NZTA – MINIMUM REQUIREMETNS FOR APPROVED TAXI ORGANISATIONS

Date 23 November 2009

RE: MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR APPROVED TAXI ORGANISATION TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEMS, RELATED LEGAL REQUIREMENTS AND GOOD PRACTICE GUIDELINES

I INTRODUCTION

In October 2008 the Agency sent correspondence to Approved Taxi Organisations (‘ATO’) outlining a number of new requirements relating to the Land Transport Rule: Operator Licensing 2007 (‘the OLR’). Information relating to telecommunications was included in that correspondence. A number of ATOs also received an amended letter in September this year.

The Agency received a significant amount of feedback from the taxi industry relating to the telecommunications requirements for ATOs. The feedback identified opposing views within the industry – the feedback ranged from support for the requirements in the October 2008 letter through to opposition to the requirements.

In order to enable national consistency of compliance with the legal requirements in the OLR, and to allow appropriate and robust enforcement by the Agency, the Agency has undertaken a thorough review of the requirements.

As part of the review the Agency has noted a number of concerns raised by the industry and has refined its requirements for telecommunications systems.

This letter contains the minimum standards that will be applied by the Agency under current law in relation to telecommunications systems, references to other relevant legal requirements and a series of good practice guidelines which the Agency strongly encourages ATOs to incorporate into their business practices.

II THE SPECIFIC TELECOMMUNICATION REQUIREMENT IN LEGISLATION

Section 8.5(1)(b) of the OLR states:

8.5(1) An approved taxi organisation must…

(b) ensure that the services of its members who operate taxis are available to the public:
(i) 24 hours a day and seven days a week, through a telecommunications system approved by the Agency; or

(ii) for a lesser period or in some other manner as may be specified by the Agency as the condition of an exemption granted under 8.7(2).

Section 8.7(2) of the OLR states:

8.7(2) The Agency may, in respect of a taxi service provided by an approved taxi organisation in a particular region, exempt the organisation from the requirements in 8.5(1)(b)(i) if, the Agency is satisfied, following consultation with the applicable regional council, public demand does not require that level of service.

III MINIMUM STANDARDS TO COMPLY WITH THE LEGISLATION AND OBTAIN APPROVAL

In order to comply with the legislation and be approved, an ATO’s telecommunication system must include:

1. A telephone number that can be called at no charge to a potential customer from within the ATO’s operating area.

2. The telephone number must be monitored by a rostered dispatch person 24 hours a day and seven days a week or for such lesser period or in some other manner as specified by the Agency as the condition of any exemption granted under 8.7(2).

3. A communications system allowing two-way communication between the dispatcher and sufficient on duty vehicles to provide the required service (24/7 or otherwise if exempted).

Due to the introduction from 1 November 2009 of a prohibition on using mobile telephones whilst driving, approval of a telecommunications system will not be granted where the two way communication requires the driver to operate a mobile telephone in breach of the law (see below for more detail).

4. Where dispatch services are carried out by another entity on behalf of or on contract to an ATO, such services must comply with the requirements above.

IV RELATED LEGAL REQUIREMENTS

a. Telephone number to be in white pages.

Section 8.5(1)(c) states that an ATO must:

(c) ensure that, as soon as practicable after the signage has been approved by the [Agency], the telephone number (or numbers) relating to each approved signage is advertised in the White Pages of the telephone directory covering the area in which the service operates.

b. Ban on use of mobile phones.

Section 7.3A of the Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2007 came into force on 1 November 2009. Section 7.3A states:

7.3A Ban on use of mobile phones while driving

(1) A driver must not, while driving a vehicle, create, send, or read a text message on a mobile phone or make, receive, or terminate a telephone call on a mobile phone or use a mobile phone in any other way. This subclause is overridden by subclauses (2) to (6).

(2) An enforcement officer may, while driving a vehicle, use a mobile phone to make, receive, or terminate a telephone call if the officer is making, receiving, or terminating the call in the execution of the officer’s duty.

(3) A driver may, while driving a vehicle, use a mobile phone if—

(a) the driver is using the phone to make a 111 or *555 call; and
(b) it is unsafe or impracticable for the driver to stop and park the vehicle to make the call.

(4) A driver may, while driving a vehicle, use a mobile phone to make, receive, or terminate a telephone call if the phone does not require the driver to hold or manipulate it to make, receive, or terminate the call.

(5) A driver may, while driving a vehicle, use a mobile phone to make, receive, or terminate a telephone call if—

(a) the phone is secured in a mounting fixed to the vehicle; and
(b) the driver manipulates the phone infrequently and briefly.

(6) A driver may, while driving a vehicle, use a mobile phone to make, receive, or terminate a telephone call if the vehicle has stopped for a reason other than the normal starting and stopping of vehicles in a flow of traffic.”

c. Driving hours and logbooks.

As ‘work time’ is defined in the Land Transport Act 1998 as including ‘administration or recording’ and ‘any paid employment…whether or not related to transport activities’, therefore if the dispatcher is a person subject to the work time and driver logbook requirements then time spent dispatching must be recorded in their logbook as work time.

d. Log on and log off times.

