Easiest way to get from Kings Cross to Waterloo - advice please?

DrFluffy

kimevans wrote: »

Have you any idea how tightly regulated it is now (& about time too).

Nowhere near as well as it could be...

If the lady books through a licensed cab firm they will collect her from the hotel in a car with license's on display in the front & back & a photocard around the drivers neck.

Exactly, you should still check. Just cos you phoned a legit company, doesn't mean the taxi that has turned up for you is from them...

Also, there is at least one company currently operating out of East London who are being investigated for less than 'honest' conduct...

milkydrink

DrFluffy wrote: »

I know that - that's why I said make sure you are getting in to a real cab... I volunteer in student welfare, and have heard a few heartbreaking stories from people who texted 'home' to the tfl number, then assumed they were safe... No idea how the text number was infiltrated, but apparently City of London Police and the Met are investigating...

But you are not talking about organisations scanning the airwaves are you. You are talking about "blaggers", these are individuals who go out in their car & at best act as unlicensed & uninsured cab drivers & at worst....... Well we know that.
You are probably talking about young girls waiting in streets for cabs at night, a blagger drives past & says "cab" & they jump in thinking its theirs. That cab will not have the BIG YELLOW HOLOGRAMMED STICKERS (they can not be pinched & put in another car, if you try & take them out they destroy).

There is a lot of mud that sticks to honest checked professional & legal licensed cab drivers because of "blaggers". If it were a little more publised what to look out for in a legal cab, these attacks need never happen.

DrFluffy

There is AT LEAST ONE ORGANISATION THAT I KNOW FOR A FACT ARE UNDER INVESTIGATION...

That aside, does it matter if it is a blagger or an organised campaign? A rape is still a rape, and I'm sure as hell the victims do not care if the person was operating on their own or in a gang...

and !!!!!!... I'm not disputing what a real cab has or not... I'm saying check before you get in. Having called a 'safe' number is no guarentee that the cab that turns up is...

With the stories I've heard first hand, I now NEVER get minicabs... I understand what you are saying about mud sticking, so may be the minicab industry should be doing more? The only info I ever get to give to other students comes from the London Assembley... I've never been sent any awareness info from 'the industry'...

milkydrink

DrFluffy wrote: »

Nowhere near as well as it could be...
...

London private hire drivers have "enhanced criminal records discloser checks done on them" by the PCO (public carriage office), a medical, the car is MOT'ed by the normal places & ALSO by the PCO.

The cab offices have to keep copies of ALL the legal documentation for each driver, MOT's, Hire & Reward insurance, NI number.
The PCO regularly investigate every cab office with a fine toothcomb, the fines for not complying are huge, so cab offices must otherwise they can easily be closed down.

My husband is actually doing the black cab knowledge to be a black cab. But please do not scaremonger people about what is a legal & honest profession. You can get frauds in any profession (I'm thinking dodgy meter readers type thing here) but you don't slate every legal worker, you just make sure you check ID ect.

DrFluffy

Sweet jesus... You are not getting it, are you. REAL cabbies might do...

I'd rather scare monger people so that they are aware, than have to deal with the fall out of what is actually (according to the Met) becoming an increasingly common problem (despite high visibility campaigns by TfL and the Mayors office)... And I've had to deal with fall out more than once.

To quote the most recent big campaign... 'To find out what an illegal minicab could cost you, ask a rape victim’.

milkydrink

DrFluffy wrote: »

That aside, does it matter if it is a blagger or an organised campaign? A rape is still a rape, and I'm sure as hell the victims do not care if the person was operating on their own or in a gang...

...

I'm not saying any such thing. What I am saying is licensed minicab drivers are subject to the SAME enhanced discloser as black cabs.

Blaggers are NOT licensed cab driver, they are men who jump in their car & head off alone to "blag" (find) fares.

milkydrink

DrFluffy wrote: »

Sweet jesus... You are not getting it, are you. REAL cabbies might do...

I'd rather scare monger people so that they are aware, than have to deal with the fall out of what is actually (according to the Met) becoming an increasingly common problem (despite high visibility campaigns by TfL and the Mayors office)... And I've had to deal with fall out more than once.

To quote the most recent big campaign... 'To find out what an illegal minicab could cost you, ask a rape victim’.

I find you very rude.
Of course people should make sure that the vehicle they are getting into is licensed (the big yellow hologrammed stickers are a dead give away).
But it sounds to me like you are saying people shouldn't use licensed mini-cabs because of blaggers who operate ilegally. Are you trying to put legal hard working men out of business?

DrFluffy

Fewer blaggers have access to a black cab than a car though...

I know blaggers are not licenced... What's your point? Apart from dragging a thread faaaaar off track to head up your agenda of proving your hubbie has an honourable profession???

The basics of Project Sapphire are: PLAN (Prepare, Look confident, Avoid risks and be aware and Never take safety for granted)... ALWAYS WISE TO REMEMBER.

The Mets own advice on mini-cabs (taken from their website):
Crime prevention advice

• Always try to pre book a car through a licensed minicab office.
• Ensure the car you ordered is the one you get into.
• Know the car details and ensure the driver knows what name it was booked under.
• Sit in the rear of the vehicle and carry a mobile phone or shriek alarm.

DrFluffy

kimevans wrote: »

I find you very rude.
Of course people should make sure that the vehicle they are getting into is licensed (the big yellow hologrammed stickers are a dead give away).
But it sounds to me like you are saying people shouldn't use licensed mini-cabs because of blaggers who operate ilegally. Are you trying to put legal hard working men out of business?

I find you both rude and niave. Just 'cos your hubby is an honest cabby, doesn't mean all people get in to an honest cab. To suggest otherwise is foolish and could cost someone deeply.

All I suggested was its important that you make sure the cab you think you ordered is the one you get in. Last year alone in London there were 3 illegal minicab related sexual assults A WEEK.

You started all this other stuff...

milkydrink

DrFluffy wrote: »

All I suggested was its important that you make sure the cab you think you ordered is the one you get in. Last year alone in London there were 3 illegal minicab related sexual assults A WEEK.

You started all this other stuff...

Illegal being the key word here, these are NOT legal & will not have BIG YELLOW HOLOGRAMMED STICKERS IN THE FRONT & THE BACK WINDOWS OF THE VEHICLE.

As for the "you started it"........Grow up:rotfl: