I took a black cab from Heathrow to Twickenham yesterday and suffered
the entire trip listening to the driver swearing his head off about
how awful it was for him having to do a short trip and the traffic
holding him up for over an hour. I fully understand he'd lose his
ticket back to the rank and instead have to sit in the feeder park for
a few hours, but that's the law and it's just tough. Because of him I
will never be taking another black cab from a Heathrow rank again, no
matter where I'm going, and I'm making sure all my friends and
colleagues know about this sorry tale too. This isn't the first time
I've had to suffer an angry driver taking his frustration with a crap
system out on me as a passenger, and I'm not going to put up with it
any more. I took the cab number but haven't made up my mind whether
to report him or not yet as he did take me to my destination.

Sorry for the rant. I'm hopeful some cabbies will read this and
realise they're causing their own problems by driving their customers
away (pun intended).

"Kooky45" wrote in message
om...
I took a black cab from Heathrow to Twickenham yesterday and suffered
the entire trip listening to the driver swearing his head off about
how awful it was for him having to do a short trip and the traffic
holding him up for over an hour. I fully understand he'd lose his
ticket back to the rank and instead have to sit in the feeder park for
a few hours, but that's the law and it's just tough. Because of him I
will never be taking another black cab from a Heathrow rank again, no
matter where I'm going, and I'm making sure all my friends and
colleagues know about this sorry tale too. This isn't the first time
I've had to suffer an angry driver taking his frustration with a crap
system out on me as a passenger, and I'm not going to put up with it
any more. I took the cab number but haven't made up my mind whether
to report him or not yet as he did take me to my destination.

Sorry for the rant. I'm hopeful some cabbies will read this and
realise they're causing their own problems by driving their customers
away (pun intended).

What *is* the system? What is the "ticket back to the rank"?

If the system penalises taxi drivers in some way for doing short journeys,
why *should* he suffer in silence? For all he knew, you might have been in a
position to lobby for changes to be made, so he had nothing to lose by
moaning. "That's the law and it's tough" is no excuse for people to have to
accept the status quo in silence.

Once upon a time -- around about 12/17/04 19:10 -- possibly
wrote:

"Kooky45" wrote in message
om...
I took a black cab from Heathrow to Twickenham yesterday and suffered
the entire trip listening to the driver swearing his head off about
how awful it was for him having to do a short trip and the traffic
holding him up for over an hour. I fully understand he'd lose his
ticket back to the rank and instead have to sit in the feeder park for
a few hours, but that's the law and it's just tough. Because of him I
will never be taking another black cab from a Heathrow rank again, no
matter where I'm going, and I'm making sure all my friends and
colleagues know about this sorry tale too. This isn't the first time
I've had to suffer an angry driver taking his frustration with a crap
system out on me as a passenger, and I'm not going to put up with it
any more. I took the cab number but haven't made up my mind whether
to report him or not yet as he did take me to my destination.

Sorry for the rant. I'm hopeful some cabbies will read this and
realise they're causing their own problems by driving their customers
away (pun intended).

What *is* the system? What is the "ticket back to the rank"?

If the system penalises taxi drivers in some way for doing short journeys,
why *should* he suffer in silence? For all he knew, you might have been in a
position to lobby for changes to be made, so he had nothing to lose by
moaning. "That's the law and it's tough" is no excuse for people to have to
accept the status quo in silence.


They solved it here in Miami, FL quite simply. There are two Taxi stands.
There is one for short trips (about 5 mile radius from the airport) and
these also happen to a bit less expensive as well. Then there is a second
stand for trips further than that.

If you queue for long distance cab and ask for a short trip, he is within
his rights to refuse you and you'll have to re-queue in the right line. Vice
versa of course. It used to be quite nice as the local taxis were all
painted blue but now it's rather a mish-mash.

-- E

--
"In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people
angry and been widely regarded as a bad move." - Douglas Adams.

Martin Underwood wrote:
"Kooky45" wrote in message
om...
I took a black cab from Heathrow to Twickenham yesterday and
suffered the entire trip listening to the driver swearing his head
off about how awful it was for him having to do a short trip and
the traffic holding him up for over an hour. I fully understand
he'd lose his ticket back to the rank and instead have to sit in
the feeder park for a few hours, but that's the law and it's just
tough. Because of him I will never be taking another black cab
from a Heathrow rank again, no matter where I'm going, and I'm
making sure all my friends and colleagues know about this sorry
tale too. This isn't the first time I've had to suffer an angry
driver taking his frustration with a crap system out on me as a
passenger, and I'm not going to put up with it any more. I took
the cab number but haven't made up my mind whether to report him
or not yet as he did take me to my destination.

Sorry for the rant. I'm hopeful some cabbies will read this and
realise they're causing their own problems by driving their
customers away (pun intended).

What *is* the system? What is the "ticket back to the rank"?

