roadworthy taxis ?

chav1 · 13-10-2006, 15:10

i would love to know who is giving valid MOT certificates to taxis in hynburn because most of teh ones i see shouldnt be on teh road , i nearly got hit by a taxi last night which had 1 headlight out , the other only seemed to be on sidelight and when it had passed there were no lights on at the back at all

thats just one example and i see many more instances every day , i thought taxis were supposed to be kept roadworthy and have 3 MOT tests a year to ensure they are kept roadworthy

also while ime moaning about taxis recently they increased the minimum taxi fare because of teh rise in petrol prices yet petrol has now reduced in price by over 10p a liter so where are the reductions in taxi fares now that petrol is cheaper ?

slinky · 13-10-2006, 15:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by chav1

1 i would love to know who is giving valid MOT certificates to taxis in hynburn

2 i nearly got hit by a taxi last night which had 1 headlight out , the other only seemed to be on sidelight and when it had passed there were no lights on at the back at all

3 also while ime moaning about taxis recently they increased the minimum taxi fare because of teh rise in petrol prices yet petrol has now reduced in price by over 10p a liter so where are the reductions in taxi fares now that petrol is cheaper ?

No 1 - That'll be me, but its a good earner

No 2 - Bloody Ginger can't do anything right

No 3 - Walking would be alot cheaper then.

Lolly · 13-10-2006, 15:23

Theres no way that they'd reduce prices now, they've had their excuse to put them up and we're gonna ave to live with that!!

On the subject of the taxis not being road worthy, i work in a town centre pub so regulary get taxis home most of the ones i get seem to be ok, but there are some that just dont sound or feel right, u have to cross ur fingers all the way home.

Were u be any chance on Church St when one nearly hit u chav1? I no its a road but really some taxi got thundering down there at night, knowing full well its gonna be full of drunken people walking accross the road.

Just one more thing (U got me on a roll now chav1) the taxi drivers that aren't meters need to set prices coz, my taxi fare home changes every weekend and its always the exact same time and route!!

Phew!! Rant over!!!

Tinkerbelle · 13-10-2006, 15:24

No it's 2 MOT's a year chav BUT they are very strict with them.

You've seen many instances? Not only do they have the strict MOT's, they also have an Inspector that is out on the roads most nights looking for such defaults on cars and they are ordered off the road immediately and aren't allowed back on to the road til the default has been fixed. He's a bas**d with it too.

You can report taxi's that you think are un-road worthy and any genuine complaint will be investigated.

Lolly · 13-10-2006, 15:28

Good point Tinkerbelle i've seen the inspectors on a number of occasions. But i've honestly no idea how strict they are with them.

chav1 · 13-10-2006, 15:30

if my car was in such a state as half these taxis were i would be pulled over and fined heavily with the possibility with points on my license yet no one regulates these taxis and they are supposed to be held up to more scrutiny because they are transporting teh public

lets not forget besides taking drunks home taxis transport children to school etc , speaking of which ive seen taxis pull up at schools and dive off with children stood up on the front passanger seat so that shows how well these new seating laws are been enforced

i dont use taxis as much as i used to because i passed my test but when they dont have lights working it can be hard to see them coming especialy at the speeds they are doing, i am no angel myself but at least you can see me coming lol

slinky · 13-10-2006, 15:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by chav1

if my car was in such a state as half these taxis were i would be pulled over and fined heavily with the possibility with points on my license yet no one regulates these taxis and they are supposed to be held up to more scrutiny because they are transporting teh public

Actually you will be pleased to know that there is a big crack down on taxi's going on at the moment. Ginger was pulled just this morning and the police went over his car with a fine tooth comb, so yes actually they are cracking down on Taxi's being un-roadworthy.

Tinkerbelle · 13-10-2006, 15:45

Hang on chav! Are you mixing Hyndburn taxi's up with Blackburns? It's a well known fact that Hyndburn has the strictest guidelines for taxi's.

