of out-of-town cars that have flooded the city. This means that whilst I could be penalised with three points for munching on a pork pie whilst driving, Mrs Jones and her dog to the vet, Mr or Mrs Out-of- Town driver could quite happily be knocking back a burger with a customer on board without any fear of comeuppance from Brighton & Hove Council.


It is true however, that the Lewes cars from next door (which swamp the city here) currently have a Penalty Points System in their own conditions of licensing. However, this is utterly ‘pointless’ because there is never any respective Licensing Enforcement to dish out such points!


I know that Lewes has the Penalty Points clause:


“Private hire vehicle parking or waiting on a taxi rank - 9 points.”


But when it’s taken into consideration the amount of times we have complained about Lewes private hire drivers/vehicles that blatantly use our ranks and yet being ‘out-of-sight’ and ‘out-of mind’ of respective Lewes Licensing Enforcement, renders the Lewes Penalty Points System utterly useless!


Anyway, we will have to see what happens in February 2024 to find out if drivers can eat their pork- pies with passengers on board without any fear of getting the three points.


UBER DRIVERS NOT HAPPY


I am very aware of the many complaints that Uber drivers have here in the city against Uber on several issues, although this is mainly about the fare prices that have changed from a percentage system to what is really now a ‘lowest bidder’ one.


Some have been saying that they have been asking their customers what Uber was charging them and finding out that this is considerably more than what the drivers are getting, with claims of this often now being a forty-five per cent difference.


One of the demands that these Uber drivers have put to Uber is that they are calling for a maximum fifteen per cent commission. Do these drivers actually think


PHTM NOVEMBER 2023 67


that Uber is going to agree to this? Do they not realise that Uber can charge the customer whatever the customer is willing to pay and this has absolutely nothing to do with the driver, and what the driver is then paid is up to the lowest bidder?


Anyway, there was enough anger at Uber that there was a call from the drivers to: ‘Switch off the App’ on a certain day.


There was also a demonstration arranged on that day outside the Uber Hub here, which is inside the local cricket ground. One point which I don’t think they realise is that it is well known to most that the Hub is rarely attended by Uber, but I suppose that is just a minor thing for such an important demonstration.


So, we have in excess of five-hundred out-of-town drivers here from various licensing authorities and yet, from reports provided, there was probably less than twenty drivers at the demonstration. This did not surprise me at all, because having been in the trade for over forty years, I can state without hesitation that the cab trade probably has the most apathetic attitude than any other trade, as its always been ‘Someone else will do it’.


However, the most ironic thing about this demonstration is where it was reported in the local paper that the organiser of the demonstration has been “….driving in the city for five years…”.


That may indeed be the case, but I know for certain he ain’t a Brighton & Hove licensed driver!


…and I bet my pork pie and polystyrene cup of coffee on that!


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