The: When Travelling By Taxi - Discussion

James82 · 25 Dec 2017 at 13:59

I've been a PH driver in Liverpool for 13 years, it goes as follows;

Asking the driver who he's for? The driver will ask you your name. If it doesn't match, you ain't getting in.

Unhelpful or surly driver? Goes by your attitude and appearance. Look like, sound like a , then you will be treated as such. That said, some drivers are just horrible

AA,RAC? Don't know, never needed to.

Front or back? Sit where you want. Bear in mind, when there's more than 1 passenger, the front is considered the 'paying seat'.

Tipping? Do what you like. 10p is better than nothing. If we hump your **** around and you bare irons us, we are wishing all sorts of bad stuff for you inwardly.

On a last note (and I can't emphasise this enough), learn to use soap and water!!!!!!!

** Fully Star out swearing **

Jean-F · 25 Dec 2017 at 17:50

SexyGreyFox said:
When they ring you, you tell them what you look like and how many there are.
They also confirm when you get to the taxi where you're going to.
There has been too many fights in Stoke for the old method to carry on.

SGF, I love you like a brother, reading some of your posts you’re a stand-up guy, and I’m sure that you know exactly what you’re doing when booking a taxi, but I’m cracking up thinking of you getting a call while standing at the bar in a boozer in Stoke.
“Hi, Mr. S.G Fox?, I’m your driver, I’m outside”
“Thanks, I’m just under 6 feet, with black hair, greying at the temples, I’m wearing fawn corduroy trousers, with dark brown shoes, there are 3 of us, and we’re going to Pink in Hanley, thanks.”

Malevolence · 25 Dec 2017 at 18:31

jonessa said:
Many a happy time using Castle Cars when I went to Uni @ Keele...

THE cheapest and best cab firm ever. £5 to do 8 miles once. Even picked up some oatcakes on the way. Bonza.

EDIT: Telling lies - that journey was with Sids!

Used to use Castle Cars when staggering out of The Rigger, their base was just around the corner. That said, when they were going, All Whites were the best taxis in and around Stoke.

SexyGreyFox · 1 Jan 2018 at 14:06

Jean-F said:
SGF, I love you like a brother, reading some of your posts you’re a stand-up guy, and I’m sure that you know exactly what you’re doing when booking a taxi, but I’m cracking up thinking of you getting a call while standing at the bar in a boozer in Stoke.
“Hi, Mr. S.G Fox?, I’m your driver, I’m outside”
“Thanks, I’m just under 6 feet, with black hair, greying at the temples, I’m wearing fawn corduroy trousers, with dark brown shoes, there are 3 of us, and we’re going to Pink in Hanley, thanks.”

Don't call me a liar, this is how it works for one particular taxi firm.
Last night I had to show this to the taxi driver when there were 3 other people trying to get in it -

Stoke is supposed to be a craphole but at least we know how to run taxi's and get the correct customers into them.

This was the text from the booking who said they were going to be 45 minutes -

It makes you wonder how such a low IQ City can work a system like this.

rubberduck · 1 Jan 2018 at 15:32

Just queried a mate who is from Stoke and he reckons you are speaking absolute rubbish.

SexyGreyFox · 1 Jan 2018 at 16:05

rubberduck said:
Just queried a mate who is from Stoke and he reckons you are speaking absolute rubbish.

So he is saying I've photoshopped the above?
What a first class idiot your mate is if he has said that.

Has he also said they don't ring or text you?
If so you're lying.

Mrs Poole ordered a taxi on Thursday and she had to give her name before he would let her enter the taxi with her mates.
So 3 different taxi firms using 3 different methods that all work.

Jean-F · 1 Jan 2018 at 17:14

SexyGreyFox said:
Don't call me a liar, this is how it works for one particular taxi firm.
Last night I had to show this to the taxi driver when there were 3 other people trying to get in it -

Stoke is supposed to be a craphole but at least we know how to run taxi's and get the correct customers into them.

This was the text from the booking who said they were going to be 45 minutes -

It makes you wonder how such a low IQ City can work a system like this.

Lighten up Foxy, I did NOT call you a liar, in your post that I replied to, you said that you tell them what you look like, and how many passengers there are, you didn’t mention texts or emails, although they makes sense when I think about it.
That’s how I got the mental image of you telling them on the phone your height and hair colour, and the cab driver coming in the pub and looking for a guy almost 6’ tall with black hair, sorry if I accidentally ticked you off, it wasn’t intentional,
Bonne Année, Jean-F.

SexyGreyFox · 1 Jan 2018 at 17:45

Jean-F said:
Lighten up Foxy, I did NOT call you a liar, in your post that I replied to, you said that you tell them what you look like, and how many passengers there are, you didn’t mention texts or emails, although they makes sense when I think about it.
That’s how I got the mental image of you telling them on the phone your height and hair colour, and the cab driver coming in the pub and looking for a guy almost 6’ tall with black hair, sorry if I accidentally ticked you off, it wasn’t intentional,
Bonne Année, Jean-F.

Thanks

We have many Taxi firms in Stoke and I mean many and I have given 3 alternatives already.
Just to clarify, one taxi firm will ring you up when they are outside and ask what you look like and how many passengers BUT ONLY if this is outside a pub/club/hall where many are waiting for taxi's.
The taxi firm we used on Sat/Sun (AutoCab) texts you and then you show the text they sent you.
The one Mrs Poole used on Thursday texts you but will only open the doors when you tell them what your name is.

These new ways of working have really only come about in the last year.

Also worth mentioning that meters have only recently come in also.
Last year and beyond they would ask "How much do you normally pay?" so you would be honest but in other cases Taxi drivers would try to rip you off which would then result in many Police call outs.
We are also lucky that our fairs are very cheap - eg The meters start on £2 and last night we traveled 6.5 miles back to our house which cost £8.10 which I think is very reasonable for 4 people in the car.

rubberduck · 2 Jan 2018 at 14:37

SexyGreyFox said:
So he is saying I've photoshopped the above?
What a first class idiot your mate is if he has said that.

Has he also said they don't ring or text you?
If so you're lying.

Just spoke to mate. He hasn't been back to Stoke for about 10 years. Did they have this system in 2007?

Jean-F · 2 Jan 2018 at 16:18

SexyGreyFox said:
Thanks

We are also lucky that our fairs are very cheap - eg The meters start on £2 and last night we traveled 6.5 miles back to our house which cost £8.10 which I think is very reasonable for 4 people in the car.

I think it’s fares, not fairs, but I won’t argue about that.
I think that you’re on a result up there fares-wise, I’ve been out of the game for almost 6 years now, but I’d hazard a guess at 6.5 miles in a London Black Cab, between 22.00 hrs and 06.00 hrs, going £27-£30, with a £2.60 flag fall included in that, but with a £4.00 Christmas and/or New Year’s Eve/Day charge to be added.
Don’t quote me on that, as I said, I hung up my badge many moons back.

SexyGreyFox · 2 Jan 2018 at 18:11

Jean-F said:
I think it’s fares, not fairs, but I won’t argue about that.
I think that you’re on a result up there fares-wise, I’ve been out of the game for almost 6 years now, but I’d hazard a guess at 6.5 miles in a London Black Cab, between 22.00 hrs and 06.00 hrs, going £27-£30, with a £2.60 flag fall included in that, but with a £4.00 Christmas and/or New Year’s Eve/Day charge to be added.
Don’t quote me on that, as I said, I hung up my badge many moons back.

They don't even charge extra for special days, they are all normal days I suppose because 99.9% are Muslim.

rubberduck said:
Just spoke to mate. He hasn't been back to Stoke for about 10 years. Did they have this system in 2007?

Definitely not - probably last 2 years because of all the fights/police call outs etc.

Thanks for the update.

Django x2 · 3 Jan 2018 at 17:32

What's a taxi? What's breakdown? I've never needed either.. Is this peasant speak?

SexyGreyFox · 3 Jan 2018 at 18:15

Django x2 said:
What's a taxi? What's breakdown? I've never needed either.. Is this peasant speak?

They are very useful if you want to get very drunk.

Django x2 · 3 Jan 2018 at 23:23

I just call the housekeep to come and collect me in the Merc.

Shocky-FM · 4 Jan 2018 at 13:49

I don't tip and I sit in the back, they normally tell you who the taxi is for before you ask them.

Depending also if I'm in an unfamiliar city I'll probably be on Google maps checked their route as well, I don't trust them.

Jean-F · 4 Jan 2018 at 14:06

Shocky-FM said:
I don't tip and I sit in the back, they normally tell you who the taxi is for before I ask them.

Depending also if I'm in an unfamiliar city I'll probably be on Google maps checked their route as well, I don't trust them.

Speaking as a retired Black Cab driver, we need cheap clowns like you like a hole in the head.
I doubt Google maps could have beaten my local knowledge in central London, including the latest road-works.
Had anyone had the temerity to say to me, “According to Google you should have turned left there”, I’d have pulled over and said, “forget what’s on the meter pal, hop out and call Google to come and get you.”

Shocky-FM · 4 Jan 2018 at 14:24

Jean-F said:
Speaking as a retired Black Cab driver, we need cheap clowns like you like a hole in the head.
I doubt Google maps could have beaten my local knowledge in central London, including the latest road-works.
Had anyone had the temerity to say to me, “According to Google you should have turned left there”, I’d have pulled over and said, “forget what’s on the meter pal, hop out and call Google to come and get you.”

Not sure what you achieve by doing that, you get nothing and the passenger uses Google to get another cab, seems pretty stupid to me.

Why do Taxi drivers feel so entitled to a tip anyway?

Scrutinize · 4 Jan 2018 at 14:48

It may just be how I am reading the responses but why do so many seeming taxi drivers in this thread come across as so rude and obnoxious...

And @Django x2 yer your housekeeps have been great over the years, esp for those emergency pick ups. Shame Tyrone is no longer with your staff though as he was great, always smiling and chatty.

Django x2 · 4 Jan 2018 at 14:50

Scrutinize said:
It may just be how I am reading the responses but why do so many seeming taxi drivers in this thread come across as so rude and obnoxious...

And @Django x2 yer your housekeeps have been great over the years, esp for those emergency pick ups. Shame Tyrone is no longer with your staff though as he was great, always smiling and chatty.

@Scrutinize , you remember Ty? Yeah I had to let him go because his mrs was pregnant with her 5th and he wanted two weeks off. I needed a fair bit of travel at that time and didn't want to take the M5. New guy is just as good and lives in now. Downstairs obvsiously.

LeeUK · 4 Jan 2018 at 15:05

I only use PH taxi firms that use the text system and PDA meters, they usually have online and app booking too. I won't entertain any of the old skool radio cabs driven by 50 stone slobs that haven't washed in a week and reek of ash tray.