Blah Blah Land Is Over. It's Kill Or Be Killed Now.......................by Semtex. 8829

Nobody is or should be, more powerful than the Laws of our Land. That is, it appears, unless you are Uber.

As in all professions, trades and industries in the UK, there are laws, regulations and obligations in place, that we must all adhere to, to prevent abuse and wrong doing.

Law and Enforcement are deployed in most of what we do, when we go about our normal lives. If you go fishing, you need a licence. If you like to shoot, you need a licence. To drive your car, you need a licence. To sell your house, you need to fill legal forms in. 

To have a hospital operation, you need to sign consent and liability forms. To divorce your partner, you need to sign legal forms. To park in a supermarket car park, you need to comply with their terms. To get married, you need a licence. To drive either a Hackney Carriage or Private Hire vehicle, you need a licence.

Most of what we all do in our normal day to day living, requires some sort of licensing, permission or other criteria, to enable us to carry out our relevant choices and day to day movements. In all of those licences, legal paperwork, permission criteria etc, there has to be an adequate and realistic Enforcement in place, to ensure that compliance is being adhered to.

Nothing new there. That's how it's always been. That is how it's always been in most democratic lawful countries too.

Most law abiding, God fearing decent people know only too well their professional and moral responsibilities in life, and ensure that they comply with them. Most of us know too, that failure to comply with the rules of life, would invariably see us falling foul with our laws that we are taught to respect, and ending up on the wrong side of them. Penalties for such non-compliance and disregard of the laws of our land can range from a fine to life imprisonment, depending on the severity of the disregard of the perpetrator.

It appears then, that during my 60 years of living, this set of life's rules and the penalties for ignoring them, have always been more or less the same. It is after all, how life and living works, right ?

Well, apparently not now. Not since 2012 when San Francisco mini cab firm Uber arrived, setting up their stall in London.

For it is due to some strange reason, despite Transport For London's Licensing Regulators rigorous application criteria to gain an Operator's Licence, that the firm from LA, have managed to override this. To my analytical mind, this is more than just 'strange'. Something is stinking real bad here. How on earth has this company, who is registered in a foreign country, and pays it's taxes in yet another.........managed to bypass the very foundations and lawful fabric, that ensures compliance and fair play in our United Kingdom ?

You tell me. But one thing is for sure. There have been many efforts from or Trade Orgs, representatives, legal advisers and even London Cabbies themselves, to appeal to Members of Parliament and the Licensing Regulators, Transport For London themselves, to give a valid and credible explanation as to how this could have possibly happened.

And every time I have seen these appeals go out, I have voiced my opinion that they will be valuable time wasted. The tentacles of Uber are extremely penetrative. Uber are like a gas, they are akin to a virus. They get everywhere and it seems that once there, nothing can wipe them out.

I have always said that there isn't an MP in the country, who has the spunk and clout to take this mob on. And I stand by that today.

What on earth could be the reason to allow a foreign company to blast onto our shores and ride over the granite Laws of our Land with a fearless confidence ? 

The Germans didn't get away with it, did they ? 

Neither did anybody else.

So why the Yankee Minicab Firm ? 

I think I know. See if you can guess.

There is much speculation within our Trade Orgs and our colleagues, whether Uber will be successful in their new Operators Licence Application in May.

Folks, don't even give it a second of wasted time in pondering. You bet your life Uber will be re-licensed, and trust me, I know more than I'm letting on. Never will it be such a pleasure and honour to admit I am wrong, if I am. I dream of being wrong about this.

For far too long, our trade have stood back and listened to the cods wallop. Blah, blah, blah, effing blah ! 

Our Trade Orgs have a lot to answer for. Why didn't we as a United Force see this coming ? Blah, blah, blah effing blah.

