MIG wrote:

Hailing taxis and having them dart over to the kerb is dangerous and
illegal in any case, regardless of any bus lanes.

It's not dangerous if the driver doesn't do it dangerously. As for it being
illegal ... what *are* you talking about? Are you thinking of minicabs?

On Feb 3, 4:58*pm, "John Rowland"
wrote:
MIG wrote:

Hailing taxis and having them dart over to the kerb is dangerous and
illegal in any case, regardless of any bus lanes.

It's not dangerous if the driver doesn't do it dangerously. As for it being
illegal ... what *are* you talking about? Are you thinking of minicabs?

I believe that minicabs can be hired by telephone or from the office,
while taxis can, in addition, be picked up at an authorised taxi rank.

I'm not aware of any kind of taxi that can legally be hailed in the
street, unless the rules have changed in the last few years.

We all know that people do it, and turning a blind eye to it is all
very well, but changing the rules around bus lanes to accommodate it
is a different matter.

MIG wrote:
On Feb 3, 4:58 pm, "John Rowland"
wrote:
MIG wrote:

Hailing taxis and having them dart over to the kerb is dangerous and
illegal in any case, regardless of any bus lanes.

It's not dangerous if the driver doesn't do it dangerously. As for
it being illegal ... what *are* you talking about? Are you thinking
of minicabs?

I believe that minicabs can be hired by telephone or from the office,
while taxis can, in addition, be picked up at an authorised taxi rank.

I'm not aware of any kind of taxi that can legally be hailed in the
street, unless the rules have changed in the last few years.

We all know that people do it, and turning a blind eye to it is all
very well, but changing the rules around bus lanes to accommodate it
is a different matter.

Hackney carriages (taxis) are governed by the TOWN POLICE CLAUSES ACT 1847.
I've found nothing in that to indicate that it's illegal to hail a taxi.

Cambridgeshire County Council have gone so far as to introduce "taxi hailing
points" in certain areas.

http://www2.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/db...9?OpenDocument

On Feb 3, 6:06*pm, "Brimstone" wrote:
MIG wrote:
On Feb 3, 4:58 pm, "John Rowland"
wrote:
MIG wrote:

Hailing taxis and having them dart over to the kerb is dangerous and
illegal in any case, regardless of any bus lanes.

It's not dangerous if the driver doesn't do it dangerously. As for
it being illegal ... what *are* you talking about? Are you thinking
of minicabs?

I believe that minicabs can be hired by telephone or from the office,
while taxis can, in addition, be picked up at an authorised taxi rank.

I'm not aware of any kind of taxi that can legally be hailed in the
street, unless the rules have changed in the last few years.

We all know that people do it, and turning a blind eye to it is all
very well, but changing the rules around bus lanes to accommodate it
is a different matter.

Hackney carriages (taxis) are governed by the TOWN POLICE CLAUSES ACT 1847..
I've found nothing in that to indicate that it's illegal to hail a taxi.

Cambridgeshire County Council have gone so far as to introduce "taxi hailing
points" in certain areas.

"To give people more choice of where to get a taxi". More choice than
anywhere they like?

The point was whether bus lane rules should make allowances for dodgy
taxi-hailing behaviour.

I am hardly suggesting that punters or taxi drivers should be
prosecuted for hailing and stopping, but I don't see why bus lane
rules should make allowances for it.

I am often put at risk by taxis zooming into the kerb in front of me,
whether there's a bus lane or not.

MIG wrote:
On Feb 3, 6:06 pm, "Brimstone" wrote:
MIG wrote:
On Feb 3, 4:58 pm, "John Rowland"
wrote:
MIG wrote:

Hailing taxis and having them dart over to the kerb is dangerous
and illegal in any case, regardless of any bus lanes.

It's not dangerous if the driver doesn't do it dangerously. As for
it being illegal ... what *are* you talking about? Are you thinking
of minicabs?

I believe that minicabs can be hired by telephone or from the
office, while taxis can, in addition, be picked up at an authorised
taxi rank.

I'm not aware of any kind of taxi that can legally be hailed in the
street, unless the rules have changed in the last few years.

We all know that people do it, and turning a blind eye to it is all
very well, but changing the rules around bus lanes to accommodate it
is a different matter.

Hackney carriages (taxis) are governed by the TOWN POLICE CLAUSES
ACT 1847. I've found nothing in that to indicate that it's illegal
to hail a taxi.

Cambridgeshire County Council have gone so far as to introduce "taxi
hailing points" in certain areas.

"To give people more choice of where to get a taxi". More choice than
anywhere they like?

My reading of the article suggested that the point provided a known point
where taxi drivers would be likely to find a fare. I didn't seen anything to
suggest that hailing elsewhere was to be banned.

The point was whether bus lane rules should make allowances for dodgy
taxi-hailing behaviour.

I've never witnessed 2dodgy taxi-hailing behaviour". What form does it take?

I am hardly suggesting that punters or taxi drivers should be
prosecuted for hailing and stopping, but I don't see why bus lane
rules should make allowances for it.

Then how else does the intending passenger get into the taxi, unless you're
suggesting that the taxi sits in the middle of the road and the hailer risks
collision with a bus or cyclist by walking out into the road whilst delaying
other traffic?

I am often put at risk by taxis zooming into the kerb in front of me,
whether there's a bus lane or not.

No one is denying that all concerned should exercise proper care and
consideration for other road users.

MIG wrote:
On Feb 3, 6:06 pm, "Brimstone" wrote:

MIG wrote:

On Feb 3, 4:58 pm, "John Rowland"
wrote:

MIG wrote:

Hailing taxis and having them dart over to the kerb is dangerous and
illegal in any case, regardless of any bus lanes.