Section 8.5(1)(o) of the OLR requires that ATOs record the log-on and log-off times of each of its drivers and retain the records for 12 months.

e. Complaints Register

Sections 3.5(2) to 3.5(7) and 8.5(1)(f) of the OLR require that ATOs maintain a single register of all complaints received relating to all members and drivers.

f. External agencies

Where communication services for an ATO are carried out by another entity on behalf of or on contract to the ATO, the legal requirements for the ATO to maintain a single register of all complaints received relating to all members and drivers and for the ATO to record and retain the log-on and log-off times of each driver continue to have effect.

V BEST PRACTICE GUIDELINES

a. Telecommunications devices.

The definition of ‘mobile phone’ in the Road User Rule means that the following telecommunications devices are not mobile phones and may be used by drivers:

 a CB radio

 any other kind of two-way radio

 an earpiece or mouthpiece that is connected, physically or otherwise, to a mobile phone to allow a driver to use the phone without holding or manipulating it

The NZTA considers that the best practice for ATOs is for the communication between the dispatcher and driver to be by way of CB radio, other kind of two-way radio or a hands free mobile telephone that meets the definition in the third bullet point above.

b. Health and Safety

The NZTA has been consulting with the Ministry of Transport and the Department of Labour about wider issues of driver and passenger safety. The NZTA strongly recommends that ATOs ensure that the systems they have in place, including their telecommunications system, meet any obligations in respect of driver and passenger safety, particularly in terms of a driver’s ability to notify an ATO of hazards encountered in their workplace or to obtain assistance in emergency situations.

VI EXEMPTIONS – INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS

As specified above, there is scope for the Agency to exempt an ATO in a particular region from the requirements of section 8.5(1)(b) following consultation with the relevant regional council and if public demand does not require the level of service set out in section 8.5(1)(b).

Any application for an exemption should be made to the NZTA office in the ATO’s region.

If you have any queries regarding the requirements contained in this letter, please contact the following Principal Transport Officers:

Auckland, Tere Lawson. Ph 09 969 9800
Hamilton, Iain Rossiter. Ph 07 958 7220
Wellington, John Marsden. Ph 04 894 5200
Christchurch, Brian Hawkins. Ph 03 964 2866
Dunedin, Dermot Harris. Ph 03 951 3009

Yours Sincerely

John Doesburg
National Manager
Commercial Operators Road & Rail

There are very few things I hate more than walking through Times Square. I especially dislike it during the holiday season, or during the summer.. or during just about any time that is a big tourist draw for the city. It’s crowded. It’s full of tourists. And that means it’s full of people who don’t really know what the heck they’re doing. They’re people who either meander across the street not caring that there’s a car speeding in their direction. They are the ones who walk at like, half speed while shuffling down the road, usually in a row… holding hands… skipping…

Maybe I’m exaggerating about the skipping.

But really. All I want to do is go home after a long day. I don’t want to be plowing through a crowd of clueless people. And I really didn’t have a choice. For I had to walk today from Madison and 49th to Port Authority. For those that don’t know, that is pretty much completely cross town. I would have taken a taxi, but that brings me to the other part of this post.

Why does it seem like every time I need a taxi during rush hour… if they are not completely taken, they are off duty? Is it like, law, that they all go off duty between, say, 5 and 7 pm, the busiest time of the night? I couldn’t deal with trying to wait for one, which is why I decided to walk crosstown in the first place.

Tomorrow will be my last known day of commuting. It’ll be interesting to see what kind of adventures that will bring.

Well, not long after my last post, I finally received a call from P, the Japanese Bondage gentleman. I was so pleased to hear from him (otherwise I would have cleared my day for absolutely no reason and it would have been a week since my last client), but I was also a bit put off because he called half an hour before i was supposed to be there. I explained that if he wished, I would be more than happy to quickly get ready and get there as soon as possible. I did also remind him, however, that I usually spend about three hours getting ready for my clients and I obviously would not be able to do the same for him. He agreed and not only did he pay for my travel expenses that I mentioned before (I usually charge a flat rate if I have to go outside of my regular zones), but he paid for my cabs as well, which equalled up to about £75. I don’t normally like for my clients to spend extra money on me like that, but it was the only time we could meet and it was going to go past 12am so it was necessary.

The bondage was sensual and an amazingly different feeling. the cotton Indian rope was definitely the softest rope I have ever felt and it felt wonderful when he was running it down my body, wrapping and circling my breasts. The praise I received over the site of my breasts and then seeing them bound up, and sticking out away from my body was exhilarating. I also have to admit that I loved the aesthetic look of it all. I wish I could have videotaped the bonding. He was so very gentle with it all, unrushed and very concerned about not giving me rope burn. I was able to even keep the rope. I will definitely treasure the souvenir and practice my Japanese Breast Bondage.

*uploading video is in the works.

