one Citadel, one Berwick with NO office, one Toon based Derwentside and one NT Hack that only does hacking, he won’t nick the bookings, he will not come back to the coast for £11.50 set fare, but still likes a nice £2.40 start!!!
Regards
Stephen
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Admin, good idea to name and shame some of these drivers,to start the ball rolling how about this one.
Tonight,thursday at about 2.30 am..outside Tuc Tuc on St Nicholas`s St, a cartain P/H car,looked like a silver mondeo,`Blue Line` stickers on it, plate 462,was trying to pick his fare up,(may have been flimping,maybe not),managed to block the lights and the traffic coming down the Bigg Market,including a bus and behind that an ambulance,by parking in the middle of the road.
Despite the fact that there was more than enough space on the right hand side,near the old post office,this `moronic cretin`,didn`t give a toss about the fact he had 4/5 vehicles stuck behind him,horns sounding,all he had to do was move 10 yards to his right….no probs.
I suggest to this idiot,never mind the fare sunshine,think of other road users,in particular ambulances or fire..when YOU (462) block roads like that…1 day it might be your relative or house that needs help. Actually,if this `brain cell` blocked the fire lads in like that,they would probably drive over the top of the idiot.
I have seen them force their way through before….was quite amusing.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Admin, Naming and shaming is in theory a good idea but only if it was done by the licencing authoritys, naming and shaming on a public site like this by taxi drivers shouldn’t happen because it would be too easy for drivers with grudges to abuse the system.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@john dodds, its a bit unfair to say he maybe flimping or he may not. What you are commenting on is poor parking and lack of consideration for other road users not flimping. but ive noticed that the black A4 s line that ian shanks sacked, the green OU02 primera and the BMW 5 series all have one thing in common- DERWENTSIDE PLATES!
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@BLT driver and proud of it, I personally think more Tynedale and Derwentside plates openly flimp in Newcastle than Berwick ones. Drive along Stowell street on a friday or saturday night and you will always see Derwentside and the odd Tynedale plates sitting about.
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@Private hire driver Ncle, im a tynedale hack working from prudhoe tonite ive got about 5 fares with returns booked for newcastle,so possibly i will be sitting around stowall st or shearers bar or the pitcher, so will you aotumatically assume im flimping.i’ll actually be waiting forr my PRE-BOOKED FARES…lets scrap all ph plates,in fact lets scrap boundries,everybody get a plate with taxi on it then nobodys flimping,i can just see that going down a storm with newcastle hack lads,add together all the tynedale and derwentside hacks working a toon office double that number then compare to number of berwick hack plates in toon,law of averages and percentages says there’s more berwick plates flimping,flimping has been around since the first days of this trade….its not right and some people just take the piss but unless all operators take a stand and stop there drivers doing it things wont change.ian shanks at blt is tackling the problem if other operators took stand on this problem like he has things might get better.6 months ago a newcastle ph car (five star) flimped a job of mine from prudhoe front st (worth all of 2.20) i followed him and confronted him,taking his plate no and reg no and said i would be reporting him to civic,he just laughed,cos when i rang civic they wernt interested,told me cos it happened in prudhoe i would have to make complaint to tyedale council,who….guess what,did bugger all about it
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@jimmy d, Are you the driver of the silver volvo with a tynedale plate with a small taxi sign always lit up , no office markings, no door stickers and always in or around the town who I saw taking a flag down from two chinese people on wednesday last week?
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@jimmy d,
whilst you suggest i am tackling the problem i have only been out one weekend and have decided not to go our tonight due to bad weather, but my observations and few actions will never resolve this. this will have to be done by a large enforcement team over a very long period of time !
and i does concern me |(call me naive) that i have heard that a proportion of this trouble has been caused from within !! eg hacks turning down jobs they don’t want and sending them the way of the vultures. well now the vultures want the meat and not the pickings everyone’s getting upset.
