I am a Berwick Bandit
And the Newcastle Hacks cant Stand It!
I work the town
And cause I got a green plate you think I am a clown.
But at the end of the day
me and me mates are here to stay,
Couldn’t care if that ruins your day.
We provide a service,
And it obviously makes ya nervous,
Because we are cheap,
and your prices are too steep,
You whinge like little Bo Peep.
Alls I can say is we’re all the same,
Trying to make a quid in a hard game.
So lets stop all the name and blame,
and work together to die down all the flames.
Couldn’t care if your a newc hack or not,
We’ve both got the same lot,
If you were in bother I would stop.
Don’t care if you would or not!
————–
How about we all try and just get on, at the end of the day we’re all just trying to make a living. Sunday’s gonna be a hard day for all of us in the town if Newcastle go down and I’d like to think we’ll stick together, even if it’s just for one day.
We can go back to hating each other on Monday.
{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
Nice poem,humorous.But you got the wrong idea,just do the job your supposed to do without resorting to theft and enjoy your Berwick plate while you can,because it ‘is’ going the journey.If Taxi drivers kept up to date with the legal aspects of their industry we might all be a lot happier in our work.Most of us listen,wrongly to the rent collectors because we wrongly think they have our best interests at heart,They don’t! Read the trade magazines and newspapers and see where your trade is going even this site tries to educate us.You mock the Town Hacks cause you think you are getting one over on them but you are just a part of the downfall of the trade and you will suffer too in the end. I’m a Private Hire driver not a Hack and I see where all this is leading. It’s still a good Poem though!
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
Dear Berwick Bandit,the arguement is not about getting on with people,be they Asian,Greek,Martian,or from anywhere else in the unknown depths of space,its about `public safety`,which many of your collegues are compromising.
We know many of you are laughing at us,because we let you `steal` our work and apparently do nothing.
Just think about this,1 saturday night,in time to come,your daughter or wife,mother or son,flags down a `cowboy cab`,be they Berwick or anywhere else,operating illegally in Newcastle as a `taxi`. Since they have flagged this `tosser` down,his insurance has been invalidated.
Your family member asks for Wallsend,BUT, as he `flies` down the coast road,at well above the speed limit,as many do, something causes the car to spin or skid,possibly roll due to the speed and conditions,YOUR daughter ends up in a wheelchair for good,shes 18…YOUR wife is killed outright…what you going to think when the plod turn up to tell you what has happened. YOU then get told the driver has no insurance,possibly no licence(maybe even a banned driver,driving for a mate).
Whatever…YOU have lost your wife and your daughter will need constant care for the rest of her life….at 17/18.
Will you think that its so `clever` to break the Law then….I think not.
The Law may need updating,but the rules and regs are there for a reason…to PROTECT THE PUBLIC from people like you who apart from greed cant see why they shouldnt do just as they like…to hell with anyone else.
If you wanna do the job,be a man/woman and do it properly,by the rules and maybe together we could get some of the outdated rules changed.
An old saying,actually quoted by the RAF to a at the time `hotshot` pilot,later to be a Battle of Britain veteran,awarded the VC…`.Rules are for the guidance of wise men and the ignorance of fools`…..
As it happens,I believe the `cowboy` fraternity may well have limited life left….but dont expect a legally licenced and operated taxi to accept you,a petty thief,because it wont happen.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@john dodds, You said “YOU then get told the driver has no insurance,possibly no licence(maybe even a banned driver,driving for a mate).”
As we all know John, this occasionally happens in Newcastle too particularly among the asian drivers and needs to be stopped.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
very true indeed
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
i’m writing a message to the PUBLIC on here, as unfortunately enforcement dont seem bothered or able to do there jobs!
Chrysler Voyager, Registration N13 GLC is NOT a taxi. it is either dark blue or purple in colour, has blacked out windows with no smoking food or drink, and to the unsuspecting public could be concieved as some sort of taxi. this car has been doing the rounds for several weeks (that i know of) around the bigg market, where else i dont know, and i seen this car sitting outside ameens on saturday and it passed me in the bigg market just last night.
Unfortunately, our enforcement have been too busy taking doblos off the road this weekend, for their doors not locking back, and to be hounest i dont think it makes a difference as this guy only works late, unlike some others …
It has no radio or datahead, and it will either take a covert operation or the driver to do something horrendous before this will stop. but as things are, it will probably be the latter …
I’ve also heard some un savory things about the driver, lets hope there not true, as we are not talking a petty criminal here …
so please, warn anyone you know, who may use taxis to be on there guard, and watch out for this guy.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Andy Warhol, Have you tried ringing the police when you see him parked up? maybe get as many drivers as you can ringing up? at some point they will have to act? or failing that goto the papers as a whistle blower about the lack of enforcement in Newcastle?