Ruse after ruse. Deflection trick after deflection trick. Cabbie's Cabinet, Rules of Engagement, consultations, meetings, promises, deals, blah, blah, blah. Referendums, more meetings, more time.....wasted, consultations, opinions, consultations about the last consultation, tick effing tock, blah blah, yeah yeah, working behind the scenes, fight to the death,  they wont take my badge, they will hve to kill me, more blah, more tick, more tock, more bollox from me writing crap about when I was 6. Blah blah, tick tock, time wasted. 

So and so MP wants to give us his or hers full loyalty. They can't envisage London without the famous Black Cab. We can, and it's happening, right now. Blah, blah, working quietly for us all. You dont realise how much progress we are making, More bollox, more stories from me about when I was in the army, blah blah, tick tock, anywhere nearer saving our futures..........? 

Not one single inch nearer saving our futures. In fact we are in a worse position now, than when John Mason had the reins. Why's that then ? 

How come we are in this position ?

Folks, we have blamed everyone. We have blamed John Mason, we have blamed Emmerson, we have blamed Leon Daniels we have blamed Boris, we have blamed Khan, we have blamed Hendy, we have blamed Cameron.

Let's take a good look at us, shall we ?

First of all, let's try and understand that all the aforementioned and many many others, do not actually give a Friar Tuck where mine or your next week's wage comes from.

Please get this first thing ingrained in your heads. It is the first cardinal rule. You must not whatever happens go against the first cardinal rule.

Don't think that by sitting next to and having your photo done with the likes of Tom Watson and other loving carers of our trade, that they are going to help us. Please understand this. They don't give a Friar's mate. They WONT help us at all. 

I have to watch myself here, but they wont touch Uber, I'm telling you.

It's no good sending letters to your MP. It's no good pointing out the already in place Laws. They know them. It was they who implemented them. Hear what I'm saying. 

THEY WON'T TOUCH UBER.

Uber are invincible. See the Met's current and going sooner than he should Commissioner ? When asked about why Uber are getting away with it, he said us London Cabbies arejust moaners. You see what I'm saying ? 

THEY WON'T TOUCH UBER.

Any MP who values their future would be well advised to steer clear of fighting for the London Cab Trade against Uber. If they did, their career would plummet. 

THEY WON'T TOUCH UBER.

You would think that the upheaval to the Capital via our Demonstrations in the City would see the BBC's camera teams scrambling for their zoom lens and microphone mufflers, wouldn't you ? Course not. 

THEY WON'T TOUCH UBER.

What is the answer then, Semtex ? I anticipate the question.

Folks, there are two certainties here that I will assure you of.

1. Uber WILL be re-licensed.

2. Uber will eventually kill us.

UNLESS. Unless we put up such an enormous and MASSIVE demo for one day only, with a promise of more to come. Not the normal London Cab Demo, but a NATIONAL DEMO IN LONDON, with representation from ALL HACKNEY DRIVERS IN THE UK.

Uber as you know are currently being reported as working on London Licensed TFL Roundels as far up the country as Newcastle and beyond. That's an awful lot of Police Forces and Law Compliance Teams they have upset on the way up to get there, but either minimal or NO enforcement to prevent these viruses proceeding. Again, THEY WON'T TOUCH UBER.

We have a very staunch and loyal ally pool, away from the Big Smoke. Allies that are themselves being starved alive and witnessing a 'leave Uber alone' attitude from the very people who are paid to enforce the Laws of our Land.

For one day only, we need to ask them for their help.

People such as our close friend from up North, Lee Ward would be a marvellous starting contact. Lee is respected in the industry and has the contacts to drum up support for a day of action like this.

A day of lawful demonstration from every Hackney Carriage representation in the country would, I believe, be too much even for the BBC to ignore Uber for.

Thanks to 'every journey matters' TFL, our infrastructure cannot now cope with a bus getting a puncture without causing ten mile tailbacks, let alone a United Trade Demo of these proportions.

Folks, we really MUST change the plan. The cries of 'fight till the death' 'they wont beat me till i'm dead' and the likes  are very patriotic, commendable and British. 

