Dangerous Drivers (especially cabs)

Bipex

Not sure if this is the right place to post this, but seems the most appropriate category, given those available.

I am sure that I am not alone in being frustrated by bad driving, but when it becomes reckless and/or dangerous driving by a mini-cab, is there a standard protocol for reporting it? Since this occured in London, I think the options are either the police or the mayor of London's office (or whoever licences cabs).

I am thinking in particular of a recent near-miss I had with a mini-cab driver. The cab driver swerved, considerably faster than the 40 mph speed limit, through the barely car-length gap between me and a vehicle in the other lane of a dual carriageway. I was able to get the registration, make, type and colour of the offender's vehicle and see the circular yellow licensed mini-cab disc in the rear window.

I would be grateful for any constructive direction.

ohreally

https://tfl.gov.uk/forms/12407.aspx suggests reporting to police.

Johno100

As you are in London use the Roadsafe reporting system.

http://content.met.police.uk/Site/roadsafelondon

bigjl

The official policy for making a complaint was first to their operator, which is largely pointless unless they are in a vehicle such as Addison Lee or Carrot Cars with obvious signage.

Due to the lack of a proper complaint system with TFL London Cabbies have taken to posting videos on Twitter linked to the TFL Twitter account.

If you don't have video of the event it will be a case of your word against his.

Bad driving has always been an issue in large towns and cities amongst those that drive for a living wether it be in a Van/LGV/Bus/Taxi/Minicab.

Though over the last year the driving standards of minicabs has dropped significantly in central London, very often a Prius/Insight/Insignia and almost certainly being driven by an Uber driver as they are happy to take on anybody with a PH Lic and TFL are giving them out like smarties with the help of some very dodgy companies in East London that sort out the Topo test, medical and CRB.

From what I have been told Uber are still taking on several hundred drivers a week, that could be as high as 500 a week.

They obviously lose large numbers who find out that Uber is not what it was originally.

Drivers will always be cannon fodder to large Operators since the advent of reliable SatNav equipment.

BykerSands

bigjl wrote: »

The official policy for making a complaint was first to their operator, which is largely pointless unless they are in a vehicle such as Addison Lee or Carrot Cars with obvious signage.

Due to the lack of a proper complaint system with TFL London Cabbies have taken to posting videos on Twitter linked to the TFL Twitter account.

If you don't have video of the event it will be a case of your word against his.

Bad driving has always been an issue in large towns and cities amongst those that drive for a living wether it be in a Van/LGV/Bus/Taxi/Minicab.

Though over the last year the driving standards of minicabs has dropped significantly in central London, very often a Prius/Insight/Insignia and almost certainly being driven by an Uber driver as they are happy to take on anybody with a PH Lic and TFL are giving them out like smarties with the help of some very dodgy companies in East London that sort out the Topo test, medical and CRB.

From what I have been told Uber are still taking on several hundred drivers a week, that could be as high as 500 a week.

They obviously lose large numbers who find out that Uber is not what it was originally.

Drivers will always be cannon fodder to large Operators since the advent of reliable SatNav equipment.

We get it, you have a chip on your shoulder about Uber drivers.

But until we know it's one stop making assumptions.

bartelbe

Minicab drivers have been a menace for years, not just in London, but everywhere. Best assume they will do something illegal and stupid and give them a wide berth.

It turned out that one of firms near us had drivers on the books without UK driving licences, which shows how well regulated they are.

pendragon_arther

BykerSands wrote: »

We get it, you have a chip on your shoulder about Uber drivers.

But until we know it's one stop making assumptions.

Is that the Royal 'we'? I certainly don't get it. If Uber takes on just about anyone in large numbers perhaps there's recipe for disaster.

bigjl

BykerSands wrote: »

We get it, you have a chip on your shoulder about Uber drivers.

But until we know it's one stop making assumptions.

A chip on my shoulder?

It's called facts and what I can see with my own eyes.

The huge increase in rental Prius in London has increased the resale value of Prius hugely.

You can see who these rental firms are targeting if you check out the Uber Market which is an online resource specifically for Uber drivers.

The simple fact is that the massive influx of mostly hybrids into central London at the same time as the huge increase in UberX numbers is not a coincidence.

Also the very obviously positioned Uber phone is a big give away.

The other awkward FACT for you a that I was one of the first influx of UberLux drivers in London and I used it like it was originally intended in the US and Uk, as a fill in between proper chauffeur clients.

However when competitors like Lyft and Sidecar entered the App market in the US with their Rideshare service at super cheap rates using private drivers without proper Insurance Uber brought out UberX.

