Irish Taxi Forum

Public Area => Taxi Talk => Topic started by: Rat Catcher on January 08, 2025, 03:55:19 pm

Title: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Rat Catcher on January 08, 2025, 03:55:19 pm
https://www.dublinlive.ie/news/dublin-news/irish-music-legend-slams-mental-30731340 (https://www.dublinlive.ie/news/dublin-news/irish-music-legend-slams-mental-30731340)

Irish music legend slams 'mental' Dublin Airport taxi fare that 'cost more than flight'

Singer-songwriter Steve Wall took to social media to share his outrage at the price of his taxi fare from his home to Dublin Airport on Friday morning


ByJamie McCarron
07:56, 8 JAN 2025

A well-known Irish musician has slammed a taxi app after he was hit with what he called a "mental charge" for a trip from his home to dublin-airport>Dublin Airport.

Steve Wall, a singer-songwriter and actor who is also a founder member of the multi-platinum selling Irish band The Stunning and The Walls, took to social media to express his frustration. He asked his 10,000 followers: "What's going on with taxi prices? Just got charged €75 to the airport from Harold's Cross which never cost more than €35 approx. It cost more than my flight...mental! I booked it via FreeNow. No air coach service nearby."

Steve's home in Harold's Cross is in the southern suburbs of the city. When asked in the replies if the taxi had gone through the Port Tunnel or used the M50 (both of which charge tolls which would increase the overall fare), Steve said: "No tunnel, no M50. Straight through town."

According to Google Maps, the journey straight through the city is the shortest route in terms of distance at 13 kilometres, but often the slowest journey in terms of time due to the city traffic, when compared with the M50 (although traffic times vary throughout the day), reports Galway Beo.

Many social media users urged the musician to appeal the charge to the app in hopes of a partial refund. Free Now has been contacted for comment
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Rat Catcher on January 08, 2025, 03:57:34 pm
He should use Uber. They gave me an unsolicited gift of 20% off all rides this week or last week. Always the lowest fare and they pay their drivers higher rates than Free Now.
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Belker on January 09, 2025, 08:12:10 am
The fare seems very high, looking at the NTA fare estimator its 32 to 42 notes on tariff 2 with a PUC.

FN don't do surge pricing like Uber, but they do add on a few Euro if you pre-book or book Priority.
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Jack Meoff on January 09, 2025, 08:45:44 am
He booked a limo.
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Bob Shillin on January 09, 2025, 10:21:35 am
He booked a limo.
Because, "He's a Rock Star".
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Octavia1 on January 09, 2025, 10:52:15 am
It's probly the people's front of judea anti taxi coalition... they paid the cunt to tell lies an he gets publicity as a victim .... his new album just came out at Xmas.... its called " I want to be bono  but I live wit me ma "
Or sumtin
 ::sleep
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: mercenary for hire on January 09, 2025, 11:00:36 am
He could be one of those cunts that wear dark sunglasses in the middle of winter.I don't really get it meself and it makes me a little angry for some unknown reason but it's easy to see how someone might confuse a limo with a taxi with Freenow blurring the lines.
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Octavia1 on January 09, 2025, 11:10:08 am
Thers an old saying in show business used by failures .... " any publicity is good publicity " .... now if I put me inspector morse hat on... if ya read between the lines the divil is in the detail .....it says " irish music legend " ....
I never heard of the cunt  ...
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Shallow Hal on January 09, 2025, 11:21:17 am
Thers an old saying in show business used by failures .... " any publicity is good publicity " .... now if I put me inspector morse hat on... if ya read between the lines the divil is in the detail .....it says " irish music legend " ....
I never heard of the cunt  ...

You never heard of The Walls......Brewing up a Storm?
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Jack Meoff on January 09, 2025, 12:10:02 pm
Thers an old saying in show business used by failures .... " any publicity is good publicity " .... now if I put me inspector morse hat on... if ya read between the lines the divil is in the detail .....it says " irish music legend " ....
I never heard of the cunt  ...

You never heard of The Walls......Brewing up a Storm?

The Stunning.
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Shallow Hal on January 09, 2025, 12:47:02 pm
Thers an old saying in show business used by failures .... " any publicity is good publicity " .... now if I put me inspector morse hat on... if ya read between the lines the divil is in the detail .....it says " irish music legend " ....
I never heard of the cunt  ...

You never heard of The Walls......Brewing up a Storm?

The Stunning.

Yeah...but they changed their name to The Walls at one stage(Steve and Joe)...but that Octy fella being a drummer should have known them!!
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Octavia1 on January 09, 2025, 01:36:19 pm
Thers an old saying in show business used by failures .... " any publicity is good publicity " .... now if I put me inspector morse hat on... if ya read between the lines the divil is in the detail .....it says " irish music legend " ....
I never heard of the cunt  ...