If you’ve been to New York you KNOW the aroma of warm,cinnamon, roasted nuts that remind you of the Holidays. You can’t escape the scented trail that graces the corners and attacks your senses. I was sucked in by these little carts emitting such wonderful aromas my first visit to New York and I was determined to track one of those carts down before my trip was over. Surely enough I smelled one two blocks away and didn’t hold back ordering cashews covered in goodness. My partner in crime ordered roasted chestnuts. Unfamiliar with this peculiar nut I had to try a bite! The chestnut is stubborn on the outside, but it’s insides literally, melt away once they hit your lips. It was an interesting texture, tasty, but I do have to admit they did smell a little weird.

Having the biggest sweet tooth only hurts you in a place covered in bakeries and coffee shops.

I have heard nothing but great things about Magnolia Bakery and I had to find out what all the rage consisted of. It was most certainly on my to do list. But before we get to that let me tell you about this quirky little hot dog chain called, “Papaya Dog.”

Hitting the streets around lunch time only makes you more hungry, but instead of having pizza again we opted to try an authentic New York hot dog. We checked into recommended Papaya Dog and ordered. I ordered a chilly dog while my other explorers chose chili-cheese dogs. Walking in I couldn’t help but ask myself why it was called Papaya Dog?!?

Well, I came to the conclusion that these little closets have an assortment of tropical drinks, one of them being Papaya. That’s as good as I could get.

We took our lunch to a sidewalk bench and had our feast at the foot of the Empire State building. It was in fact an amazing way to admire such a historical  building. Afterall it is King Kongs building of choice!

Energized and ready we continued to treck and take over New York. We headed to the Rockefeller Center, but on the way we stopped at the New York Library. The New York Library was by far the largest library I had ever seen!! Spanning over one entire block and flushed with greenery and marble. Walking into the library I had to remind myself that I was in a library and not in a marble castle. I walked up flights of stairs to the second level where just as tall murals graced the walls. The murals told the story of the printed word. First beginning with the monks followed by Guttenberg and eventually ending with the printing press. The New York library hosts one of the original Guttenberg bibles and I had to see it for myself. Being the only explorerer enveloping myself in the library, I agreed to continue our journey. There are parts of the library I missed and I would definitely go back to check out.

Willingly being led by the streets we ended up in Bryant Park, known for hosting New York’s fashion week and a winter ice skating rink. Sprinkled through the park are little shops filled with unique treasures and tasty treats. The skating rink was cheery and made you want to do nothing, but skate under the sky.

St. Patrick’s Cathedral was next on the list and was absolutely breathtaking. The cathedral was enormous in height and emitted an astonishing aura. Walking in I was overwhelmed by grand arches and I like the others walked with my head turning in every direction. I could have easily spent a few hours in there and as I said good-bye I lit a candle for my family’s celebrated saint, Saint Anthony of Padua.

Not only was the cathedral an amazing place to see, but the buildings lining up the streets were works of art bearing great history and I’m sure great stories.

Have I convinced you to buy your ticket yet?

Rockefeller Center popped up on our path and it was already under construction for christmas decorations. Ladders surrounded the soon to be completed tree as skaters danced across the famous rink. Just across the way was the famous NBC studios and we had to go into the network’s store. Tons of NBC show stuff as well as a complete candy heaven was stocked inside. We covered midtown and now it was time to venture back to East Village. Now it was time to find the subway. Walking to the subway we ran into yummy Magnolia Bakery! I was soo excited!

Stepping into the bakery was like a dream and it smelled so delicious. Small personal cheescakes were all lined up in the first case followed by cakes, cupcakes and cookies. Unfortunately I was disappointed with everything, but the cheesecake. (I’ve had better) We all dove in and placed our orders. I took pumpkin cheesecake with me as the others ordered chocolate vanilla swirl and key  lime. We found a spot near a fountain across the street where we attacked and savored every morsel.

On to the subway we headed to east village. Upon arriving we walked blocks and blocks of streets and dipped into a cozy bar for a bit. The bar served popcorn with every drink and it was filled with locals and international accents. We talked until our feet were ready to  hit the streets again and hungry as usual we were directed to the famous Katz Deli. I had no idea why it was famous or what to expect so I went with the flow. We arrived at Katz Deli, which was old-fashioned and the menu looked as if it hadn’t changed in years!

Besides the endless photos of celebrities and people of interest covering the walls from the ceiling to the floor, Katz Deli is well-known for being in the movie where Harry Met Sally. We of course had to sit and eat dinner here and a small sign helped us pick our spot in the restaurant.

Diving Into My Turkey Sandy

Lookin' up at "The Sign"

Katz clever way of the "bill"

Our feast

With the night just beginning we were ready to listen to some music and checked out east village radio. The home to the online radio station. We were shocked when we spotted the place because we all were expecting a place to sit and listen to music. Instead it was a tiny closet of a place and six people inside of it equaled a crowd. Nonetheless I went because it was on my fellow travelers list of must see’s. Having enough of the crowded spot we headed down the streets and ended at a small apartment where we met some ”locals” that shared their favorite club spots and advice on getting a cab.

When Hailing a Cab:

1) Look for the cabs with their light on top turned on.