Initially this was a service that has cars as varied as Audi A6 and Passats etc but was quickly moved down market and the nicer cars moved into their own segment which was UberExec.

At this point drivers in all segments where making a fortune.

Soon Uber in the UK realised that Quality was less desirable than Quantity.

It was at this point that the Prius explosion occurred.

Prius residuals soared, Toyota dealers started offering specials deals for PH drivers and specifically UberX drivers. Jemca being one of the main ones.

At around the same time the original driver became disillusioned and started to do less Uber work as Uber had dropped the rates.

And experienced drivers noted that when ever there was a problem with a passenger Uber would take the passenger side in every case, as a result passenger behaviour began to slide, a direct result of passenger knowing there is no consequence to bad behaviour.

Uber would even refuse to charge clients when they vomit in the vehicle for example.

At around the same time TFL began to licence huge number of PH drivers, due to the fact that UberX has no knowledge test, interview or car inspection lots of new drivers went to UberX, other drivers profiting from referral fees as high as £500 was also part of the issue.

Unchecked recruitment along side rate cuts meant the better driver went back to where they used to work and even if they stayed on the Uber platform it was only to work the peak periods to top up their money.

Since UberX started over 20k more PH drivers have started in London.

Few big companies with take on newbies as they often fail the knowledge tests which traditional operators do at varying levels.

If you worked for a living and drive round London during all of this you would know that a lot of the incidents caused in central London are inexperienced UberX drivers and also UberX drivers sharing cars and Uber phones. It is not unusual for people to comment on social media that their UberX driver was not the driver pictured in the App.

Since this was an issue that Uber ignored when they only had a few hundred UberLux cars it goes unsaid that they have largely ignored the problem now that it is a much bigger problem.

Drivers sharing cars and PH licences had always occurred in Privae Hire in London, Addison Lee had it happen, when reported they actually investigated it and sorted it out when proven. Another reason why Addison Lee have motorcyclists running about London as part of their quality control, it is also to spot check drivers to make sure they are who they are meant to be.

Don't get me wrong I am no fanboy for Addison Lee either but at least they attempt keep illegal activity in check.

The most annoying thing with Uber is they started out to be a game changer for Private Hire.

You could work flexible and sign out when you wanted, knock back work if you though the job or pick up looked dodgy.

Work for several different Operators whilst building up your own client list and securing your family income.

To see what it has become, little more than a Bait&Switch that fails to carry out the most basic of checks and sacks drivers without a right of reply is a bit galling.

But it does show quite well the basic modus operandi of the Corporate Elite and political classes in the Uk and USA

Uber bosses can now be seen having meeting with Mayoral hopefuls.

Uber don't care about the poor driving either, well not as long as any legal responsibility for the incident can be directed firmly at the driver.

Though I would contend they may have some kind of "vicarious liability" as they were the company that put an inexperienced driver with no pre partnership checks other than the legal minimum ones onto the dangerous and crowed streets of London with no other skills than to blindly follow a SatNav.

And that is the main issue, the drivers tend to swerve at the last minute and do illegal turns or go up one ways the wrong way due to not really having any spatial awareness of where they are or where they are going.

Anyway that is enough of a rant for today, I am going to see what Santa brought.

bigjl

bartelbe wrote: »

Minicab drivers have been a menace for years, not just in London, but everywhere. Best assume they will do something illegal and stupid and give them a wide berth.

It turned out that one of firms near us had drivers on the books without UK driving licences, which shows how well regulated they are.

In fairness UK PH firms have no option but to allow drivers to work with an EU licence.

You have to be granted a PH Lic in London with an EU Lic under EU Law.

BykerSands

bigjl wrote: »

A chip on my shoulder?

It's called facts and what I can see with my own eyes.

The huge increase in rental Prius in London has increased the resale value of Prius hugely.

You can see who these rental firms are targeting if you check out the Uber Market which is an online resource specifically for Uber drivers.

The simple fact is that the massive influx of mostly hybrids into central London at the same time as the huge increase in UberX numbers is not a coincidence.

Also the very obviously positioned Uber phone is a big give away.

The other awkward FACT for you a that I was one of the first influx of UberLux drivers in London and I used it like it was originally intended in the US and Uk, as a fill in between proper chauffeur clients.

However when competitors like Lyft and Sidecar entered the App market in the US with their Rideshare service at super cheap rates using private drivers without proper Insurance Uber brought out UberX.

Initially this was a service that has cars as varied as Audi A6 and Passats etc but was quickly moved down market and the nicer cars moved into their own segment which was UberExec.