You never heard of The Walls......Brewing up a Storm?
If he was a bleedin star heed have the money hal an wudny give a fuk ...
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Octavia1 on January 09, 2025, 01:37:52 pm
Thers an old saying in show business used by failures .... " any publicity is good publicity " .... now if I put me inspector morse hat on... if ya read between the lines the divil is in the detail .....it says " irish music legend " ....
I never heard of the cunt  ...

You never heard of The Walls......Brewing up a Storm?

The Stunning.

Yeah...but they changed their name to The Walls at one stage(Steve and Joe)...but that Octy fella being a drummer should have known them!!
His " career " obviously hit a brick wall .... ya don't see bono given out about taxi fares now do ya ?
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Octavia1 on January 09, 2025, 01:40:09 pm
Imagine calling a band " the Walls " for fuk sake .... no wonder he's penniless
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Jack Meoff on January 09, 2025, 01:44:34 pm
Imagine calling a band " the Walls " for fuk sake .... no wonder he's penniless

That’s the surname
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: silverbullet on January 09, 2025, 01:47:08 pm
Imagine calling a band " the Walls " for fuk sake .... no wonder he's penniless

That’s the surname
Then The Corrs must be from Foxrock!! 8)
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Jack Meoff on January 09, 2025, 02:39:09 pm
Think they from Tipp
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Rat Catcher on January 09, 2025, 02:46:56 pm
Free Now don't offer Limousines up above in Dublin, JM.

Uber don't charge surge fees up above in Dublin, Ken. I think there's a fixed rate technology fee but, in my experience, it's always more than negated through some discount or other.

Free Now Priority Taxis on the client app vary in price in accordance with demand i.e. surge fees are applied. The other thing with Priority Taxi orders is that they are routinely offered to non-priority drivers with tiny bonuses attached. Free Now has never told non-priority drivers what portion of the surge fee the "bonus" payments represent.

As Steve says the usual fare is €35 and that, broadly, concurs with the correct fare suggested on here it's pretty obvious he has been overcharged. Whether that is down to Free Now Surge Fees or the driver taking the piss is difficult to ascertain unless some investigative journalist can find out exactly how much of the €75 was paid to the driver. Clients paying extortionate surge fees think it's drivers making a fortune, it's about time some journalist set them straight.

In any event, the best advice one can offer Steve or anyone else is shop around. Free Now fares are always the highest up above in Dublin, Uber is generally the lowest fare option. Both of those firms typically employ the same drivers but Uber, despite charging clients considerably lower fares, pays the drivers higher rates. Conversely, in London, Free Now's unlicensed fleet of clapped out Priuseses generally offer the lowest fares in my experience.
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: watty on January 09, 2025, 05:32:04 pm


As Steve says the usual fare is €35 and that, broadly, concurs with the correct fare suggested on here it's pretty obvious he has been overcharged. Whether that is down to Free Now Surge Fees or the driver taking the piss is difficult to ascertain unless some investigative journalist can find out exactly how much of the €75 was paid to the driver. Clients paying extortionate surge fees think it's drivers making a fortune, it's about time some journalist set them straight.


All the tabloids carry the same story, more or less, without comment from FN but The Irish Mirror at this link (https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/rock-star-rages-over-mental-34438658) got a quote out of Freenow and the article says:

Quote
In response, a spokesperson for FreeNow told the Irish Mirror: “At FREENOW, passengers are our number one priority and we are committed to providing accurate and fair billing.  "Taxi fares in Ireland are set by the National Transport Authority. Regarding this particular instance, we have completed an internal investigation and have been in touch with the passenger directly. We are taking appropriate action to prevent this technical glitch from happening again.”

I wonder what the 'technical glitch' was.  Does 'technical' mean it was FN's fault and not the human taxi driver?

The Irish Sun (https://www.thesun.ie/tvandshowbiz/14493156/steve-wall-taxi-dublin-airport-fare-expensive-lesson-bus/) quotes him as saying he got a full refund.

So a happy ending for everybody.  FN identified and fixed a "technical (computer?) glitch" for only €75 and the customer was satisfied in the end.
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Octavia1 on January 09, 2025, 06:22:16 pm
Looks like a double charge
...had a woman 
Before Christmas ( not carnally) in me car who said a driver had cancelled but she was charged the full fair an taut I was bringing her for free...or sumtin ... to which i replied .....
 " #%^#£=^^::&&^£#£##^  me  bollix "
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Jack Meoff on January 09, 2025, 09:18:32 pm
Free Now don't offer Limousines up above in Dublin, JM.

Uber don't charge surge fees up above in Dublin, Ken. I think there's a fixed rate technology fee but, in my experience, it's always more than negated through some discount or other.

