Here’s the poll:
{democracy:2}
(Note: This poll will not appear on the mobile version of the site)
You can now add polls to your articles, as I’ve added the Democracy AJAX Poll Plugin to the site. When you’re logged in to write your article, click on “Democracy Poll” under the “Manage” tab to create your poll and add your poll to your article with a tag such as {.democracy:XX} (without the “.” before democracy, and where XX is the ID of your poll).
ANYWAY, there’s now one example of a poll in this article, and here’s another one. Thanks to Primal Scream Sneeze and Andre Hendrick for the suggestion, by the way. If you have any suggestions for features we could add to the site, feel free to contact us!
23 Comments
In fairness, it’s the 99% that give the rest a bad name.
in fairness there isn’t a “school for taxi drivers” so how can any of them be classed as professional
There is a skill to driving. Eh but thats its.
I think before the government regulated the industry most of the old school taxi drivers were fairly good drivers. But know any Tom, Dick & Harry with a full licence and a crap car can become a taxi driver. I don’t know if these people are vetted by the Garda before their giving a PSV licence but I can see for myself that a lot of them have no driving skills what so ever and should be made do an advanced driving course before they can receive a PSV licence.
As most of you will be aware the driving instructor industry is been regulated and all instructors must be registered with the RSA and complete a three part test in order to continue in the industry. The tests are ( Theory ) ( 2hr Driving test ) & ( Ability to give good instruction ). I think driving instructors are probably the most advanced type of drivers on our roads yet they have to do these three tests to stay in work. Taxi drivers should be made do at least the first two parts of these tests.
driving instructors are not the most advanced drivers on the road as you say germlink.. only up to the new regulations anybody could be a driving instructor and make money… there are many examples of sham instructors on the roads so hence the need for proper training me auld mucker… it will take some time for all driver instructors had work to proliferate onto the road but we all wait anxiously…
taxi drivers are not advanced drivers just that they work in a now heavily regulated industry for the benefit of the consumer we hope. there is a far cry from a taxi driver being accredited with a professional driver and a true professional driver.. one example would be an artic driver carrying 20000lts of petrol for a fuel station.. eg, wincanton vehicles hauling for statoil… the standard of driving required for that particular job stands head and shoulders above all road users in their professional approach to the art of road craft….
the have to pass and prove competence in hgv liscence and then have experience and references to prove this. they then have to have a hazchem course under their belt which is a second driving liscence.
two driving liscences to just sit in the vehicle and then you have to be tested by the company as soon as you sit behind the wheel…..
if that doesnt beat all then im at a loss for words…
well done to a true professional drivers not the taxi drivers as suggested or questioned above….
isn’t it great how we’re all much better drivers than taxi drivers?
brilliant
That’s the beauty of Ireland! I can call myself a taxi driver, driving instructor, traditional chinese herbalist, professional recording studio and any number of professions in the morning. With no training or qualification whatsoever. If the government actually introduced standards, they’ll have to enforce them! If they can’t even enforce the law on the road, what chance do they have? Has anyone actually SEEN a litterwarden? And I don’t mean sitting in a cafe, but out there telling people “pick that up”. The Mickey Mousery in this country is at times scary and the people in charge are more interested in collecting “campaign funds” in large brown envelopes. My prediction: This will simply go on until it’s gone beyond crisis point and then there will be some band aid applied. Same way everything else is handled. Except road tolls. Remarkable displays of brutal and ruthless efficiency here for some reason, don’t know why, can’t quite put my finger on it…
If you complain about your Irish taxi drivers, spare our poor taxi-bashed South African road users a thought. Believe me, your taxi drivers are tame by comparison! Too many of our Toyota minibus ‘township’ taxi drivers are aggressive, gum-chewing, weed-smoking, liquor-swilling, mobile-chatting, unlicenced, gun-toting mobsters who terrorise fellow road users with their outrageous driving. On any given day, on any urban South African road in any major city like Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria or Durban – one can expect to be hooted, flashed and sworn at as well as middle-fingered off the road by the average bad-tempered taxi driver in his genuine bullet and rust holed, cardboard-windowed, wire-tied wagon of death. Not only will he pass you on the shoulder of the road with bald tires smoking and sound system blaring, but you can be sure his minibus taxi will be carrying at least twice the legal number of passengers at twice the legal speed limit. (Count yourself lucky that he hadn’t driven straight at you through a red traffic light … and on the wrong side of the road – yes, this actually happens!). As if that’s not bad enough, one has to keep an eye open for the occasional hooligan who casually flings a brick or rock from an overhead bridge; cyclists weaving haphazardly through the traffic with wriggling goats in sacks strapped to their backs and/or chickens dangling from the handlebars; inebriated pedestrians who casually stroll across multi-laned highways in dark clothes on dark nights; vehicles on the wrong side of the road without lights or brakes that work; animals that graze on the road verges … and let’s forget the random carjackers and smash-and-grab thieves lurking at intersections! Still think you have such bad taxi’s/drivers? South Africa may have year-round sunshine and stunning scenery, but Ireland is still a much safer place to drive. You have a great country with great people, great Guinness, so called “shitey drivers” and great rugby players (yes, your boys showed our Boks a thing or two recently!). I’m proud to be South African (shitey drivers and all) but equally proud of my Irish roots. Count your blessings … remember, Africa is not for the faint-hearted! May the best team win the Rugby World Cup (as long as it’s not the English or our great rivals, the Aussies!).