2) If a random car pulls up it’s probably a Gypsy cab. It’s cheaper, but they can’t get in trouble for kidnapping you.

3) The taxi cabs with a lot of advertising on them are more expensive.

4) Taxi’s aren’t alowed to share their rides…that means no picking up “Driving Ms. Daisy’s” and dropping them off…on the way to your destination. (This happened to us earlier in the day and we almost missed our train!)

Sitting at the apartment with good conversation and listening to old one hit onders we missed our train giving us no choice, but to take the next one. We headed to the subway and now this time the subway didn’t run as often so we missed our train again! Frustrated with the night we quietly rode to Penn station and purchased our tickets for the next train, which was to arrive at 2AM.

Drenched from the drizzle we went back outside and walked the lonely streets. We went back to Papaya Dog and also made a stop at White Castle.  I had never tried the burger joint before and had to try the famous “White Castle.” Dissapointed! Let’s just say if you like mini burgers with paper thin meat and soggy bread this is YOUR joint! As time passed we headed back to Penn Station where tons of drunk stragglers were meandering around waiting for their next. Finally our train had arrived and we ran to it ready to go home and sleep.

On the train there was constant noise of drunken conversation that eventually drowned out as we took off toward Farmingdale. But why when I looked over two girls who were sprawled on their seats covered in shopping and sleeping both woke up crying as if they had a nightmare or something. Weird! I just kept to myself and  hoped to get home soon.

Exhausted from a long day I couldn’t help, but be happy with all the amazing sights and food I had experienced over two days.

Manhattan, New York – Paul Hurley, A local Irish bar and tavern owner in Manhattan is bringing a new twist for the Thanksgiving Holiday by unveiling the nation’s first 100 proof turkey which is infused with fruit flavored and 100 proof Georgi vodka.

The Turkey takes three days to prepare for the Holiday. 100 proof vodka is infused in the bird for three days before the final cooking. Peach, Raspberry, Cherry and Apple flavored vodka’s are also part of the turkeys base. 100 proof vodka is also lightly placed in the gravy as well. No one under 21 is allowed to join the feast. The bar is also including a free taxi ride any where in the city for those who order the holiday specialty.

The Turkey will be set to marinating with its vodka infusion for a Media Conference on Monday, November 23, 2009 at 11:45am at O’Casey’s Tavern on 22 East 41st Street, between Fifth and Madison Avenue.

The day before thanksgiving is known as one of the busiest drinking days of the years and the partying does not stop for everyone. Mothers Against Drunk Driving had concerns about this delight during it’s unveiling. Dozens of bar patrons have already pre-ordered the turkey. The Turkey will be available for the first time at the tavern, the day of the Media Conference. Georgi Vodka plans on placing the recipe at every liquor store in the nation.

Jag sitter vid Karolinska just nu och väntar på att få en smaskig körning. Jag kan inte låta bli att tänka på om man borde stå här och trycka…
Får man en körning där man ska hämta någon på akuten så finns det chans att influensan finns in the house… Man kanske inte ska tänka så men it is what it is alla vi ska dö någon gång, right? Jag har dessutom vaccinerat mig vilket innebär att jag kan köra min bil i 300km/h rakt in i en vägg utan att någonting händer mig så det borde vara coola bananer antar jag.

Har ni vaccinerat er?

TaxiKrigaren

Over recent days I’ve been working as stills photographer on the Australian film, Summer Coda, set in and around Mildura, Australia. My role is twofold: to provide specific images for publicity and promotional purposes and to capture behind the scenes images of cast and crew.

I arrived in Mildura at around 8pm on Wednesday evening to a very balmy 38 degrees Celsius. The next day, my first on set, was 43 degrees. Part of the day was spent filming a series of scenes in and around the Mildura Railway Station. An added surprise was to see an old friend, Darryl Smith, who I’d played with in my first band Taxi in the early 80’s, drive a freight train right past me while I was making a few candid shots of actress Rachel Taylor on the station platform. Smithy has been living and driving trains in Mildura for a number of years. We caught up on Saturday afternoon for a chat and a few cleansing ales.

Canon 5D camera and Canon 24-105mm f4 L series USM lens @ 24mm. Exposure Details: 1/80 second @ f5.6 ISO 100.

The above image is of DOP (Director of Photography), Greg de Marigny, setting up the new Red camera for a scene in front of the Mildura Railway station. Greg, who I’d met prior to commencing work on this project, is an incredibly nice guy. I was very impressed that, despite the extreme heat and dreadfully highly contrast we were working under, he remained completely calm and in control throughout the day. He even found time to chat with me about some aspects of the motion picture industry, with which I have only a tenuous connection. He is a consummate professional, a leader and, most importantly, a team player.  Greg works closely with Director Richard Gray, his camera team and the lighting guys to establish the films specific look.