Free Now Priority Taxis on the client app vary in price in accordance with demand i.e. surge fees are applied. The other thing with Priority Taxi orders is that they are routinely offered to non-priority drivers with tiny bonuses attached. Free Now has never told non-priority drivers what portion of the surge fee the "bonus" payments represent.

As Steve says the usual fare is €35 and that, broadly, concurs with the correct fare suggested on here it's pretty obvious he has been overcharged. Whether that is down to Free Now Surge Fees or the driver taking the piss is difficult to ascertain unless some investigative journalist can find out exactly how much of the €75 was paid to the driver. Clients paying extortionate surge fees think it's drivers making a fortune, it's about time some journalist set them straight.

In any event, the best advice one can offer Steve or anyone else is shop around. Free Now fares are always the highest up above in Dublin, Uber is generally the lowest fare option. Both of those firms typically employ the same drivers but Uber, despite charging clients considerably lower fares, pays the drivers higher rates. Conversely, in London, Free Now's unlicensed fleet of clapped out Priuseses generally offer the lowest fares in my experience.

It could have been an Executive taxi.
Do ye have these in Dublin?
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: silverbullet on January 09, 2025, 11:33:30 pm


As Steve says the usual fare is €35 and that, broadly, concurs with the correct fare suggested on here it's pretty obvious he has been overcharged. Whether that is down to Free Now Surge Fees or the driver taking the piss is difficult to ascertain unless some investigative journalist can find out exactly how much of the €75 was paid to the driver. Clients paying extortionate surge fees think it's drivers making a fortune, it's about time some journalist set them straight.



All the tabloids carry the same story, more or less, without comment from FN but The Irish Mirror at this link ([url]https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/rock-star-rages-over-mental-34438658[/url]) got a quote out of Freenow and the article says:

Quote
In response, a spokesperson for FreeNow told the Irish Mirror: “At FREENOW, passengers are our number one priority and we are committed to providing accurate and fair billing.  "Taxi fares in Ireland are set by the National Transport Authority. Regarding this particular instance, we have completed an internal investigation and have been in touch with the passenger directly. We are taking appropriate action to prevent this technical glitch from happening again.”


I wonder what the 'technical glitch' was.  Does 'technical' mean it was FN's fault and not the human taxi driver?

The Irish Sun ([url]https://www.thesun.ie/tvandshowbiz/14493156/steve-wall-taxi-dublin-airport-fare-expensive-lesson-bus/[/url]) quotes him as saying he got a full refund.

So a happy ending for everybody.  FN identified and fixed a "technical (computer?) glitch" for only €75 and the customer was satisfied in the end.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5HfOipwvts (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5HfOipwvts)
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Rat Catcher on January 10, 2025, 11:42:33 am
I wonder how many other clients suffered from this so-called glitch and what the nature of the glitch was. It sounds like a €30-40 surcharge that wasn't notified to the client in advance.

We're a strange breed. Free Now get caught overcharging a client to the tune of €40 and drivers on here opine that he can well afford it and should stop moaning. Not one (present typist excepted) asked how much Free Now paid the driver!
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Rat Catcher on January 10, 2025, 11:46:43 am
I don't think Free Now offer executive taxis up above in Dublin, JM. If they do I've never heard of them. They used to offer a limousine/hackney service but got rid of it a few years back. We did have a contributor who drove a limousine for them.

Do they offer executive taxis in Cork and, if so, how much of the surcharge for the same (assuming there is a surcharge) is paid to the driver?
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Bob Shillin on January 10, 2025, 10:38:51 pm
Got my meter verified today, all good. The guy confirmed that it's only checked on tariff 1. Is it beyond possibility that it could be ok on T1 but faulty on T2 or T3. Anyone qualified to answer?
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: taxi1990 on January 10, 2025, 11:12:19 pm
I carried a homeless busker once who gave me 30 euro for a 20 euro fare. Just goes to show how pathetic this Walls guy is.  lol
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Dr. Martin Gooter Bling on January 10, 2025, 11:17:19 pm
jemember a couple of years ago there was a cunt complainin about a 400 euro trip to galway or some dump and it turned out the cunt had some business that flogged socks for a wunner and t shirts for five ton.
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: taxi1990 on January 10, 2025, 11:18:55 pm
jemember a couple of years ago there was a cunt complainin about a 400 euro trip to galway or some dump and it turned out the cunt had some business that flogged socks for a wunner and t shirts for five ton.


