Black cabs

[Gaynor Hill]

I got refused a black cab from Victoria station on Sunday evening he said I'm not going to Dulwich get out I was so shocked I just got out

Luckily the next one took me

I thought they were not allowed to do this but I've heard they do not want to come south of the river

[fishbiscuits]

It's not uncommon. I've had drivers refuse to drive down here, or on one occasion, behave abusively for the whole journey because he resented going out of his way.

I wonder if those very same drivers were protesting against Uber?

[micromacromonkey]

Next time tell him Nigel Farage lives south of the river, he'll be your best mate and take you wherever you need.

[Gaynor Hill]

That's terrible fishbiscuits,

It's not as though there cheap no wonder people use Uber, I had just been to see Barbara Streisand and it was late so did not want to walk from be stop otherwise I would have got bus

So much for them saying how hard it is to make a living

[Bic Basher]

The same hypocritical black cab drivers who can't stand Uber, Bolt, Kapten and ViaVan, yet they have plenty of private hire drivers who'll drive into and out of ED to the West End.

Then they wonder why some of us use cab apps or traditional cab firms instead.

[KidKruger]

They?ve had a privileged position for some time, thinking their position was unassailable.

Wrong !!

[kford]

They deserve their demise.

[yeknomyeknom]

That?s happened to me too.

[73jem]

My husband and I arrived on 29th June afternoon from France at St Pancras very tired, it was that very hot day, and a black cab brought us all the way home to Dulwich, no problem, we were very grateful as we had anticipated having to settle for London Bridge. Maybe the driver took pity on us as we are over 80!

[Sazzle30]

I?ve had 3 black cabs in succession refuse to take me to Peckham when I worked in Paddington. One that subsequently yelled at me as my road wasn?t part of the knowledge and he?d ?done his bit getting me to Peckham Rye.?

Risked another cab last month and he assured me my road is on the knowledge as it?s next or the Aquarius golf course. I tend to use Uber now

[Rumbero]

Pointless thread. Some people will have had good experiences with black cabs, others won't. Just as some people will have had good experiences with minicabs and others won't. If it's a bad experience with either a licensed taxi or private hire then complain to the relevant licensing authority, in this case Transport for London. For the record I believe black cab drivers are obliged to accept any hiring of up to 12 miles, unless they have a reasonable excuse (for example if the journey is likely to take over one hour or the passenger is drunk or abusive).

[seenbeen]

I looked here because I thought there was going to be some earth shattering news about the black cabs parked up on Crystal Palace Road...oh well...

[NewWave]

Gaynor Hill Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I got refused a black cab from Victoria station on

> Sunday evening he said I'm not going to Dulwich

> get out I was so shocked I just got out

> Luckily the next one took me

> I thought they were not allowed to do this but

> I've heard they do not want to come south of the

> river

I've not used a black cab in the last 3 years after I was left standing in the pouring rain in Islington at almost 1am

by not one but THREE black cabs who stopped then when I told them where I was going said "no I'm not driving that way" or words to that effect-one didn't even have the decency to say that-I told him my destination and he just wound his window straight up and drove off splashing me in his haste to get away.

In case you were wondering I am a petite woman nearing 60 and I was on my own not stood with a pack of incontinent dogs

and yes..I was sober too.

I got home eventually (the 4th cab which I found after walking down to Farringdon finally agreed to take me-it cost ?38 after he crawled most the way)but that night downloaded the Uber app.

[TheCat]

Im someone who gets a lot of black cabs. 2-3 a week on average to and from east dulwich to various locations in central london.

When we first moved to the area (about 9-10 years ago) you would occasionally get a cabbie that would refuse; and plenty of them would talk about how they hadnt been down this way since they did the knowledge. But in the last few years (im guessing as the area has further gentrified) they seem to come down here more regularly, so tend to know the area better, and I haven't had anyone refuse in years.

OF course my cabs are mostly in business hours, or early evening. Cabs in the small hours may be a bit less willing I guess as they think they'll miss out on the drunk people rush home if they have to go 'all the way' to ED.

In anycase, I very rarely ask them politely from outside the window if they will take me where I want to go. I walk up to the cab, jump in the back and say "i'm going to Dulwich please", some of them might be a little bit grumbly, but its a lot easier for them to fob you off if you're just standing outside the window. The cabbie's got to be a pretty committed to not going to ED to actively tell you to get out of his cab....

[fishbiscuits]

73jem Wrote:

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> Maybe the driver took pity on us as we are over 80!

Oh, I think most black cab drivers are absolutely fine. But unfortunately a significant minority are not!

TheCat Wrote:

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> But in the last few years (im guessing as the area has further gentrified) they

> seem to come down here more regularly, so tend to

> know the area better, and I haven't had anyone refuse in years.

Yeah I agree, it does seem to have got better. I had put it down to increased competition (Addison Lee and then Uber, etc), so drivers not being able to be so picky. I'd also thought that maybe since I moved to Peckham, perhaps it doesn't sound quite so far away as "Dulwich"! But maybe your point is also pertinent... more money in the area = more customers asking to come here.

For balance, I've also had Uber drivers accept the ride, then cancel it at the last minute and drive right past me. But overall it's still a far superior service.

[Rumbero]

Black cab apps existed before Uber though didn't they? They just haven't benefited from well-connected 'lobbyists' or venture capitalist investment ($3.5 billion from the Saudis anyone?) to raise awareness. Not had cause to use them admittedly (I wouldn't know one end of a mobile phone from another) but the option is definitely there as far as I know. Anyone tried them?

[peckham_ryu]

Not on at all, and not allowed either. Worth taking their details and pinging a complaint in. This whole area is well within The Knowledge too.

