Private hire taxi's blocking main road.

[escort1 10]

Driving past clubs on City Road friday night got me thinking a lot of private hire taxi's must have plenty of upfront bookings as there must have been at least ten of them blocking the road, some parked on the pavement outside the clubs. People were just going up to the waiting drivers and asking for lifts, thought that was against the law! Thought private hire taxi's could not wait in a rank like black cabs. They seem to do this regular outside the clubs each weekend.

I've nothing against taxi drivers, but if I parked there on double yellows, I would soon get a ticket or get moved on.

[SKEGGY 10]

Yes you are correct, It is illegal for private hire taxi's to tout for fare's, They have to be pre booked and if they pick up off the street they are breaking the law, And more importantly the passengers are not covered by any Insurance. The most worring thing is that Most of these "taxi's" and i use that term loosely, Are probably unlicenced, And their car un roadworthy.

 

And yes I do know this to be so, Because i used to be a Taxi Driver and have had run in's with them before.

[sarahj22 10]

I doubt many if any of the cars would be unroadworthy as Sheffield city council still require all cars to be plated and a thorougher test is done before they can get one. They have relaxed the rules a little as cars can be up to 9 years old now. I once saw a taxi driver get stopped cus his plate was wrong and didn't match the car so I suppose the police will be checking taxis same as other cars.

I believe what you describe as touting for fare's to be called goosing in the taxi world and should they be caught they can loose their badge, Only thing is the staff in the taxi office tend to stick up for the drivers when they do and create a job that was never booked.

[MR BENN 10]

Yes you are correct, It is illegal for private hire taxi's to tout for fare's, They have to be pre booked and if they pick up off the street they are breaking the law, And more importantly the passengers are not covered by any Insurance. The most worring thing is that Most of these "taxi's" and i use that term loosely, Are probably unlicenced, And their car un roadworthy.

 

And yes I do know this to be so, Because i used to be a Taxi Driver and have had run in's with them before.

 

lets be honest , private hire are cheaper than black cabs ,so people will flag tem down and most of them will pick up .

[*_ash_* 88]

Yes you are correct, It is illegal for private hire taxi's to tout for fare's, They have to be pre booked and if they pick up off the street they are breaking the law, And more importantly the passengers are not covered by any Insurance. The most worring thing is that Most of these "taxi's" and i use that term loosely, Are probably unlicenced, And their car un roadworthy.

Bold - Can you back any of this up at all with any evidence?

And yes I do know this to be so, Because i used to be a Taxi Driver and have had run in's with them before.

In Sheffield? and under current Sheffield regulations?

Edited January 27, 2009 by *_ash_*

[*_ash_* 88]

Driving past clubs on City Road friday night got me thinking a lot of private hire taxi's must have plenty of upfront bookings as there must have been at least ten of them blocking the road, some parked on the pavement outside the clubs.

Probably because there is a large taxi company on City Road, and they are more likely to get a booked job from one of the clubs than on a side road.

Edited January 27, 2009 by *_ash_*
you're probably right Mr Ben, I've shortened my post

[MR BENN 10]

this is getting too heavy for me :confused:

[mywufwuf 10]

I have been to the clubs on City Road as mentioned and all is not as it appears. At 11pm-ish onwards when people are leaving they often book taxi's for a given time and almost all the taxi company's now give a call back service, that is they send you a text message to say your taxi is outside waiting. You then can walk outside knowing that your taxi is there waiting for you, however when there is more than one taxi and from the same taxi company, you then have to go around asking the drivers if they are waiting for you, normally by stating the name you booked the taxi in. So although it may look like they are 'goosing' it probably is not the case.

 

As for flagging a private hire vehicle down then that is illegal, but some people just want to get home and it the driver that is breaking the law not the passenger. However, should you have an accident in a private hire vehicle that was not booked in the first place then you are un-insured and will have to claim any compensation of the driver in question direct. Another problem arising is the fare, when booked the driver has to charge the company's rates, but when flagged as described above the fare charged is between you and the driver and has nothing to do with the taxi company's name on the door.

 

To avoid confrontation when I visit the above clubs I book the taxi to an address opposite the club and get there 5 minutes before the booked time, never a problem.

[eastbank 10]

are you telling me that no one on here has flagged down a private cab in town rather than pay for a black one.....would rather use private when possible if on my own but if in a group the black one will do when split five ways....works out cheaper....ps anyone know how much it costs from hillsborough to stocksbridge in a cab,going to see the clashed saturday night at the venue....

[jgharston 11]

are you telling me that no one on here has flagged down a private cab in town rather than pay for a black one

 

If you flag down a private hire taxi that you haven't prebooked, you are instructing the driver to break the law. You could be got for incitement.

 

(Since It was abolished on 1 October 2008 now called encouraging or assisting crime.)

Edited January 27, 2009 by jgharston
Serious Crime Act 2007 changed terminology.

[Greenie78 10]

They're a law unto themselves.

[MysticPam 10]

I also have attended these clubs and because I have mobiltiy problems my husband drives me there and then take sthe car home and walks back, we only live 10 mins away and then he can have a good night and a few more bevvies and we often leave the club and ask a waiting taxi if they are booked and they say where are you going . OK it is only up to the top of Eastern Avenue but a godsend to me . I only book a taxi when I want one from my house I have in the passed spent hours waiting for a taxi that doesnt turn up whilst waiting in the cold