What pisses you off? Part II: Electric Boogaloo

[think positive]

[David]

[stui magpie]

If I understand it correctly, 13Cabs operate similar to Uber and other taxi companies.

They don't employ the driver, they're self employed. They provide branding, the booking facility (for a fee) and facilitate payment of the driver through their App.

The driver would need to have their own comprehensive insurance (which wouldn't be cheap) and pay their own excess.

I use 13Cabs when I need to get somewhere without driving, I've never used Uber in any form, not the driving or the food delivery. I've even used them to take Mum to a doctors appointment when I couldn't take her, she always found them very helpful.

Have you considered using GoGet?

[David]

Never used them before, but would certainly consider it now!

I’ve never particularly liked the Uber brand or what it stands for (though I also don’t weep for the taxi companies losing their monopoly). Basically, what happened was that the company I used to hire from, CarNextDoor, got bought out by them. I wasn’t all that happy about it, but stuck around regardless and didn’t give much thought to using other services until now. Of course it’s possible that their accident policies are no better, but it’s worth investigating at least!

[What'sinaname]

Start here

https://cpv.vic.gov.au/about-us/feedbac ... dback-form

Once they don't reply to you after a fortnight, email this dude with yoiur reference number and request that they escalate this on your behalf.

ben.carroll@parliament.vic.gov.au

[David]

Awesome, thanks WIAN.

[think positive]

And maybe buy a car if your spending that much on taxis

Add that to fares your paying

[David]

[Skids]

Several thousand per year... that is rego & insurance alone.

Running a vehicle is a hefty, but necessary expense for me. It would be for most I assume.
Since I quit drinking, the only time I've used an uber or taxi is when we travel interstate for short trips (like next week to Melbourne), longer than 3 or 4 days and I'd hire a car.

[lazzadesilva]

Where we live in Bendigo a little bit away from the town, we have no rail service, an infrequent bus service, an expensive taxi cost to get to town and it’s way too far to walk (especially if we go shopping and need to carry stuff). Therefore owning a car is essential for convenient living.

[David]

Was the same in Canberra, where I grew up! We're definitely fortunate here in Melbourne to have a (somewhat) functional public transport system. Many places it's just not possible not to have a car.

[eddiesmith]

Where we live in Bendigo a little bit away from the town, we have no rail service, an infrequent bus service, an expensive taxi cost to get to town and it’s way too far to walk (especially if we go shopping and need to carry stuff). Therefore owning a car is essential for convenient living.

Even closer in you still need a car as everything is so spread out across town. For me it’s a 5 minute drive to the centre of town but too many hills to carry anything back if walking.

[David]

[What'sinaname]

They've gotten worse since my issue earlier this year!!! At least the email worked for me.

Try this one complaints@safetransport.vic.gov.au

[David]

Thanks! I did hear back from them and got a fairly predictable response:

Thank you for contacting us on 5 July 2023 regarding your experience with a commercial passenger vehicle driver on 5 June 2023.

We value your feedback and strive to provide a safe, accessible and customer-focused commercial passenger vehicle industry in Victoria.

As the incident you refer to is a civil matter, it should be reported directly to the Booking Service Provider (BSP). Our data shows that the BSP to refer your concerns to is 13Cabs. If you believe that the driver failed to stop following an accident, then you may wish to consider reporting the matter to the Victoria Police.

We have taken note of the issues you have raised. Your feedback has been recorded and will be used to support our ongoing monitoring and regulation of the industry.

Please note that this matter has now been closed, however if you have any additional questions or concerns, we encourage you to contact us via email at complaints@safetransport.vic.gov.au, quoting your reference number...

Thank you again for your feedback and please don't hesitate to contact us if we can assist with anything further.

Minister or police might be the way to go, but neither seem promising. The thing that really kills me is that I got in touch with the bottle shop today and it looks like the CCTV footage might have been deleted ... two days ago. If only I'd been a fraction less trusting and immediately swung into action, I could have easily gotten hold of that footage from the beginning. Instead I sat on my hands for weeks and here we are.

The driver probably saw me as an easy mark when I didn't go off at him at the time and sent him a polite text afterwards, and he was right I guess. Winners are grinners!