BUT, we are on the brink now, we really are.

As I said earlier in this piece, there is a very obvious and logical and understandable reason as to why the American Mini Cab firm have had the seas parted for them.  Their kid glove treatment and protection of their future is guaranteed. And those same reasons and guarantees will ensure their futures .................and our demise.

If you haven't worked it out yourselves why this nationwide phenomenon is happening , then I'm not going to spell it out for you. I've already lost one house in my life! Without photographic proof we can't prove anything. I was out walking my dogs this morning. I saw a pile of wood pigeon's feathers scattered on a grass embankment. I didn't see the winged raptor strike, but I bet my house on it that that's what took the pigeon. Know what i'm saying ?

This Uber fiasco has gone way too far this time. Mp's, loyalists, Trade Orgs on their own and a few thousand faithful customers won't save us now. We have to do it ourselves en masse, and we need the assistance of the entire UK Taxi Trade behind us.

We must unite, rendezvous, group up, plan our attack and go in with passion, numbers and confidence. Uber have crossed the line in an arrogant display of strength and confidence.  Their brags about having friends in high places are blatant and infuriating. They've gone too far by crossing the borders. It's no longer a London problem. It's a National one. And we need some National help.

Blah blah Land is over. It's kill or be killed now.

Be lucky all.

Semtex 8829.

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When They Say "It's Not About The Money"....Its ALL About The Money. By Harry Wall.

We all know why Uber want our trade and that they'll go to any financial lengths to get it. But it's not just Uber stealing our pie and that's the big problem, it's worth millions elsewhere too.

Those of us who can remember the old Carriage Office will also remember the day Livingston took office in 2000 which was soon followed by the news he planned to "streamline" the whole process of the knowledge, licensing procedures and so on. To make it better run and bring it into the 20th century. In order to carry out this grand plan their would be a need to increase the license fees, in fact more than double it if I remember correctly.

This was quickly followed by a letter of intent announcing a night fare increase of 30% which was met by screams of discontent from the rank and file but obviously ignored by Livingston.

It also stated we had no choice but to adhere to the change, if not we'd be put on stop. I seem to remember Oddy having some input in this but I might be wrong. Needless to say, the public didn't like it either and we lost work over it, especially between 8 and 10 as that's when tariff 2 came in.

Soon the overhaul change came in along with various charges for this and charges for that, changes to procedures that had worked for years that completely ballsed everything up but after a while we become complacent and just take it on the chin, it became accepted as the norm.

Now fast forward to February 2017 and even more rats are feeding of us.

With various fees added on, to sign on the knowledge now is £1000. Now comes a rough estimate of the rest :

NSL - £97 per cab x25k cabs = £2.4m per year.

MOT - £50 x2 per cab x25k cabs = £2.5m per year.

CC - average of £20 per week, per driver to accept credit cards x25k drivers = £26m per year.

Added together this already works out to £30.85m per year.

Add a rough estimate for Uber's yearly snatch of £375m and that takes the theft to a staggering £407.3m, PER YEAR!!!

We don't renew our bills yearly so that can't be added but that amounts to £272 a time, and medicals -which will rocket if we allow TFL to make us use their set ups- Hailo's take, Gett's extortionate take, Geelys new cab etc, etc, 

You're now looking at a Buzz Lightyear figure, "to infinity and beyond". And all the time this is going on we can't find a space on a rank!

It's no wonder they're fighting tooth and nail to ruin us and eventually deregulate us, which I'm convinced is their ultimate goal.

I seem to remember Livingston, I think saying "Why should 20k men earn £50k, when 50k men can earn £20k?".

Streamline the Carriage Office my arse!

We all knew it was a con to finance the minicab licensing and now we know why, note I haven't reckoned up the PH outlay because if I did the above figure would treble at least. The number of PH in London has always been greater than Hackney Carriage and obviously more profitable for the authorities, even more so now Uber have arrived. Now consider the profits nationally and it's no wonder licensing authorities throughout the country are welcoming Uber and shitting on the existing trades.

