In article ,
(Mike Hughes) wrote:

In message ,
writes

Refusing to use the meter within the Borough boundary is a criminal
offence and should be reported to the police. Take the cab and driver's
badge numbers.

Not strictly true. You can agree a fare *lower* than the maximum
permitted on the fare chart and they would not have to put the
meter on. Having said that how could you prove that the agreed fare
is lower unless you put the meter on?

In practice what happens in the (rare?) cases that such an
agreement is reached most drivers (at least in London) will run the
meter up to the agreed amount then stop it. They will then continue
the journey with the meter not set - all perfectly legal.

(I do this in the early hours of the morning if I get someone who
wants to go to Heathrow at around the same time I want to go home,
offering them a discount off the normal fare. I then stop the meter
and take a print out which records the start time, finish time,
distance travelled and the fare. That is my proof of what was on
the meter?

Some drivers are not so honest. This does seem to be more prevalent
outside London as getting a badge doesn't take 3 years and isn't
valued by the drivers as much.

--
Mike Hughes
A Taxi driver licensed for London and Brighton
at home in Tarring, West Sussex, England
Interested in American trains real and model?
Look here http://mikehughes627.fotopic.net/

All true I'm sure, Mike. I was of course using a shorthand for what you
wrote. :-)

Good to see you back here again.

--
Colin Rosenstiel