Have you looked at most of the cars? There's a Jag, there was a Lexus, Mercs, volvo's and all the motors have to be under 8 year old.

I really do think it's unfair criticism, these cars are the lively hoods of these fellas, it's in their best interest to keep a good working motor and most do, those who slip through the net soon get reeled in by Mr Inspector.

As for children stood up in taxi's, that's the parents job to make sure they know how to behave whilt travelling in one if it's a personal booking by a parent and the job of the escort if it's a Lancashire County Council booking. You'd be first to be screaming blue murder if your child got a bollocking off a taxi driver!

spud · 13-10-2006, 15:45

I once ordered a taxi from CB at 6am on a sunday morningas i had a coach to meet, when the cab arrived some 15 mins late i got in and asked for my destination, the driver automatically said "it's 4 quid can i have it now" i thought the cheek! then looking around the car i thought summat's not right with this car it probably was ataxi at one point as there was no smoking signs but the general appearance was wrog, it was tatty, dirty and smelt quit bad aswell! also it was a wreck clunking and banging over every speed hump.

We were heading towards the town centre when he told me he needed to fuel up, i said to him he must be joking, already 15 mins late and i had a coach to get on at wich point he just grunted and floored it along blackburn rd , streight through the ped zone at the town hall through the bus station at this point i had to tell him to calm the driving down and asked him what his radio number was...after mentioning that he calmed right down, i went on to ask if he was an unlicensed taxi as i hadn't seen the plate on the rear bumper of he car and if so i was not insured to be carried as a paying customer to thgat he said nothing. After he dropped me off at the bottom of avenue parade i rang CB base and told them what had gone on, to that they replied "nobody from our base has picked up a job fro0m your address" to that i told them what i thought of them and their business, and promised to tell everyone i know to aviod them like thge plague.

spud · 13-10-2006, 15:48

p.s pardon the spelling

accymel · 13-10-2006, 15:58

Spud brings up a good point there are some 'dodgey' characters claiming to be taxis especially this time of year there is usually an awarness about it specially for young women revellers [being raped/attacked etc]. ALways book a reputable taxi firm they should be wearing a taxi badge, licence plate with private hire/taxi thingy on, be wary as well as a lot of taxi firms are aware that radio jobs 'could' be hacked theres been a few jobs called out on radio with a specific taxi firm & another firm car turns up to nick the fair - so like owt be vigilant, but on the whole taxi's in the borough are generally ok with no probs but like anything if not right dont go with them call another. If you do get a suspicious one i suggest you get as much deatils & report them as tinks & slinks say as they know the business the inspectors are pretty stringent.

WillowTheWhisp · 13-10-2006, 16:05

If it didn't look like a taxi, the driver didn't act like a taxi driver and the company claim not to have picked anyone up from your address why are you blaming them?

lancsdave · 13-10-2006, 16:14

Quote:

how well these new seating laws are been enforced

The new car seat laws don't apply to taxis do they ?

Tinkerbelle · 13-10-2006, 16:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

why are you blamin them?

...... Because it's always easier to blame someone else for your own mistakes

If the car has a yellow (Hyndburn) plate then it is licensed, it might not be affiliated to a firm but it will still have had the Council MOT for road worthiness, if it hasn't and the person is working on an old license they would get the book thrown at them if they are caught but it needs vigilante people to report them to actually get caught. Private hire are to affiliate themselves to a firm but Hackney cabs don't have to.

It takes 2 seconds to walk round the back of a car, look down at the plate on the back bumper, if there isn't one there refuse to get in it, it has got to be displayed. Also they have to display yello insurance stickers (similar to firm badges) on the rear passenger doors and yellow stickers in rear passenger windows which displays a phone number if you have any concerns about the vehicle or driver.

WillowTheWhisp · 13-10-2006, 16:19

No I don't think they do.

That was a reply to Lancsdave!