I was very impressed with the never say die attitude of the caste and crew. Despite trying conditions they simply sucked it up and got on with their jobs. This is a trait I’ve come to expect from my Aussie and Kiwi brothers with whom I’ve worked over the years. While great films are made in this part of the world, economies of scale have determined that the motion picture industry is, compared to the USA or India, relatively small. Maybe its because its so hard to get a film up and running that, when the light finally turns green, its all go and all involved just get on with it and do their job, without fuss, as well as they possibly can. It’s a privilege to work alongside such good folk.

© Copyright All Rights Reserved

Glenn Guy, Blue Sky Photography

Entrei, coloquei o cinto e dei o destino. O taxista saiu correndo feito um louco, pista vazia, molhada e a chuva castigando. Eu me segurei no ‘puta que o pariu’ e tinha dobrado as pernas para o caso de uma colisão não ficar preso nas ferragens.

Aí eu fui inventar de falar pra ele:

- Meu amigo, eu não estou com pressa. O senhor poderia ir mais devagar?

Ele respondeu:
- Tá com medo, é?

Neste momento, ele acelerou ainda mais o carro e começou a andar em zig-zag e soltou aquela risada diabólica.

- TÁXI!!

Entrei, coloquei o cinto e dei o destino. Mas como um autêntico taxista, ele começou a falar:

- Você faz o que?
- Eu sou publicitário.
- Huuummmm… Tá cheio da grana, hein? Quanto você ganha?
- Ganho razoável.
- Quanto é isso?
- O suficiente.
- Se você não disser, eu paro o carro agora!
- Meu amigo, eu não ganho o que mereço e não vou dizer.

O cara freou bruscamente e me fez sair do carro. Ele abriu minha porta e disse:

- Saia do carro! Saia!

Eu, sem acreditar, sai do carro e gritei:

- TÁXI!!

Entrei, coloquei o cinto e dei o destino. Acho que o motorista pensou que eu era ladrão e falou:
- Já fui assaltado dezenove vezes e agora eu só ando armado, olhe minha arma!

Ele me tira um ‘três-oitão’, cano longo que só de olhar eu tremi.

- Já derrubei dois e deixei um ‘alejado’! Eu uso ele desde o dia que levei um tiro na nuca, a bala atravessou e quebrou todos os meus dentes da frente. Tá vendo aqui?

Ele tirou a dentadura e mostrou:
- Pode pegar! Acabei de escovar!

Fiquei com mais nojo ainda e ele finalizou:
- O médico me falou que foi um milagre, que se a bala fosse mais um pentelho pro lado eu tava morto ou ‘alejado’.

- TÁXI!!

Entrei, coloquei o cinto e dei o destino. Estava sem dinheiro e falei:
- Meu amigo, quando o taxímetro marcar dez reais, pode parar, por favor.

Eu não tinha mais nada no bolso. Era meia-noite e andaria o resto do percurso. Dez reais no taxímetro e o taxista disse que me levaria até em casa. Quando chegamos, falei que pegaria o número dele e pagava depois. Ele negou e falou:

- Se as pedras se encontram, quem dirá os homens…

Matheus Tapioca

Ilustração: Michel Neuhaus
Toda segunda uma nova crônica. Acompanhe.

Matheus Tapioca

early Thanksgiving -
waiting for my taxi ride…
chatting with dispatch

Tonight coming home from the night market, me and a couple of friends were pulled over in our taxi by Thai police. The cabby had to roll down his window for an officer to question us and as we did not speak nor understand Thai fluently, we had to get out of the cab. A line of 4-5 police officers formed and we were asked for our passports, which we did not have, so we showed them other forms of ID, such as driver’s licenses and student IDs. One of them asked for a “donation” but was quieted by another officer. We made to get back in the car and were told to bring copies of our passports next time. Thankfully we were let go without a hassle and continued on our way home. There wasn’t any reason at all to pull us over except for the fact that we were not Thai. third world corruption at its finest! and the first time I had to really experience it to my face.

Three teenagers were injured when their car heading to Nantwich collided with a taxi.

Two are said to be in a “serious but stable” condition in Leighton Hospital after the accident which happned on Crewe Road, Wistaston.

Their blue Vauxhall Corsa car was being driven to Nantwich by an 18-year-old from Middlewich.

He hurt his legs and his rear seat passenger, also 18, from Haslington, suffered head injuries.

The 19-year-old front seat passenger from Sandbach escaped with minor injuries.

The driver of the Ford transit mini-bus taxi, a 39-year-old man from Whitchurch, also suffered only minor injuries.

One of the casualties had to be cut free from the wreckage by fire crews.

Cheshire Police are appealing for any witnesses of the crash at 12.16am today (Sunday) to contact them at 084545580000 or 01244-613328.

Entre o trânsito intenso, a falta de estacionamento, a chuva e a lei seca, cada vez mais os cariocas passam a depender do táxi para seus deslocamentos pela cidade. A recente explosão de cooperativas, que atendem por telefone ou pela Internet, bem como os pontos organizados, facilitou o acesso aos passageiros, sobretudo os de localidades mais remotas. Mas nem tudo são flores para o candidato a passageiro de táxi, e há muitas lições a tirar da experiência de outros países.

