David FitzGerald:
I just got home late from work - got a taxi back. My work will always refund
me for a taxi receipt - but in this case the driver (Black cab number 86423)
refused to give me a receipt ("I've none left mate") and after me asking him
to write something on a blank piece of paper, anything - drove off knocking
my head off his open window (while I was talking to him).

I'm surprised that all of the remarks posted so far have referred to
complaints to the taxi regulators for the less serious of the two
actions described. Assault is a crime, isn't it?

So now I am left to falsify a receipt (I've got plenty of blank ones) in
order to get my money back - not something I want to do.

On the other hand, maybe David just destroyed his own credibility by
saying he was contemplating doing so.
--
Mark Brader, Toronto | "One thing that surprises you about this business
| is the surprises." -- Tim Baker

My text in this article is in the public domain.

In message , David FitzGerald
writes

"Mike Hughes" wrote in message
...

There is no legal requirement for a taxi driver to provide a receipt for
a taxi journey.

I didn't know that - I had always assumed there was.

Did you give the driver a tip? If not then it's quite
possible that the driver won't give a receipt as this costs him money
and he *may* have got a little upset at someone using his time without
payment. As you are getting the money back it won't cost you anything to
give him something extra.

Not a very big one - fare was £11.10 and I gave him £12. I'd normally give
£13 for that kind of fare, but (a) he had the doors locked until after I
told him where I wanted to go (isn't he supposed to go where I tell him and
not choose whether to take that fare?) and (b) I didn't have any more change
anyway.

In that case you possibly got one of the really miserable gits that are
in the trade. Every business has them, bet you can name some in yours.
Despite the common perception they really are a very small number, but
of course they're the ones that get the publicity. The good ones that do
great works of charity don't get much publicity but that's life.

If you've got blank receipts you could take these with you, fill it in
yourself and then ask the driver to sign it. There is, however, no legal
requirement for him to do so.

I have a stack of them - I just prefer not to use them. I'll just have to
make one up myself.

From January 2005 all London taxis presented for re-plating are required
to have meters with printers attached so that receipts can be printed
showing the amount on the meter. Trouble is no one has specified the
exact format that they must have. Will they only have to show the amount
on the meter, plus extras for Heathrow pickups / radio jobs, etc. Is
there going to be some method of adding gratuities to the receipt, etc.?

I can see great competition at work with people trying to get cabs which
don't have these machines. Already everyone refuses to use thooe Zingo cabs
which print receipts. The paper ones, due to their expense account abuse
qualities are considered handy amongst the masses at work. Personally, I
would not like to get fired for something as trivial as falsifying a taxi
receipt, but nobody has ever got caught as far as I know so it is rife.

Why is it that you seem to find so many drivers who've run out of
receipts. Try giving them something extra and see if that works - it
doesn't cost you anything personally as your work will refund it.

Because I make an enormous amount of journeys by black cab - could be up to
5 or 6 a day sometimes. Just a law of averages. I do always make sure to
tip - even if only a quid or so. Quite often drivers will accept the tip but
write the receipt for the meter amount. Doesn't really bother me, as it's
not an awful lot of cash ... and there's always a stash of blanks at home
anyway since a lot of the time when I ask for a receipt I just get given a
blank one.

On the subject of tipping, why is it that most Australians *never* give
a tip, even after the driver has gone out of his way to be helpful?

Probably because they are travelling and have no cash, and are surprised
about the expense of a black cab in the first place. I'm not complaining -
I'm not British and have only lived here a few years - but I have found
Black Cab drivers to be the best in the world for short journeys around town
and worth every penny. But I've got to say that a trip to the airport in a
Black Cab isn't worth the expense - a more comfortable and quicker journey
can be had for a cheaper price.

Cheaper, but are they insured, has the driver's character been checked,
do they even have a drivers licence. You'd be surprised at the number of
'minicab' drivers that don't.

Or perhaps it's just because they're a bunch of scallies!

I'm not excusing bad attitude by taxi drivers but there are times when
the 'travelling public' really make your blood boil - and you're
supposed tojust swallow it all the time.

And there are times when a cab driver can make your blood boil, and you
still have to stump up the cash even if he's taken a convoluted route home!

If you think it's a convoluted way home have you asked why he went that
way. I've sometimes gone 'convoluted' ways because I know from the radio
that there are road works/accident/march/etc that are causing delays.
Sometimes I make a mistake. No cab driver is perfect !

Now if you want a taxi driver to take you to and from Gatwick or
Heathrow who will turn up at the promised time and will be dressed in
shirt and tie and not shorts and T shirt, and give you a receipt, let me
know - but it *may* cost you :-) (please note the smileys)

That's when I book with Tristar. ( http://www.tristarworldwide.com ) I don't
find a Black Cab comfortable for a journey out to Gatwick and they're not
quick enough on the motorway. A friend of mine recently drove to Morocco
from London in a Black Cab for a rally and came second last every leg (to a
Winnebago!)

Not quick enough? My cab does 70-75 comfortably. Are you suggesting that
you want a driver that breaks the law by speeding?


--
Mike Hughes
A Taxi driver licensed for London and Brighton
at home in Tarring, West Sussex, England

"Mike Hughes" wrote in message
...
In message , David FitzGerald
writes
I just got home late from work - got a taxi back. My work will always
refund
me for a taxi receipt - but in this case the driver (Black cab number
86423)
refused to give me a receipt ("I've none left mate") and after me asking
him
to write something on a blank piece of paper, anything - drove off
knocking
my head off his open window (while I was talking to him).