£407,350,000.per year and that's London alone!!

How the hell are we supposed to earn a living when we're up against that type of smash and grab? 

And it's government backed!!

It all becomes crystal clear as to why we've been subject to such lies, deceit and bullshit over the years. It explains why when an "Uber partner" drives down a flight of stairs because he's brainless, he's described on Sky as a confused driver instead of a dangerous liability that should never be allowed behind the wheel again. But Sky's owned by Rupert Murdoch who's a huge investor in Uber. 

But how deep does this conspiracy go?

It seems everyone involved in our trade is sitting pretty except us, we're the only ones struggling when everyone else is having it off nicely. Now compare us with the bus companies, they've lost somewhere in the region of £93m in revenue due to congestion. TFL do a deal with COL and close off Bank to all traffic except for buses to try and encourage more use. What do they do for our suffering revenue?

Sweet FA!!

Why help buses? 

Because buses are part of TFLs business and Daniels and Co. are directors of the bus company, remember Transport Trading LTD

We need to wake up and stand up for ourselves before it's too late. We can't wait for the orgs, they're taking too much time that we haven't got but to be honest I've lost interest. They're doing there own legal thing and that's lovely but that's bread and butter for the rats we're fighting, rest assured that'll take years going backwards and forwards to court in my opinion. 

What we've allowed here is nothing short of pure corporate greed. Whether we like it or not we're responsible for the state we're in today, letting corporate, blood sucking leeches latch themselves on to us through laws designed for guaranteed success, empowered with government approval. Political heavyweights spring in to action swearing allegiance to us only to be bought off or warned off then disappear under the nearest stone, hiding. The media's obviously warned off and at the same time think tanks emerge from the shadows screaming deregulation under the guise of launching our "antiquated" cab trade into the 21st century, extolling the virtues of the gig economy.

And we've stood for it.

While all this is going on underprivileged kids still benefit from our kindness and good character, along with the war disabled, the Albany charity, the British Legion and so on, but none of that ever gets mentioned by anyone. 

I was told recently the only way to effect change is with political will and I think he's right. We're in this state due to a much higher authority than TFL, Daniels and Co. are merely the architects who drew up the plan with obvious personal financial fringe benefits. Seeing as diplomacy hasn't worked and never will, our only course of action and chance of effective change is a complete and total shutdown of London. 

It's either that or all the orgs join forces and sue TFL for loss of earnings and damages, I'd say finding out the Queen's lesbian will happen sooner.

This treatment and rape of our livelihood cant be tolerated any longer. Good people in this trade are uncovering stuff like this all the time that should be firing us all up, determined to fight back, fight for our futures but the apathy and acceptance of a dreadful status quo is truly shocking.

We are sleep walking into oblivion. Principles, pride and integrity seem to have been forgotten by the majority but I'd be only too pleased to help them find it starting March 1st.

If Uber lose their appeal the games changes and we must take the fight to TFL!

Is up to us, the drivers, the London Cab Trade to burn off those leeches and restore our financial good health asap. With that will come well being but most of all pride.

I apologise for the lengthy post today but I'm just lost as to what else we can lose, they've took most of it.

For God's sake show some fight.

Be very lucky.

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National Campaign Save Taxis & Private Hire from unregulated Uber with TFL Public Inquiry...Dave Davis

Statement From The Independent Taxi Alliance (ITA) ..... Back To Industrial Action 1st March, 16:30-18:30

                  RETURN TO DIRECT ACTION! 

The City of London and corrupt TfL leave us no choice. 

We're not standing-by and watching the death of our trade, by starvation!

                  

                  ITA STATEMENT OF INTENT

In response to the City of London’s inability to lift the proposed restrictions on Licensed taxis entering Bank Junction, it is with regret-but nonetheless valour- that ITA calls industrial action. 

