Watch out for Addison Lee

robrauy

The chairman has told their drivers that they should start using bus lanes from today, as he is contesting the law that allows black cabs exclusive use of them. Sounds like a recipe for disaster, given that at least 50% of the close calls I have on my commute in London are caused by mini cabs...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/apr/1 ... sfeed=true

rick_chasey

Won't happen.

DrLex

Assuming AL drivers haven't seen this TfL statement, I'd bet good money on "proper" cabbies (Hackney carriage varietal) blocking them and having a full & frank exchange of views.

Tricycleboy

I expect the chairman has also issued a memo (seemed to be in the middle of last year i reckon) that all addison lee drivers should drive like psychotic morons as this will gain them valuable advertising exposure with all the people they endanger.

Don't know about any other london commuters, but i for one have developed a special mincab radar (you can almost always tell by the kind of car), that begins a sequence of evasive manoeuvres because you just know they are going to be driving like dicks.

in my experience a law saying they can't drive in bus lanes is routinely ignored anyway so i doubt this will make a whole lot of difference.

rick_chasey

True story - someone I know got an addison lee driver sacked after he started masturbating in the car whilst driver her home.

Had to stop by the side of the road to finish, before stepping back in with it hanging out.

I sh!t you not.

EKE_38BPM

Rick Chasey wrote:

True story - someone I know got an addison lee driver sacked after he started masturbating in the car whilst driver her home.

Had to stop by the side of the road to finish, before stepping back in with it hanging out.

I sh!t you not.

Pics or it... matter of fact, I'll take your word for it!

veronese68

I don't see why black cabs should be allowed to use bus lanes anyway. By allowing buses special lanes it helps to encourage people on to public transport rather than driving their private car, so reducing traffic and helping the bus ti keep to a timetable.
Why should a black cab be allowed into a bus lane any more than any other private car, let alone a mincab?

rick_chasey

Veronese68 wrote:

I don't see why black cabs should be allowed to use bus lanes anyway. By allowing buses special lanes it helps to encourage people on to public transport rather than driving their private car, so reducing traffic and helping the bus ti keep to a timetable.
Why should a black cab be allowed into a bus lane any more than any other private car, let alone a mincab?

It'd put them out of business probably.

Too slow otherwise.

TheStone

Veronese68 wrote:

I don't see why black cabs should be allowed to use bus lanes anyway.

Never understood that.
But I'd also reduce the number of buses. Where there's alternatives, they're generally empty.

rick_chasey

TheStone wrote:

Veronese68 wrote:

But I'd also reduce the number of buses. Where there's alternatives, they're generally empty.

:shock:

Even if there are just 3 people on the bus they're reducing traffic.

mudcow007

Rick Chasey wrote:

True story - someone I know got an addison lee driver sacked after he started masturbating in the car whilst driver her home.

Had to stop by the side of the road to finish, before stepping back in with it hanging out.

I sh!t you not.

i always thought taxi drivers were "winkers" but that just takes the biscuit

mudcow007

Rick Chasey wrote:

Veronese68 wrote:

I don't see why black cabs should be allowed to use bus lanes anyway. By allowing buses special lanes it helps to encourage people on to public transport rather than driving their private car, so reducing traffic and helping the bus ti keep to a timetable.
Why should a black cab be allowed into a bus lane any more than any other private car, let alone a mincab?

It'd put them out of business probably.

Too slow otherwise.

plus hackneys charge by time, compared to private hire which charge by mileage so imagine how ripped off you would get in a hackney - even more than normal!!

rick_chasey

I have sympathy with (non-prejudiced) cabbies.

I'd probably get irritating with cyclists if I was on the road ALL day and it was my job, and just by the fact you're always on the road you're more likely to make a mistake at some point.

Private hire - less keen to be honest. But then, they're cheaper because they can't use bus lanes and there's more of a risk they'll be rubbish drivers/get lost, right?

iPete

My mate is training as a black cabbie, its fecking hard to attain 'the knowledge' for the whole of London and ultimately they know the roads inside out and represent the capital, know all the landmarks etc. Some cowboy outfit with GPS units shouldn't be allowed the same privileges IMO.

robrauy

I can see why black cabs have the use of bus lanes, though not all use them safely by any means. On the Holloway road both motorcycles and black cabs use them to undertake on sections of blocked traffic, darting in and out often without looking properly. Adding minicabs into the mix would be treacherous.

TheStone

iPete wrote:

My mate is training as a black cabbie, its fecking hard to attain 'the knowledge' for the whole of London and ultimately they know the roads inside out and represent the capital, know all the landmarks etc. Some cowboy outfit with GPS units shouldn't be allowed the same privileges IMO.

I've got a few cabbie mates. 'The Knowledge' is really tough, but I see it more as a pointless barrier to entry. GPS can do all, if not more (with live traffic etc), than what they learn in the knowledge.

iPete

TheStone wrote:

iPete wrote:

My mate is training as a black cabbie, its fecking hard to attain 'the knowledge' for the whole of London and ultimately they know the roads inside out and represent the capital, know all the landmarks etc. Some cowboy outfit with GPS units shouldn't be allowed the same privileges IMO.

