No, chef, that's not what drive-in (to airport) service means

[watty]

Dunno Belker this is what he said

"His defence arguement was novel.  He basically felt sorry for people standing at bus stops and the trip was free with a €35 contribution towards petrol!"

It's not illegal for commuters to give each other lifts as long as they aren't making a profit.Contrubutions towards fuel are allowed.I'm guessing that was his angle and the didn't want to hear it.

That was me, trying to interpret the newspaper article in 10 words or less.  E.&O.E. 

[Rat Catcher]

All he had to fo was register as a rural hack

An average of less than 1 LAH plates per county have been issued over the last decade. I think you need letters from a Garda, a solicitor, a priest and a publican to be entered into a draw with one winner drawn from every 3,483 entries.

[silverbullet]

Dunno Belker this is what he said

"His defence arguement was novel.  He basically felt sorry for people standing at bus stops and the trip was free with a €35 contribution towards petrol!"

It's not illegal for commuters to give each other lifts as long as they aren't making a profit.Contrubutions towards fuel are allowed.I'm guessing that was his angle and the didn't want to hear it.

Inspector Anthony Carey, on approaching the defendant said "Irish Stew in the name of the law"!!

[taxi1990]

When I first read this story I thought why don't they go after the big time unlicensed taxis but this guy was charging so little that he was a big problem to legitimate taxis and deserved the fine he got.
The fine should be so high it deters anyone thinking about operating as an unlicensed taxi. I believe you can be fined up to €5000 so really he got off lightly.

As for the NTA and Anthony Carey, I know him and has spoken to him a few times so they are well awareness of the guy in my town.

I don't see the point in sending the guy in my town on wild goose chases, I want him caught.

That chef wouldn't get a local area Hackney license in mullingar.

[Rat Catcher]

It's a bit OTT fining him €900 for a licence he can't get. Like I said you can buy a TV licence at any post office yet the criminals who won't do that get fined €100-150, less than the price of the licence. If he were able to buy a hackney licence it'd probably cost the same as a taxi licence i.e.€150, very similar to the TV licence.

[taxi1990]

It's a bit OTT fining him €900 for a licence he can't get. Like I said you can buy a TV licence at any post office yet the criminals who won't do that get fined €100-150, less than the price of the licence. If he were able to buy a hackney licence it'd probably cost the same as a taxi licence i.e.€150, very similar to the TV licence.

His insurance would be thousands of euro.

Lots of people just don't want to play by the book and do stupid things like operating as an unlicenced taxi.

If the NTA didn't catch illegals, we wouldn't have a business.

[Rat Catcher]

His insurance might already be thousands. We can't assume he wouldn't buy a licence without providing the option.

[taxi1990]

His insurance might already be thousands. We can't assume he wouldn't buy a licence without providing the option.

He could have got a normal taxi plate like the rest of us? if a local area hackney license wasn't a viable option.   

[Rat Catcher]

No saloon plates issued for last c.10 years.

[taxi1990]

No saloon plates issued for last c.10 years.

Let him buy or rent a wheelchair taxi. I did and paid 7,000 euro insurance, why should he be any different?

[Rat Catcher]

He's a chef who wants to cover his petrol money not run a full-time taxi service.

[taxi1990]

He's a chef who wants to cover his petrol money not run a full-time taxi service.

Well he said he knew what he was doing was illegal so hard luck to him but he got what he deserved.

He did the Mullingar taxi drivers out of 150 + euro every time he took a fare off them.

[Rat Catcher]

Most of those who don't buy TV licences or dog licences know it's illegal. It's just a question of proportionality. A white Irish by accident of birth taximan got off with a warning for killing a child in another case reported on here recently.

[taxi1990]

What is the point in fining him 100 euro, you need to make it a good fine to put off other chancers from doing a job they have no right to do.

If I had my way he would have been fined the maximum 5000 euro, same as all the other losers who operate an unlicensed taxi service, and that is exactly what they usually are from my experience, and they attract the same kind of people to their illegal taxi business, alcos and wasters.

[silverbullet]

What is the point in fining him 100 euro, you need to make it a good fine to put off other chancers from doing a job they have no right to do.

If I had my way he would have been fined the maximum 5000 euro, same as all the other losers who operate an unlicensed taxi service, and that is exactly what they usually are from my experience, and they attract the same kind of people to their illegal taxi business, alcos and wasters.

Luckily, there are no Alco's or wasters in the regulated business!!