Usual London black cab antics

[LOGAN 5]

Within seconds of leaving work I was trundling down a very narrow central London one way street when a taxi tailgates me revving his engine for about 150 meters - no reason for it as there's no room to pass. I indicate to turn right (he's also going right) and he would have undertaken/overtaken had I not slowed down as a pedestrian was crossing the road. Having turned into the road which is all of 30 meters long he goes for the overtake but of course we arrive at the T junction (as there's no right turn we are both going left) together and he's now overtaking me as I'm also going round the corner forcing him on to the other side of the road. The road turns a sharp right within meters with a zebra crossing with people about to cross. He's no intention of stopping to let them cross and just drives across again on the wrong side of the road. Further down the road he's hooting another cyclist to get out of his way before speeding off to intimidate whoever else.

What is the matter with London black cab drivers. I think they're like the dialeks in Dr Who, real evil, exterminate, exterminate exterminate. You just know when one is around there's going to be a scary moment.

 

[domtyler]

I think it is something in the job description. I tend to make a show of allowing them by if there is an opportunity and that seems to appease them most of the time. They don't seem to notice that I just fly by them again within minutes once they are at the next set of lights.

 

[BentMikey]

+1 I rarely have any trouble with cabbies, they are better than the average road user IME.

 

[jmaccyd]

Within seconds of leaving work I was trundling down a very narrow central London one way street when a taxi tailgates me revving his engine for about 150 meters - no reason for it as there's no room to pass. I indicate to turn right (he's also going right) and he would have undertaken/overtaken had I not slowed down as a pedestrian was crossing the road. Having turned into the road which is all of 30 meters long he goes for the overtake but of course we arrive at the T junction (as there's no right turn we are both going left) together and he's now overtaking me as I'm also going round the corner forcing him on to the other side of the road. The road turns a sharp right within meters with a zebra crossing with people about to cross. He's no intention of stopping to let them cross and just drives across again on the wrong side of the road. Further down the road he's hooting another cyclist to get out of his way before speeding off to intimidate whoever else.

What is the matter with London black cab drivers. I think they're like the dialeks in Dr Who, real evil, exterminate, exterminate exterminate. You just know when one is around there's going to be a scary moment.

Hmmmm here we go again. As a London Cab Driver myself for the last fifteen fifteen years I have clocked up close to 500 000 passenger miles. Except the one occasion, when a passenger (without warning) jumped out and unhorsed a cyclist I have not hit, let alone 'exterminated' anyone. As for limited intelligence, I tend to reserve that statement for people who attempt to group disparate sections of our society under some sort of general heading. So for example, all Muslims are....., all black people are...., all taxi driver's are.....


So what is required when a Taxi Driver does drive badly or in a threatining manner. I would like to say that in the 'old-days' the PCO (Public Carriage Office) would take a dim view of such behaviour. It does seem now that it is not the institution that it once was. What is required is that the PCO gets back to what it was, and deals with complaints about bad or dangerous driving.

Oh, and an interesting thing that came out of the Mayoral election. London Taxis are responsable for 1% of accidents (not the word I like but how it was reported) in London. So can't all be homicidal manics then otherwise that figure would be considerably higher..

 

[PBancroft]

+2 Also never had a problem with cabs in any part of the country.

Also have a very smart mate who is doing the knowledge at the moment. If you think it is that easy, you should have a go at doing it. The money's good... which is odd, if it only requires limited brain capacity.

 

[domtyler]

Hmmmm here we go again. As a London Cab Driver myself for the last fifteen fifteen years I have clocked up close to 500 000 passenger miles. Except the one occasion, when a passenger (without warning) jumped out and unhorsed a cyclist I have not hit, let alone 'exterminated' anyone. As for limited intelligence, I tend to reserve that statement for people who attempt to group disparate sections of our society under some sort of general heading. So for example, all Muslims are....., all black people are...., all taxi driver's are.....


So what is required when a Taxi Driver does drive badly or in a threatining manner. I would like to say that in the 'old-days' the PCO (Public Carriage Office) would take a dim view of such behaviour. It does seem now that it is not the institution that it once was. What is required is that the PCO gets back to what it was, and deals with complaints about bad or dangerous driving.

Oh, and an interesting thing that came out of the Mayoral election. London Taxis are responsable for 1% of accidents (not the word I like but how it was reported) in London. So can't all be homicidal manics then otherwise that figure would be considerably higher..

One percent is pretty high jmaccyd, what percentage of all traffic do they make up? I would bet it would be several orders of magnitude lower than that. On top of that you have to factor in the unreported accidents, the near misses, the bullying, the aggressive, threatening, impatient driving.

You have a good point about not generalising though and it is certainly not fair on the good cabbies like yourself. You belong[ed] to a group with a high proportion of bad drivers though and the impression that they leave on people will rub off on the good ones too.

And if you don't think it is fair, come and cycle around central London during rush hour for a while, wait until you hear that distinctive engine noise on your arse and you know you are going to soon be in the middle of an incident.

 

[jashburnham]

IME the vast majority of Black cabbies are considerate to cyclists and getting better. It is the licensed minicabs I take umbrage with, and I use the word licensed completely incorrectly! What do they actually have to do to get a licence? It seems that a driving test is not included. I’ve lost count of the close call I’ve had with these, they seem to be driven exclusively by homicidal morons.

