Terrifying taxi ride this morning

[Zenana]

Just got a taxi from York train station to Kings Manor in Exhibition Square (or so I thought). I could easily have walked but was running late. The driver asked me if it was York St John and I said no, the University of York. I asked if he wanted the postcode he said no.

I realised he was going way out of the town centre and the meter said £8. I questioned this and he told me to shut up and "stop confusing me". Said I'd told him it was the university of York and when I started to try to explain talked and shouted over me and said I wouldn't listen.

He thankfully had pulled over at this point and I told him I'd get out and walk and pay him for this journey. "You robbing me. You robbing me. You robbing me" he just wouldn't stop. He called me a fucking bitch and drove away.

I didn't take his details or anything I was too shaken up. I'm amazed how upset it's made me.

I had a 45 minute walk to the meeting and I'm glad as it's allowed me to calm down a little but I'm so upset at this vile misogynist.

There's taxis, then there's private hire cars - as far as I remember, the medical/licensing is a bit less for a private hire - they have to be called, you can't pick them up on the street, and they shouldn't rank up.

If he was ranked up, he should be a licensed taxi (always try and get a picture of the badge)

Uber is not safer BTW - sure it's tracked, but there's no licensing at all, and no guarantee that whoever's driving is the Uber driver anyway - have a google, plenty of dodgy stories about Uber drivers too.

Kings Manor Exhibition Square is definitive. That's what I told him. He said he knew it. Clearly he didn't.

Yes, report to the City of York Council. There is an online page that can take reports.

There are also sometimes ways you can contact a passenger representative (head of customer service kind of role) at the major stations. Maybe worth looking into, since the taxi was circling through there, and I would think York taxis would probably end up there looking for business quite a lot.

Poor driver made a mistake - for whatever reason. The result of which was that he made a journey for FREE - AND then had to drive back to the station and join the back of the queue waiting for work. Give him a break for goodness sake.

I'm really sorry to hear this. I work in York and I'm in next week if you need me to take a pic of the front or the station etc
Please report it, your experience is unacceptable and I hope you are okay.

@Zenana I had an experience similar to this in Birmingham many years ago and I suspect that there is a good chance that he was not a licensed taxi driver. My driver was more apologetic and driving around in circles unsure where to go (this was just before everyone had a SatNAV on their phone!)

You have probably already concluded the same (and sorry, I have not read the whole thread all the way through) but the likelihood is that this was not a licensed taxi driver. When this happened to me, I must admit I called him something along the lines of a fucking idiot and told him to stop the car, then got in another taxi. The driver of that car said that certain jobs in the city - and taxi driving is one of them - tend to be one of the few ways that illegal immigrants find they can make money without being easily caught out.

The lack of a SatNAV in 2023 certainly is indicative of someone ill equipped to do the job.

Yes but when I complain they will be able to trace him through an unpaid fare won't they?

Would he have called a man a fucking bitch?

I doubt it, an unlicensed driver would get lynched immediately by licenced drivers if he tried to join the rank at York Station. I am of course assuming the op used the rank and not some random guy off FB.

What type of taxi? As in taxi rank/taxi company. I would report him.

Nope. He wouldn't have done OP for fear of getting a smack in the face.

You can report it - and you should - but the taxi company will deny it and highly unlikely plod will do owt.

Fucking hell 😂😂
Grow some respect for women

What makes you thik Uber drivers are automatically safe? The statistics don't bear you out.

@hanahsaunt She’s not at fault. There was no need for his reaction based on what op said. He sounds deranged.

Theres a creepy taxi driver where I live. I shears wait for the day his name is in the news. Always talking about sex whenever he picked me up and swerving/driving too fast.

In my experience, they would put forged licenses on the dash and maybe copy the signs on the car.

@DrySherry thats a low bar you have. Hope you don’t have daughters.

You don’t think women are physically vulnerable to men?
That using the word “bitch” is misogynistic?

Either you’re being disingenuous or you’ve lead an incredibly charmed life.