15 April 2011

They drive like crazy. Canberra Taxis

| ThatUniStudent
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Generally I have found taxi drivers in Canberra to drive pretty well. No worse than many I have encountered. Better in fact. So this is not a blanket labelling.

Last Friday the 8th I was driving into Civic from Griffith when I had a taxi tailgate me along Canberra Avenue just between National Circuit and State Circle. The speed limit there was 60. So I was doing 60. The other lane was free. It could have passed me but instead the driver made like a hemaroid and stuck to my car’s ass. I slowed down because the light ahead was red. The driver of the cab overtook me and then pulled into the lane ahead of me. Then when the lights went green we both drove off, when I went to change lanes the taxi driver ahead of me quickly pulled into the lane I was moving into. So I indicated back for my origional lane, and the taxi ahead of me dodged right in front of me again. This idiot was deliberately playing chicken.

I eased off and stayed away from this idiot. I got a good look at their rego though, TX-256. I called the taxi company who seemed very evasive at how I could make a complaint. I finally just lodged a complaint at: http://www.tams.act.gov.au/move/public_transport/taxi_services_and_information/complaints

For that taxi driver, I car pool with 3 other students in a cheap ass car that I’m just hanging out for some one to write off so I can get the insurance money. Next time you try a stunt like that, expect my braking reaction to be a little delayed. In my panic I might just hit the accelerator instead of the brake. There will also be plenty of witnesses to verify that you drive like an idiot.

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I work for the taxi company and would just like to point out that we have to abide by our rules with complaints, we do feel your pain and we dont mean to be annoying but thats just how we have to be! Sorry!

ThatUniStudent said :

Silverline said :

Just for the record there is no TX-256,
Taxis in Canberra are numbered as follows
TX1 – TX218

with the exception of TX-13 (all independantly owned)
TX301- TX310

(Government plates)
TX401 – TX480 (Government plates)
TX-900 – TX925 (Wheel chair Taxis)

Perhaps your advice is wrong. Myself and three other students all agreed it was TX-256. All four of us were sober at the time and drug free. Plus none of us wear glasses.
Perhaps Astrojax was right and it really was a reptoid surveillance vehicle?

Mr student

As a cab driver/operator for just under ten years now if you can prove to me in a legit photo the car and plate of tx256, I personally will provide a years worth of free cab rides around canberra 🙂 I’m 100% sure of the plate numbers sequence. Another 30 plates are coming on the road in which im guessing they will either be tx480 + or the will start tx 500 +.

Got a taxi from Civic to Queanbeyan Golf Club one Friday night recently. The driver, said that there was a $10 tarriff in top of the $40 fare. When I asked about the extra $10 he said I had to pay he said it was for crossing the ACT/NSW boarder! Told him if he exprcted me to pay it as well as the fare he’d have to take me to the police station. After a few lame excuses as to why he wouldn’t take me to the police he decided that I’d taken up too much of his time and wanted me out of his cab. Often wonder if Canberra Cabs head office know what some of the cab drivers are up too!

BTW, no attempt to try the $10 boarder crossing “tarriff” was made on the way back into Canberra by another Canberra Cab on the way back home.

What time was this?

ThatUniStudent9:08 am 18 Apr 11

Silverline said :

Just for the record there is no TX-256,
Taxis in Canberra are numbered as follows
TX1 – TX218

with the exception of TX-13 (all independantly owned)
TX301- TX310

(Government plates)
TX401 – TX480 (Government plates)
TX-900 – TX925 (Wheel chair Taxis)

Perhaps your advice is wrong. Myself and three other students all agreed it was TX-256. All four of us were sober at the time and drug free. Plus none of us wear glasses.
Perhaps Astrojax was right and it really was a reptoid surveillance vehicle?

ThatUniStudent9:06 am 18 Apr 11

dks00k said :

Mr Student

Just remember that if you are to collide with the rear of the vehicle in front of you, you are at fault, irrespective of the moronic actions of the clown ahead of you. So you are probably going to be up for an excess and potential fine.

However, whilst being tailgated, if you were to brake suddenly to avoid that dog that just run out in front of you…………….

Wow, how’d I become a Mr? You know women go to uni too.

That said, thanks for your advice. I’ve noticed a lot of dogs on the roads, and kangaroos, cats, quokkas. All sorts of reasons to stop suddenly.

astrojax said :

JC said :

Now speaking of not keeping right though, saw the stupidist of things the other day on Parkes Way, William Hovell Drive. There was a car just sitting in the RH lane doing about 75 along Parkes Way, driving next to a truck also doing about the same, all the way from the tunnel till when the truck turned off to the Tuggeranong Parkway. All the while holding up 4pm week day traffic behind. […] Now talk of the pot calling the kettle black.

with due respect, jc, 75 is pretty close to the posted limit, so not exactly ‘slow’ – if he held anyone up it was those who doubtless sought to disobey the posted limit, so not folk you should worry about…

It is a 90 zone, and on a nice clear day there should be no reason why one should not be driving at 90, or if one chooses to drive a bit slower keep to the left. Besides my point was more about how the guy just wanted to drive in the right hand lane regardless and how he treated someone doing exactly as he was doing. Clearly he had no need to be in the right hand lane because he was not over taking (except the slower car) and he was not turning off until at least Coulter drive.

