Taxi drivers (The dodgy ones)

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thedaras

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Anyone see this programme on RTE?
Scary stuff going on out there..Have told my kids to never get into a taxi unless the reg is at least 2000!!Though probably wont make any difference!
 
I just just finished watching it, and a bit of the Frontline too. Isn't a absolutely shocking how those chancers get away with it? And the neck of the regulator, a public servant, refusing to make any comment or come on the program to explain what's going on. PT investigates is just great. But it makes you wonder, what on earth the people who are supposed to regulate things from banks to whatever are actually doing?

Anecdotally I had heard yrs ago about slippin a few bob to get an NCT test, and now we know this is widespread - quelle surpris. So there's cars on the road that could kill and apparently no one is doing anything about it. I'm steaming after watching it.

What is wrong with regulation and accountability in this country? Conor Faughnan of the AA says there's no way auditors can pick up this fraud. But how can PT do it so quickly and easily? Isn't there a manager to sign off on tests in the centre? Do they random test, do they mystery shop? arragh!
 
is every aspect of irish life corrupt? As a mid 30's yo citizen, the last few years have really woken me up to how bad things are in this country- all remnants of innocence have long been replaced by outright cynicism....there is no point in going out of your way to do the right thing in your job or in general day to day aspects of your life.
just keep the head down, earn a living to keep your family comfortable and feck all else, and if that means turning a blind eye etc , then so be it

there was nothing in the show tonight which surprised me. The NCT stories have been doing the rounds for a while. And everyone knows how bad the taxi industry has become...I keep on to my wife/sisters/female friends to never ever get/stay in a taxi on their own. I even go out of my way now to avoid having to get one by arranging to get lifts home etc
It was interesting to see Conor Faughan and Noel Brett on the back foot...2 silver tongued chaps who usually have plenty to say but were caught out badly tonight. Especially Brett.
The regulators office just seems to be another case of bad regulation and waste of public cash....public servants promoted to jobs they are not able for and have no interest in transforming because of the culture they have encountered throughout their careers. But doubt if the private sector would make a better job of it either
 
In the show it said that the Gardai investigated the NCT four times and found nothing. Prime Time did it once and found a can of worms. You will get your speeding ticket on the Stillorgan Road easy enough though... but as for unroadworthy taxis and drivers, forget it. The decent people in this country have been screwed over and over again. I totally agree with Delboy in what he says above. The tossers have won.
 
thedaras said:
Have told my kids to never get into a taxi unless the reg is at least 2000!!
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Delboy said:
I keep on to my wife/sisters/female friends to never ever get/stay in a taxi on their own.
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SlurrySlump said:
In the show it said that the Gardai investigated the NCT four times and found nothing. Prime Time did it once and found a can of worms.
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The best advice you can give someone re getting a taxi is to get into a newish car, only use a car that actually has a company name on the roof sign - those with just a number are independants and not affiliated with any taxi company so much harder to track down if necessary, and tell whoever is getting a taxi alone to text or phone the taxi number (on the roof sign or displayed inside the car) to a friend or family member - and let the driver know you are doing it.

There is no need to be scared to take a taxi, but a small bit of sense goes a long way.
 
SlurrySlump said:
The decent people in this country have been screwed over and over again. I totally agree with Delboy in what he says above. The tossers have won.
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What more can we expect in a country that actively rewards irresponsibility, and actively punishes responsibility? There can only be one outcome.
 
The Irish people connive with all these forms of law breaking. Employing tradesmen and paying cash, Employing cleaners and paying cash, driving "with only a few pints Why dont they catch the boy racers".
Donations to get little "thicko" Johnny in to the "right" school.
And thats only the start. We deserve everything we get


shnaek
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SlurrySlump http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?p=1168288#post1168288
The decent people in this country have been screwed over and over again. I totally agree with Delboy in what he says above. The tossers have won.

What more can we expect in a country that actively rewards irresponsibility, and actively punishes responsibility? There can only be one outcome.
 
Re the NCT test,surely it would be simple enough to have a record of each test that each NCT inspector has passed and also how many they failed,there should be a certain amount that are passed and failed and if one or two of the inspectors are outside these numbers their work should be randomly tested.

I have lost faith in the NCT test,Im just not sure anymore if I can trust them to actually test the car correctly,whose to say they dont really bother to check under the car correctly..

There are several issues raised,one being the NCT,another the Taxis double jobbing and the state of the Taxis..and giving out a Taxi plate to anyone who has 150e or less!

I have personally heard and seen the racism of some taxi drivers and it is unbelievable..and scary.

The whole thing needs to be overhauled..there was supposed to be some restricion or ban on cars that were 9 years or older but there was such a fuss caused that it was reversed,,vested interests ??