At this point drivers in all segments where making a fortune.

Soon Uber in the UK realised that Quality was less desirable than Quantity.

It was at this point that the Prius explosion occurred.

Prius residuals soared, Toyota dealers started offering specials deals for PH drivers and specifically UberX drivers. Jemca being one of the main ones.

At around the same time the original driver became disillusioned and started to do less Uber work as Uber had dropped the rates.

And experienced drivers noted that when ever there was a problem with a passenger Uber would take the passenger side in every case, as a result passenger behaviour began to slide, a direct result of passenger knowing there is no consequence to bad behaviour.

Uber would even refuse to charge clients when they vomit in the vehicle for example.

At around the same time TFL began to licence huge number of PH drivers, due to the fact that UberX has no knowledge test, interview or car inspection lots of new drivers went to UberX, other drivers profiting from referral fees as high as £500 was also part of the issue.

Unchecked recruitment along side rate cuts meant the better driver went back to where they used to work and even if they stayed on the Uber platform it was only to work the peak periods to top up their money.

Since UberX started over 20k more PH drivers have started in London.

Few big companies with take on newbies as they often fail the knowledge tests which traditional operators do at varying levels.

If you worked for a living and drive round London during all of this you would know that a lot of the incidents caused in central London are inexperienced UberX drivers and also UberX drivers sharing cars and Uber phones. It is not unusual for people to comment on social media that their UberX driver was not the driver pictured in the App.

Since this was an issue that Uber ignored when they only had a few hundred UberLux cars it goes unsaid that they have largely ignored the problem now that it is a much bigger problem.

Drivers sharing cars and PH licences had always occurred in Privae Hire in London, Addison Lee had it happen, when reported they actually investigated it and sorted it out when proven. Another reason why Addison Lee have motorcyclists running about London as part of their quality control, it is also to spot check drivers to make sure they are who they are meant to be.

Don't get me wrong I am no fanboy for Addison Lee either but at least they attempt keep illegal activity in check.

The most annoying thing with Uber is they started out to be a game changer for Private Hire.

You could work flexible and sign out when you wanted, knock back work if you though the job or pick up looked dodgy.

Work for several different Operators whilst building up your own client list and securing your family income.

To see what it has become, little more than a Bait&Switch that fails to carry out the most basic of checks and sacks drivers without a right of reply is a bit galling.

But it does show quite well the basic modus operandi of the Corporate Elite and political classes in the Uk and USA

Uber bosses can now be seen having meeting with Mayoral hopefuls.

Uber don't care about the poor driving either, well not as long as any legal responsibility for the incident can be directed firmly at the driver.

Though I would contend they may have some kind of "vicarious liability" as they were the company that put an inexperienced driver with no pre partnership checks other than the legal minimum ones onto the dangerous and crowed streets of London with no other skills than to blindly follow a SatNav.

And that is the main issue, the drivers tend to swerve at the last minute and do illegal turns or go up one ways the wrong way due to not really having any spatial awareness of where they are or where they are going.

Anyway that is enough of a rant for today, I am going to see what Santa brought.

And can you back any of that up with facts? Probably not, as usual it's just your biased opinion you hate progress and were it down to you carriages would still be pulled by a horse.

bigjl

BykerSands wrote: »

And can you back any of that up with facts? Probably not, as usual it's just your biased opinion you hate progress and were it down to you carriages would still be pulled by a horse.

Yes I can.

It's called knowledge.

Can you disprove any of the things I have said?

How long did you work for Uber?

Just under 2 years for me.

From the beginning till it all went to crap.

Or do you just like to post up on matters you know nothing about?

Progress?

Uber is not progress!

It is a form or servitude.

Drivers are treated like Cannon Fodder. Sacked without right of reply. Rates are changed without input or discussion.

Would you like to turn up to work and have them say sorry but we are reducing your wages by £1 an hour?

What about being told you need to upgrade your car? And being given a couple of weeks notice.

Then after buying a new car Uber change their mind and allow cars three years older than the car you just sold are now allowed on your circuit!

All these things are stuff Uber have done to Uber drivers. Alongside cutting their rates to an almost unviable level this drivers need to attempt to "game" Surge so they can get decent rates.

It is a Ponzi scheme or a Bait&Switch.

You sound like one of the idiots that just loves to get home for next to nothing without considering the working conditions and hourly rate the person taking you home is on.

You probably buy a Starbucks or Costa for £3/4 but having the decency to give the Barista on minimum wage a tip.