AIUI taxi drivers have to join the long queue in the feeder park unless
they have just finished a short journey from the airport, in which case
they get a special ticket which entitles them to join the rank at one of
the terminals directly. So, if you live at Brentford, your driver will
be happy because he'll get back to the terminal quickly. And if you
live in Kensington, he'll be able to charge you a lot, and he'll be even
happier. But if you live in Chiswick or Twickenham, it's just outside
the "short journey" area, and you may have to suffer a grumpy driver.

If the system penalises taxi drivers in some way for doing short
journeys, why *should* he suffer in silence? For all he knew, you
might have been in a position to lobby for changes to be made, so
he had nothing to lose by moaning. "That's the law and it's tough"
is no excuse for people to have to accept the status quo in silence.

Totally disagree. If you're in a customer-facing job, you should not
take your frustration with your job out on the customer. The driver
knows the rules. If he doesn't like them, he should lobby BAA or the
PCO or whoever makes the rules. "Swearing his head off" to his customer
is indefensible.
--
Richard J.
(to e-mail me, swap uk and yon in address)

Ken Ord:
I took a black cab from Heathrow to Twickenham yesterday and suffered
the entire trip listening to the driver swearing his head off about
how awful it was for him ...

Martin Underwood:
If the system penalises taxi drivers in some way for doing short journeys,
why *should* he suffer in silence?

Well, where *I* live, this http://mapleleaftaxi.ca/billofrites.gif
would be why. Note the words "courteous" and "silent ride".

I looked for a similar regulation on http://www.tfl.gov.uk/pco/,
though, and didn't find one.
--
Mark Brader | Well, unfortunately, that is impossible, or very difficult, or
Toronto | highly inadvisable, or would require legislation--one of those.
| -- Sir Humphrey ("Yes Minister", Lynn & Jay)

On 18-Dec-2004, Mark Brader wrote in :

Well, where *I* live...

.....is somewhere "*I*" wouldn't want to live.

this http://mapleleaftaxi.ca/billofrites.gif
would be why. Note the words "courteous" and "silent ride".

Also please note the words "****" and "off".

I looked for a similar regulation on http://www.tfl.gov.uk/pco/,
though, and didn't find one.

But then, you'll find many differences between London and your
**** hole, wherever it is -- is that news or something?

--
kedron

kedron wrote:
On 18-Dec-2004, Mark Brader wrote in
:

Well, where *I* live...

....is somewhere "*I*" wouldn't want to live.

this http://mapleleaftaxi.ca/billofrites.gif
would be why. Note the words "courteous" and "silent ride".

Also please note the words "****" and "off".

I looked for a similar regulation on http://www.tfl.gov.uk/pco/,
though, and didn't find one.

But then, you'll find many differences between London and your
**** hole, wherever it is -- is that news or something?

It's more relevant than your offensive rant. Perhaps when you've
sobered up, you could apologise to one of this NG's most valued
contributors for your gratuitous insult.
--
Richard J.
(to e-mail me, swap uk and yon in address)

Kooky45 wrote to uk.transport.london on Fri, 17 Dec 2004:

I took the cab number but haven't made up my mind whether
to report him or not yet as he did take me to my destination.

If he used offensive language, I should most certainly report him.
There is no excuse whatsoever for a person allegedly providing a public
service to use foul language to his or her client.

But do be careful if you try taking a mini-cab instead, next time - you
could be very seriously ripped off! Try public transport instead - or
using one of the long-term, off-airport car-parks with courtesy buses to
and from the airport.
--
"Mrs Redboots"
http://www.amsmyth.demon.co.uk/
Website updated 18 December 2004

"kedron" wrote in message
...

snip abuse of Mark Brader, and Canada of all places

Who the hell are you to insult our most knowledgeable and esteemed
contributor?

--
John Rowland - Spamtrapped
Transport Plans for the London Area, updated 2001
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acro...69/tpftla.html
A man's vehicle is a symbol of his manhood.
That's why my vehicle's the Piccadilly Line -
It's the size of a county and it comes every two and a half minutes

"Richard J." wrote:

AIUI taxi drivers have to join the long queue in the feeder park unless
they have just finished a short journey from the airport, in which case
they get a special ticket which entitles them to join the rank at one of
the terminals directly. So, if you live at Brentford, your driver will
be happy because he'll get back to the terminal quickly. And if you
live in Kensington, he'll be able to charge you a lot, and he'll be even
happier. But if you live in Chiswick or Twickenham, it's just outside
the "short journey" area, and you may have to suffer a grumpy driver.

In this case, why doesn't the driver ply for his/her next customer in
Chiswick or Twickenham then, rather than go back to the airport empty?
Surely there are plenty of rich people in these areas who wouldn't dream of
getting a bus?

Or has the successful lobbying of the LTDA for exhorbitant fares come back
to haunt the black cab trade, in the form of customers deserting to licensed
minicabs?

Chris