This morning I saw a black cab do a u-turn on a busy 4 lane road. And
not for the
first time. Previously I've seen them stop suddenly in a red route to
pick up a fare,
sometimes blocking the road, cut up other drivers, jump red lights and
almost run
down some pedestrians. What is it about these guys that they think the
rules of
the road don't apply to them? Is it some macho compensation for having
to drive
around in a car that going by looks should have Noddy at the wheel? Or
are
they (as I suspect) just a bunch of arrogant b*stards who don't give a
damn
about anyone or anything else on the road?

B2003

Boltar wrote:

Or are they (as I suspect) just a bunch of arrogant b*stards who don't
give a damn about anyone or anything else on the road?

That's them alright - well a good number of them, anyway. It's the ones
who stick their indicator on and pull out without actually caring that
there might be someone behind them not expecting them to do that. It's
plain dangerous - but you tend to notice the ones that do that are in a
knackered old Fairway and probably would be pleased if you hit them.

They're nearly as bad as bus drivers.

D.

"Boltar" wrote in message
ups.com...
This morning I saw a black cab do a u-turn on a busy 4 lane road. And
not for the
first time. Previously I've seen them stop suddenly in a red route to
pick up a fare,
sometimes blocking the road, cut up other drivers, jump red lights and
almost run
down some pedestrians. What is it about these guys that they think the
rules of
the road don't apply to them? Is it some macho compensation for having
to drive
around in a car that going by looks should have Noddy at the wheel? Or
are
they (as I suspect) just a bunch of arrogant b*stards who don't give a
damn
about anyone or anything else on the road?

And I've seen some private cars do all of the above... bang goes your
"noddy" theory...

B2003

d wrote:

"Boltar" wrote in message
And I've seen some private cars do all of the above... bang goes your
"noddy" theory...

Not nearly to the same extent given the number of private cars versus
the number of black cabs.

B2003

"Boltar" wrote in message
oups.com...

d wrote:

"Boltar" wrote in message
And I've seen some private cars do all of the above... bang goes your
"noddy" theory...

Not nearly to the same extent given the number of private cars versus
the number of black cabs.

I guess we could try to come to some conclusion by just grabbing numbers out
of our asses, but what would that achieve?

This is a pointless endeavour. Some cabbies drive like ****s because some
PEOPLE drive like ****s, regardless of what vehicle they're driving at the
time. It's not the vehicle but the fact they're people which condemns some
to driving like ****s.

B2003

d wrote:

"Boltar" wrote in message
I guess we could try to come to some conclusion by just grabbing numbers out
of our asses, but what would that achieve?

So you don't think there are far more private cars than taxis?


This is a pointless endeavour. Some cabbies drive like ****s because some
PEOPLE drive like ****s, regardless of what vehicle they're driving at the
time. It's not the vehicle but the fact they're people which condemns some
to driving like ****s.

Taxi drivers are supposed to be professional drivers. So if they carry
out
stupid or dangerous manouveurs on the road a number of times they
should
be barred from driving a cab , just like a bus driver wouldn't be hired
by
any bus company if he had been sacked for some driving offense even
if he still had his PSV license.

B2003

Boltar wrote:
This morning I saw a black cab do a u-turn on a busy 4 lane road. And
not for the first time.

Doing a U-turn is a legal manoeuvre, unless there is a no-U-turn sign.
Unlike most drivers, taxis do not know where they are going to go when
they start their journey.

As long as the taxi did his U-turn in a safe manner I can't see why he
shouldn't.

Previously I've seen them stop suddenly in a red route to pick up a fare,
sometimes blocking the road,

Taxis are allowed to stop in red routes to pick up a fare. Obviously
they shouldn't "stop suddenly" but my guess is that he indicated then
slowed down and stopped. Perhaps you weren't watching properly or were
tailgaiting.

cut up other drivers, jump red lights and almost run down some pedestrians.

True that those are not permitted.

Earl Purple wrote:

Boltar wrote:
This morning I saw a black cab do a u-turn on a busy 4 lane road. And
not for the first time.

