Taxis - Black Cabs, Uber, Illegal Cabbies

You suggested it was for navigation in your first post. Do you really think a black cab driver is using a tablet on the passenger seat for navigation? Or do you think they're using it to either accept internet fares or catch up on Game of Thrones while waiting in a taxi rank? You've not actually said they were using it while driving so I'm guessing they weren't or it would've been mentioned.

Uber to introduce flying taxis in Los Angeles in 2020 - http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-uberair-la-20171108-story.html

... although the totally new class of aircraft (which will somehow cost the same as a car to use) haven't even been designed yet, let alone built, tested and certified? Yeah right.

Some (big) news

http://www.cityam.com/275470/uber-has-lost-its-appeal-employment-rights-its-drivers

The judgment

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a046b06e5274a0ee5a1f171/Uber_B.V._and_Others_v_Mr_Y_Aslam_and_Others_UKEAT_0056_17_DA.pdf

Any news on their appeal against TFL? It's been a while since their operating license extension expired...

No news, and by all accounts that's going to take a long time yet. It also depends on how talks between the company's head honcho and the Mayor have gone. I don't know what will happen if they've gone well, i.e. whether Uber in that case would not appeal but change their ways and simply apply for a new licence, if that's possible, but if they've gone badly I imagine they would try to draw out legal proceedings for as long as they can, so if the deadline to appeal hasn't passed yet they would probably try to submit an appeal as close to the deadline as possible, etc. I say all this as a complete legal ignoramus.

The EAT ruling is excellent news.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/oct/13/uber-appeal-london-licence-tfl

"
Uber’s licence expired on 30 September, but Uber’s cars will remain available in London until the legal process is exhausted – potentially a year or more. A first hearing is likely to take place on 11 December, according to a judicial office spokesman.
"

In Helsinki Uber fought a very, very dirty battle to operate there. They were never allowed to operate apparently, and I found this out when my ride there a few years ago was cut short by the driver being arrested!

They finally lost, and when I visited there recently I encountered the bizarre experience of the app still working, giving me a fare estimation, but unable to find any rides.

It's a shame the only other Taxi options in Helsinki generally cost €20 no matter how short your journey is.

Ah, sorry, I thought that story had already been posted.

I missed that they'd already appealed.

A good article here that contains useful legal distinctions:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/nov/13/uber-lost-appeal-workers-employment-rights

An interesting suggestion in this article that the frauds committed on these students may be connected to an Uber data leak:

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2017/dec/09/text-bank-student-loan-money

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/uber-can-continue-operating-until-may-or-june-next-year-as-appeal-date-set-for-the-spring-a3715611.html

On the Uber judgment

https://www.wired.co.uk/article/uber-transport-company-decision-europe

It's a bit depressing to think that when we have finishing drunkenly brawling our way out of the EU that kind of common sense decisions that the ECJ tends to make will most likely become increasingly rare.

The UK already treats them as a taxi company requiring them to be licensed as minicabs.

An alarming story in the TFLPH magazine:

A cabbie explains what happened:

Aren’t all black cab drivers rapists in the same way that all cyclists jump red lights?

I know the above is not true but just using cabbie logic.

A cyclist known for his aggression towards London Taxi drivers,
launched a horrendous attack on a lady Taxi driver, yesterday
afternoon. The whole incident was recorded on a bus CCTV, behind the
Taxi.

The bus driver has said he is a willing to be a witness to the attack.
Police were called to the incident, but the cyclist with 'FUCK TAXI'
tattoos on his legs ran off before they arrived.

Observers said, the cyclist approached the Licensed Taxi at the
lights. He got off his bike and proceeded to smash both of the lady's
wing mirrors off. He then threw three punches at the female Taxi
drivers face through the open window, as she sat terrified in her cab.

Police said, "This cyclist is well known to us and will be easy to
find”.

http://taxileaks.blogspot.co.uk/2018/03/cyclist-know-for-aggression-towards.html

So the police disclosed the criminal record of a suspect to a random cabbie? Mmmm.

So the police disclosed the criminal record of a suspect to a random cabbie?

Where do you get that from? Please don't tell me that's from "This cyclist is well known to us".

'FUCK TAXI' tattoo guy sounds like a complete twat, and an easily identifiable twat. Shouldn't be too long until he is caught. Film at 11.

Bullshit, nobody is wearing shorts this time of year.

The only source of the story is a black cabbie with a long history of abuse and threats toward cyclists. So I reserve judgement.

Every cyclist should have a tracker system. Sounds like a Strava employee is moonlighting as a taxi driver