Uma das grandes dificuldades do passageiro está em verificar se o táxi que se aproxima está ou não livre. O uso indiscriminado de filmes escuros nos vidros (que prejudicam perigosamente a visibilidade, sem oferecer nenhuma segurança adicional) impede o passageiro de ver o interior do veículo. O descaso dos motoristas, que não apagam o letreiro luminoso do teto quando estão ocupados ou decidiram parar de trabalhar, nos força a sinalizar para todos os táxis que se aproximam. Que canseira!

Na foto o letreiro dos táxis alemães, muito visível e somente aceso quando o carro está livre.

A falta de padronização dos veículos transforma a escolha do táxi num exercício de sorte e resignação. Passageiros pernaltas, com eu, sonham com o dia em que o Poder Público fará a opção por um carro fabricado com o propósito específico de ser táxi, como ocorre no Reino Unido. É claro que a suspensão terá que ser adaptada às nossas crateras…

O espaçoso e seguro London Cab, como tudo já copiado na China, transporta com conforto quatro passageiros (inclusive com cadeira de rodas), além de um volume razoável de bagagem, tem portas largas e teto alto, a cabine do motorista é separada da dos passageiros, é inconfundível nas ruas e projetado de modo a minimizar lesões em caso de atropelamento. O jogo de direção permite retornar em espaço muito pequeno, facilidade incorporada em 1834, para permitir-lhes o acesso à estreita porte-cochère do Hotel Savoy, no elegante West End de Londres, na única rua londrina com mão de direção à direita.

Genial a solução dos suíços para a posição do taxímetro. Nada de esconder no painel, atrás do encosto do banco da frente. As informações são projetadas de forma muito viva no espelho retrovisor central, visível de todo o interior do veículo.

Quando há separação de cabines, como na Inglaterra, o taxímetro fica junto ao vidro separador, com mostradores separados para os passageiros e o motorista.

Tendência que começa a chegar ao Rio, as frotas são equipadas com sistema de GPS, que mostra à central a posição exata de cada carro disponível, impedindo a deplorável escolha dos motoristas pelas corridas mais lucrativas, em detrimento dos passageiros com destinos próximos. O sistema permite ainda a transmissão dos chamados por mensagem de texto, sem a necessidade de utilizar os barulhentos rádios ou celulares, de resto proibidos ao volante.

Tecnologia e sofisticação à parte, restam aos usuários dos táxis cariocas dois grandes problemas.

A depuração dos motoristas, eliminando os ineptos e os rotineiramente desonestos, é essencial para que se chegue a um serviço de qualidade compatível com as olímpicas aspirações do Rio de Janeiro a relevante destino turístico mundial.

Mas falta também que o Poder Público, em lugar de perseguir – oficial e oficiosamente – os taxistas, com saraivadas de vistorias e multas de fundamento confuso e custo incompatível com seus rendimentos, cujo único propósito é arrecadar, os informe de forma clara e incontroversa o que podem ou não fazer, onde podem ou não pegar passageiros, as regras do jogo enfim. A receita de multas vai cair, mas o serviço certamente vai melhorar.

Fotos: Al Fred, “Taxi”, Flickr, 22 Nov 2008, Creative Commons (BY-NC, ND); Andrew Scott, “London Cab”, Flickr, 23 Jun 2007, Creative Commons (BY-NC-SA); Foto: Julian Bleecker, “Taxi Meter”, Flickr, 2 Feb 2006, Creative Commons (BY-NC-ND); Foto: Andy Bullock, “A Shark”, Flickr, 25 Jun 2009, Creative Commons (BY).

Getúlio Vargas, Porto Alegre, avenida estreita. O táxi vai ultrapassando todos os carros, ora pela direita, ora pela esquerda, como convier (deve ter tomado umas aulas com o PMDB). Um Siena prata anda pela esquerda. O taxista nem pensa, vai pegando a direita, o mais rápido possível, mas o Siena também vai pra direita. Tentando ser simpática, a passageira – no caso, eu – comenta, em tom de brincadeira:

- Acho que o negócio dele é não te deixar passar.

No que ouve a resposta:

- Ah, mas não tem pra ele. Se ele não me deixa passar, eu chego do lado, encosto nele, que ele pula pro cordão da calçada.

Medo.

——

E uma raivinha contida: é esse fdp que eu quero matar (no sentido figurado, viu, que fique bem claro) quando eu estou dirigindo.

Taxi 4

Taxi 4, 20h45 sur TF1

Le commissaire Gilbert est sous pression. Marseille vit depuis peu dans la peur d’un dangereux criminel qui se fait appeler Le Belge. Le ministère a fait savoir qu’il était urgent qu’il soit rapidement mis sous les verrous. Ses méthodes brutales et immorales ont même déstabilisé la pègre locale. Les hommes de Gilbert parviennent à trouver un motif permettant de mettre Le Belge en garde à vue. Or, le malfrat réussit à s’évader. Emilien et Daniel doivent coopérer à nouveau afin de le neutraliser. Mais les années ont passé depuis leurs dernières aventures : ils sont maintenant pères de famille, et entendent passer du temps avec leurs enfants. Or rien ne se passe comme prévu…

Pour tous publics

Hello Roamers,
Virgin Atlantic have introduced a new service-only on the London – New York run at present. It is a service to share taxis thus saving costs.
The following is from the Virgin Atlantic site.
TAXI2
The Taxi2 web site enables passengers to link up easily with other travellers who may be on their flight and travelling to a similar part of a city, so they can share the taxi ride.