The careless attitude of Canberra drivers is really surprising actually (and no I am not being selfish). Many think it is ok to just do as they please without any thought to anyone else around. No wonder there are so many road rage incidents and lack of ability to share the road and merge.

JC said :

Now speaking of not keeping right though, saw the stupidist of things the other day on Parkes Way, William Hovell Drive. There was a car just sitting in the RH lane doing about 75 along Parkes Way, driving next to a truck also doing about the same, all the way from the tunnel till when the truck turned off to the Tuggeranong Parkway. All the while holding up 4pm week day traffic behind. […] Now talk of the pot calling the kettle black.

with due respect, jc, 75 is pretty close to the posted limit, so not exactly ‘slow’ – if he held anyone up it was those who doubtless sought to disobey the posted limit, so not folk you should worry about…

JC said :

Ledanta said :

“The other lane was free”

Let me guess……the free lane was on the left of you wasnt it !

He said it was a 60 zone, so your point is rather moot actually as the law for not driving in the right hand lane only applies to roads over 80.

.

Great point, but I dont think the taxi driver visits riotact, and it is unlikely he will ever seek out a clause in the keep left rule that allows ignorant people to invite tail gating in 60 zones. If you dont like being tail gated, keep left whenever possible, then you wont have to whine about it on the internet.

This statement doesnt condone tail gating, but it exists, so show some common sense and avoid getting tailgated by keeping left, whether you are doing the speed limit or not !

By the way, I dont tailgate, nor do I beep my horn, nor flash my lights, and I never give anyone rude gestures, however, I do get frustrated at people sitting in the right hand lane whilst others over take them on the left lane (60 zone or otherwise).

Just for the record there is no TX-256,
Taxis in Canberra are numbered as follows
TX1 – TX218 with the exception of TX-13 (all independantly owned)
TX301- TX310 (Government plates)
TX401 – TX480 (Government plates)
TX-900 – TX925 (Wheel chair Taxis)

Ledanta said :

“The other lane was free”

Let me guess……the free lane was on the left of you wasnt it !

He said it was a 60 zone, so your point is rather moot actually as the law for not driving in the right hand lane only applies to roads over 80.

Now speaking of not keeping right though, saw the stupidist of things the other day on Parkes Way, William Hovell Drive. There was a car just sitting in the RH lane doing about 75 along Parkes Way, driving next to a truck also doing about the same, all the way from the tunnel till when the truck turned off to the Tuggeranong Parkway. All the while holding up 4pm week day traffic behind. Just past the Glenlock bridge I managed to get passed him, however there was an even slower car in the RH lane. So the previous slow car then moves left to over take and in the rear view mirror I saw him give the driver of the slower car a flithly look and hand gesture. Then once past he goes back into the RH lane. I turned to go down Jammo way and saw him continue on his merry way down William Hovell. Now talk of the pot calling the kettle black.

“The other lane was free”

Let me guess……the free lane was on the left of you wasnt it !

Someone may have taken the OP’s advice tonight, taxi tx-200 was taken out at the intersection of Northbourne and Bunda tonight, except the car that ran into it went into the front passenger door at what looks like an angle.
Purely guessing, but I suspect one or the other went through a red light.

Beserk Keyboard Warrior8:43 pm 15 Apr 11

Because I’m anti-stereotyping I would never imply that Turbans are are negatively correlated with driving ability.

One was inches of running me over when using a pedestrian crossing in civic a few weeks back. I wasn’t riding a bike, and i was holding a torch. I just wish i had got his plate 🙁

most are Indians and throw u turns when ever they feel like. I seen one Indian throw 3 uturns in 100 meters at kippax.

georgesgenitals3:51 pm 15 Apr 11

A couple of lane changes qualifies as as an incident worth complaining about?

probably a reptoid in disguise, gigging as a cabbie until the takeover. i for one welcome…

The sky is blue, the grass is green and taxi drivers are reckless. Sounds like everything is right in the world.

Mr Student

Just remember that if you are to collide with the rear of the vehicle in front of you, you are at fault, irrespective of the moronic actions of the clown ahead of you. So you are probably going to be up for an excess and potential fine.

However, whilst being tailgated, if you were to brake suddenly to avoid that dog that just run out in front of you…………….

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