There is no legal requirement for a taxi driver to provide a receipt for
a taxi journey.

Yes there is, a Taxi ride is a Vatable supply and VAT rules require
receipts to be issued.

tim

Mike Hughes wrote:

On the subject of tipping, why is it that most Australians *never* give
a tip, even after the driver has gone out of his way to be helpful?

Because it is expected that being helpful is a standard part of the job.
Perhaps the question you should be asking is why the English accept such
poor levels of customer service that they feel obliged to tip when they
receive anything above that.

--
Replace 'tolb1' in the address with 'newcross' otherwise it goes to
the great spam bucket in the sky.

On Sat, 11 Sep 2004 13:18:09 +0100, "Clive D. W. Feather"
wrote:

I believe you'll find they have come from a culture that doesn't do
tipping, instead paying people for the job. I've had Kiwi colleagues who
have never tipped either.

Not just those from abroad; as I recently posted in
uk.transport.buses, I personally dislike the concept of financial
tipping, and would far rather that a fair, listed price was charged.
If that price is higher than that currently charged, fine - but I
don't see why a tip should be "expected" for normal service - I'd
consider it something I would give for *exceptional* service.

What I mean by that is that if the current level of taxi fares does
not provide a living wage for taxi drivers, they should be increased
so that they do. It should not be necessary for taxi drivers to live
off tips.

(Incidentally, I had a meal in a restaurant this evening with a large
group, and said restaurant had a policy of adding 10% "gratuity" for
such groups. I wasn't the organiser, so I didn't fuss - but had I had
anything to do with it, I would have been tempted to zero it; if it is
expected, it should be included in the listed prices.)

Neil

--
Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK
To e-mail use neil at the above domain

"David FitzGerald" wrote in message
...
I just got home late from work - got a taxi back. My work will always
refund
me for a taxi receipt - but in this case the driver (Black cab number
86423)
refused to give me a receipt ("I've none left mate") and after me asking
him
to write something on a blank piece of paper, anything - drove off
knocking
my head off his open window (while I was talking to him).

As a black cab driver myself, I'd say that the problem with the receipt,
while annoying, should just be chalked up as one of those things, especially
as you have a supply of blanks. I doubt that a complaint about this would
lead to anything anyway.

However, if he drove off, presumiably in anger, and caused you injury in the
process, I sincerely hope you do complain, as his behaviour reflects on the
trade as a whole.

In message , Mike Hughes
writes
There is no legal requirement for a taxi driver to provide a receipt
for a taxi journey.

Which is strange, as it would make them the only people trading who
refuse to issue a receipt. As someone suggests above, taxi journeys are
VAT-rated (although it might be 0%, it can still be VAT-rated) in which
case you should be automatically issuing receipts along with your
business name and address.

Did you give the driver a tip? If not then it's quite possible that the
driver won't give a receipt as this costs him money and he *may* have
got a little upset at someone using his time without payment. As you
are getting the money back it won't cost you anything to give him
something extra.

Ah - requesting payment for a receipt (or not supplying one unless
tipped). Now, that is an offence, although I'll have to dig deep into my
references to find the exact details.

Martin

PS Whenever I asked for a receipt from a taxi-driver, they usually
thrust a collection of unfilled receipts into my hand and made off with
a shouted "fill it out yourself". And let's face it, that care-free
attitude is what makes the taxi-drivers of London an individual breed:
their inability to carry an A-Z because they've passed the Knowledge so
know anywhere worth knowing, except where you want to go; the drivel
communicated to you throughout your drive, much of it bordering on
neo-fascism while most it is just from Planet Stupid; the reckless
driving, speeding and overtaking coupled with a complete disregard of
any other road-user or pedestrian.


--
Martin @ Strawberry Hill

Not quick enough? My cab does 70-75 comfortably. Are you suggesting that
you want a driver that breaks the law by speeding?

90 in the fast lane on the way to Heathrow suits me

I'm surprised that all of the remarks posted so far have referred to
complaints to the taxi regulators for the less serious of the two
actions described. Assault is a crime, isn't it?

Of course - however it's not like I got a concussion from it. Making the
report to the police, and all the fuss along with it is more trouble than
it's worth.

So now I am left to falsify a receipt (I've got plenty of blank ones) in
order to get my money back - not something I want to do.

On the other hand, maybe David just destroyed his own credibility by
saying he was contemplating doing so.

Well, I don't want to be down on money for no fault of my own. I've since
found out that I can self-certify expenses up to £100 a month without a
receipt at work, so I am pleased I can do it that way, not have to fake a
receipt and still be reimbursed.

D.

"Spicknspan" wrote in message
...

As a black cab driver myself, I'd say that the problem with the receipt,
while annoying, should just be chalked up as one of those things,
especially
as you have a supply of blanks. I doubt that a complaint about this would
lead to anything anyway.

However, if he drove off, presumiably in anger, and caused you injury in
the
process, I sincerely hope you do complain, as his behaviour reflects on
the
trade as a whole.

In that case, I might just do that. Really not interested in getting
involved with any assault proceedings with the police - but a quick visit to
Penton Street (it is only around the corner from me!) should be in order.

David.