Cabcharge

[Proffs]

Popcorn is in the microwave as we speak!!

 

[bum]

I'm not sure what that means. Methinks the lady doth protest too much.

Look at it this way - let's say I'm telling some story about my missus and I say '...she's talking on the phone to her mum back home and is all "ching-chong wing-wong"...' and then I say "...I can say that because I'm married to her so I can't possibly be racist."

It is complete ********. Someone who is not my wife may read it and be offended. Yeah, you should give a ****. But you don't and that makes me racist somehow?

I didn't call you racist, anyway. Didn't even intimate it. I did imply that such things should not be said publicly in 2013 though. We're supposed to be better than that now, aren't we?

 

[Liam_snorkel]

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

**** racism. Hate everyone equally.

 

[bum]

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1382355125.121722.jpg

They sure do pack a lot of Indians onto them trains, hey?!

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1382355125.121722.jpg

I spent 18yrs on the railway. There is something not right with that train............yep....airbrake is off.

 

[bradsbrew]

OK, I see your point. I still think your being a bit of a Nanna.

 

[bum]

So a mod calling a member a racist for no discernible reason is cool then?

 

[chug!chug!]

I am a cab driver in Sydney and will give you my perspective.

grantb, on 20 Oct 2013 - 5:56 PM, said:

So I was heading to the airport from a pub in Sydney. When we get there, the taxi guy bumps on some extras, but doesn't update the meter to reflect those extras.

Extras could be booking fee, tolls or the new weekend late night surchage of $2.50. Many drivers add extras in their head. As long as they explain them I see no problem.

He then goes on to say that because I'm paying eftpos, there's an additional 10% surcharge. In a bill that's already $50, I consider that a bit steep. I also believe eftpos is considered cash, so I'm highly skeptical now.

The charge is 11% (10%+GST) and totally unreasonable. We are the piggy in the middle copping the abuse and getting nothing out of it.

He also doesn't look like his photo, so when I whip out my camera to take snap, he snatches the ID away and refuses to let me photograph it.

He has done nothing wrong until this point. You are fully entitled to record the driver and car details.

Argument ensues, I tell him he's full of ****, tell the missus to get out and we walk without paying him a cent. Now, I don't know about you guys, but I've heard the "dumb Aussie" line one too many times.

Here is where you go wrong. You should have paid the fare recorded his details (you may not have been able to get his driver ID but the taxi plate number and time of the fare is ok) and rang the taxi complaint number (which is in the cab on the fare chart sticker).


So, did I do the right thing, or was I an ass for robbing the guy of a half hour wages?

No you didn't do the right thing, you were an ass, $50 is closer to 2 hours wages after paying our overheads.

If you were in my cab I would have explained the charges. If you didn't believe me I would have my radio operator to explain them to you.
If you didn't believe them I would explain the complaint system and given you my details. If you still didn't want to pay you would have a free ride to the police station.

We are trying to make a living. Dealing with people like you is a nightmare. Get the bus leave taxis for the grown ups

********!

 

[punkin]

Funny how one little sentence can bring the racism up but multiple hate threads of gun toting, fat, criminal infested Americans don't cause a whimper.

 

[Mardoo]

Funny how one little sentence can bring the racism up but multiple hate threads of gun toting, fat, criminal infested Americans don't cause a whimper.

As a fat, criminal infested American I resemble that comment sir!

 

[thedragon]

Dunno what I would have done in the situation by the OP.

Assuming that the driver was legit, displaying the right ID and willing to verify his identity: I'd check and pay the fare. Not paying the driver would be stealing. Stealing is illegal.

Assuming that the driver was not legit: the driver has broken the law. The driver has lied about his identity. The driver has broken s70 of the trade practices act. There are also probably workplace safety laws that have been broken. The driver has put the safety of the passenger and other drivers at risk and has driven a car that would not be covered by insurance. The driver should be prosecuted by the relevant authorities for breaking the law, not by the passenger.