The fare was only 200 or less, the guy had a business in Belfast. And the driver stupidly gave him 40 euro off the fare.
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Octavia1 on January 11, 2025, 12:06:38 am
Thers sumtin else goin on here I told yis alelready ...
https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/rock-star-rages-over-mental-34438658 (https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/rock-star-rages-over-mental-34438658)
Went inta the local shop for the news paper for me da .....
Yur man's photo was all over the news papers ....
Do a Google search ... he's all over Facebook  an the internet .....
Wat we have here ladies an gentlemen is an aging  failing rock star who's most likely headin for bankruptcy .....
How does an past tense " rock star " get the publicity he needs without puttin a hand in his empty pocket ?
Thers almost certainly another party involved here .... cud that be uber ?
Now I'm no fan of feenow as ya know .... but thers money behind this .....
Never ever listen or take antin the shite irish media has to say as " truth" ....
In fact ther a shower of absolute scum ....
....
Let me explain further ....
If you or I was overcharged.... wat wud we do ?    Weed contact feenow an ask for a refund .... an if we didny get a response... weed make a complaint to the nta or whoever .... even before all that as taxi drivers weed know the fare was excessive
an probly tell the driver we want a receipt
Then tell him we want a cash refund or wer going make a complaint or giv em a boxing lesson ....
But Mr walls is all over the papers an social media ?
He must have a tour comin up round the
School halls down the bog or sumtin ....someone took an envelope
Poor cnut
 ::sleep
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Octavia1 on January 11, 2025, 12:22:56 am

(https://i.postimg.cc/j57KLM6f/Screenshot-20250111-002029-Chrome.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/2brgtFKj)

(https://i.postimg.cc/pLsP7hXm/Screenshot-20250111-002044-Chrome.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/w1sKRBNz)

Who's " borough taxis " he's given the nod to on twitter?
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: watty on January 11, 2025, 01:09:37 am
@ Octy - he's an actor as well. Some high profile movies...

https://m.imdb.com/name/nm2425811/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_0_nm_8_in_0_q_steve%2520wall
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Bob Shillin on January 11, 2025, 02:22:35 am
"Who's " borough taxis " he's given the nod to on twitter?"
"Gotchie" Mc Govern of the long time Mc Govern taxi family, Southside taxis etc. Last I heard that Borough was run from home laptops in shifts. Based southside
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Octavia1 on January 11, 2025, 02:44:45 am
@ Octy - he's an actor as well. Some high profile movies...

https://m.imdb.com/name/nm2425811/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_0_nm_8_in_0_q_steve%2520wall

Even big stars do cheezy commercials on the telly watty ... its just how a row over 30 quid makes national headlines  is beyond me ... he got his money back fuk sake ... an  probably wud have  without given out
Like a bleedin drag queen diva ....
Fuk sake ... californium is on fire, airplanes crashin all over the place , sheep been suffocated by snow in the mountains dying in ther thousands , no guiness in ingeland.... an this cunt given out about  the price of 2   mcdonalds happy meals 
Dopey cnut

 ::sleep 
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: silverbullet on January 11, 2025, 03:01:18 pm
"Who's " borough taxis " he's given the nod to on twitter?"
"Gotchie" Mc Govern of the long time Mc Govern taxi family, Southside taxis etc. Last I heard that Borough was run from home laptops in shifts. Based southside
Borough was previously owned by this guy:
https://www.irishtimes.com/business/financial-services/breifne-o-brien-sentenced-to-seven-years-in-jail-1.1955959 (https://www.irishtimes.com/business/financial-services/breifne-o-brien-sentenced-to-seven-years-in-jail-1.1955959)

His wife tried to take over management of Blackrock Cabs but was escorted from the premises by the Sheriff IIRC:

FIONA NAGLE:
https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-20181804.html (https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-20181804.html)

She was known in property circles as FI-NAGLE!! 8)

Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Belker on January 12, 2025, 08:36:45 am
I wonder how many other clients suffered from this so-called glitch and what the nature of the glitch was. It sounds like a €30-40 surcharge that wasn't notified to the client in advance. .......
The fella that was overcharged did not give many details about what happened, but I think I have the answer as similar has happened to me twice as a driver in the past. I think it was the FN Pre Authorisation thing that came in to play.

And to add that same Pre Authorisation thing was exceptionally badly explained to customers by FN as it was contained half-way through a very long FN email a few years ago.
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Belker on January 12, 2025, 08:57:10 am
He booked a FN taxi and a Pre Authorisation hold was put on his card fer €35, the First driver accepted the job and then cancelled on him.

Then a Second driver took the job and completed it fer €35 of which the Second driver was paid, but there was still a Hold of the original €35 from the First drivers cancelled job on the clients card aswell as the payment to the Second driver.

The client saw the 2 x  €35 charges on his card and went 'Off on One' not realizing that the original Pre Authorisation hold of €35 on the First cancelled job would be refunded to his card in a few working days time.

