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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be annoyed at this from taxi drivers

42 replies

Hedgehog80 · 07/08/2017 09:30

We get a LOT of taxis. I started to notice a few months ago that the company we were using kept sending drivers who had little or no change ? This then led to what I can only describe as 'stand offs' where I had to sit and wait and the driver would eventually go through his own pockets for change ?

I thought they were meant to carry enough changefro each job?
Anyway we changed to another company and it's happened on 3 consecutive journeys now. First the fare was £24 the driver didn't have change for £30. Another journey was £5.50 didn't have change for £10 both those times I said I'd wait till they found it or I would not pay at that point and would go to the office and pay them, they found the change....
The third time he didn't have £2 change said he would 'drop it off later to where he had picked me up from'
Never did so I called the office and said I would not be using them again.

Is this a new thing? Is it just a way to make a few extra pounds each journey ?
AIBU to think of you're a taxi driver you make sure you have change ?

OP posts:
RiverTam · 07/08/2017 09:35

Well - I think the onus is on you as well. If you know you take a lot of cabs, why not make sure you have plenty of change for them?

But don't most take cards these days anyway? Or is that just black cabs.

Silverthorn · 07/08/2017 09:38

Uber. You pre-pay on a card.
Most cabbies don't like to carry a lot of change so it's useful for you to have the right change. Like bus drivers. However they also sound like they're trying it on a bit.

Coconutspongexo · 07/08/2017 09:41

Surely it depends on their customers? If they've had a lot of customers throughout the day paying with £10 for £5.50 fares etc then they're going to run out of change?

ClaudiaWankleman · 07/08/2017 09:46

They do try it on. Sometimes they are so slow looking for change, you can tell that they're just trying to make you get out and tell them to keep it.

They also all seem to expect tips of around £1.50 even if it's just a 1.5 mile trip Hmm

minionsrule · 07/08/2017 09:46

Bit like domino delivery drivers, most stuff comes to £x.99 or £x.98 but do they ever have pennies for change.... no 😕, sure all those pennies add up.... bugs the hell out if me but i am sometimes tempted to give them the 99p in change from our loose change pot

AfunaMbatata · 07/08/2017 09:47

Use uber, the taxi drivers are much more pleasant and you can rate and comment on them.

hula008 · 07/08/2017 09:49

I normally just round it up for a tip - I thought everyone did?

bellaandby · 07/08/2017 09:50

Loads of places don't have Uber. I'm in a big town only an hr from London and we don't

Taxi drivers are notorious gamblers, my mate never had any change because it all went in the fruit machines

RentANDBills · 07/08/2017 09:54

Bit like domino delivery drivers, most stuff comes to £x.99 or £x.98 but do they ever have pennies for change.... no 😕, sure all those pennies add up.... bugs the hell out if me but i am sometimes tempted to give them the 99p in change from our loose change pot

Are you actually joking??
I used to be a Domino's Delivery Person and in a bust night, we perhaps did 40 deliveries. And at least half were card payment. Woohoo! 20p extra there Hmm

I can assure you that collecting the pennies made bugger all difference to our already pitiful wage.

You realise you bemoaning A PENNY here? I'm pretty sure if you can afford to pay £20 for a pizza, you're good for the penny.

Original poster
Hedgehog80 · 07/08/2017 10:01

If it's 50p or a £1 I'll round up for a tip but not over that as money is tight and I don't want to end up spending so much on tips each week as we get a lot of taxis!
I'm not really open to the idea of an account as dont want a big bill each month or whenever.

I justrhoughtbitbwas odd theybsay most of the time they don't have change yet when pushed they do I feel like they are trying it on for a few extra pounds?
When possible I try to have the money but sometimes it's a case of popping over to the machine getting notes out as I'm very busy

OP posts:
Coconutspongexo · 07/08/2017 10:02

Uber with 32 rape complaints in 12 months and the company who says they're not responsible for their drivers?

000PuraVida000 · 07/08/2017 10:05

Use Uber

LuLuuuuuuu · 07/08/2017 10:06

I hear you OP . Similar with a local delivery service round here !!

Uber .. I would never set FOOT in an uber cab .

AwaywiththePixies27 · 07/08/2017 10:06

OP. I don't know if it's different policies but I use taxis a lot too.

The company we use, their policy is if they have no change they should offer you the journey for free as they're meant to get their float (sp?) ready before starting work.

AnUtterIdiot · 07/08/2017 10:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ImperialBlether · 07/08/2017 10:09

Bit like domino delivery drivers, most stuff comes to £x.99 or £x.98 but do they ever have pennies for change.... no 😕, sure all those pennies add up.... bugs the hell out if me but i am sometimes tempted to give them the 99p in change from our loose change pot

That is the tightest thing I've ever read on here.

AnUtterIdiot · 07/08/2017 10:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Hedgehog80 · 07/08/2017 10:10

I just feel like is it any different to paying in a shop-it's the shops responsibility to have change not for the customer to always provide the exact money? If a shop did this it wouldn't be acceptable ? Getting a taxi is still purchasing something isn't it?

OP posts:
Original poster
Hedgehog80 · 07/08/2017 10:10

Yes they do offer accounts but we would rather pay per journey as that's manageable instead of a big bill each week/month

OP posts:
smartpriceprole · 07/08/2017 10:11

As a young woman I've taken over 200 uber trips and never had anyone even act inappropriately despite usually using the service after a night out and always sitting in the front seat, and as if black cab drivers have never assaulted someone?? A quick google will tell otherwise. It's just blatant scaremongering from the black cab companies who are mad their monopoly is crumbling.

Coconutspongexo · 07/08/2017 10:12

Shops have mounds of change though, if they run out they get more it's kept in store. It's not really comparable to a shop.

Viviennemary · 07/08/2017 10:12

I agree this is partly your fault. There will be the odd time you don't have change. But make sure you have change and the problem will be solved.

AwaywiththePixies27 · 07/08/2017 10:12

Hedgehog. It's the drivers responsibility here to have change. (East Mids).

Terfing · 07/08/2017 10:13

I travel a lot, so Uber is a godsend for me! What I like about it is that they can't rip you off. The price is decided by the app and you get an approximate fare before the car arrives.

BloodWorries · 07/08/2017 10:13

I think there is a massive difference between a penny or two and £4.50, so I don't see how the pizza delivery and taxi compare in that way. But yes, if you are taking payment you should make sure you have some change. Why wouldn't you. My milkman comes every fortnight, he always has change on him. I try to have enough change, but sometimes DP has taken it for his lunch at work and I have to pay with notes. Never been an issue.

I do usually give a tip if it's close to the next note ie if taxi is £4 then I say 'call it a fiver' and get out whilst tossing them a note (I hate tipping, it feels awkward to me). Or same with food deliveries, if I'm paying cash I often try to make it so I can just give them notes, but they are stood there with the exact change for a £20 most of the time anyway.

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