The Nice People Thread, No.16: A Universe of Niceness.

Pyxis

michaels wrote: »

True, extra showers are only for hot weather or sporting activities or prior to going out in the evening.....

Just went out and crossed the road, the pedestrian light was on red but I wasn't between the studs. Once others had crossed but while the light was still red the car at the lights drove through the red light revving loudly swerving round me on the wrong side of the road...then stopping 10 feet further down the road as there was a traffic jam.

I approached and suggested that regardless of where I was crossing the lady driving still needed to wait for the light to change from red before proceeding which earned me a large amount of cussing from the middle aged driver and her elderly mother in the passenger seat. And I thought St Albans was a nice town.

I wonder if there was a camera on those lights?

You should have taken her number and reported her, because you say, your presence on the road was irrelevant as she shouldn't have moved off.

I've noticed some drivers move off on the fixed amber. I've wondered whether they are confusing the fixed amber with the flashing amber when you can move off if there's no-one left on the crossing.

However, there's no ambiguity about a red light, and as she was already stopped, she can't argue any other way.

Shame you weren't a policeman! The cussing could have got her arrested, then!

SingleSue

Doozergirl wrote: »

I think there's a sweet spot to be hit where people aren't exploited, taxes are paid and processes are satisfactory to the PCO. Uber is ridiculously cheap. We always top up with a hefty tip. It may not be the same in London, but where I am, the drivers are really happy. They don't have the gaps in time of distance between jobs - they can literally drop off and pick up straight away, putting more money in the pocket.

I think there are a couple of other Apps available (may need to find out what they are and if I were still working around the London Taxi Trade and aware of what had been going on, I'd have been working very hard to come up with a fair alternative.

We've found Uber brilliant for Josh to cross London as he can deal with everything without having to speak to anyone or having to carry cash and of course, it is a reasonable cost and a prompt service.

SingleSue

PasturesNew wrote: »

I think "taking taxis everywhere" is something only the wealthier do, or those in London/similar.

For "most people" elsewhere I bet they "only take a taxi for a special trip/an event/something unusual".

I could count ALL the taxis I've had on the fingers of both hands.... it'd have only been one hand required except I've been "made to" take a taxi or two over the years.

I was last "made to" have one when I went for a mate's birthday gathering - and her sibling/wife were staying at hers ... and, after a night in a pub they wanted to get a taxi back to hers.... I thought we were walking, it was only a mile. I think 1 mile can often cost £10-15....

And, once, I stopped a taxi to go 2 miles in a city about 1am and when he found out where I wanted to go, he refused and drove off. I wasn't going "far enough" people suggested.

I usually just drive. £1-2 for fuel, £1-2 for parking - and I can go home when I like!

In London, Uber has been a godsend not just for Josh but also for me with the wheelchair due to our absolutely hopeless and non disability friendly underground.

Elsewhere, we've taken quite a few taxis in Lincoln just so we could get to the top of Steep hill to walk (roll) down it again.

My brother drove a taxi for many years (down here, all ride hire cars are taxis). Not a real money maker to be honest on a day to day basis after fuel, insurance etc is paid out. I did his books a couple of years running and after expenses, he was just below minimum wage. For him on his own it was ok, he could just about pay his rent but needed some help with food but he had to give it up once he met my now sister in law and they had a family, it just wasn't enough to keep their heads above water.

He did try to go into a partnership with another driver but the less said about that the better....sister in law put major spanners in the works which meant that 'jobs' weren't accepted/passed on as she didn't like his hours.

I just don't think this town has enough people to keep all the drivers sloshing in cash, plus the tariff set by the council is not that cheap which makes all journeys eye watering expensive.

PasturesNew

SingleSue wrote: »

...
brother drove a taxi for many years ....Not a real money maker .... just below minimum wage.....try to go into a partnership ....'jobs' weren't accepted/passed on ....

I always used to say I'd never seen a poor taxi driver, but how well you do will depend on where you are, which/how many hours you work and where you are in the machine....

When I was about 20, the parents of two blokes I knew started a cab firm from the space under their stairs.... that was successful and grew to be a big local taxi firm - but it was, no doubt, helped by the fact the father and two sons were both driving for the firm - and they probably also started with another couple of "known drivers" - and, owning the firm, they reaped the rewards of an income generated 24/7.

I just had a look online, the sons would be about 50 now.... ah, I see the mother died in 1998. The father died in 2015.

The firm is still running, huge and from a small industrial estate building... so maybe they flogged it off. It's currently got assets of £2.5million - and some liabilities... current net worth is £700k.

The sons were a bit "wild". Large chaps, twins, taxi drivers, they were "a handful" as they say.... I know one got three girls pregnant 3 months apart ... and, because none of us got out much, all three girls knew each other

And one went to prison for some organised football hooliganism/fighting that was "a big deal".

One of them was also jailed up North for running sex chat lines, with callers thinking they were talking to Phillipino girls, when they were Mancs putting on an accent.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/nottinghamshire/4194867.stm

Ah and he's still a taxi driver, but in Norfolk now, doing charity treks:
http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/trio-finish-charity-trek-across-europe-1-3636632

silvercar

One of them was also jailed up North for running sex chat lines, with callers thinking they were talking to Phillipino girls, when they were Mancs putting on an accent.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/nottinghamshire/4194867.stm

So he got done because the men thought they were talking to real filipino ladies but really they were talking to manchester girls with fake accents! Sounds like the men are racist!

Ah and he's still a taxi driver, but in Norfolk now, doing charity treks:
http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/trio-finish-charity-trek-across-europe-1-3636632

Funny. I know someone else with a slightly dodgy past who did a charity car rally. Unfortunately he made the mistake of taking his mistress (denied "just a friend") as travelling companion.

There must be a PR company telling their clients to do these things for charity, so their dodgy dealings fall down the google searches.

Pyxis

Well, I've no experience of phoning sex chat lines, or of knowing what the expectations of them might be, (:D ), but I'm wondering what the problem is about the girls not being real Philippinos.

I mean, if all they're doing is talking on the phone, and the men think they really are Philippinos, what difference does it make? :rotfl:



(Ok, technically they are in breach of said trades description etc., but if the girls were that convincing, I reckon the men were still getting their money's worth! :rotfl::rotfl:


Or maybe they weren't convincing, and that was the problem? In which case, fair enough! )

GDB2222

Pyxis wrote: »

Well, I've no experience of phoning sex chat lines, or of knowing what the expectations of them might be, (:D ), but I'm wondering what the problem is about the girls not being real Philippinos.

I mean, if all they're doing is talking on the phone, and the men think they really are Philippinos, what difference does it make? :rotfl:



(Ok, technically they are in breach of said trades description etc., but if the girls were that convincing, I reckon the men were still getting their money's worth! :rotfl::rotfl:


Or maybe they weren't convincing, and that was the problem? In which case, fair enough! )

It makes no sense as a business model. Real Philippines women are cheaper to hire than Manchester women with a phoney accent.

It's like pretending to sell Prosecco, but actually putting Champagne in the bottles. (No comment there about the quality, just the cost.)

I keep getting called by people with a very strong Asian accent, trying to convince me they are from the Microsoft Engineering Department in Manchester!

Pyxis

GDB2222 wrote: »

It makes no sense as a business model. Real Philippines women are cheaper to hire than Manchester women with a phoney accent.

It's like pretending to sell Prosecco, but actually putting Champagne in the bottles. (No comment there about the quality, just the cost.)

I keep getting called by people with a very strong Asian accent, trying to convince me they are from the Microsoft Engineering Department in Manchester!

You seem to know a lot about it, GDB? :rotfl:

michaels

GDB2222 wrote: »

It makes no sense as a business model. Real Philippines women are cheaper to hire than Manchester women with a phoney accent.

It's like pretending to sell Prosecco, but actually putting Champagne in the bottles. (No comment there about the quality, just the cost.)

I keep getting called by people with a very strong Asian accent, trying to convince me they are from the Microsoft Engineering Department in Manchester!

Now had they claimed the engineering dept was in Birmingham you wouldn't have been suspicious....

silvercar

michaels wrote: »

Now had they claimed the engineering dept was in Birmingham you wouldn't have been suspicious....

..and you wonder why the BBC censor your comments!