Mystery Solved !
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Taxi driver42 on January 12, 2025, 12:06:03 pm
Cash is king
No account holding ur money
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Octavia1 on January 12, 2025, 12:32:39 pm
He booked a FN taxi and a Pre Authorisation hold was put on his card fer €35, the First driver accepted the job and then cancelled on him.

Then a Second driver took the job and completed it fer €35 of which the Second driver was paid, but there was still a Hold of the original €35 from the First drivers cancelled job on the clients card aswell as the payment to the Second driver.

The client saw the 2 x  €35 charges on his card and went 'Off on One' not realizing that the original Pre Authorisation hold of €35 on the First cancelled job would be refunded to his card in a few working days time.

Mystery Solved !

He knows that Ken.... but he hasn't admitted it on twitter yet .........
I'm not takin freenows side but that bloke is jus a stupit cnut an hasn't the bollix to admit he was wrong ...

(https://i.postimg.cc/4yyJr6pN/Screenshot-20250112-122733-Chrome.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/1VxhFNWL)
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Belker on January 12, 2025, 12:47:43 pm
He booked a FN taxi and a Pre Authorisation hold was put on his card fer €35, the First driver accepted the job and then cancelled on him.

Then a Second driver took the job and completed it fer €35 of which the Second driver was paid, but there was still a Hold of the original €35 from the First drivers cancelled job on the clients card aswell as the payment to the Second driver.

The client saw the 2 x  €35 charges on his card and went 'Off on One' not realizing that the original Pre Authorisation hold of €35 on the First cancelled job would be refunded to his card in a few working days time.

Mystery Solved !

He knows that Ken.... but he hasn't admitted it on twitter yet .........
I'm not takin freenows side but that bloke is jus a stupit cnut an hasn't the bollix to admit he was wrong ...
If what I posted above is correct then I would not blame the client, if anyone is to blame then it's FN fer so badly explaining their Pre Authorisation rules to their customers.
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Jack Meoff on January 12, 2025, 01:04:24 pm
I reckon he called for an executive taxi.
They are 1.7 higher in price of a regular taxi
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Octavia1 on January 12, 2025, 01:12:27 pm
He booked a FN taxi and a Pre Authorisation hold was put on his card fer €35, the First driver accepted the job and then cancelled on him.

Then a Second driver took the job and completed it fer €35 of which the Second driver was paid, but there was still a Hold of the original €35 from the First drivers cancelled job on the clients card aswell as the payment to the Second driver.

The client saw the 2 x  €35 charges on his card and went 'Off on One' not realizing that the original Pre Authorisation hold of €35 on the First cancelled job would be refunded to his card in a few working days time.

Mystery Solved !

He knows that Ken.... but he hasn't admitted it on twitter yet .........
I'm not takin freenows side but that bloke is jus a stupit cnut an hasn't the bollix to admit he was wrong ...
If what I posted above is correct then I would not blame the client, if anyone is to blame then it's FN fer so badly explaining their Pre Authorisation rules to their customers.

Ide never taut ide see the day Ken wen I'm defending fn sort o ting an yur blaming them  rofl.....
I tink yu did " solve the mystery " as it happened to me I tink or at least sumtin very similar .... but yur man is a rite cunt either way ..... yu wudnt hear bono goin on
Like a bleedin drag queen who's show was cancelled cause of lack of interest
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: taxi1990 on January 12, 2025, 04:18:39 pm
I was charged 65 Swiss Francs for a 10 minute day time trip to the airport in November 2021, 2 passengers. hailed on street. That walls guy should avoid Switzerland taxis at all costs. I actually thought at the time the driver must have ripped us off but I looked up the fare later and it was the correct fare, its just everything costs a lot over there, except cigarettes, that was the only thing I saw cheaper over there, I think 8 swiss francs for 1 pack.
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: silverbullet on January 12, 2025, 07:52:02 pm
I was charged 65 Swiss Francs for a 10 minute day time trip to the airport in November 2021, 2 passengers. hailed on street. That walls guy should avoid Switzerland taxis at all costs. I actually thought at the time the driver must have ripped us off but I looked up the fare later and it was the correct fare, its just everything costs a lot over there, except cigarettes, that was the only thing I saw cheaper over there, I think 8 swiss francs for 1 pack.

(https://i.postimg.cc/Z5W962Q8/P8030582.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Xr07bH4q)

Interlaken
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: taxi1990 on January 12, 2025, 08:56:10 pm
I was charged 65 Swiss Francs for a 10 minute day time trip to the airport in November 2021, 2 passengers. hailed on street. That walls guy should avoid Switzerland taxis at all costs. I actually thought at the time the driver must have ripped us off but I looked up the fare later and it was the correct fare, its just everything costs a lot over there, except cigarettes, that was the only thing I saw cheaper over there, I think 8 swiss francs for 1 pack.