yestrday i got a bus into town, we were approaching hanlon’s for prussia street. all of a sudden a taxi at the lights of prussia street who was ina lane for turning to his right did a u turn.
he didn’t even do it fully. his car was completely blocking the road and the bus driver had to jam on his brakes. if the bus had hit the taxi there would’ve been someone killed because.
the bus head on would’ve hit the taxi at the taxi’s side.
the person who wanted the taxi was getting in to it while the road was blocked.
the bus was nearly full up.
we were all in shock ,the bus driver had a few words to say and the taxi driver got out threatening the driver.
well after seeing this it’s only a matter of time before we have a major emergency because of these looney’s on our roads.
my heart goes out for the poor bus driver.
Why do some Taxi Drivers use Bus Lanes as an overtaking lane when the traffic is moving at or above the legal limit? As an example, the N4 either side of the M50 where the Bus Lanes remains open, the speed limit is 80km. I know I Know the chances of reaching that speed is rare due to congestion, but it’s possible from time to time. And on more occasions than I care to mention as I drive along the said highway at 80km in the flowing traffic, along comes a Taxi or two clipping 90km > 100km in the Bus Lane. Surely the purpose of a Bus Lane is to allow for the free flow movement of public transport, Taxis included during peek congestion times when there is little or no movement of traffic. This practice of overtaking on the inside is down right dangerous, but seems to be accepted as just another aspect of bad driving in Ireland.
NO. NO.NO no no no no.
do you understand what i am saying?
Taxi divers are crap.
they cat drive well. they dont know where you want to go.
the car is dirty.
the driver is dirty.
and then they want money, they should pay me, for when i get out of the car i need a wash, change of dress, and a drink to take the taste from my mouth.
Taxi Drivers are easily the best drivers in the country…
One more thing..To all of you who are moaning about Taxi drivers i ask this.When you out tomorrow night and fill your body with Alcohol make sure you tell the Taxi driver on the way home what you are putting up here on a website about him.It would be fair to say you will end up walking you hypocrites…Have a tremendous weekend folks..
As a Taxi Driver myself I will agree that some are really bad drivers,But the Irish as a Race are shite drivers.Sorry folks but its true.Also theres a lot of people from other countrys here now too & there really shite,you know who they are, banger Car no NCT stickers & L Plates,at night time they seem to forget to put there lights on. I have passed 3 different driving tests & I have 11 years of driving for a living under my belt.
To answer a few points. Do Couriers not drive like madmen? Does the white van man not block the road up when he double parks to unload ? Do bus drivers not park the bus up at a stop & go on a break? do bus drivers not barge there way across lanes?