This problem needs the likes of the “bobby on the beat” to be involved as well as LA as they can visual check on things and ask questions of drivers if need be !! they are out on the streets anyway so why can’t they protect the public ? its what they are out there for isn’t it.
it worked in the old days and its the only way i can she this problem being curtailed to the extent it needs to be.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Private hire driver Ncle, I can agree with that. Maybe as a pilot we can get the LA’s to give us details of prosecutions,warnings etc. and publish those. I have heard the Lynch mob mentality before when a P/H has been sitting outside a club and it turned out he was actually there for his booking.Reading the Comments coming in I am amazed at the amount of P/H drivers who openly state their support for getting rid of Flimpers ,which goes to prove that it is only a minority that do this.Having said that,I will publish any video or photo which catches someone Flimping Bang to rights!
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@ian shanks, your comments make sense,anyone who works the town or the coast witness a large amount of police officers driving around and around in circles doing what?why dont they get out and walk the streets and check ph and out of town hacks are picking up legitimate bookings,the majority of cars have dataheads in so it would only take minutes.they sharp pull along cars double parked on south parade and ask/tell them to move on and do nothing about the illegally parked cars on taxi rank which is in fact a clearway.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@ian shanks, i totally agree with what you say,but dont under estimate what you have done,even if was only one nite,if all the other big players,ace,landsdowne,five star etc etc done the same once in a blue moon and caught their drivers flimping and sacked them it would send a strong message to the rest of their drivers,im certainly not asking you to do the job that all councils should be doing,all im saying is well done for at least trying to show how this trade should be run and if other companys and all drivers supported you in your skirmishes with la and everyone turned on the councils and started having a go at the councils instesd of slinging shit at you and your co,the councils might sit up andtake notice
whats needed is for enforcement from nt,newcastle berwick tynedale gateshead and derwentside to mount a joint operation and blitz the town and catch as many of these flimpers as possible
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@white lines, The above two posts make pure sense to me as well.In newcastle and north tyneside we also have all the pco’s walking about the streets keeping on eye on things.Maybe they could start being a bit more observant towards the taxitrade as well because at the end of the day they are there for public safety as was stated above.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Admin, Flimpers don’t just pinch jobs from hacks jobs, they also take the P/H jobs that have been pre-booked.
In fact I wouldn’t be surprised if in Newcastle more pre-booked jobs were taken than ones that the hacks would have got from the ranks/off the street as the flimpers always sit in the areas that P/H offices arrange to pick their jobs from.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Private hire driver Ncle, I agree, I’d rekon 50% of my blank jobs on a weekend night in town have been taken by another private hire driver from one of our regular pick up points, nothing easer then to say yes when a member of the public comes up to your window saying ” are you for X going to (insert god job)”
@admin PH get just as pissed off at these drivers when they are getting bus fare jobs while the flimpers take all the good pre booked work. The text back system at Blue Line helps us a bit by telling the customer the make/model and Reg of the car, which saves the public asking the wrong cars and reducing the opportunity for the flimpers
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@Private hire driver Ncle, sorry to dissapiont you but no thats not me,my cars got company name on it,top sign is never lit up out of my area and only time im in toon is if im dropping off or picking up a booked fare.i only ever work office radio i very rarley hack.
i have my car plated hack for 2 reasons, firstly should i want to hack (in my licenced area) i can do so and secondly im on waitng list for airport permit,which harping baxk to the berwick case could become a non starter for me,will just to wait and see what new northumberland council comes up with regarding their licensing system
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@jimmy d,
well thank you for your comments and i can tell you Blue Line have got further visits to town planned over the Christmas and new year (then a nice curry for me and my lads)
i think it will take more than the occasional visit from a LA or all of them ! i think we need to get the police involved so drivers need to look aver their shoulders all of the time not just the nights they here the LA are on the streets
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Deka, most of the pcso;s dont know the difference between a hack and a private hire i was parked at woolies bus stop in Whitley with a few other hacks on the last bank holiday Monday when two of them asked us to move back from the bus stop so the one bus that stops there that never has ppl on could get in there so we all said to her if we move back and leave a gap the private hire will just come in and take our fares her reply was what is private hire thinking 4 a minute oh i know its them big black ones ??
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@taxi112,
I agree with you their taxi112!