(https://i.postimg.cc/Z5W962Q8/P8030582.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Xr07bH4q)

Interlaken



Nice place?
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Belker on January 13, 2025, 08:19:29 am
He booked a FN taxi and a Pre Authorisation hold was put on his card fer €35, the First driver accepted the job and then cancelled on him.

Then a Second driver took the job and completed it fer €35 of which the Second driver was paid, but there was still a Hold of the original €35 from the First drivers cancelled job on the clients card aswell as the payment to the Second driver.

The client saw the 2 x  €35 charges on his card and went 'Off on One' not realizing that the original Pre Authorisation hold of €35 on the First cancelled job would be refunded to his card in a few working days time.

Mystery Solved !

He knows that Ken.... but he hasn't admitted it on twitter yet .........
I'm not takin freenows side but that bloke is jus a stupit cnut an hasn't the bollix to admit he was wrong ...
If what I posted above is correct then I would not blame the client, if anyone is to blame then it's FN fer so badly explaining their Pre Authorisation rules to their customers.

Ide never taut ide see the day Ken wen I'm defending fn sort o ting an yur blaming them  rofl.....
I tink yu did " solve the mystery " as it happened to me I tink or at least sumtin very similar .... but yur man is a rite cunt either way ..... yu wudnt hear bono goin on
Like a bleedin drag queen who's show was cancelled cause of lack of interest
I don't think your correct Octy, yer-man-o saw 2 x €35 charges on his card with NO EXPLANATION as to why, he was not aware (because he didn't read the ENTIRE long email FN sent him a few years ago) that his original €35 Pre Authorization fee would be refunded in a few working days time.

Maybe he should have contacted FN's Robot (very unhelpful) helplines (which he might have done) before he publicized it ?
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: silverbullet on January 13, 2025, 03:40:15 pm
I was charged 65 Swiss Francs for a 10 minute day time trip to the airport in November 2021, 2 passengers. hailed on street. That walls guy should avoid Switzerland taxis at all costs. I actually thought at the time the driver must have ripped us off but I looked up the fare later and it was the correct fare, its just everything costs a lot over there, except cigarettes, that was the only thing I saw cheaper over there, I think 8 swiss francs for 1 pack.

(https://i.postimg.cc/Z5W962Q8/P8030582.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Xr07bH4q)

Interlaken



Nice place?
Loved it. Lake Thun tour one day, then Lake Brienz the next. Up to Meiringen and the Reichenbach Falls where Holmes and Moriarty were killed off.
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: watty on January 13, 2025, 03:50:43 pm

Loved it. Lake Thun tour one day, then Lake Brienz the next. Up to Meiringen and the Reichenbach Falls where Holmes and Moriarty were killed off.


Did your wife make it back?  lol
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Octavia1 on January 13, 2025, 03:59:00 pm

Loved it. Lake Thun tour one day, then Lake Brienz the next. Up to Meiringen and the Reichenbach Falls where Holmes and Moriarty were killed off.


Did your wife make it back?  lol

An  Ken sayin I've loads of money an I havnt had a holiday since me honeymoon ... an even that was hard work ....
 ::sleep
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: silverbullet on January 13, 2025, 04:12:32 pm

Loved it. Lake Thun tour one day, then Lake Brienz the next. Up to Meiringen and the Reichenbach Falls where Holmes and Moriarty were killed off.


Did your wife make it back?  lol
A big fan of Sherlock. 8)
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Rat Catcher on January 13, 2025, 05:05:55 pm
That's a bit of a twist, Ken. Did you contact Free Now directly to find out and, if so, were there no GDPR restrictions on what they could tell you... or, if not, where did you get the alleged solution?

In any event, it seems to somewhat contradict what Free Now told the client i.e. that he was charged for a Premium Service in error.

Did you hire the Swiss taxi from Free Now, T1990, and if so, did the fare include a fee for Premium Services and if so, how much was attributable to said Premium Services? In Steve's case he found that normal fare was c.35 with the additional €40 being attributed by Free Now to Premium Services. Did you consider yourself as lacking class for checking the fare or is it even possible for the working class to lack class?
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: taxi1990 on January 13, 2025, 05:35:59 pm
That's a bit of a twist, Ken. Did you contact Free Now directly to find out and, if so, were there no GDPR restrictions on what they could tell you... or, if not, where did you get the alleged solution?

In any event, it seems to somewhat contradict what Free Now told the client i.e. that he was charged for a Premium Service in error.

Did you hire the Swiss taxi from Free Now, T1990, and if so, did the fare include a fee for Premium Services and if so, how much was attributable to said Premium Services? In Steve's case he found that normal fare was c.35 with the additional €40 being attributed by Free Now to Premium Services. Did you consider yourself as lacking class for checking the fare or is it even possible for the working class to lack class?