To be clear, this is not a demonstrable attempt to highlight the trade’s insurmountable grievances against its regulator, but a systematic and principled protest against covert politics that are intended to destabilise and weaken the licensed taxi trade. 

It is worth noting, that the licensed taxi trade is a self sufficient industry and does not rely in any way on privileges from the state. 

The City of London were genuinely sympathetic to the trade’s cause and were generous enough to meet with representatives of the ITA and the RMT to discuss concerns, but were told,  in no uncertain terms, that the meeting did not constitute a negotiation. 

The overwhelming sentiment taken from the meeting regarding Bank Junction was TFL’s involvement would override any appeal made by the licensed taxi trade.  

To be clear the City of London have obliged TfL's requirements on the back of unverified statistical evidence that has TfL's fingerprints all over it.

It is true also that an alternate decision would entail a lengthy bureaucratic process to be determined by numerous departments. Those representing the Corporation were told about the automatic decision to resume industrial action if the restrictions were not lifted.

Make no mistake, the City of London have obliged TfL’s requirements on the back of inconsistent, unverifiable, evidence. Much of the data that the City was in possession of was not credible, did not tally, and quite frankly had TfL’s finger prints all over it. The ITA cannot in any way consider it as anything other than a malicious attempt to further undermine the taxi trade, and enhance TfL’s  monopolisation of transport 

We believe the industrial action proposed is a fair and measured response, confirming that the argument is firmly with TfL and not the City of London. The decision to proceed, lies at the  heart of the Square Mile. As always, the option for further talks is on the table, hence why we have called for the action to start at the beginning of March, but we will not be appeased.

Industrial Action will commence on Wednesday 1st March 2017, and the ITA demand is clear and unequivocal;

LIFT THE RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED ON LICENSED TAXIS AT BANK JUNCTION. 

The ITA view the decision as a further impediment on our democratic right to earn our living, engineered by TFL. The taxi trade have shown that behaving impeccably, and meeting ALL of TfL’s additional licensing requirements does not achieve anything, in fact,  obliging the TFL has, if anything, facilitated the time for the most damage to be inflicted. 

We will not stand by and accept a situation where our own regulator surreptitiously engineers us towards bankruptcy. If we lose the City- which is indelibly linked to a taxi drivers heart- we lose our livelihoods anyway. One thing the taxi trade cannot do, is lose the City under the premise of being unsafe, whilst buses are perceived to be safe, yet have the poorest safety record.  That in itself, constitutes a public health risk

This is a fight for survival! 

EXTRA COMMENT :

We will be organised even though we are not an organisation. This is a war against TfL's attempts to kill us off. The City of London have decided the battlefield will be on their doorstep.

This is a mixed lanyard coalition of drivers who will stick up for themselves, if no one else will.

When this battle starts, we must remember those who said and did nothing!

#StopTheBuses

#DriverFedDriverLed 

Prepare for a long drawn out fight!

It's been alleged that the last weeklong protest cost over £1m to police. Just imagine, that's £64m over the 18 months experiment.

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The Shame Of Transport For London's Mess : Totally Failing The Public, Nationwide.

Again, we see TfL registered private hire vehicles, using the Uber App to work doing local pick ups and drop offs, many miles from the area they're licensed to work in.

We've seen TfL registered vehicles working the streets of Manchester, Liverpool, Bristol, Luton, Portsmouth, Oxford Reading and many more.

Recently we had complaints from Southend, that local drivers who have lost their Southend Council issued licenses, have been spotted driving minicabs for Uber in Southend. 

Over the weekend we have now been informed that London TfL registered cars are not only working the Uber app, they are also illegally touting work off the local Lee-on-Sea ranks. When confronted, the drivers become extremely aggressive and threaten violence. 

    

      With thanks to Colin McLion 

Last week, we saw drivers in Liverpool surround a TfL registered Uber and escort it onto the motorway, in the direction of London. Ironically, we were later informed that the driver actually lived in Liverpool, but found it easier to get a PH licence and his vehicle licensed in London. 