It's not dangerous if the driver doesn't do it dangerously. As for
it being illegal ... what *are* you talking about? Are you thinking
of minicabs?

I believe that minicabs can be hired by telephone or from the office,
while taxis can, in addition, be picked up at an authorised taxi rank.

I'm not aware of any kind of taxi that can legally be hailed in the
street, unless the rules have changed in the last few years.

We all know that people do it, and turning a blind eye to it is all
very well, but changing the rules around bus lanes to accommodate it
is a different matter.

Hackney carriages (taxis) are governed by the TOWN POLICE CLAUSES ACT 1847.
I've found nothing in that to indicate that it's illegal to hail a taxi.

Cambridgeshire County Council have gone so far as to introduce "taxi hailing
points" in certain areas.


"To give people more choice of where to get a taxi". More choice than
anywhere they like?

The point was whether bus lane rules should make allowances for dodgy
taxi-hailing behaviour.

I am hardly suggesting that punters or taxi drivers should be
prosecuted for hailing and stopping, but I don't see why bus lane
rules should make allowances for it.

I am often put at risk by taxis zooming into the kerb in front of me,
whether there's a bus lane or not.

Is this a frequent problem?

Brimstone wrote:
MIG wrote:

On Feb 3, 4:58 pm, "John Rowland"
wrote:

MIG wrote:


Hailing taxis and having them dart over to the kerb is dangerous and
illegal in any case, regardless of any bus lanes.

It's not dangerous if the driver doesn't do it dangerously. As for
it being illegal ... what *are* you talking about? Are you thinking
of minicabs?

I believe that minicabs can be hired by telephone or from the office,
while taxis can, in addition, be picked up at an authorised taxi rank.

I'm not aware of any kind of taxi that can legally be hailed in the
street, unless the rules have changed in the last few years.

We all know that people do it, and turning a blind eye to it is all
very well, but changing the rules around bus lanes to accommodate it
is a different matter.


Hackney carriages (taxis) are governed by the TOWN POLICE CLAUSES ACT 1847.
I've found nothing in that to indicate that it's illegal to hail a taxi.

Cambridgeshire County Council have gone so far as to introduce "taxi hailing
points" in certain areas.

http://www2.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/db...9?OpenDocument

London Cab Acts in London. Similar provisions. Same legality for
street hails.

MIG wrote:
On Feb 3, 4:58 pm, "John Rowland"
wrote:
MIG wrote:

Hailing taxis and having them dart over to the kerb is dangerous and
illegal in any case, regardless of any bus lanes.

It's not dangerous if the driver doesn't do it dangerously. As for
it being illegal ... what *are* you talking about? Are you thinking
of minicabs?

I believe that minicabs can be hired by telephone or from the office,
while taxis can, in addition, be picked up at an authorised taxi rank.

I'm not aware of any kind of taxi that can legally be hailed in the
street, unless the rules have changed in the last few years.

So how come safely responding to a street hail is specifically tested in the
taxi driving test?

Taxis can legally respond to a hail nearly anywhere within their licensed
area. Exceptions include zigzags, clearways (not including red route
clearways), and a few short stretches of road in Kings Cross and Victoria
(marked with a thick red line by the kerb). They are subject to the same
laws on obstruction and dangerous driving as anyone else, which rules out
fast roundabouts and narrow slip roads. They can't pick up within 30 yards
of a (visible) rank which has a taxi on it - so the existence of a rank
creates an area where taxis can't pick up, rather than creating a place
where they can pick up. They are also not supposed to pick up in the few bus
lanes from which they are forbidden, however, there always seem to be taxis
stopped in the taxi-free bus lane in Bishopsgate by :Liverpool Street
Station, so I don't know how well this last one is enforced.

On Feb 4, 1:29*am, "John Rowland"
wrote:
MIG wrote:
On Feb 3, 4:58 pm, "John Rowland"
wrote:
MIG wrote:

Hailing taxis and having them dart over to the kerb is dangerous and
illegal in any case, regardless of any bus lanes.

It's not dangerous if the driver doesn't do it dangerously. As for
it being illegal ... what *are* you talking about? Are you thinking
of minicabs?

I believe that minicabs can be hired by telephone or from the office,
while taxis can, in addition, be picked up at an authorised taxi rank.

I'm not aware of any kind of taxi that can legally be hailed in the
street, unless the rules have changed in the last few years.

So how come safely responding to a street hail is specifically tested in the
taxi driving test?

Because I was failing to distinguish between where they can ply their
trade and where they can passively allow themselves to be hailed.

No doubt their is some exemption that covers stopping at traffic
lights with their light on.



Taxis can legally respond to a hail nearly anywhere within their licensed
area. Exceptions include zigzags, clearways (not including red route
clearways), and a few short stretches of road in Kings Cross and Victoria
(marked with a thick red line by the kerb). They are subject to the same
laws on obstruction and dangerous driving as anyone else, which rules out
fast roundabouts and narrow slip roads. They can't pick up within 30 yards
of a (visible) rank which has a taxi on it - so the existence of a rank
creates an area where taxis can't pick up, rather than creating a place
where they can pick up. They are also not supposed to pick up in the few bus
lanes from which they are forbidden, however, there always seem to be taxis
stopped in the taxi-free bus lane in Bishopsgate by :Liverpool Street
Station, so I don't know how well this last one is enforced.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

So how come safely responding to a street hail is specifically tested in the
taxi driving test?

Because I was failing to distinguish between where they can ply their
trade and where they can passively allow themselves to be hailed.

No doubt their is some exemption that covers stopping at traffic
lights with their light on.

All of which pales into insignificance compared with that typo, for
which I am prepared to submit myself for the dealth penalty.