I've got a few cabbie mates. 'The Knowledge' is really tough, but I see it more as a pointless barrier to entry. GPS can do all, if not more (with live traffic etc), than what they learn in the knowledge.

Certainly but from speaking with my house mates recently [boring convo I know], they all moaned about how mini cabs didn't have a clue where they were, didn't know anything about the areas, go lost etc. Imagine they were using cheap GPS units but still. If you've jumped through the hoops to be a proper cabbie, you know about the areas, shops, landmarks etc.

notsoblue

iPete wrote:

My mate is training as a black cabbie, its fecking hard to attain 'the knowledge' for the whole of London and ultimately they know the roads inside out and represent the capital, know all the landmarks etc. Some cowboy outfit with GPS units shouldn't be allowed the same privileges IMO.

I had to use a minicab to get from Ealing to Osterly Park for a wedding last weekend, and the driver had no idea how to get there. I ended up navigating for him. Still though, was less than a tenner...

spricey

I seem to have developed spidey sense to spot those tiny minicab stickers on the back window of cars.

So many close calls with them.

cyclingprop

Last time I got fed up for waiting for a night bus at silly O'Clock (it doesn't take much), I asked a minicab operator how much it would be to get home (4~ miles)

£28. Wouldn't negotiate.

I laughed in disbelief. And told them to get lost, I was off for a black cab.

Black cab, £13.

Ever since, I tend towards black cabs.

jds_1981

Four miles Taxi? Where I grew up 4 miles was a trip by shanks pony

davmaggs

Black cabbies will be up in arms because they get special privileges and want to preserve them.

The 'knowledge' does make them a superior service and one that does London proud, but it has also become used as a barrier to entry so that the numbers of taxis can be restricted.

Jay dubbleU

According to the BBC the chairman of Addison Lee has told his drivers to use bus lanes and he will pay any fines incurred - nightmare scenario ?

Ben6899

mudcow007 wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

True story - someone I know got an addison lee driver sacked after he started masturbating in the car whilst driver her home.

Had to stop by the side of the road to finish, before stepping back in with it hanging out.

I sh!t you not.

i always thought taxi drivers were "winkers" but that just takes the biscuit

Soggy biscuit?

Pufftmw

Not ALL minicabs don't know where they are going. I used to minicab and knew exactly how to get around London as well as, if not better than cabbies who "have" to stick to certain routes on some journeys. But then I was a courier all over London/UK long before SatNavs came along. I nearly cried when I tracked a courier going from Finsbury Circus to Copthall Avenue, all down Moorgate, Threadneedle, Old Broad St, London Wall, because thats what his SatNav told him :roll:

If you want to get a blackcab, then download the app from Hailocab - https://www.hailocab.com/ - press the button & they come to you as opposed to stick your arm out and hope to see one.

jamesco

Rick Chasey wrote:

Veronese68 wrote:

I don't see why black cabs should be allowed to use bus lanes anyway.

It'd put them out of business probably. Too slow otherwise.

True, but I reckon that having that privilege should entail extra burdens, such as converting the fleet to hybrid (or even better, zero-emission) vehicles. Also, if they have a copy of the Daily Mail then they aren't allowed to use the bus lanes or talk to the passengers

rick_chasey

jamesco wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

Veronese68 wrote:

I don't see why black cabs should be allowed to use bus lanes anyway.

It'd put them out of business probably. Too slow otherwise.

True, but I reckon that having that privilege should entail extra burdens, such as converting the fleet to hybrid (or even better, zero-emission) vehicles. Also, if they have a copy of the Daily Mail then they aren't allowed to use the bus lanes or talk to the passengers

Quite a few already run on recycled oil from restaurants I believe.

jamesco

Rick Chasey wrote:

Quite a few already run on recycled oil from restaurants I believe.

That's good from a global-warming perspective, but the worry is the foul air & particulates that the diesel taxis emit. Given that they're driven in the city all day a hybrid drivetrain seems a no-brainer.

bobinski

Thing is, I can see AL winning the Judicial Review. They certainly have a good argument. Why should Black Cabs get preferential treatment? I just hope TFL responds by removing the concession for Black Cabs so that they and Al can be kept out of bus lanes altogether.

Headhuunter

Yeah I don't see why any taxis should be in BUS lanes. It's not really possible to exclude cyclists as if they weren't in the bus lane they would be stuck between buses passing on one side and cars on the other - extremely dangerous. The way things are going so far we may as well do away with bus lanes altogether, so far we have buses, taxis, minicabs, moped, scooters and cyclists in them, why not let all cars in and be done with it...?

Gussio

Pufftmw wrote:

If you want to get a blackcab, then download the app from Hailocab - https://www.hailocab.com/ - press the button & they come to you as opposed to stick your arm out and hope to see one.

+1 for hailocab, which works really well

-1 for AdL drivers, who will first up against the wall when the revolution comes....