The scheme is not limited to Virgin Atlantic customers, passengers on other airlines can share rides also.

How does it work?

Virgin Atlantic’s customers and passengers of other airlines simply:
• Log onto the site
• Input your flight and destination details
• The system will match you with suitable travelling companions.
• You are then sent the details to contact the matched traveller and can decide whether to agree to the match and make arrangements of where to meet following your flight. Easy !!!
Please note: Your contact details will not be shared.
• Print off the easy to make Taxi2 sign from the website so you can locate each other at the airport.
The system will also match female travellers who only want female travelling companions.

As it is a Beta service, for the first few months we are just offering it on the London to New York routes.

Share a taxi from the airport now at www.taxi.to

Cheers
John
Go-Roam Australia! ….and the world
http://roamersclub.com
http://grey-nomads.org
http://aussiejack.wordpress.com

©Nick Stern

Taxi cabs are the lifeblood of any major city. The Yellow Taxi cab has become an iconic symbol of New York. They Epitomize the vibrancy, pace and occasional madness of the city. This feature the goal was to capture the impression of pace and movement.

©Nick Stern

Above : Hanging over the side of the walkway that runs the length of Brooklyn bridge. Slow shutter speed and small aperture.

Morning rush hour is always a prime time for a fight over a taxi cab, here the technical aspect of the images was less important than the feeling of pace the image evokes, in  fact the movement in the pictures, the focus (or rather lack of it) emphasizes, the rush and pace.

©Nick Stern

Above : Low angle, slow shutter speed.

Below : Prefocused to avoid focusing on the hand and umbrella

©Nick Stern

©Nick Stern

The woman (below) jumped into the taxi as though it was the last taxi on the planet, the movement in the picture is vital to show the action.

©Nick Stern

This feature was shot on a Nikon D2x, generally set to shutter priority to ensure I had total control over the speed.

Morning Rush hour ©Nick Stern

Nikon D2x

The lenses used were the Nikon 28-70mm f2.8 AF and the Nikon 17-35 2.8 AF

Nikon 20-70mm f2.8

New yorkers were only too pleased to have some dumb-ass photographer get in their way as they rush to work!

©Nick Stern

$20 photo...©Nick Stern

Above :

Me: ” I wanna go over the bidge”

Driver : “Then where to?”

Me: “Back here again”

Driver ” Why don’t you just stay here?”

Me: ” I wanna photograph the bridge”

Driver: “you can photograph it from here”…

…and so the conversation went on.

Balancing the exposure for both detail inside the taxi (above) and outside. A small amount of flash was used to ensure the detail of the dark interior was recorded, without looking like flash was used. This photo cost me $20. A 5 minute drive over the bridge and back.

©Nick Stern

Below: Running behind the girls as they run for the taxi, prefocused with a rain soaked lens.

©Nick Stern

©Nick Stern

Above : Panning with the moving taxi, standing in the road on one of New York’s busiest junctions.

Below : The Graveyard.

©Nick Stern

ligger nyvaken i sängen med datan på magen, realativt nöjd över gårkvällens festligheter brutaliteten till trots, då jag plötsligt börjar tänka (och det ska man ju INTE göra) och fundera över varför kassören tog mitt kort vid garderoben igår – det skulle ju vara gratis inträde på klubben? jaja, vi kom väl för sent och var tvugna att betala tänker jag. varför kom vi för sent? ja just det, vi gick ju vilse… varför gick vi vilse?! har ju varit här hur många gånger som helst!? ja just det, vi drack vin hos manuel innan. hehe, det glömde jag nästan. hur lyckades vi hitta fram då? ja JUST det, jag stoppade en taxi som körde runt i cirklar ett tag trots att stället vi skulle till låg precis bakom hörnet. ja just det, och jag gav honom också mitt kort, inga problem. mitt kort har ju massa pengar. INTE! och inte kostade ölen 26 kronor som utlovat, kunde vi konstatera vid det obligatoriska checkandet av saldot på kontot dagen efter. manuel konstaterade det dåra, själv vågar jag inte gå in och kolla.

allt som allt en skön kväll!

