Friday 30 May 2014

The boundless hubris of London cabbies, part 94

From The Register:

Transport for London (TfL) has said that it doesn’t think that the app used by Uber drivers is in breach of the law by allowing them to use GPS and navigation to calculate charges, but it wants to refer the issue to the UK High Court.

The capital’s transport authority said it didn’t agree that smartphones used by private hire drivers could be classed as “taximeters”, which are illegal in private cars.

However, it said that it would be asking the courts to get involved “given the level of concern among the trade” and the fact that the law was “unclear” on the issue.


I can't track down a law that makes it illegal for anybody other than 'official' taxi drivers to use a taximeter, but let's assume that such a law exists.

Which Parliament in its right mind passed such a law?

AFAIC, cab drivers can charge by the mile, by the minute, agree a price beforehand, what on earth business is that of anybody else other than the drivers and their passengers?

9 comments:

Tim Almond said...

It's not a taximeter. A taximeter is involved in calculating payment and with Uber, the payment is already calculated. The Uber app just tells the driver who they are picking up and where they are going.

So, I'm not sure why TfL are going to court about it. It's quite clear in the legislation.

James Higham said...

Which Parliament in its right mind passed such a law?

Same Parliament which passed Broon's 1300 laws in one year.

DBC Reed said...

So with Uber you have to know the postcode of your destination? Yeah right.

Bayard said...

"So with Uber you have to know the postcode of your destination?"

Doesn't say that anywhere in the article.

Tim Almond said...

DBC/Bayard,

From what I understand it's like almost every address app - postcode, street name, point of interest.

DBC Reed said...

Looks like you do have to know the post code to use Uber. Too much fuss?

Tim Almond said...

DBC,

Really? Why do you say that?

Graeme said...

Stigler

Don't you kow that DBC is channellng his inner Stalin, as always.?

Tim Almond said...

Graeme,

I try to just deal with the issues being debated. I try to avoid labelling people.