 

[TwickenhamCyclist]

Think cabbies are just like any other group of road users – vast majority are ok with a few to55ers thrown into the mix.

Slightly off topic but I haven’t been in a black cab since May 1st – who are they moaning about know that Ken has gone, or are they still moaning about Ken anyway?

 

[jmaccyd]

One percent is pretty high jmaccyd, what percentage of all traffic do they make up? I would bet it would be several orders of magnitude lower than that. On top of that you have to factor in the unreported accidents, the near misses, the bullying, the aggressive, threatening, impatient driving.

You have a good point about not generalising though and it is certainly not fair on the good cabbies like yourself. You belong[ed] to a group with a high proportion of bad drivers though and the impression that they leave on people will rub off on the good ones too.

And if you don't think it is fair, come and cycle around central London during rush hour for a while, wait until you hear that distinctive engine noise on your arse and you know you are going to soon be in the middle of an incident.

I know no more about that 1% figure other than Boris used it during the Mayoral election, so if anyone knows more about it please post. Of course you are right in that does not include incidents that do not result in an accident. About 32 000 London Taxi Driver's so I susspect traffic density will depend on location (more centrally) and time (rush hours). Thanks for your kind offer of a ride, anytime!

 

[jmaccyd]

Then I'm sorry but, being a kind and considerate cabbie, you must be in a minority. As both a driver (with advanced driving qualifications) and a cyclist, I find the standards of driving to be piss poor amongst the overwhelming majority of black cabs with which I interact on a daily basis.

And if you want to point the finger about prejudice, look no further than your own colleagues. I avoid taking cabs unless I absolutely have to - partly because I object to being subjected to the continuous barrage of invective towards other road users that seems to issues from the mouths of cabbies on every journey, and partly because the bigoted views that are also spouted continuously are frankly obnoxious.

The PCO is bloody useless and always will be until such time as it is turned into a proper regulatory authority.

quote]


Pleased to hear you have done an Advanced Driving Test. So have I, well several actually as before I drove my cab I was a driving Instructor. Driving standards among Taxi driver's - well some excellent, many just average, some just downright poor. How to get the worst up to the standard of the best is the question..

As for prejudices then I am sad to report that is a general reflection of what our society is like at large. It is me who has to button my lip and shuffle uneasily in my seat as many of my passengers put foward views that frankly I (along with you I suspect) find distastful

The PCO used to be a 'proper' authority. Feared and respected in equal measure. Now I am afraid to say its handover to the politicians from the Police has weakened it to just another quango.

 

[mootaineer]

Those who sort of know me here, know that I have a very low threshold tolerance against cycle unfriendly driving on the roads.

BUT - I have never had an issue with Black Cab drivers. Always found them fine.

Weird.

I'm the same...I've only had an issue with about 2 black cab drivers.
Most have been very good/considerate.

Now bus drivers...

 

[zimzum42]

I've had my issues with cabbies in london in the past, I've been knocked off a couple of times too, but if you think about how many cabbies there are, then you can draw no conclusion other than that it is a minority of cabbies who are total muppets. it's the same with all road users really, but we'll always get someone on this forum who says that all car drivers are out to kill them etc. Strange that they're not dead then, isn't it

As for the cabbie who tailgated the OP, he must be one of th eminority of cabbies who does not have a huge neo-tudor mansion with a pool out in Hornchurch, so he must be a bit stressed no t earning 70K like the rest of them!

 

[dondare]

What is the matter with London black cab drivers. I think they're like the dialeks in Dr Who, real evil, exterminate, exterminate exterminate. You just know when one is around there's going to be a scary moment.

That's Daleks.

As I cyclist, I have never noticed that cabbies have a worse attitide than other drivers. But they certainly don't like stopping at pedestrian crossings and traffic lights.

 

[zimzum42]

it's strange though, that on the few occasions I've been in a black cab, the driver has seemed to stop at every light and crossing, in fact, when I'm in the back they seem to slow for green lights just in case they turn amber.....

 

[gezza]

I know why they're such bad drivers. They have limited brain capacity and, as they race round London on their scooters absorbing "the Knowledge", all driving skill and ability is forced out from their meagre ration of brain cells.

so we have meagre brain cells and limited brain capacity User ???

can you please explain to me how i got my license in less than 3 years, of which, i was working full time as a chef,then going out in all weathers to do the knowledge,then attending a school in the evenings 4 days a week and spending a good chunk of the weekend learning,as well as having 4 months off due to Cancer,I think your being unfair !! i'll grant you there are some bad eggs in the taxi industry but its the same everywhere else

I will admit that when i got my license back in february 2000 i was very anti cyclist ,but as time has evolved i've mellowed,so much so that I took up cycling properly last August,I've joined a cycling club www.kingstonwheelers.com (look under introducing for Gerry Rosen)made many new friends(yet to meet the legendary DOMTYLER B) ) and back in march i brought a £2500 bike and with the help of the club i have lost almost 6 stone and in 2 weeks time i will be competing in The Etape 2008,all this unheard of a year ago .cos i tell you something,if I carried on the way i was before i took up cycling i would be dead at 45 !!!

you know when yuor having an impact,when your taxi driver mates turn around to you and say "fancy doing the L2B next year with me" and i turn around and say *nah sorry,i'm doing the dragon ride" think we can say i am bit of a cycling snob and well and truly hooked on cycling

i've even shaved my legs,but that was to win a £50 bet

thoroughly agree though about the PCO