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@SC,
tried that with the lad on Highbridge/Grey Street with the corsa. Police 99% of the time didnt want to know, even fobbed me off when they could have caught him doing a job!
although, i havnt seen this guy since i posted about him on here. If licencing have managed to catch him, well done.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@SC,
and numerous people have gone to the papers about the lack of enforcement regarding flimping, there was even an undercover reporter docu on a friday night highlighting the scale of the problem, remember the gateshead central driver who picked him up on grey street and took him all round the world to the nova hotel! had that been a normal passenger, it would have been the hackney trade that got the blame for robbing!
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
I dont care about Berwick plates etc
I think its wrong that people can come the the country get a plate and go to work and not know where anything is.
I also heard they arent CRB checked because they havent been here long enough so cant be.
I also get narked with Gateshead hacks flimping in Newcastle looking at private hire drivers like they are scum
These are my two pet hates
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
Re Fliper1970: .. aren’t CRB checked ..
Based on my knowledge in working on the
board of a local charity – all CRB checks
are carried out and those who previously
resided overseas – Poland for example, are
checked by way of Police contact with the
relevant authorities. It is done inhouse
by the Criminal Records Bureau. They
advise the council or organisation on the CRB notice. So they do get the same checks
done as we do here.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@hanger, I don’t think that is true as North Tyneside won’t allow Polish because CRB checks are not available.It may be that an enhanced check is not possible …and yet we have Iraqi drivers and one Tamil driver that I know of. Though I’m not sure if they drive Berwick cars or North Tyneside PH.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
Yes there is a Tamil Tiger with a NT Badge.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
just look at blue line they take any driver,i got a blue line from newcastle general hospital and the drive did’nt know how to get to the bottom of the fossway,this is less than 1 mile from blue lines office.i had to tell him how to get out of the hospital.i also got in a blue line the driver was foriegn he had 2 sat navs.BLUE LINE PROFFIT BEFORE SAFTY.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
sorry i didnt tell you but ive drove private hire for 12 years
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
Looks like they’re taking this example from the licensing authorities according to the latest revelations.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1242245/Drug-dealers-sex-offenders-hundreds-criminals-given-taxi-driver-licences.html
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
well it looks like this site has dyed on its arse
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
I don’t think this site has died, it’s just missing a few of it’s infamous and famous characters, ie, Sietnav, Mr Shanks, Mr Wilson, Mr Walls, Mr Fidler and Andy Warhol!
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Stephen Arthur, Hello everybody peoples,
i back now from polski and i bundle of nerves at airport. Sietnav save money on sleazy jet but not understand eenglish customs. They stop me at terminal and do full body scan i tell them i not even criminal no beerwick plate anymore. I pirate hire operator now. They ask me what big tube doing inside my trowser. Sietnav tell them i plumb in my country this tube big suprise for meester shank. I tell them meester shank got big blockage in toilet- they understand.
I employ meester wulson now part time in my pirate hire firm he desk clark but he loose me lot of monies. He want to charge two pounds for bloody everything i tell him this no good Sietnav want be rich and hang out with the big knobs. He ask me lot of qwestions about body search at airport and he book flight to beerwick. I see him pack own marigold glove and creem. I laf at these i tell meester wulson that body search done by machine. He was very upset he cancel flight to beerwick he very strange man.
Sietnav very glad back now and not go to polski no more. They not understand my georgie accent i tell them it meester shank fault he not speak properly.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@not enough taxis, Not Died just restin it’s eyes
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
maybe some wish it would die.Dont worry,it wont
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
What is it with the authorities that they can’t let a hard up ‘fit and proper’ Newcastle Hackney Carriage driver make a few bob selling booze to under age kids!
And when did a bit of smuggling with counterfeit excise duty labels hurt anybody or for that matter tampering with CCTV footage?
I bet he gets to keep his Hackney Carriage license.
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-evening-chronicle/2010/01/14/north-shields-shop-issued-with-alcohol-ban-72703-25600142/
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@Edward Douglas, Thanks for that one.
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade
@sietnaveisnogud
well here i am again the young mr shanks (ian) is still a greedy tyrant and there is still no stopping him but hang on is it over 2 years since we had a rate rise? unlike his father the great repected (colin) he could make the toilet flush away the crap unforunatly ian has broke it coz he wont flush it he just likes stirrin it up and then spread the manure all over for every 1 to smell the stench created and cause misery to others that try to make a honnest living
The views expressed in this site do not necessarily reflect the views of TooManyTaxis or the general U.K. Hackney Carriage Trade