Late in the summer I was driving a NT Hack and a gang of Lasses outside of the Wheatsheaf flagged me down and a EC Berwick Car, I had issues with this Car before for nicking Hack work so by chance their was a nice T5 Northumbria Plate!!!! behind the hedge, I spoke with him and he did’nt have a clue about Taxis, I explained to him Mr N goes out now and then with the Police, this Officer did’nt know nowt about the legality of PH and Bandits, so how can you expect one of those “Half Bobbies” PCSO’s to know anything???
Regards to you all!
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@SC, Understood mate, but you can only adapt working practises so far whilst all the time outside forces are adding to the workforce. If it were as easy as you make out maybe Woolworths should have come to you for advice.
Think of us like the Fishing industry,years of over fishing has decimated a once thriving industry and all that reamains,to speak of, are the large companies.Limits have to be put in place for the survival of our respective businesses. I’m not anti PH,I believe they are an important part of this business but not to the point of pushing the other important part,Hacks,out.Some would prefer a one tier system but that would just be playing into the hands of big business.Our respective businesses should be a worthwhile endeavor for all of us.Competion is good but that competition should be between PH operators you don’t see Bus companies at each others throats or Rail operators or Airlines.We are small men in a big business and we need to get away from that fact and start to think a bit more about the future,which way it is headed Vs the way we (the whole Taxi trade) think it should be heading.Personally, I think LA’s should have no say apart from enforcement and whatever Govt.dept.runs Taxi & PH licensing should make enforcement earn their keep.What is needed is a leadership that is able to recognise and react to changes in the workplace and not be afraid to act, Council Committees are far too transient to make any kind of lasting decisions in such a large industry and as such have become outdated so much so as to have become detrimental to the industry as a whole.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Admin, I’ve never said it was easy, but am not going to sit in my car moaning on about what it used to be like, just as am not sitting about complaining about the lack of enforcement, I’ve just done FOI requests from Newcastle and North Tyneside requesting details of the number of hours worked by enforcement officers and when enforcement was caried out in November and December, I will then go to the press with my findings and pitch a story about how the councils have not used the money they have been taken to ensure public safety at a busy time of year.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@SC, If it’s not easy for you and you seem bright as a button then some people, who have relied on this game for most of their working lives,have no recourse other than to sit and moan. I’ve been speaking to Councils & enforcement officers for the best part of the last 20 years! They listen,they tell you what you want to hear,then nothing! Then you just keep going back reiterating your point,eventually the staff tag you with that label ‘Whinging Hack’and pay you no credence whatsoever.A recent example: I wrote to Alan Newton Re:The article: http://www.toomanytaxis.com/2008/12/20/modern-taxi-enforcement/ No Reply! Ian Shanks may have some idea of what I am saying,He has the money to make them sit up and listen,solicitors etc., A PH driver may think he has issues with Licensing but his whole livelyhood does not hinge on Licensing whereas mine does. I have newspaper articles going back to 1990 about everything we talk about here and looking through them ‘Nothing has changed’and better men than me were taking the Councils to task then. I fully support your plan to go to the press with your findings and wish you every success.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Admin,
Two Cans to be exact, so I take it you agree that North Tyneside Cars should be banned from the City Centre???
So if this happens..IF…And someone comes over to the Rank at Nobles and asks YOU to take them to Town on a S%$t Tuesday afternoon, you will be happy to say NO!….
As for Psychological Testing, I could’nt agree more, I will have plenty of company, a fair few of your comrades who have slagged Central off in the Autumn, taken photo’s of their Cars up to apparently no good, have joined Central for the Festive Period!, these Double opinions are spreading!, glad I was’nt the first.
Off to my third Can!
Regards
Stephen
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Stephen (FKA Central Enth.), No one is saying you cant drop & pick up Its the waiting around stealing are work that needs to stop.& dont say its in my mind that one is getting boring.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Andy Warhol,
These Drivers with a “different coulour Skin” as you put it would be not in your gang if they were PH, Blueline, Central x2 or Bandits would they??????, to someone like you they would be foreigners robbing you, but because they have the whiter than white Red Door Crest, everyone of them is fine and dandy???
But some of these Geordies as you claim helped themselves to work in Whitley Bay on Christmas Eve!, outside of the HSBC Bank, funny that I as a Central Driver and the BLT Mobile in front of me stated that we were booked, so you you see no one is perfect!
