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Council crack down on English Speaking taxi stickers


Huffton
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Racist ponces if you ask me and I'm surprised they still have their taxi licences.

 

When you go to Benidorm for your holidays or god forbid Greece do you expect your drivers to carry passengers who only speak in their native language?

 

Just because someone who looks Asian for example but speaks perfectly good English but with an accent is no different than say white boys from Jarrow or Govan. Trouble is the latter don't have to overcome the inbred racism of the drivers to make themselves understood.

 

Just one small point how do these BNP idiots expect all these non-English speaking passengers to be able to read the signs?

 

What exactly Huffton can't be made up? The drivers attitude or the council?

Edited by Nineteen Canteen
spelling mistake didn't want to looklike a racist taxi driver
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This reminds me of the time when I was in NY about ten years ago.

 

I asked the taxi driver to take me to Armani Exchange. He took me to a place that changes currency.

 

The fault is entirely yours JB as in NY, you are no doubt aware, you have to tell the driver where to go. As an aside is there any place on earth more claustrophobic than the back of a NY cab? Size of the cars you'd thought they could accommodate a pair of legs in the back.

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If you cannot speak English how do you pass the knowledge test? It would be ok if it was a level playing field for everyone but unfortunately some people get more help than others.

It's alot easier when you have an interpreter that knows all the answers.

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If you cannot speak English how do you pass the knowledge test? It would be ok if it was a level playing field for everyone but unfortunately some people get more help than others.

It's alot easier when you have an interpreter that knows all the answers.

 

What a load of absolute bull****! Can you prove that people are provided with an interpreter?

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Racist ponces if you ask me and I'm surprised they still have their taxi licences.

 

When you go to Benidorm for your holidays or god forbid Greece do you expect your drivers to carry passengers who only speak in their native language?

 

Just because someone who looks Asian for example but speaks perfectly good English but with an accent is no different than say white boys from Jarrow or Govan. Trouble is the latter don't have to overcome the inbred racism of the drivers to make themselves understood.

 

Just one small point how do these BNP idiots expect all these non-English speaking passengers to be able to read the signs?

 

What exactly Huffton can't be made up? The drivers attitude or the council?

 

So if a Polish driver had a sign saying Polish speaking driver would that be racist?

What if a Indian driver had a sign saying English speaking driver (and yes, I do know of one or two), is that racist?

Why is it racist for an English driver to let potential customers know about the service they can expect to be offered?

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So if a Polish driver had a sign saying Polish speaking driver would that be racist?

What if a Indian driver had a sign saying English speaking driver (and yes, I do know of one or two), is that racist?

Why is it racist for an English driver to let potential customers know about the service they can expect to be offered?

 

According to the council spokesman interviewed on the local news earlier, all drivers have to be able to speak English before they're granted a licence.

 

So what's the point in having a sign in the cab window?

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How do you think they get asked the questions if they do not have an interpreter.

 

That is not the question I asked you, I asked you to prove that they use interpreters...

 

 

I actually have to agree with Wiltshire Saint this time, this lark does this boring and yet I can't seem to stop myself from bloody replying!

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Those who travel by Taxi on a regular basis in Southampton will be aware of the increased numbers of broken English speaking drivers who struggle when informed of where you want to go, gone are the days when you jump in give a road name and read a paper or whatever, when picked up by such drivers you, unfortunately, have to inform them of which route to take almost from the off and it is frustrating, therefore if given the choice I would be selective, that selectiveness however would not include the early hours of any morning.

I have wondered on many occassions how a driver was granted a licence.

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If you cannot speak English how do you pass the knowledge test? It would be ok if it was a level playing field for everyone but unfortunately some people get more help than others.

It's alot easier when you have an interpreter that knows all the answers.

 

I went to a Mike Osman show once and despite the interpreter I still didn't find him very funny.

 

Perhaps we should do away with all regional accents and unless you speak like David Cameron or the intensely dull Chris Tarrant then you can't drive taxis? Personally, I would love to see Mick Channon or Yousef Safri to name 2 of the many (Claus excepted) to be driving cabs with regional accents around Southampton as oppose to a bunch of lazy cabbies unable to match the work ethic that others are prepared to put in. Just my opinion you understand.

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According to the council spokesman interviewed on the local news earlier, all drivers have to be able to speak English before they're granted a licence.

