.

[Rook]

.

[georgia]

Yes had this experience a couple of weeks ago at London Bridge (yes also South London), having just had a general anaesthetic and was trying to get a cab home with Mr Georgia. He stopped a cab for us, asked to go to ED and was told no, not prepared to go all that way. Great...

[Rolo Tomasi]

Take cabs on a regular basis (2/3 times a week) from central london and never had a problem. And if I say so myself i can look pretty dodgy sometimes:))

[Cassius]

If they don't take you within the limit then you can take their number (just threatening/looking like you are doing so can do the trick) and then you can report them. Can't remember much about it as it is so long since I've taken a cab I've forgotten the procedure. I think if they are reported a number of times then they can lose their Hackney Cab License but am not sure about that.

If you just say Lordship Lane without the East Dulwich bit it is always possible that they think you want to go to Alexandra Palace way.....

[Jah Lush]

Of course but it's not as bad as it used to be where the cabbies would just shirk and say "Sorry guv, don't go south of the river."

The thing to do is to get in the cab first and then tell them where you're going.

Another tip is don't say Lordship Lane - say East Dulwich. There is a Lordship Lane in Tottenham which isn't the most salubrious of areas and they don't much like going there either, especially after dark.

[jimbo1964]

When I was getting a black cab from Victoria a few nights ago the cabbie said the only fares he picks up south of the river are going to either ED or Clapham. He seemed happy enough to take my ?27.

[Annasfield]

Hey Rook - I have had similar problems. Try thisthread.

It really winds me up - especially when I'm on my own late at night :(

[jim_the_chin]

Never had a problem, 3 of us got one on saturday night from chinatown. i always tip well just to keep them motivated.

[boosboss]

Get in the back of the Taxi before telling the driver where you want to go. Once you're in they can't just drive off! BTW I've never had a problem getting a cab home :))

[candj]

When the cabbie rolls down his window I always ask "Feel like going to East Dulwich?" and have never been turned down. I think as ED gets busier, more and more cabs realise that we're not quite in France. Had a very sweet elderly taxi driver the other week and I told him how to get to ED as he said that he hadn't been here in years!

[Siduhe]

I also get cabs from Blackfriars to ED very regularly and without too many problems. I have learned to say Lordship Lane (only a very occasional rejection) rather than Peckham Rye or Forest Hill (lots more rejections) [we're at the very bottom end of Lordship Lane nr the Harvester].

Most of the cabs I have taken recently have been bemoaning the lack of customers due to the credit crunch. Think you have been a bit unlucky. May well be related to the size of your group - cab drivers don't generally like taking 4-5 people who've been out partying, however well behaved. They always remember the last person who threw up in their cab and assume you may be the same. One thing that used to work for us is to split up your group into boys and girls, looking as if you're looking for cabs on opposite sides of the road. Then when a cabbie rolls up to the girls and agrees to take them to ED, the boys can run over and get in.

[Brendan]

I just get in and say "East Dulwich please." Never been turned down.

[Rockets]

Loads of cabbies have said to me that they never used to get fares to ED and now go there all the time so the revolution is happening.

Is it true they have to take you if it is within six miles of central london?

[Marmora Man]

Taken from the Black Cab site

"The driver is not obliged to stop when flagged down, but if he does he must accept the fare unless it is over 6 miles in distance or finishes beyond the boundaries of the licensing area. If the taxi is waiting on a rank or at a stand, he or she must take the fare (unless there is a reasonable reason not to - whatever reasonable may mean)"

The boundary area is the Metropolitan Police area - which does, I think extend beyond ED.

Given that cetral London is, mostly, less than 6 miles from ED all cabs, once flagged down should accept the fare unless there is a reasonable reason not too.

I've not experienced problems.

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

I have never ever had a problem with taxis or black cabs dropping me to Dulwich!

[KalamityKel]

Only probs I've had would be them taking the longest route possible to get to ED - wouldve been quicker to get the bus! ?27 u say? cost me company ?40 from Waterloo to ED once... Were they ripped off? :o

[nutty]

From Waterloo should be ?20 in a blackie - presumably he was kept waiting for a while or the traffic was awful - otherwise you were done :)

[LostThePlot]

KalamityKel Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Only probs I've had would be them taking the

> longest route possible to get to ED - wouldve been

> quicker to get the bus! ?27 u say? cost me

> company ?40 from Waterloo to ED once... Were they

> ripped off? :o

Oh Yes!!

The only "route" argument I have had was when once picked up at Traf Sq. NOw to my mind, quickest is always

Vauxhall - Camberwell - Denmark Hill - ED.

This route however took us along the northern embankment to Albert Bridge, past battersea park, up to Clapham, then to acre lane, down to Brixton, through to camberwell, Denmark Hill then ED. All the time I was questioning this, which got him very arsey indeed!

Eventaully got out, being amazed I didn't wee myself (I was in SOO much pain!) and argued the ?40 fair. I offered him ?25, he threatened to call the police. "OK do that" He took the ?25, swore at me and drove off.

On thing I have found that avoids this is to say "Are you going via" then the main key points on the shortest route home. Of course make sure you know your route or you could get stung.

HTH

E

[ladida]

I've been turned down on numerous occassions waiting for a cab at London Bridge, why do all the cabs at a South London station want to go north I wonder?? Anyway, someone suggested to me to say 'Camberwell' and then keep saying 'just a bit further on' etc, and it seems to work.

[SteveT]

I usually say Peckham rye because it is easy to identify in the A2Z

[KalamityKel]

It's times like these - the whole late nite/early morning up in town when ur trying to get home... one can actually be gald to be on a 24hour bus service! ;-) Yeah yeah I know it's a bugger to actually get the bus but still it's a lot cheaper than a black cab! :))

[michaell]

We've had this a lot - what we have taken to doing is getting in the cab before saying we are going - and its right they they are actually obliged to take you anyway!

[embellina]

I think part of the problem is getting cabs late at night when the cab driver is fairly close to knocking off and doesn't want to end up too far from home. That's what some of them have told me, anyway! Most are happy to take me to ED and the ones that haven't have said it's in the wrong direction for their journey home

[ladida]

michaell, after having waited at the taxi rank at London Bridge for about an hour, I thought I'd try and hail a cab going north thinking what you think, so onto London Bridge I went, got in my cab within 5 mins, he starts to drive off, I tell him ED, 15 seconds later there I was on the pavement having been forcably ejected.

[KalamityKel]

Is there not a Taxi etiquette thingyamy... when hailing a taxi you stand on the side of the road for the direction you want to travel in?