Taxi Drivers....lack of knowledge!!

S

sam h

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I hopped into a taxi last night in town and stated the name of my estate (a large well know estate). He'd never heard of it so I said the name of the village (only 4 miles out of Dublin) and he asked the best way to get there - he didn't have a clue!

Surely they must have a basic knowledge of the area they are covering - I wouldn't expect them to know the road I live on, but surely to goodness they should know the towns and villages surrounding Dublin. So I had the previledge of directing him around Dublin and then handing over €20 !!
 
Well in fairness, it was €20.20........he knocked of the 20cent, I'm off shopping with my riches!!
 
did he have photo ID up in the cab?

I thought taxi drivers had to demonstrate local knowledge in order to pass the PSV licence test.. I could be wrong on this but I did think so.. it sounds as if your guy would have problems finding Rathmines, or Swords...
 
I got one in Dublin a few weeks back and got in and said 'National Concert Hall please'. He looked at me blankly and indicated his sat nav and said 'what street is it on?'.
Whatever about estates, surely a taxi man should at least know where things like famous concert halls are in the city centre?
 
A couple of years ago we got in a taxi on Dame Street and asked for Bewleys in Ballsbridge..he did not have a clue so we got out..next guy vaguely knew where Ballsbridge was but not Bewleys, we got fed up of directing him so got out and walked about a quarter of the way from the hotel.

Neither of the drivers were Irish but we would still expect them to have a general knowledge of the city before getting behind the wheel. ( and yes they both had id badges on display!)
 
I find it funny when speaking on behalf of their members, the taxi union/repesentative body speak on behalf of their "profession".
 
Well there are only 36 multiple-choice questions relating to your selected county (plus 54 questions relating to the rules and regulations) in the SPSV Test, that's all it takes to know your region and you only need 80% to pass. So that does not really demonstrate you know the area.

A driver needs to know more about the rules than the region he is working in, what for crazy way of doing things.

I frequently choose the taxi that I want from the rank (to which I'm entitled) and if the driver does not know where I'm going and won't engage his satnav, I leave him and choose a different one (to which I'm also entitled) plus I send a text to the regulator. Those people should not be on the street.
 
DublinTexas said:
Well there are only 36 multiple-choice questions relating to your selected county (plus 54 questions relating to the rules and regulations) in the SPSV Test, that's all it takes to know your region and you only need 80% to pass. So that does not really demonstrate you know the area.

A driver needs to know more about the rules than the region he is working in, what for crazy way of doing things.

I frequently choose the taxi that I want from the rank (to which I'm entitled) and if the driver does not know where I'm going and won't engage his satnav, I leave him and choose a different one (to which I'm also entitled) plus I send a text to the regulator. Those people should not be on the street.
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I'm really struggling with this post.
 
Firefly said:
I'm really struggling with this post.
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Because?

The point I'm making is that the test to become a taxi driver is not really testing that they have local knowledge.

And that I leave a cab when someone does not know a major point in Dublin and than complain about the driver to the regulator.
 
I frequently choose the taxi that I want from the rank (to which I'm entitled)
Click to expand...

Are you allowed to choose any taxi in the queue? I always thought you had to take the first one?
 
csirl said:
Are you allowed to choose any taxi in the queue? I always thought you had to take the first one?
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You can choose any taxi you want on a rank, drivers often try to tell you otherwise.

You can find more in the Consumer FAQ of the regulator [broken link removed].

Am I entitled to choose any taxi at a rank?

Yes, as a consumer your can choose whichever taxi you would like to travel in.
​
Sure the drivers might not like it but it's the law.
 
DublinTexas said:
Because?

The point I'm making is that the test to become a taxi driver is not really testing that they have local knowledge.

And that I leave a cab when someone does not know a major point in Dublin and than complain about the driver to the regulator.
Click to expand...

I found it difficult to parse your sentences.
Is there entitlement? I thought it was simply an accordant, business transaction.
 
Good to know. I always feel like a bit of an eefit when I'm on my own and have to clamber in and out of one of those big minibus type cabs. I didn't realise you could opt for the next taxi in the queue.
 
Some drivers lack of local knowledge is beyond belief. If i am getting tax to train station or airport now I tell the taxi driver which way to go as you would not believe some of the routes they have taken thinking thatI been from the countryside would not know the route they take is a site seeing route.

Recently if i get a taxi and driver does not know where he is going I ask to pull over immediately and tell him i get a different taxi. Why put up with poor service if driver does not know where he is going and some times people get a taxi to an area as they are unsure of the area themselves and assume a taxi driver would know.

In regard to taking the first taxi at rank, I have gone to middle of rank and have been told to take top taxi- If this happens now i just cross the road pull a taxi on the street and assume rank does not want my business. Their is plenty taxi's out their now.
 
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papervalue said:
In regard to taking the first taxi at rank, I have gone to middle of rank and have been told to take top taxi- If this happens now i just cross the road pull a taxi on the street and assume rank does not want my business. Their is plenty taxi's out their now.
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Why on earth would you go to the middle taxi in the rank unless every one in front of it has annoyed you in some way? Just to be awkward?
 
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