GPS units may cause accidents through distraction but at least one Sydney taxi driver clearly believes that there’s no such thing as too much technology in-car. By our count there’s at least ten devices surrounding the driver. Is that even legal?
This shot was sent through to us yesterday of a rather over-equipped taxi currently on Sydney’s roads. Now, I’m as big a booster of the use of gadgets in everyday life as anyone, but even I’d be nervous being in a cab where the driver had this many sources of distraction. There’s at least two ATMs, the cab booking computer, GPS and in car DVD and TV (two screens), phone and laptop, all running at the same time.
Would you get into this cab? I mean, I guess the odds are good you probably wouldn’t get lost on your way to the crash…
(Thanks Nick!)
Barry
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 2:16 PMWhat the taxi driver is actually illegal. He has items that can block his vision while driving.
I remember a time when ALL Taxi Drivers had to pass a test concerning location of things before they get their Taxi license, I guess those days are gone.
Joe
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 2:24 PMEvery second car you see driving with a GPS has it mounted in a position that blocks or impairs the drivers vision.
Also I don’t see how the eftpos machines are a distraction…
Cam
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 2:47 PMThe days of common sense while driving a car have gone. There’s nothing I hate more than driving along and seeing someone with a GPS unit (normally one of the big screen ones) directly in front of the driver and impeding their vision.
If your passenger was giving you directions you wouldnt have them sitting on your dash so you could hear what they are saying.
Ed
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 2:36 PMI think I have ridden with this guy. He had the lappy and no less than THEE iphones and an Android. He got me to my destination in no time… obviously.
EckyThump
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 2:37 PMThis guy must own his own car, but I guarantee it’s illegal. If the caps find him he’ll get done for sure! #}
olearymo
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 4:06 PM“Look out man, it’s the caps!”
“HOLD IT RIGHT THERE”
EckyThump
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 4:24 PMGod I hate grammar Nazis! #{
Drew
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 5:14 PMSpelling, not grammar.
EckyThump
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 5:40 PMActually spelling is a part of grammar, is the part where I call you a grammar Nazi too? or just a dill! That goes for the other dill under you!
James
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 5:12 PMLove it!
Eckythump
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 6:33 PMOh look, I didn’t put the word ‘with’ why don’t you take swipe now, then we can all have girly giggle…
olearymo
Friday, August 26, 2011 at 11:24 AMHey man, I just made an honest mistake and accidentally said ‘caps’ instead of ‘cops’. Why are you being a grammar nazi about it?! In fact, now that I look, you did the same thing!
:P
EckyThump
Friday, August 26, 2011 at 12:06 PMAt which point did I do the same thing? I didn’t accidentally say caps it was obviously a typo! Now I realise that you were probably just being tongue in cheek, but seriously, I had no way of knowing because I’ve seen you do similar stuff to others! Then add the two educational rejects that tried to jump on the band wagon and blew it out there ass, I was quite pissed off by the end!!
Raphael Keal
Thursday, September 1, 2011 at 2:18 PMAre you serious? Am I the only one who got the joke?
“Look out man, it’s the CAPS”
“HOLD IT RIGHT THERE” <– a message in CAPS
Or are we all just a little too sensitized
Leon
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 2:54 PMApart from the Laptop, and CD/DVD screen everything else is stock standard in every taxi! Must be a slow news day for Giz….
EckyThump
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 3:00 PMThere’s nothing stock standard about a TV in a cab? #{
Gorhob
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 8:10 PM“Apart from the Laptop, and CD/DVD screen”
Mike
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 2:58 PMThe Amp/dvd/cd placement was dumb, but the rest could pass. Maybe shift the GPS slightly lower on the window, but the rest is 100% legal.
Barry
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 3:05 PMThink so? Look again.
Right of the GPS unit there is something right in front of his field of view.
Mike
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 3:10 PMmissed that, what even is that? All taxis I’ve seen have some panel in the right hand side for their hookups, but usually it’s bigger than that. And not infront of the wheel.