 

So what's the point in having a sign in the cab window?

 

Not sure if that's strictly true BTF - and I think that is why the cabbies are demonstrating in such a manner...

 

I found this for your perusal :

 

 

No formal qualifications are necessary to become a taxi driver. However, you must obtain a licence to operate from your local licensing authority (there are 387 in England, Wales and Scotland, plus the Public Carriage Office in London and the Department of the Environment in Northern Ireland). Every licensing authority has its own conditions of licence.

 

For a hackney carriage (taxi) licence, you must be 21 or over, have held a full EU driving licence for at least 12 months, and be able to drive a taxi competently and safely. You must show you are a fit and proper person, meaning that you are responsible and reliable, without certain types of criminal conviction. A police check is required on your criminal record for any unspent offences.

 

You have to pass a medical test to show you are physically and mentally fit. Applicants have to pass a test on their knowledge of the routes in the local area - in London it can take up to three years to learn all the routes required; you have to learn this in your own time.

 

For a private hire vehicle licence, you must have held a full EU driving licence for 12 months, pass a medical and make a declaration regarding any criminal convictions. In some areas, you have to pass a Knowledge test. If you wish to act as an operator for yourself rather than receive work through an operator, you also have to obtain an operators licence, which has its own requirements.

 

If you are under 25 it may be difficult to obtain the necessary insurance.

 

There is no upper age limit for entry into this line of work, although in some cases medical examinations may be required on a yearly basis.

 

It doesn't state that there is a requirement to speak English - ironically I think that sort of statement in a job advert would technically be classed as racist anyway....

 

Info from here : http://www.redgoldfish.co.uk/job-roles/125-taxi-driver-job-role.aspx so no idea how reliable it is or isn't :smt102:

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I thought the Knowledge only applied to drivers of licensed hackney cabs in London?*

 

 

 

* NB - note absence of reference to colour of cab!

 

There is a Southampton version - not as hard though (unless it's changed since I took it - 1973). You need to be able to give them the shortest routes from point A to point B across the City.

 

I'm not sure whether private hire drivers have to take it as well as taxi drivers.

 

I know of one driver who took his fare to Bartley instead of Botley but that was because the passenger had a posh accent,

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I think that anyone who does not speak perfect English (with certain exceptions for Welsh, Oirish and Scotch accents) should have to work in the private care sector. Ideally, wiping people's bottoms, cleaning up sick and lighting resident's fags for them.

 

The residents of said establishments should in turn be grateful that our society values them so mmuch that we pay our taxes to provide this service. It would also be a great introduction to British society, our values and a good lesson in who's country this actually is, they might then be a bit more grateful to us for letting them in in the first place.

 

Most of them are ungrateful buggers, wanting all the decent jobs like driving taxis, wiping up sick and wee and being sworn at, threatened and insulted. Them jobs should be reserved for us Brits imho.

 

When will they ever learn? Oh

 

for clarirification TFIC.

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Racist ponces if you ask me and I'm surprised they still have their taxi licences.

 

When you go to Benidorm for your holidays or god forbid Greece do you expect your drivers to carry passengers who only speak in their native language?

 

Just because someone who looks Asian for example but speaks perfectly good English but with an accent is no different than say white boys from Jarrow or Govan. Trouble is the latter don't have to overcome the inbred racism of the drivers to make themselves understood.

 

Just one small point how do these BNP idiots expect all these non-English speaking passengers to be able to read the signs?

 

What exactly Huffton can't be made up? The drivers attitude or the council?

 

I sort of agree, but maybe it is the customers that want only English speaking drivers, and therefore are arguably racist and the drivers are simply trying to get the most custom possible?

 

The way I read it, they're not saying that they only want English people in their cab, but more confirming to people that they are English speakers, as apparently some people look for that in a taxi?

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There is a Southampton version - not as hard though (unless it's changed since I took it - 1973). You need to be able to give them the shortest routes from point A to point B across the City.

 

I'm not sure whether private hire drivers have to take it as well as taxi drivers.

 

I know of one driver who took his fare to Bartley instead of Botley but that was because the passenger had a posh accent,

 

All Hackney and PH drivers have to take the same top test. When I did mine years ago I had to sit down with the licensing officer who fired questions at me for half an hour about the city and routes etc, very much like the London 'knowledge' but not as complicated. Nowadays it is all done on computer with multiple choice answers, hence the amount of drivers getting licensed who are clearly not up to the required standard that the average member of the public would reasonably expect from a public service provider IMO

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Although some may have an ulterior motive in the main I think it unfair, for those that want a taxi driver in the town to know where he is going, to be labelled Racist.

 

 

Maybe. From a different point of view it could be seen as "dog whistle" politics - what they're trying to do is appeal to prejudice customers by saying with the flag cards in a subtle way is: "I'm a white not a foreigner". Just a possibility, only the drivers themselves will know the motive, but I imagine that's why the council took action.

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I would like to see a sign that says "Deodorant used in this taxi". That would be far more useful for me so I can decide if I want to have a pleasant journey or one where I have to put up with some stinking, dirty, scummy cabbie.

 

Stop it, IMO Huffton uses Sure for (white) men and the non technology advanced variety. He won't use Mitcham as it visibily reduces white marks according to the radio adverts on TalkSport the other week.

 

Influenced, I don't think the issue is being labelled a racist for wanting to get in a cab and be certain of getting to your destination but getting into a cab and being able to tolerate a foreign or regional accent other than the salt of the earth white British working class. Cor blimey guv. The less an arrogant and boring taxi driver speaks the better the rear view mirror is for checking the traffic behind not to see if I am paying attention as the fat mass talks to himself lounging to one side one arm on the wheel and one eye on the road.

 

Get a bus, train or walk. Be it drivers or passengers we live in a democratic, multi cultutal society and is it our fault we couldn't rebuild this country after WWII without the help of immigrants or we have jobs that our white yoof feel are below them so Eastern Europeans come over, highly educated and only to willing to work at anything? We should be grateful they wanted to come.

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Get a bus, train or walk. Be it drivers or passengers we live in a democratic, multi cultutal society and is it our fault we couldn't rebuild this country after WWII without the help of immigrants or we have jobs that our white yoof feel are below them so Eastern Europeans come over, highly educated and only to willing to work at anything? We should be grateful they wanted to come.

 

When was the last time you had to sit on the edge of your seat and direct a bus or train driver ?

 

I am proud of our multi cultural society and less proud of the yoof you refer to, however, individuals must surely be able to competently fulfil the role, sadly, in this instance, a percentage cannot and would add a better way should be found to address it by the council without fear of the race card.

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I don't see any harm in it. My Gran gets cabs all the time to get around and she won't get in one with a foreigner. She's 85 and likes to have a chat with the driver and not be ripped off by being taken a moody route to or from the General. This sort of info is helpful to someone like her.

 

You can be as PC as you like, but a lot of people "of a certain age" just don't trust foreigners.

 

I work in London and have to say the cabbies up here are superb! The knowledge is an amazing thing and the service you get from cabs are part of what makes London one of the greatest cities in the World (anyone that has been driven in a sat nav guided Addison Lee car by a foreign driver with no common sense will testify to this), I just wish we could have a similar standard test to our drivers in Soton.

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Stop it, IMO Huffton uses Sure for (white) men and the non technology advanced variety. He won't use Mitcham as it visibily reduces white marks according to the radio adverts on TalkSport the other week.

 

So because I think its not too much to ask to expect someone in a public service environment to speak a good level of the language spoken by the majority (notice I said majority, not all)of customers I am a racist. Ok, if you say so...

Carry on trolling, this is the last response I will be giving to you NC.

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I work in London and have to say the cabbies up here are superb! The knowledge is an amazing thing and the service you get from cabs are part of what makes London one of the greatest cities in the World (anyone that has been driven in a sat nav guided Addison Lee car by a foreign driver with no common sense will testify to this), I just wish we could have a similar standard test to our drivers in Soton.

 

Just yesterday, I was nearly hit by an Addison Lee car going the wrong way up a one way street. I could tell by the vacant, fear stricken look in his eyes that he hadn't a clue what was happening.

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I don't see any harm in it. My Gran gets cabs all the time to get around and she won't get in one with a foreigner. She's 85 and likes to have a chat with the driver and not be ripped off by being taken a moody route to or from the General. This sort of info is helpful to someone like her.

 

You can be as PC as you like, but a lot of people "of a certain age" just don't trust foreigners.