I have never used a taxi app in my life to be honest. The taxi was parked and we asked him to drop us to the airport. One thing I didnt do was go running to twitter looking for sympathy. Never knew I was working class.  :o
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Rat Catcher on January 13, 2025, 05:42:35 pm
Would you have done anything if you discovered you had been charged €75 for a €35 fare?

You drive a cab for a living!
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: taxi1990 on January 13, 2025, 06:16:28 pm
Would you have done anything if you discovered you had been charged €75 for a €35 fare?

You drive a cab for a living!



I originally thought he was just surprised by the fare, obviously I would have done something but not go to twitter or social media.

oh well, that is ok, it doesn't bother me. id say im more middle class myself but put me in the working class box if you like.   ::cheers



Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Rat Catcher on January 13, 2025, 06:23:13 pm
I wouldn't consider driving a cab to be a middle class occupation but I think I recall you suggesting it's just a stop gap for you some time ago. Were you studying with a view to obtaining a middle class professional qualification or did you have some other investment in mind? My memory ain't getting any better!
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: taxi1990 on January 13, 2025, 06:32:12 pm
I wouldn't consider driving a cab to be a middle class occupation but I think I recall you suggesting it's just a stop gap for you some time ago. Were you studying with a view to obtaining a middle class professional qualification or did you have some other investment in mind? My memory ain't getting any better!



I don't think your occupation should define your class, if Leo Varadkar suddenly decided to drive a taxi for a living, does he then become working class?

I grew up in a middle class family, I am college educated levels 7,8 and 9 but have no interest in working in the fields I studied. I have investments and the taxi industry has been good to me. I plan to work in other self employed careers. I like this industry but dont want all my eggs in the taxi basket.
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Rat Catcher on January 13, 2025, 06:41:41 pm
Working class suggests one who works for a living as most of us cab drivers certainly do. I guess there'll always be some who could live off their family estate and just drive the cab for something to do without taxing themselves to any significant degree.
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: watty on January 13, 2025, 06:44:12 pm
The current UK Conservative leader is very wealthy and highly educated but she claims she's working-class because she had a job in McDonalds one summer  :o  :o  :o

In Ireland, the minimum wage recently rose to €13.50 so how close are we to that number after taking our expenses into account?  The Govt even fell foul of the new minimum wage law because the 'home help's' that come into this country are paid less than that by law.






https://unitetheunionireland.org/2025/01/09/government-decision-leaves-most-migrant-care-assistants-below-minimum-wage/

Quote
Unite has slammed a decision which will see most migrant health care assistants (HCAs) on general employment permits fall below the new national minimum wage which came into effect on 1 January. 

Migrant health care assistants on existing contracts will not benefit from the new government-mandated minimum annual remuneration of €30,000, which also took effect on 1 January but will only apply to those on new contracts. Workers on existing contracts will remain on a salary of just €27,000 – which is also below the threshold for family reunification.

The increase in the government-mandated salary was originally due to take effect in January 2024 but was postponed a year following lobbying by employer groups. Even the €30,000 rate for new health care assistant recruits is still below the current non-European employment permit scheme standard minimum salary of €34,000.

Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Rat Catcher on January 13, 2025, 06:49:54 pm
Sir Kier Starmer's daddy was a toolmaker and his mummy was a nurse yet he became middle class, rising to the rank of DPP in his chosen profession before becomming Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. If folk can rise through the class system it stands to reason that others will fall through it, I guess.
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: watty on January 13, 2025, 07:10:55 pm
I got it!

You're working class if you shop in Pennys, middle class (trade qual) if you shop in Dunnes and upper middle class (Uni qual) if you shop in M&S?
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Rat Catcher on January 13, 2025, 07:17:08 pm
I wouldn't consider tradesmen middle class. I suppose it's a socio-economic thing, at least in general terms with the "socio" element being important to exclude tradesmen who might earn 6 figure incomes solely through working from being regarded as middle class, at least by the middle class!

Politicians tend to like expanding the middle class so it may well be appropriate to ignore the socio element of socio-economic and define anyone with an income in excess of twice or three times the average industrial wage as middle class?
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Rat Catcher on January 13, 2025, 07:25:20 pm
... but then, does it lack class to define class solely in monetary terms and, if so, how does one define said class be it lacking or otherwise?
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: taxi1990 on January 13, 2025, 07:44:03 pm
... but then, does it lack class to define class solely in monetary terms and, if so, how does one define said class be it lacking or otherwise?


