why do taxi drivers have binary throttle control.

why do taxi drivers have binary throttle control.

Author
Discussion

Asterix

Original Poster:

24,438 posts

235 months

Saturday 13th August 2011
quotequote all
On or off, notthing in between.

115 foot down, gets to 120 lets off, gets back to 115, foot down again, gets to 120 and off again
- carry on for 30kms.

yorky500

1,715 posts

198 months

Sunday 14th August 2011
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Noticed the same, and that even stretches to the lady taxi drivers

dxbtiger

4,441 posts

180 months

Sunday 14th August 2011
quotequote all
I know they are poverty spec camrys but I have often wondered why they don't have cruise control.

I'd want it if I spent 12 hour stretches in a car

Chilli

17,320 posts

243 months

Sunday 14th August 2011
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I have a friend like that....it's very annoying.

mcbook

1,413 posts

182 months

Sunday 14th August 2011
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This really annoys me about taxi drivers here. It's the same when pulling away from traffic lights or junctions - FULL SPEED AHEAD! They seem to have no desire to drive in a way that would increase the comfort of their passengers.

However, in their defence, I really don't think they know any better. It would be interesting to see what training they get before they start. I've had numerous conversations with drivers who have just arrived from Peshawar province and who's previous driving experience was limited to bicycles.

I bet they have no idea how to achieve better fuel economy or how to drive with mechanical sympathy. The taxi firms could save a load of money if they taught the drivers these things.

Richard Moss

135 posts

214 months

Sunday 14th August 2011
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A couple of weeks I took a taxi from Dubai airport to Al Ain. After 15km I was ready to puke and so the remainder of the trip was a fight to hold onto my breakfast! All down to binary throttle control.

willmcc

758 posts

246 months

Sunday 14th August 2011
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It is less the full/no throttle thing that gets me but the guys that drive down the road constantly speeding up then slowing down. After a heavy night it is enough to introduce violent nausea.
After several years of this I asked one guy why he did it, the reason? To save fuel.
there appears to be a school pf thought in the Sub Continent that says if you if you speed up and slow down this uses less fuel than driving on constant throttle.

After 30 mins I gave up trying to tell him....

shirt

23,520 posts

208 months

Sunday 14th August 2011
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i was going to start a thread on taxi driver 'quirks' and this would have been no.3 on the list. it does annoy me that they can't maintain constant set speeds.

no.1 on the list would be not knowing where anything is, and no.2 would be always taking the most ludicrously indirect route to get there.


dxbtiger

4,441 posts

180 months

Monday 15th August 2011
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What number do you put the smell at?

Chilli

17,320 posts

243 months

Monday 15th August 2011
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dxbtiger said:
What number do you put the smell at?
Oh yes, this is the deal breaker for me. It's usually a combination of breath and food....but the breath gets it...Fell like I'm gonna hurl just thinking about it.

thb

303 posts

181 months

Monday 15th August 2011
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My best Taxi experience was when the driver was trying to run another car off the side of Emirates Road into a concrete barrier at about 120kph. He did this whilst saying 'Sorry sir, sorry sir' and then went on to explain that if he didn't do it, the guy in the other car would never learn..!

dxbtiger

4,441 posts

180 months

Monday 15th August 2011
quotequote all
thb said:
My best Taxi experience was when the driver was trying to run another car off the side of Emirates Road into a concrete barrier at about 120kph. He did this whilst saying 'Sorry sir, sorry sir' and then went on to explain that if he didn't do it, the guy in the other car would never learn..!
nearly as good as the guy that took us to the 7's last year.

Second day (Saturday) so 4 of us, completely blind drunk from Fridays 20 hour bender, driver nodding off every 100 metres, I have never seen someone so tired in my life.

If we weren't so pissed it would have been scary.

Pulled over at en Eppco, made him drink a coffee and take a red bull for later. I even offered to drive, that would have been preferable waking him up every 10 seconds!

Harris_I

3,237 posts

266 months

Monday 15th August 2011
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I've done the same thing in a taxi coming back from Abu Dhabi. Driver kept nodding off and I kept nudging him and offering to drive.

shirt

23,520 posts

208 months

Monday 15th August 2011
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dxbtiger said:
What number do you put the smell at?
them or me? hehe

have only had one stinker so far. i shut the door and got in the one behind.

also, where do they get those wicker booster cushions? smile

oilydan

2,030 posts

278 months

Tuesday 16th August 2011
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I had a guy fall asleep in the queue waiting to get past security at the Ranches once. We stopped behind a car and by the time the barrier was opened for him my driver was snoring.

There is a step beyond binary throttle.....

Accellerate, reach 120, brake to 110, accellerate to 120, brake to 110. I can almost handle the throttle/cruise cycle but why brake as well?

IanUAE

2,945 posts

171 months

Wednesday 17th August 2011
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Anybody spotted the typo on the plastic sheets on the back of the passenger seat? It says "complint" rather than complaint....

dxbtiger

4,441 posts

180 months

Wednesday 17th August 2011
quotequote all
IanUAE said:
Anybody spotted the typo on the plastic sheets on the back of the passenger seat? It says "complint" rather than complaint....
Yes.

Also the one I got from the airport when I got back from Bali said 'maximum fare 10 dhs' rather than minimum fare.

Bless them