You say “true Colours”, if you mean me being in Town it was for a Booking or Drop off, the plate I drive is a NT PH 1131, so if you see it in Town, pop over and check my Data Head, I have nowt to hide!, Secondly if meant “true Colours”, with reference to ethinicity, you will be very surprised how many folk in the North have nationalist views, and the Sh*t will hit the fan now with all this new unemployment, all the Retail gang will be fighting for Jobs at Tesco, only to find that the Posts are filled with our EU Buddies??, a extra 30,000 unemployed within a month 27,000 at Woolies. 1000 at Adams and that Perfume shop over 2000, all these poor sods will hit a Brick wall because the low pay sector is filled by Foreigners!!
Get used to people complaining about the state of this Country, obviously folk like you won’t be skint charging £30 to Whitley Bay on a Saturday night, so you will not be bothered about the economy!
Regards
Stephen
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Stephen (FKA Central Enth.),
gang? i dont have a gang. i just wish to look out for the best interests of MY business …
… what amazes me is on here is when flimping is discussed, the amount of out of towners and PH that have a) witnessed a Hack flimping elsewhere, dont you think we give our numbers out for returns? and b) the amount that claim to have ‘seen’ hacks putting jobs in these cars, no wonder we just sit there all night and day eh? save our fuel and put the jobs in PH! I have NEVER witnessed this, just heard the storys, dont doubt it, but dont believe it is as rife as YOU LOT say.
stephen, i could go on all night on the state of this country, i bet we all could. but what i DO know is the people who start with the auld ‘thank god your white …’ tend on the whole to be NOT very nice people and if the truth was known probably the biggest spongers of this country! And IF the WORKSHY british had got OFF THERE FAT LAZY ARSES, there would have been not very many jobs for eu workers to take. we would ALL love a job that pay £1,000 per week working 9 til 5, but unfortunately you do what you can, and earn what you can … for 10 years or so to many ‘british’ have had the attitude of ‘am better of on the dole’
and dont you think some of these’s 100,000′s to be laid off might just be eu workers aswell?
but hey stephen why worry, cause we have people who own large taxi firms ready to give theses 100,000′s jobs, right accross the country…
… stephen, we ALL have to be thankfull that we have a system set up in place in this country to stop people like you from getting into power …
…if i ever see you in town, i will pop over and get you to sign a petition that ALL PH and out of town hacks be BARRED from the Great City of Newcastle upon Tyne centre beween the hours of 11.00 pm and 4.00 am Fridays and Saturdays. it would be an hounour to have the legendary Stephen (FKA Central Enth.) right at the top.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Andy Warhol,
Andy mate..If I got into power I would ensure Newcastle Council give out a further 1000 Hack plates, so you lot would have to lower your fares to survive and see what it is like transporting folk around for £1.30, by the way I am a Tory boy NOT BNP!!!.
Back to the Politics of of the Taxi world!, and you give me a shout anyime you want and I will escort you to your comrades that you say are Geordies, but can’t speak a word of English, and we can sift through the unlicensed ones as well, you know the Cousin or Brother that Drives without a Badge!
I look forward to seeing you one day!….lets hope you have landed in the real world by then!
Stephen
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Stephen (FKA Central Enth.),
so primeminister stephen, what are you going to tackle first? The crumbling NHS? The billions wasted on consultants? Unemployment? Immigration? The war in Afghanistan or the threat of a nuclear armed Iran? Climate Change? Taxes or the National Debt that your predercessors have taken on?
‘no, i am going to make sure Newcastle City Council issue a furter 1,000 plates, just so those Hack drivers know how I felt charging £1.30, cause i’m jealous, jealous and bitter!’
stephen, if that day ever arrived, I would be the first person boarding a one way plane on the first departure from this country.
all the best.
are these ‘modern’ PH firms immune from a car being ‘doubled up’. 9 months ago i was standing in a large office where they were talking about a driver that they were worried MAY have been doubling up his car. So it appears it’s not just the ‘gang’ who may be suspected of doing this by some.
and dont worry about sifting through the unlicenced drivers on n/cle hack ranks, thats the ONLY type of regular enforcement we have over here.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade