Taxi Fares

[misterdubya]

Due to a drop of snow (approx 8 inches yesterday) it appears the town I live in has shut down.

I called several taxi companies yesterday evening as I was going out to meet some friends as Im not in the habit of drink driving and I did not want to walk. I had a very busy day at work and I didnt fancy a 2 mile trek.
2 taxi companies arrived and declared that they would only take me on 'rate 3' as the roads were bad. This was at 18.30. I told them to forget it and cancelled my plans.

Are taxi companies allowed to do this, as I think its a rip off? It 'snow joke'.

At 7.30 this morning I had a customer call to explain his boiler had broken down. I got in the van, drove the 3 miles & repaired the boiler (frozen consensate - nice install ) and explained it would cost £20 (I was there 1/2 hour max).

Maybe I should have wasted a few hours there on my 'rate 3' and ripped them off to pay for any future taxi's I may need?

Mr. W.

 

[peterpumpkin]

mr w
Taxi drivers probably not got many customers in the snow, so need to charge what they can to make a living..
You are like me , only like to charge a fair price for an simple job, I have known people to do little and charge more, by Gilding the lily.
PP

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Taxi drivers make it up as they go along, end of the day the should either charge by the mile or by the time taken, not which ever one suits.
It especially annoys me, when taxi drivers charge extra around Christmas time and NYs why? They have chose to work, so why rip the rip off the ones that have chose not to work.
Don't envy there job though!

 

[Mw Roofline]

At 7.30 this morning I had a customer call to explain his boiler had broken down. I got in the van, drove the 3 miles & repaired the boiler (frozen consensate - nice install ) and explained it would cost £20 (I was there 1/2 hour max).

That is no way how to run a business. It's all very nice to charge next to nothing but if you sat down and worked out all your outgoings, fuel, advertising, tools your wages, insurances etc for the whole year and divided them up into days then you've probably made a loss or just broke even.

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure you are a great guy and we have to look after OAP's, disabled and single mums but most of all you have to look after yourself and your business.

 

[misterdubya]

Agreed.

I just felt sorry for the guy as he is a fireman who is disabled from falling through a roof. Silly git for managing to do that to be honest, but I had nowt else to do this morning and was a bit too generous in my pricing policy I guess.

As Joe90 knows, were all rip off merchants us gas men.

My business does well (I couldnt afford that dog, 3 kids and the mortgage if it didnt), but I am a bit soft at times.

Mr. W.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Nothing wrong with being a bit soft, I have just been doing a bit of work for a lovely 70 year old lady.
I know see can't afford a great deal, but willing to do the extras for some coffee, biscuits and some warm soup on a bl00dy freezing day.

 

[Mw Roofline]

Agreed.

I just felt sorry for the guy as he is a fireman who is disabled from falling through a roof. Silly git for managing to do that to be honest, but I had nowt else to do this morning and was a bit too generous in my pricing policy I guess.

Fair play mate, in the above case it's good to have people like you

 

[nickso]

i try and avoid taxis and snow. the sneakier driver will be spinning the wheels and making your journey three times longer than it is.

 

[wotan]

i try and avoid taxis and snow. the sneakier driver will be spinning the wheels and making your journey three times longer than it is.

A good valid point.

 

[conny]

Sons mate is a taxi driver and he says they are charging standard rates regardless of weather. Said they don't get much chance for a break since the snow came down as everyone is using them instead of their own cars.
One reason for charging extra at Christmas/New Year is because they have more incidents of people throwing up in the cabs so it costs more to clean/valet. This in turn means they are earning less due to 'off-road' time while they are cleaning it or paying someone else to do it for them.

 

[^woody^]

Considering most taxi drivers can't even drive, then I am not surprised that they can't work out how much to charge either

 

[LastMagicBean]

Yep. mrdubya.
Taxi drivers have been members of the 'mask and stripey jumper' brigade for a long time now.
Out and out f*cking robbers.

But I really need to ask this question............

we have to look after OAP's, disabled and single mums

Single mums????????? are you serious?????????
WTF for??? ..... why is that a deserving case for deeds of human kindness.?? F*ck 'em.

And there's me shaking my head wondering why my country is so f*cked up. You simply couldn't make it up.

 

[conny]

" F*ck 'em. "

Think someone already has.

 

[LastMagicBean]

" F*ck 'em. "

Think someone already has.

Very droll, Constance, very droll.

 

[scatmanjohn]

At 7.30 this morning I had a customer call to explain his boiler had broken down. I got in the van, drove the 3 miles & repaired the boiler (frozen consensate - nice install ) and explained it would cost £20 (I was there 1/2 hour max).

1/2 hour to defrost condensate/ check boiler/ carry out safety checks/ issue paperwork.