Uber drivers can be proper buggers as well. The drivers don't know the destination until they have picked you up, but their trick in central London at peak times is to ring you to "check where exactly you're standing ... oh by the way where is it you're going?". They desperately don't want a journey that ends them up round here, where there will be no fares near and they'll have to waste time and fuel getting back to somewhere busy. If you either tell them the truth or sound too evasive then they just cancel on you right after their call. I've taken to answering that question with "Just going the other side of Kensington mate", as they're always eager to end up round there. And as I tell them, I do live just the other side of Kennington really. And yes, it probably is easy to mishear Kennington as 'Kensington' on a mobile with lots of background noise, as I often sympathise ;)

[TheCat]

peckham_ryu Wrote:

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> . And yes, it

> probably is easy to mishear Kennington as

> 'Kensington' on a mobile with lots of background

> noise, as I often sympathise ;)

I like it!

Could we also get away with..."just near Hyde Park?...no, I said 'Rye park'..."

[binkylilyput]

More black cabs will come this way now. Back in the day it was best to tell a black cab driver something like "just past Oval".......and then extend it once there

[EastdulwichNewbie]

Agree with TheCat about jumping in the back first or ordering on an app. I?ve had cabbies refuse me when I was heavily pregnant!

If any refuse now I take a photo and report them.

[Wimpole]

TheCat Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Im someone who gets a lot of black cabs. 2-3 a

> week on average to and from east dulwich to

> various locations in central london.

>

> When we first moved to the area (about 9-10 years

> ago) you would occasionally get a cabbie that

> would refuse; and plenty of them would talk about

> how they hadnt been down this way since they did

> the knowledge. But in the last few years (im

> guessing as the area has further gentrified) they

> seem to come down here more regularly, so tend to

> know the area better, and I haven't had anyone

> refuse in years.

>

> OF course my cabs are mostly in business hours, or

> early evening. Cabs in the small hours may be a

> bit less willing I guess as they think they'll

> miss out on the drunk people rush home if they

> have to go 'all the way' to ED.

>

> In anycase, I very rarely ask them politely from

> outside the window if they will take me where I

> want to go. I walk up to the cab, jump in the back

> and say "i'm going to Dulwich please", some of

> them might be a little bit grumbly, but its a lot

> easier for them to fob you off if you're just

> standing outside the window. The cabbie's got to

> be a pretty committed to not going to ED to

> actively tell you to get out of his cab....

Yep, spot on TheCat - my experience also. Tip: I have the same guy taking me in in the mornings for a flat fee. Lots of cabbies sold up and live in Beckenham, Orpington way and passing through in the morning anyway so happy to do a regular flat fee into town. It often works out similar-ish price to Uber and faster in rush hour as they beenfit from using the bus lanes.

I do sympathise with their plight esp way TFL have mishandled Uber's arrival, like many other global cities. But change is inevitable and they don't do themselves any favours. Still too many racist, golf jumper types bemoaning not being able to fiddle the tax on cash with the new card machines but hey ho. The new electric black cabs are great and the app is decent enough too.

[Gaynor Hill]

I was in the back of cab when I asked to be taken to Dulwich, he said I ain't taking you there get out

I just got out shocked and no had not been drinking

[Rumbero]

Gaynor Hill Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I was in the back of cab when I asked to be taken

> to Dulwich, he said I ain't taking you there get

> out

> I just got out shocked and no had not been

> drinking

Quite sure you haven't been drinking!? That's the second time you've made this claim since starting the thread two days ago. You don't like black cabs. We get it.

Regarding some of the other posts, is there any actual evidence that black cab drivers are any more 'racist' than any other section of society or is that simply lazy stereotyping? Admittedly I am not a frequent customer (I try and walk, cycle or take public transport if possible) but have never come across this. In fact the last cab driver who drove me (yes, all the way to East Dulwich) seemed to be some sort of advocate for the Cuban Revolution and kept banging on about Fidel Castro and Karl Marx. He was wearing a jacket and tie (make of that what you will).

And all this 'south of the river' stuff: presumably the ones Wimpole knows who 'sold up and live in Beckenham and Orpington way' don't object to crossing the Thames from time to time.

I even have a theory for seenbeen, who was concerned earlier about the number of black cabs on Crystal Palace Road: maybe they're the proverbial 'golf jumper-wearing' ones who play at Aquarius (while 'fiddling their taxes' of course).

Wimpole is spot on about the new Zero Emission Capable (ZEC) cabs though. Definitely the way forward but at ?60,000 or so they are a significant investment for cab drivers.

[mikeb]

I don't think I've ever had a black cab refuse to bring me to ED. Most of them spend the whole journey talking about how hard it is to make a living now Uber's around and how pleased they are to have a decent fare where they won't spend the whole trip stuck in traffic.

[Penguin68]

We had two Uber drivers (pick-up in East Dulwich), in quick succession, refuse trips to Central London (the third, who did take us, told me that traffic conditions there were bad, which they were). As they (Uber drivers) now no longer get told during the booking process where the trip is to, they had to refuse to our faces rather than just not accepting the offer of a fare on the ap. Both gave the excuse that they couldn't go into Central London because of the ULEZ (and one was a Prius!). In fact, Uber requires that the cars used are 'modern' which means that even the diesel ones would probably be ULEZ compliant, and certainly the petrol and hybrid ones!

I complained to Uber and got a refund (as if they turn down a trip once they've arrived to the pick-up that can be flagged, and charged, as a customer no-show!).

So, it's not just black cabs, although they do have a bad (and earned) reputation when it comes to Sarf of the River.