 

I find these comments atrocious. Your Gran is clearly little more than a racist, and being old is no excuse. I have had plenty of good chats with taxi drivers both White British and foreign, and also have had some pretty moody taxi drivers from both camps. Also suffered from dodgy routes from both.

 

Where you are from or what colour your skin is has no effect on your ability to be a taxi driver. Only a racist would think so.

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When was the last time you had to sit on the edge of your seat and direct a bus or train driver ?

 

I am proud of our multi cultural society and less proud of the yoof you refer to, however, individuals must surely be able to competently fulfil the role, sadly, in this instance, a percentage cannot and would add a better way should be found to address it by the council without fear of the race card.

 

Direct a train driver? Never, have you? Driver at the next station can you turn right please.?

 

Bus drivers with a quiet word on the country routes will drop you where you want so yes I have directed a bus driver.

 

The issue is that unless the knowledge as regarded as it is in London is introduced to Southampton the problem will remain but the drivers and passengers are making it a race issue and so are the council inadvertently IMO. Make the test harder and all cabbies to resit them and we shall see who are the more diligent. Bear in mind jump in a cab in Central London and ask them to take you to Solent Road NW5 and unless the driver knows the area specifically (lives locally) he is going to struggle without a map, sat nav or your instructions.

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So because I think its not too much to ask to expect someone in a public service environment to speak a good level of the language spoken by the majority (notice I said majority, not all)of customers I am a racist. Ok, if you say so...

Carry on trolling, this is the last response I will be giving to you NC.

 

Thanks, I hope the council see sense and introduce a knowledge test in Southampton comparable to that in London and ensures that all new and existing cabbies take the exam - afterall you have nothing to fear.

 

If you don't like my opinions don't start threads with racist undertones ridiculing the council for trying to address a potentially combustible situation.

 

I am so far from trolling that you can possibly comprehend in fact it could be readily argued you are being overtly offensive with your opening post. What is your next target, drivers with turbans?

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I find these comments atrocious. Your Gran is clearly little more than a racist, and being old is no excuse. I have had plenty of good chats with taxi drivers both White British and foreign, and also have had some pretty moody taxi drivers from both camps. Also suffered from dodgy routes from both.

 

Where you are from or what colour your skin is has no effect on your ability to be a taxi driver. Only a racist would think so.

 

err, yeah, proper BNP old Joyce! :rolleyes:

 

No - she likes to talk to someone with an accent she understands from an area she knows (if the drivers from say, Shirley, she'll start chatting about the X family from Shirley Warren where she grew up etc). She feels intimidated by people not of the same cultural background as her - the same goes for '000's of old people all over the country.

 

As for the racist point, my Gran survived the blitz living in Shirley whilst my Grandad was fighting in the Navy, she's never felt any anymosity to the Germans and was part of a generation that stood up to facism in a way a lot of today's PC brigade would never have the bottle to. If she, or anyone of her generation, want to have a chat with an English driver safe in the knowledge they are going the quickest route whilst having a chat on the way then good luck to 'em!

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err, yeah, proper BNP old Joyce! :rolleyes:

 

No - she likes to talk to someone with an accent she understands from an area she knows (if the drivers from say, Shirley, she'll start chatting about the X family from Shirley Warren where she grew up etc). She feels intimidated by people not of the same cultural background as her - the same goes for '000's of old people all over the country.

 

As for the racist point, my Gran survived the blitz living in Shirley whilst my Grandad was fighting in the Navy, she's never felt any anymosity to the Germans and was part of a generation that stood up to facism in a way a lot of today's PC brigade would never have the bottle to. If she, or anyone of her generation, want to have a chat with an English driver safe in the knowledge they are going the quickest route whilst having a chat on the way then good luck to 'em!

 

But the fact that she WON'T get into a taxi with a driver who isn't white because she's worried he'll take a longer route IS an appalling thing to think. You wouldn't go into McDonalds and say "I hope a black man didn't make my burger, I don't want aids!"

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But the fact that she WON'T get into a taxi with a driver who isn't white because she's worried he'll take a longer route IS an appalling thing to think.

 

Why is it an appalling thing to think? She has obvioulsy based her opinion on some sort of expereince, or discussion with others. I take a taxi twice a day and can tell you, that whilst it is obviously the small majoirty who let the others down, she is absolutely justified in that train of thought.