Not being there, it's hard to be certain what I'd have done. However it's likely that'd have called over one of the traffic guys at the airports and transferred the decision making.

 

[Liam_snorkel]

Not by the passenger, exactly.

Its like deducting a parking fine from your fare because the cabbie parked illegally while dropping you off.

 

[manticle]

So what? the guy's driving his friend's cab while his mate sleeps so he can make a living (**** living at that). When did we become such a society of dibber dobbers?

Cabs are expensive, cabbies aren't. Treat them with respect unless they are outright arseholes.

 

[grantb]

I've certainly thought about this a lot the past couple of days and decided there's not much point trying to justify my actions. They were completely irrational and I'm not sure how it escalated so quickly. At no point leading up to that moment had I considered not paying the cabbie and it's not something I've ever done before. I do feel extremely remorseful.

In any case, it was wrong and I'll wear the label the armchair pundits have given me.

I'm curious though. If the driver doesn't hold a professional drivers license or is currently under suspension, who is liable in the case an accident kills or incapacitates either you or your partner who are passengers? I'm not so sure I support the notion that it's ok for someone without the proper credentials to be providing a taxi service. Would you let an unlicensed friend drive you and your family around? Anyway, I also accept that I don't have much credibility here. A public forum probably wasn't the best of forums to air the whole incident I the first place. I'd have happily accepted friends and family calling me a ********.

 

[manticle]

Driver of the car would be liable in any and all instances. You don't become 'unliable', if you don't have a license. In fact it's worse.

I doubt the cabbie didn't have a driver's licence. Just sharing the expense of maintaining a cab and getting more mileage out of it. Only people they are cheating is the cab company that cheats them (and us).

 

[redbeard]

I think the guy was a dick for not paying the fare, but the driver did himself no favours. In my experience 75% of sydney taxi drivers are sh*t. They take the long way, dont know where to go, expecting you to provide directions, even across the city. They drive thru red lights, not orange - red, change lanes like cut snakes, wont provide correct change (its only a $1...), wont take "short" fares despite being legally obliged to and are obviously doing 12hour+ shifts. Cabcharge is a total ripoff, backed by corrupt politicians of both sides. </rant>

karma may apply here to the OP or the cab driver or both ....

 

[bradsbrew]

I would assume the owner of the the licence associated with the particular vehicle would be held responsible for any injuries if an unlicensed person was in control of their vehicle, which they then say being driven illegally, stolen, the third party insurer would pay expenses and pursue the driver. But I'm a tradie not a lawyer.

 

[bradsbrew]

I think the guy was a dick for not paying the fare, but the driver did himself no favours. In my experience 75% of sydney taxi drivers are sh*t. They take the long way, dont know where to go, expecting you to provide directions, even across the city. They drive thru red lights, not orange - red, change lanes like cut snakes, wont provide correct change (its only a $1...), wont take "short" fares despite being legally obliged to and are obviously doing 12hour+ shifts. Cabcharge is a total ripoff, backed by corrupt politicians of both sides. </rant>

karma may apply here to the OP or the cab driver or both ....

I have no problem providing direction to the driver. Can't expect them to know every street and short cut.

 

[grantb]

I would assume the owner of the the licence associated with the particular vehicle would be held responsible for any injuries if an unlicensed person was in control of their vehicle, which they then say being driven illegally, stolen, the third party insurer would pay expenses and pursue the driver. But I'm a tradie not a lawyer.


Here's at least one story of someone's woes after being hit by a taxi driven by an unlicensed driver. It didn't take much effort to find. http://m.theage.com.au/national/its-fare-game-20090702-d6lq.html

In this case, it was only property damage. Now imagine the guy was killed, leaving behind 3 kids, a wife and a mortgage, and was the primary income earner. Wife hadn't worked for 12 years because she gave up work to raise the kids. The guy who owns the taxi is probably going to be liable, his public liability insurance is null and void and if he doesn't have the means to pay, no amount of compensation is going to matter. He can't pay it.

I don't subscribe to the notion that it's ok to lend your taxi to a mate.