TfL have turned a complete blind eye to this scandalous behaviour from Uber drivers, saying its the problem for the local councils affected. It's only a matter of time before tempers reach breaking point and violence becomes common place. 

TfL are now protecting their stakeholders (Uber) business model, by refusing to answer a Freedom of Information Request asking for the actual number of drivers licensed by TfL registered to Uber, saying that this information would be commercially sensitive. 

This was their reply to the FOI request.

Editorial Extra from Lee Ward.

Why would I expect TfL to deal with this below, spotted in Sheffield, if they can't deal with them on their own doorstep...  How many borders were crossed for this job to be covered?

TFL, PARTNERS IN AN ILLEGAL TRADE NATIONWIDE

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Cheating husband sues Uber for revealing affair to his wife and 'causing their divorce

A businessman is suing the company Uberafter it tipped off his wife about his affair. 

The app-based company, which acts as a instant hail minicar app service allowing people to hail nearby cars to their exact location, is facing a lawsuit after the man's wife was alerted to his location while he was cheating on her with another woman.

The man, from southern France, had requested a car using his wife's phone, according to local reports.

But when he gave the phone back to her, the app continued to send notifications to her phone about his whereabouts - even though he had logged out of the account.

The couple has since divorced and the businessman has reportedly filed a lawsuit against Uber worth €45million.

Speaking to AFP news agency the man's lawyer, David-André Darmon, said: "My client was the victim of a bug in an application.

"The bug has caused him problems in his private life."

He added that the man wished to remain "discreet and anonymous".

The bug is a known flaw which has affected other customers, with some confused users taking to Twitter to ask why they were still getting friends' notifications even though they had logged out of their accounts.

According to Le Figaro , the flaw does not affect Android phones but was witnessed on iPhones used prior to a December iOS update. 

When Le Figaro contacted the company for comment, a spokesperson said: "Uber does not publicly comment on individual cases, including the case of divorce proceedings between spouses."

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Taxis To Be Deregulated And Replaced By Uber Down Under

Melbourne taxi drivers have staged two demonstrations in protest against the state government's scheme to buy back their taxi licences.

Up to 200 taxis blocked the Bolte Bridge as part of the protest at peak hour this morning, causing major delays for commuters. 

Video from the 9NEWS helicopter showed cars banked up behind the cabs as they crawled at speeds of around 10km/h.

Congestion had eased around 10am, VicTraffic advised. 

This afternoon, drivers flooded the streets near state parliament to demand full licence compensation. 

Many drivers, clad in bright yellow t-shirts, carried signs emblazoned with the message: “Fair go for hardwork in Victoria”.

The Victorian government wants to deregulate the taxi industry by abolishing taxi licences and introducing a single registration for taxis, hire cars and ride-share services like Uber

It proposes to compensate taxi licence holders by paying $100,000 for their first licence and $50,000 for up to three others.

However, some licences cost up to $500,000 and many holders fear the buy-back scheme will send them broke.

Victorian Taxi and Hire Car Families (VTHCF) spokeswoman Sandy Spanos said drivers were staging protests to highlight the plight of some 3500 Victorian families who will suffer under the deal.

“We need you to come to the party and pay us out. We are mums and dads, grandmas and grandpas and we don't want to be on welfare," Ms Spanos said. 

Taxi driver George Goutzioulis said he would fight for proper compensation of his family's three licences, with the current deal set to refund just 20 percent of their investment

We bought under the impression it was industry regulated but now that's been ripped away from us all," he said.

Protesters also called for Transport Minister Jacinta Allen to resign over the issue.

VTHCF warned today’s protest will be one of many disruptions put on by drivers until a total compensation deal is reached.

Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said the government needed to sit down with taxi drivers and negotiate a fair deal because drivers needed certainty.

“We must start at what drivers say their licence plate is worth and what the government says they're worth and then have a discussion

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