The state of some of the cars is beyond a joke,and the state of some of the drivers is frankly embarrassing..and on the other hand there are drivers who have immaculate cars and look sharp themselves..
As always in this country its the few dodgy ones ,who ruin things for others.
Going forward..I dont think so ..we seem to be in reverse!
 
Firstly, credit where credit is due, full marks to RTE for this programme.

On the NCT, we all know it's a pain but if it's done right, it does take dangerous cars off the roads. I'm a firm believer in the saying, you get what you inspect, so who inspects the NCT testers to see that they are doing their jobs correctly, and who inspects the company doing the job. I work for an outsourcer and my clients can(and do) come in and audit me thoroughly every year, with minimal notice if they want to. I don't know if that happens with the NCT but the testing staff did not seem scared to take money. The big issue to me is who is actually in charge?, we have the Dept of Transport, the RSA, the NTA, the NRA, the taxi regulator and yet these things can happen.
 
Five NCT people suspended yesterday. A welcome and fast move. Pity the same could not be done with some senior bankers.
 
Leper said:
Five NCT people suspended yesterday. A welcome and fast move. Pity the same could not be done with some senior bankers.
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Great. But how on earth are they only finding this out now. Surely as a major internional company this isn't a new phenomenon? Surely they considered the possibility of this happening and made provision for checks and random but intense supervision?

And what can we make of the taxi regulator? Well paid and totally ineffective with just 9 inspectors. 30 million income in the last four years what have they being doing with the money?

Well done Prime Time. Part of the 30 million given to the regulator should be given to them. They are the only effective regulation happening in this country that the public can trust. Imagine what they would expose with an extra few bob?
 
horusd said:
Great. But how on earth are they only finding this out now.
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They're not.

"It (Applus) had already dismissed five other staff for breaches of this code over the last year, unrelated to the current allegations." Irish Times 18 May 2011.

Check your facts and give credit where credit is due.

Five sackings in 12 months,and five suspensions seems like an awful lot in a company that size, does it not? Seems like the company were aware of this problem and had taken some action to deal with it.
 
So slash they were so successful that PTI could uncover two different testers willing to take a few bob in a short investigation? So good at supervision that the systems employed could let two deathtraps, one with the engine almost ready to fall out, pass the NCT. Give me a break. There is no excuse for this. a quick review by a supervisor as cars are inspected would have prevented this. How come that apparently comes as news to them? They will earn 400 million from the NCT, is that not enough to deploy proper audit systems?
 
I remember taking my car up to the NCT centre at Deansgrange. A very pleasant guy doing the test but he had an Eastern European accent. Failed on a small matter, bought the car back a few days later, another guy with an Eastern European accent.

EU, free movement of labour. What's wrong with an Eastern European accent?

About six out of eight cars in the staff car park with Polish, Czech and Hungarian numberplates.

I know that Customs have been good at sorting out the issues with non-registered cars in the intervening period but I just remember wondering how many of the cars of the people doing the testing have been tested.
 

Legally speaking they're allowed keep their vehicles registerd in their home country once they can show ties to their home country, which can be as little as going home for Christmas.
 
dereko1969 said:
Legally speaking they're allowed keep their vehicles registerd in their home country once they can show ties to their home country, which can be as little as going home for Christmas.
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Really? are you sure?

I know this has been discussed many times on AAM.

The Revenue website is very clear that if you are coming to Ireland to take up residence, as opposed to a tourist on holiday, you are required to re register the vehicle immediately.

Where does it say you can keep a foreign registration if you have ties to that country?
 
That minibus had it's yellow sticker out of date, well children are not going to check

If I'm in a taxi it's just something I check every time
If something seems dodgy you can get your mobile and write a text to yourself with the details.

I watched the frontline and the drivers had something planned to mark 36 driver suicides. Obviously sad for their comrades.
But they seems to bang on about this a lot, same on Joe Duffy show. And during the goverment protests last years there were a few youtube videos of a taxi union rep banging on about the regulator and suicide.
I think it's a bit of emotional blackmail, almost making the regulator responsible for suicide.
And then Pat Kenny rightly called the driver out when he wanted the Queen to address their issues

Suicide is a tragedy, it's not something to be used for point scoring in debates
 
horusd said:
So slash they were so successful that PTI could uncover two different testers willing to take a few bob in a short investigation?
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While agreeing that there are significant failings here, the Gardai investigated 4 times and could find nothing wrong. Perhaps that says as much about the Gardai though! But it should be noted that the Prime Time investigation took months to complete. People are always more willing to speak off the record to the likes of PT than they are to make statements to the Gardai.
Leo
 

http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/vrt/faqs-vrt.html#section41

an EC Member State resident living/working in Ireland is entitled to bring their unregistered vehicle into Ireland for a maximum period of 12 months (which may be extended on application to the Revenue Commissioners)
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Also are the Gardai able to mount sting operations like Prime Time did to obtain evidence? I have my doubts that they are.
 
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