Seit 45 Jahren! Käpt’n Iglo fährt Taxi in München

Schauspieler Gerd Deutschmann in seiner Käpt‘n-Iglo-Uniform

Ein Vorwort von Ernst Habros:
HugoMontenegro war mal wieder zu faul seine Reisetagebücher geordnet zu schicken, deshalb folgen hier, auf diesem Blog, nun die Berichte von seiner Forschungsreise in ungeordneter Reihenfolge, beginnend mit “Taxifahrt in B.”:

Fünf Schritte, meine Augen brennen, meine Lippen schmecken salzig von all dem Schweiß. Ich stoppe ein Taxi, gebe mein Bestes um dem Taxifahrer, in seiner Sprache zu erklären wohin ich möchte. Er sieht mich ungläubig an, macht Handzeichen, ich setze meine Sonnenbrille ab, nicke, bejahe, in der mir fremden Sprache. Meine Kontaktperson vor Ort hatte gesagt mein Ziel sei nicht weit entfernt; doch was heißt das schon, in einer Stadt in der man für einen Kilometer manchmal eine Stunde braucht. Aus dem Radio dröhnt eine Talksendung, ich verstehe nur zusammenhangslose Brocken, unterbrochen von dem dämonischen Lachen des Moderators.
Die Klimaanlage trocknet meinen Schweiß. Ich setze die Sonnenbrille wieder auf, der kalte Luftstrom schmerzt in den Augen. Ich schnüffle am Mentholinhalator, um meine Nase vom Gestank der Stadt zu befreien. Blick auf den Taxi-Meter: 5 Kilometer. Stau. Sing-Sang aus dem Radio. In meinem Magen rumort die Frühstückssuppe mit Bier. Bier ist gut hier, schmeckt nach zu Hause und hilft beim Verstehen. Ich lächle den Taxifahrer an, er lächelt zurück, Es geht weiter, der Fahrer vor uns ist am Steuer eingeschlafen. Hupkonzert. Er wacht auf. Würgt den Wagen ab, schafft es schließlich doch. Endlich wieder in Bewegung. Wer rastet der rostet oder wird überfallen. Der Jetlag will, daß ich schlafe, doch ich traue dem Taxifahrer, allgemein diesen unverständlichen Leuten, nicht, zwinge mich wach zu bleiben. Wer weiß wo er ich mich hinbringt, wenn ich Schwäche zeige. Lächeln, die Uhr blinken lassen. Wieder Stau. “Traffick Dschäm”, verrenkt der Taxifahrer seine Zunge. Stille. Unangenehm für mich. Der Fahrer liest Zeitung. Plötzlich, er zeigt auf seine Zeitung, “Futbal” “Jerman”, ich nicke, gebe zu verstehen, daß ich aus dem Land des Fußballsport komme, erwähne, natürlich, nicht, daß ich davon wenig Ahnung habe, nutze meine beschränkten Sprachkenntnisse für soviel Plauderei wie möglich. In “Jermany” hätte ich keine Lust darauf, hier freue ich mich. Er erzählt, daß er nie eine Schule besucht hat, aber eine Frau mit zwei Kindern, nicht gut, “memi dang memi dak dak”, “kein Geld kein Sex”, eine universelle Wahrheit.
Es geht weiter, wieder Schweigen, das Verkehrschaos nimmt meine Aufmerksamkeit gefangen. Der Fahrer steuert den Wagen durch die kleinste Lücke in der Metallmasse der Fahrzeuge. Ob wir noch richtig sind, ich weiß es nicht. Draußen lächeln mir von Werbeplakaten glückliche Paare entgegen, die Whisky anpreisen.
-Ich werde gebeten, angefleht, bedroht, weniger zu trinken, ich lächle, schweige, schenke Bier nach-
Inzwischen fahren wir seit einer Stunde. Ich werde ungeduldig. Das Geduddel aus dem Radio nervt. Gerade mal 15 Kilometer gefahren. Mißtrauen. Wir fahren und fahren. Vorbei an Brücken, unter denen Menschen leben, auf der anderen Seite leben die Reichen in Festungen, aus denen sie sich nur in gepanzerten Geländewagen trauen. Vorbei an Geisterhäusern, die man errichten muß bevor man ein Gebäude auf freiem Grund errichtet. Schließlich braucht der Geist, der vorher dort gewohnt hat, auch eine Bleibe. Köter überall. Den Gestank der Armen riechen auch die Reichen. Das Land des ewigen Lächelns hat ein Pockengesicht. Ich will rauchen, Bier trinken, Whiskyflaschen kaufen, Schmerz betäuben. Aber die Stadt zeigt auch für Weiße keine Gnade. Hunderttausend Seelen verschlingt sie jeden Tag, die Weißen quält sie meist nur- sonst Aufschrei in den kulturbestimmer Nationen: Gerechtigkeit. Eineinhalb Stunden Fahrt. Immer noch nicht am Ziel. Kann ich meinem Fahrer trauen?!
Natürlich nicht, auch nur einer, der mein Geld und meine Organe will und meine Haut. So schön weiß. Kampflos bekommt er sie nicht. Bin aber zu erschöpft zum Kämpfen. “Sollte mir einen Kämpfer kaufen.”
Wir biegen um eine Kurve. Angekommen!
Freundlich lächelt mein Fahrer. Fahrtpreis viel zu billig. Mein schlechtes Gewissen beruhige ich mit einem exorbitanten Trinkgeld. Verdammte weiße Angst!
Die Reue spüle ich mit Bier weg.

Juego al estilo carmageddon, tienes que atropellar zombies mientras haces tus lavores de taxista.