You are only entitled to use the bus lanes if you are a licenced taxi ... and you must pay the congestion charge. There are rumours that outside of the congestion zone, the bus lane cameras only photograph the front of the taxi, and can't actually see the licence plate on the back of the cab. There is apparently a chap who scans through the photos looking for obvious offenders, and who ignores black cabs immediately. If you are mad enough to risk a £50 fine then feel free to give it a go. And remember that London busses are fitted with forward facing cameras as well. Oh, and you will probably piss off other taxi drivers too.
A message for Mr. EchoPlex - sorry I nicked a photo of your cab, but it is a beauty. I'm on the lookout for a chrome radiator grille and wing mirrors now...
Hiya,
ReplyDeleteNo problems on the photo; I was only joking - use whatever you like. It's not like the car is particularly unique, is it...
Yes, I strongly recommend the grille (and the wing mirrors, but I fear mine will eventually be removed by hoodlums). I think I saw the mirrors for about £25 on one of the taxi spares sites. Do you have the chrome bumpers? That's the next step for me. I was wondering how you fit your other half in the front - my girlfriend is about 5'8" and she can't fit in at all - I really have no idea what the extra front seat is for.
Also - do you have a Fairway or a Fairway Driver? I've got a Fairway and I'm strongly wondering about selling it and upgrading, because the brakes on the fairway scare me a little. Where do you get your car serviced? At a normal garage or a dedicated taxi place?
Tomorrow - I hope - I can attempt to change the battery. Loss of life and limb, here I come!
I don't check blogs very often, if you could get back to me at 59lespaul (at) gmail (dot) com, that'd be great, thanks.
Great info. What about parking in taxi ranks for short periods of time?
ReplyDeleteIf it is not licenced do not even stop on a rank
DeleteIf it is not licenced do not even stop on a rank
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