Without a moments hesitation and based on my factual experiences, I can categorically state the percentage of having a longer than required journey, is far higher with foreign drivers.

 

Does that make me racist..... of course not.

Edited by Gemmel
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Wow 19C you certainly have a blinkered and unfair veiw of peoples opinions

 

Like in all walks of society there majority of people are good honest people

but occassionally there is the odd bad apple and the same can be said of Taxi drivers.

 

Taxi drivers tend to have there own patch for trade and low and behold if pick up a fare in their turf expect repercussions.

 

Take York Station That is allocated to a specific Taxi firm. Its okay for other taxis to drop off passengers but not pick passengers up.

I saw the argy bargy when one tried to pick up a passenger. not pleasant

 

Anyway. 19C are you saying that it is racist to have a sticker saying you speak English? What about tour guides should they be removed from their coats saying they speak, spanish , german french etc?

 

But then your one of Comrade Mcmillans disciples.

I take it you dint watch the Muslim Taxi drivers programme last night very interesting to see women learning to drive wearing burkas.

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Wow 19C you certainly have a blinkered and unfair veiw of peoples opinions

 

Like in all walks of society there majority of people are good honest people

but occassionally there is the odd bad apple and the same can be said of Taxi drivers.

 

Taxi drivers tend to have there own patch for trade and low and behold if pick up a fare in their turf expect repercussions.

 

Take York Station That is allocated to a specific Taxi firm. Its okay for other taxis to drop off passengers but not pick passengers up.

I saw the argy bargy when one tried to pick up a passenger. not pleasant

 

Anyway. 19C are you saying that it is racist to have a sticker saying you speak English? What about tour guides should they be removed from their coats saying they speak, spanish , german french etc?

 

But then your one of Comrade Mcmillans disciples.

I take it you dint watch the Muslim Taxi drivers programme last night very interesting to see women learning to drive wearing burkas.

 

That's not the same argument!

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Maybe not but one could argue there is a similarity between being able to speak a specific language

 

I have only seen the echo story nothing more substantial so I am not in a position to judge one way or the other what the real issues are in this story.

 

After all the echo are rarely economic with the truth.

 

So is Perry Mcmillans cab festooned with communist and che guevara regalia as is being reported.?

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Wow 19C you certainly have a blinkered and unfair veiw of peoples opinions

 

Like in all walks of society there majority of people are good honest people

but occassionally there is the odd bad apple and the same can be said of Taxi drivers.

 

Taxi drivers tend to have there own patch for trade and low and behold if pick up a fare in their turf expect repercussions.

 

Take York Station That is allocated to a specific Taxi firm. Its okay for other taxis to drop off passengers but not pick passengers up.

I saw the argy bargy when one tried to pick up a passenger. not pleasant

 

Anyway. 19C are you saying that it is racist to have a sticker saying you speak English? What about tour guides should they be removed from their coats saying they speak, spanish , german french etc?

 

But then your one of Comrade Mcmillans disciples.

I take it you dint watch the Muslim Taxi drivers programme last night very interesting to see women learning to drive wearing burkas.

 

No different than the white yoof driving and wearing hoodies. The only difference women wearing burkas being god fearing and responsibile citizens probably don't drive around using a hand held mobile phone.

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19NC the point I was trying to make is the documentary on Muslim taxi drivers was very informative. I think its a series. On one hand you have a a group of Female Muslim lasses learning to drive wearing the Burka due to their strict Muslim faith also the driving instructor also has to wear the Burka of Hajib to cover all but the eyes. Yet in another case you have the westernised muslim who while still wearing a sari was being instructed by another female english driving instructor. Both spoke excellent english.

 

I think your wrong to compare the hoodies and yuff with these learner taxi drivers. The hoodies have little respect for anybody yet these lasses wearing either the burka or hajib were respectful.

 

Mind you old folk getting in to a taxi with a driver who has all but their eyes

covered might feel a little intimidated. It dosent make them racist now does it 19NC?

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I find these comments atrocious. Your Gran is clearly little more than a racist, and being old is no excuse. I have had plenty of good chats with taxi drivers both White British and foreign, and also have had some pretty moody taxi drivers from both camps. Also suffered from dodgy routes from both.

 

Where you are from or what colour your skin is has no effect on your ability to be a taxi driver. Only a racist would think so.

 

Total rubbish as per normal bungle

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