Doing a U-turn is a legal manoeuvre, unless there is a no-U-turn sign.
Unlike most drivers, taxis do not know where they are going to go when
they start their journey.

I didn't see a no u turn sign on this road but I reckon its a safe bet
theres
one hidden somewhere given he was blocking one lane of traffic and
sticking out into oncoming. Hardly safe.

Taxis are allowed to stop in red routes to pick up a fare. Obviously

So a red route is No Stopping At Any Time (unless you're a cabbie
and then its no problem , block the traffic for as long as you like
mate)?
So what makes cabbies exempt? Plenty of other people have to drive
in london for a living. Why shouldn't we permit delivery drivers,
couriers
and so forth to stop too? They need is probably even greater than the
cabbies since they can't just drive further on and drop the delivery
off
somewhere else.

cut up other drivers, jump red lights and almost run down some pedestrians.

True that those are not permitted.

Nice to know.

B2003

In message .com,
Boltar writes

Earl Purple wrote:

Boltar wrote:
This morning I saw a black cab do a u-turn on a busy 4 lane road. And
not for the first time.

Doing a U-turn is a legal manoeuvre, unless there is a no-U-turn sign.
Unlike most drivers, taxis do not know where they are going to go when
they start their journey.

I didn't see a no u turn sign on this road but I reckon its a safe bet
theres
one hidden somewhere given he was blocking one lane of traffic and
sticking out into oncoming. Hardly safe.

Taxis are allowed to stop in red routes to pick up a fare. Obviously

So a red route is No Stopping At Any Time (unless you're a cabbie
and then its no problem , block the traffic for as long as you like
mate)?

Taxis are only permitted to stop on a red route for the purposes of
picking up and setting down passengers. They are not allowed to wait any
longer than the time it takes for this purpose. They may have to take
some time if they have a disabled passenger in a wheelchair to get in
and out, but they may not wait while the passenger goes to the bank to
get money. Taxi driver have been done for this on several occasions and
this is published in the trade press. This can sometimes cause friction
with the passengers when we tell them that we have to go around the
corner before stopping!

So what makes cabbies exempt? Plenty of other people have to drive
in london for a living. Why shouldn't we permit delivery drivers,
couriers
and so forth to stop too? They need is probably even greater than the
cabbies since they can't just drive further on and drop the delivery
off
somewhere else.

Most deliveries *can* be done outside the normal 'rush hours' and there
are usually marked off bays for delivery vehicles to stop.

--
Mike Hughes
A Taxi driver licensed for London and Brighton
at home in Tarring, West Sussex, England

Boltar wrote:
Earl Purple wrote:

Boltar wrote:
This morning I saw a black cab do a u-turn on a busy 4 lane road.
And
not for the first time.

Doing a U-turn is a legal manoeuvre, unless there is a no-U-turn
sign. Unlike most drivers, taxis do not know where they are going to
go when they start their journey.

I didn't see a no u turn sign on this road but I reckon its a safe bet
theres
one hidden somewhere given he was blocking one lane of traffic and
sticking out into oncoming. Hardly safe.

Most London roads do not have u-turn bans. Which road was it?

Taxis are allowed to stop in red routes to pick up a fare.

So a red route is No Stopping At Any Time (unless you're a cabbie
and then its no problem , block the traffic for as long as you like
mate)?

No, taxis are allowed to stop long enough to pick up or set down. Any taxi
driver who stops long enough for a passenger to use a cash point runs the
risk of being fined, same as anyone else.

So what makes cabbies exempt?

The law. That's the whole reason red routes were invented, as distinct from
Clearways (where not even taxis can stop).

Plenty of other people have to drive
in london for a living. Why shouldn't we permit delivery drivers,
couriers
and so forth to stop too? They need is probably even greater than the
cabbies since they can't just drive further on and drop the delivery
off somewhere else.

Because those deliveries would take MUCH longer than the 5-100 seconds that
a taxi takes to pick up or set down. There are loading bays liberally
located on red routes.