Taxis refusing to pick me up!

I’ve had a similar issue a few times, especially late at night or when it’s raining. One thing that helped was booking through southampton taxis https://irideuk.co.uk/ directly rather than waiting on the street or calling random numbers. Sometimes explaining your exact location clearly on the phone also helps avoid confusion or refusals.

I didn't know drivers rated users!! I just checked my profile and I am 4.76, wtf? Why? I always rate 5 stars . Pissed me right off 🙄😂

Uber isn't as directly reliable as it used to be but either checking Bolt or paying a bit more for UberXL means I've never actually been out of options, even at 3am going from east to south-west.

I have never encountered a taxi driver who refused to go south of the river and I have never encountered one who refused to take a group of women, that's really strange.

Valid point! They shouldn’t stopping in the first place.

What do you think is going on then if you've identified this as a pattern? Do you feel its sexism/racism/disability discrimination? Do you feel you're being judged on your appearance/age/percieved respectability? Drivers clearly have preferred fares, as a 55 year old woman I know I'm preferred ahead of my 25 year old DS and his mates at 2am for example. My friend who uses a wheelchair also struggles (she can get in the car, her wheelchair just needs to go in the boot) but clearly is seen as too much trouble.

Hahaha oh gosh, I knew there would be one (even if it wasn't the OP).

Men are about 230 times more likely to be raped by another man than falsely accused by a woman.

But we are the problem 😁

Yep - probably with a bit a racism thrown in.

Just use Bolt or FreeNow like a normal person. No-one hails a taxi in London anymore, it's not the 90s.

I've found Uber really unreliable the last few times I've been in London. The app says a few minutes away and then when you click book no one wants to accept the job. Also seemed to be less black cabs around.

A poster has already suggested this as the reason a cabbie in central London wouldn't pick up op and her mates poor menz

Is this going to be a weird drip feed about how men are worried about being accused of sexual assault when alone with women... Me Too gone too far?

Probably it won't be, but I've seen too much of that rubbish recently. The poor mens can't even do their jobs and it's now effecting us women so clearly we went too far with feminism etc

(I fully acknowledge I am likely WAY off base. Feeling cynical with MN atm)

Oh my word, I didn't realise Uber drivers rated us 🤣. I've just gone straight onto my app because I was thinking wtf? I'm pleased to say I'm 5*. I am in the north though, and I've only being using Uber for about two years so it could all change.

I think it's great that they can rate us too to be honest.

No idea Op but I haven't been able to get a Bolt, Uber etc from central London for ages - it's actually left me feeling quite vulnerable many times. I thought it was a myth that black cabs couldn't refuse, but over the last year I've been refused a trip many times (going opposite direction of cabbies home etc)

In London and pre-booking a cab would be unusual

Huh lol? Uber, Bolt, Free Now are all reliable platforms to book a cab. Maybe just try that and get to where you need to go

In my area most clock off about 9-10 then come back on shift at midnight. Because they get paid more especially working on the rank. They have agreed a few times to run us up to hospital when DD has injured herself. (Difficult to control epilepsy) I stick to the same taxi firm they know their regulars.

Really? I use it quite often, and have never had an issue - longest wait has been 5 minutes or so.

It seems very unusual that 3 refused! Was anyone in the group drunk?

Another thing... I've never, ever had a taxi driver refuse to take me south of the river. I'm not saying it never happens, but I haven't actually heard of it happening so it seems like an urban myth to me.

I've lived in London for decades and am really confused by your post. Flagging down a taxi used to be the norm but nowadays it's far more common to use Uber or Bolt. I haven't flagged down a taxi in years. At work we pre-book black cabs using the Gett app. My friends and family and I use pre-booking apps to get taxis in London all the time so I find it really strange that you're saying people don't do this in London.

That’s so strange, OP - fortunately I haven’t had this issue!

Agree with you that Uber has become un-usable, but FreeNow is pretty good and has an option to book a black cab. The black cabs I order on FreeNow usually arrive within 1-3 minutes unless there is a really extreme situation (e.g. a big storm or World Cup finals with England playing).

Gett is another option for black cabs, however, they sometimes stick on as much as £15 surcharge during busy times, which is more and more often - it’s not as good as it used to be. And 100% of the surcharge goes to the app, not the cabbie.

Have you checked your rating, @OooPourUsACupLove? London Uber drivers seem to be stingy with ratings (Londoners have the worst ratings in the UK) but they are also the fussiest about who they will pick up 😂 Woe betide you if you have anything much less than a perfect 5 stars 😂

Yes same. And Bolt. For black cabs I use Gett and Freenow. I only hail if I’m in a rush or near a big station (eg the taxi rank at Paddington).

I live in central London and get Ubers regularly. There’s loads of them.

Yellows are only limited in where they are allowed to pick up passengers, there are no limits on destination. If they're stopping to pick the op it can't be a license problem.

Well doesn't it seem obvious that they were booked & thought you were thur booking? Then when they discovered you weren't, they said they couldn't take you.

The other option is you're still wearing your Halloween costume??

They are legally obliged to take you unless they believe it is unsafe (eg you’re pissed) so you could take their license number and complain.

How late are we talking? Black cabs looking for a fare on their way home at the end of the night has always been a thing. It wasn’t uncommon late at night for a cab to pull over and make an excuse about having forgotten to turn off their light on their way home and they weren’t actually for hire but say they would take you if you were going whatever direction they were going. Maybe they are at the end of their shift and you are going in the wrong direction for them. Even worse if you live somewhere it will be hard for them to pick up a fare going back.

I guess the apps mean now they have a new ready made excuse that they are booked and thought you were their booked fare to stop anyone complaining that they refused a fare and it is easier to wait for an app booking to come in in the right direction.