As for the Taxi Drivers being Dirty YES some are I know a few months ago I had the displeasure of taking 2 cabs first was a 98 renault, one head light! exhaust broke! nice smell of BO…second was a manky old merc driver dressed in camo combats ! the car was filthy!!!!!!!!!!!! I give my car a really good clean once a week & I have a shower every day if I need one or not
ON a foot note tomorrow night as Kevin says above you should tell the Taxi Driver how your bitching about his Type on the net.OK hands up who ever puked in a cab??? ok who ever shouted abuse after a cab driver because he would not stop for you.BYE
A lot of taxi drivers are safe, considerate drivers. I feel I am one even though I have been rear ended on two occasions by private drivers while stopped in traffic. Keep your eyes on the road not the radio ye muppets
johnny 2 stroke
quote”Do bus drivers not park the bus up at a stop & go on a break?”
what you fail to realise about bus stops is that are actually bus stops not taxi ranks ,set down stops or anything else.they ARE STOPS FOR BUSES ONLY hence the term bus stop.
christ it’s like explaining things to a 4 year old
also technically a bus stop can also be a termini that is last stopping point or first starting point. so yes they do park at a bus stop or otherwise called a termini in most cases where warranted and go on a break.
Meanie…How sad are you?..Really ask yourself that question..or in fact how old are you?..coming onto a website complaining about Taxi drivers just because some clown who happened to be driving a Taxi pulled out in front of you while you were on the bus…Ireland really is a country full of moaners and you my dear man are a prime example…
I drive a Taxi and An Post/couriers/Guards/Private car owners/Buses/Trucks and everyone else on the road has pulled out in front of me at some stage…There are a lot of fantastic people driving Taxis around our country..People that not only get paid to take you home or to work but people that hand out advice to so many others and give help to many others also..but no matter what i will say in this rediculous website the moaners of this country will say otherwise..
So again remember tonight you hypocrites when you are trying to get home with your bellys full of alcohol..let the drivers know what you have been saying about them behind your keyboards..
please accept my apology kevinC. i almost forgot. taxi drivers own the roads, they are right no matter when they break the law. , there is no such thing as a shite taxi driver.
everyone loves taxi drivers.
maybe you should look at some of the polls kevin, the results speak for themselves. oh by the way this one has never been mentioned before
kevinC quote
“People that not only get paid to take you home or to work ”
thats if you can find the address without asking your passenger.
Meanie…i am lucky man..I have a great life which i enjoy very much..As i mentioned before i am a Taxi driver..I myself follow the rules of the roads and know my job very well..I cant answer for all other drivers but know a LOT of very decent guys in this business..It does not matter to me what you say because i simply dont care..I have put my opinion across and now am heading out to make some money while also getting people home as safely as possible after a good night out..Thats life!
regarding the bus driver and the taxi, you do realize we have had a few tragic accidents involving busses over the last couple of years, one disconnected the ABS to save money another put his foot on the excellerater by accident and mowed down people at the bus shelter. There were a lot of fatalities, but nobody would conclude from this that all bus drivers are dangerous, you logic is just too ridiculous, Name a tragedy involving a taxi crash, its hard to isn’t it and yet there are 30,000 of them out there. Yep there are bad taxi drivers just as there are drivers in general, the difference is taxi drivers stand out because they have a big yellow sign. I pick up my paper every Monday and read about tragedies over the weekend and look at the courts section for drink driving and dangerous driving, by your logic I should be reading about Taxi drivers but know I am reading about you, the ordinary driver. Ireland has the shittiest drivers in Europe.
One further point most taxi drivers hold a license for a taxi and bus, so why when they get into the bus are they better drivers, In rural areas all school bus drivers are the local taxi driver, so you logic is too stupid for intelligent people.
shitedrivers.com cencors poeople with aposing views to there own. They allow unintelligent dribble about taxi drivers to be posted, but when you reply with an intelligent response that gives an apposing view, and with no abusive language
you find you post deleted and your email address blocked.
why is that?
http://irishtaxiindustry.coolforums.org/
The owner of ShiteDrivers.com doesn’t censor anything, Dan. Certain comments will automatically end up being caught by the spam filter on the site even if they’re not spam – these filters aren’t perfect. If you have had a comment that hasn’t appeared, it won’t be because your views clash with those of the site owners, it’ll most likely be because the comment has been held by the software. Just send an email to the admin.
http://taxieire.lefora.com/headlines/
check it out
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[...] 67% of readers who took part in a ShiteDrivers.com poll believe that little or no taxi drivers are &…, with 23% saying that about half of them are. 10% say that most of them are professional drivers, while 2% answered “Don’t Know”. Of course that adds up to 101%… so they’re only rough figures, I guess! [...]