I'd say class is something most Irish people don't care about and rightly so. I'll bet lots of us are doing better than so called middle class.
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Rat Catcher on January 13, 2025, 07:58:45 pm
True enough, it's not really an Irish thing... but, if it were, I guess we'd have to start in the pub. Any man (or wife of a man) who drinks in the public bar is clearly working class and, arguably, if a visit to a public house is your night out rather than being incidental to the same, perhaps after attending a theatre, you'd be working class... I guess.
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Belker on January 14, 2025, 07:29:47 am
That's a bit of a twist, Ken. Did you contact Free Now directly to find out and, if so, were there no GDPR restrictions on what they could tell you... or, if not, where did you get the alleged solution? .......
No, I did not contact FN about this issue.

On reading some of the earlier posts on here I remembered an arduous fare I had with a drunken lass one night who was charged or Pre Authorizied fer her first FN cancelled fare and then charged again by me fer the 2nd completed fare, she seemed unable to take in my multiple repeated explanations that the Pre Authorization fee on the 1st fare would be refunded. Which led me to believe that this Steve Wall case might have been the same issue.
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Belker on January 14, 2025, 07:34:47 am
...... In any event, it seems to somewhat contradict what Free Now told the client i.e. that he was charged for a Premium Service in error. ......
Where did you pull that Nugget of Information from Stephen ?

The only quote I read on this issue from FN was that it was a 'Technical glitch' and the client was refunded in full.
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Rat Catcher on January 15, 2025, 03:13:54 pm
It was reported in one of the provincial redtops, Ken... and covered on this very forum as below:

http://intaxi.org/forum/index.php?topic=17624.0 (http://intaxi.org/forum/index.php?topic=17624.0)
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Belker on January 16, 2025, 10:30:10 am
It was reported in one of the provincial redtops, Ken... and covered on this very forum as below:

[url]http://intaxi.org/forum/index.php?topic=17624.0[/url] ([url]http://intaxi.org/forum/index.php?topic=17624.0[/url])

The details of what actually happened are very sketchy, but I still reckon I'm right about what actually happened.
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: watty on January 16, 2025, 03:15:03 pm
If he was charged twice (or 1 x precharge & 1 x charge), would 2 charges not appear on his bank statement?  In his tweet, he said he was charged €75, not charged twice.

Quote
Just got charged €75 to the airport from Harold's Cross which never cost more than €35 approx.
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: silverbullet on January 16, 2025, 03:33:28 pm
If he was charged twice (or 1 x precharge & 1 x charge), would 2 charges not appear on his bank statement?  In his tweet, he said he was charged €75, not charged twice.

Quote
Just got charged €75 to the airport from Harold's Cross which never cost more than €35 approx.
The cunt never apologised after he was reimbursed.

The band should have bee called "The Wails", whinging mong.
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Belker on January 16, 2025, 04:00:51 pm
If he was charged twice (or 1 x precharge & 1 x charge), would 2 charges not appear on his bank statement?  In his tweet, he said he was charged €75, not charged twice.

Quote
Just got charged €75 to the airport from Harold's Cross which never cost more than €35 approx.
€37.50 + €37.50 = €75.
The details of what actually happened are sketchy.
FN buried it faster than the Yanks buried Osama Bin Laden !
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: silverbullet on January 16, 2025, 06:12:30 pm
If he was charged twice (or 1 x precharge & 1 x charge), would 2 charges not appear on his bank statement?  In his tweet, he said he was charged €75, not charged twice.

Quote
Just got charged €75 to the airport from Harold's Cross which never cost more than €35 approx.
€37.50 + €37.50 = €75.
The details of what actually happened are sketchy.
FN buried it faster than the Yanks buried Osama Bin Laden !
You might as well be talking to the Four Walls! 8)
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Rat Catcher on January 20, 2025, 03:27:07 pm
As watty alludes to you'd need a rather vivid imagination to equate either a "technical glitch" or a "premium service" as a temporary hold on a card, Ken. I think it's blatantly obvious that Steve either wasn't informed of the applicable surge fee at the time he ordered or he didn't notice it until it was charged.
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Belker on January 20, 2025, 03:34:00 pm
As watty alludes to you'd need a rather vivid imagination to equate either a "technical glitch" or a "premium service" as a temporary hold on a card, Ken. I think it's blatantly obvious that Steve either wasn't informed of the applicable surge fee at the time he ordered or he didn't notice it until it was charged.
It does not show as blatantly as a FreeNow Hold on your card, it just shows as POS FRN*HOLD.FREE-NOW.COM, on your bank statement.
Title: Re: Free Now Surge Fees Causing Uprage and Outroar?
Post by: Rat Catcher on January 20, 2025, 04:14:41 pm
There would be two charges and Free Now wouldn't by any stretch of the imagination describe the temporary one as a charge for a premium service or a technical glitch.