EckyThump
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 3:40 PMIt’s the new one, but it’s def in the wrong place! #}
Gage
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 3:17 PMHe’s missing the one gadget all Sydney cabbies need – an air freshener!
Uncle Sam
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 7:04 PMand an understandle accent…BAM!
Eugene
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 3:23 PMI think you will find that there is one EFTPOS and one cabcharge. Common to all the cabs I caught last week.
Mr Odd
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 9:09 PMI used to be a cabbie, 5yrs in Brisbane. Two eftpos terminals is common. Cabcharge is best mates with the taxi networks but screws the passengers, drivers and owners with fees and other BS.
The ‘webcam’ would mostly likely be the security camera.
A bigger issue with driver vission is all the legal and taxi networks stickers on the windscreen.
Other than the laptop, TV and AMP/DVD, the rest is pretty standard kit for most drivers.
Barry
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 3:32 PMI need to ask a silly question.
Where is teh hand brake amoung all of his crap? What happens if the driver needs to use ‘said’ hand brake? I don’t think he can so I don’t think I would be safe in that taxi.
Hamish
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 3:52 PMThe “webcam” is infact a security (for both passengers & driver) camera that takes a still picture at a set interval. Standard in all Aussie cabs these days.
Not sure why two EFTPOS machines are needed as the Cabcharge branded machine also operates as a standard EFTPOS machine.
I do not want to get into this cab.
olearymo
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 4:07 PMI was actually worried about that one. I was like, webcam? What kinda weird crap is he getting up to with that?
Richard
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 7:42 PMI’ve been in many cabs with two eftpos machines. Never asked why they needed two however. They’re a non issue anyway, it’s completely out of the way.
Derek Jenkins (@OzDJ)
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 9:38 PMI can answer that one about the two EFTPoS machines. :-) Likely to be one of two scenarios:
1. Owner has signed up for multiple solutions providers (eg Live Taxi ePay; Taxi Awards; Cabcharge EFTPoS etc). Common reasons include as a backup system; and the perks associated with each solution provider for having/using their system (settlement rates, free car washes etc)
2. Owner and his/her driver(s) have agreement to use their own EFTPoS provider terminals while doing respective shifts. That said, _usually_ they just BYO terminal and plug it in at the start of the shift – not leave them all installed all the time.
DJ
Steve
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 3:56 PMI rode in a similarly decked out cab a few years back. It was when the idea of a dvd player in the car was a bit of a novelty, and this guys claimed to have music videos of every band we could think of. It was late at night, and we’d had plenty to drink so were trying to come up with the most obscure stuff we could think of. He had everything and it was one of the most entertaining cab rides ive had. We gave him quite a big tip as i’m sure most drunk patrons did!
Matt Bartolo
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 4:53 PMI rode in this cab!
I’m a champion
Azza
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 5:13 PMI hate cabbies who don’t use GPS and don’t know exactly the fastest way to get to every place.
These cabbies do still exist and there’s no point to it.
Richard
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 7:43 PMWorse when they turn around and ask you for directions and you have to tell them you aren’t from that town.
Joshua
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 5:20 PMYou guys are missing the most important question. “Is his HTC desire running a custom rom?”
Alex Kidman
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 5:25 PMI think you’ll find that entire cab counts as a custom rom.
And if the cops do catch up with him, he’ll be wishing he could be jailbroken…
(Exit, stage left!)
Steve B
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 5:27 PMHe who dies with the most toys wins!
I just don’t want to be in that taxi when he does …
sam hamdan
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 5:41 PMthe thing to the right of the gps is what gives him his taxi booking jobs when people order taxi by phone. It is installed by the taxi authority. So theoretically it should be legal unless he moved it by himself. the gps might not be in a great spot either but other than that i think the other gadgets are just fine. i think he eats drinks and pisses in that taxi by the looks of things, he’s got more gadgets than i’ve ever seen in a taxi and i’m a cab driver myself