Sydenham Cars SHOCKING

[coll]

We've used them for years with very mixed feelings towards the service from some of their drivers. Among the most memorable events was when a driver fell asleep in a long traffic jam.
We booked for family visiting from abroad to be picked up at Heathrow. We called back to confirm as our family are a little nervous. The car was never sent. They said they had another car in the area and sent that over. This driver calls us after 45 minutes saying he couldn't find them - didn't bother to follow the instructions to go in with a sign with their name. He then proceeds to have a go at me on the phone and gets verbally abuse. He then said was leaving and not picking them up. I called Sydenham cars to complain and there wasn't the slightest bit of any concern or apology. I said I was done and wouldn't use them again. They couldn't care less.
Horrible service to say the least.
Thanks! Rant over!

[Willy]

I have had a similar experience. We had booked them a week in advance to take my wife and bags to Heathrow where I would meet them after work. They didn't bother to show up and when I called them they couldn't care less.

[gerispringer]

Makes you glad there is Uber.

[Parker1970]

Makes you glad there is Uber.

Who triple their prices when demand increases. No thanks. Uber in France tripled prices (it is automated, i accept that) in Nice & Paris after the terrorist attacks so people trying to get home from all that paid triple fare.many Local non-uber drivers refused to take any money from passengers.

Black taxi's. You may pay a little more, but you don't have to endure all this and know your driver is fully CB checked. They break the law, they lose their license.
(I may be biased as there are many black cab drivers in my family)

[Sydenham Syd]

Makes you glad there is Uber.

Who triple their prices when demand increases. No thanks. Uber in France tripled prices (it is automated, i accept that) in Nice & Paris after the terrorist attacks so people trying to get home from all that paid triple fare.many Local non-uber drivers refused to take any money from passengers.

Black taxi's. You may pay a little more, but you don't have to endure all this and know your driver is fully CB checked. They break the law, they lose their license.
(I may be biased as there are many black cab drivers in my family)

It's a good point about Uber and prices surges, but last night I came home very late from St John's Wood in an Uber, and, including going via Herne Hill and Forest Hill to drop a couple of people off it cost me £45. That would have still been AT LEAST £60 in a black cab (of which I didn't see a single one when i was waiting for my Uber) and I paid 1.9x the normal rate due to demand.

I fear for black cabs, and the main reason they will exist (although a good deal less of them) is for those that want a traditional looking taxi due to being a tourist, or those that want a premium service and therefore don't give a toss about the cost.

I feel the consumer has been legged over by the black cab for too long now - over regulated monopoly. I love a black cab, don't get me wrong, but I would prefer the dosh in my pocket as the service really is not different - the knowledge is a thing of the past, and the main thing they have in their favour are the ability to use bus lanes, and I'm pretty sure in a few years time, so will Uber...or the next reincarnation.

Sadly the writing is on the wall for the black cab. It may take a while, but the consumer generally wins.

[Parker1970]

black cab (of which I didn't see a single one when i was waiting for my Uber) and I paid 1.9x the normal rate due to demand.

Did you know there was an app to order a black cab, just like Uber.. There is Hailo or Gett

As for the prices, the drivers don't get a say in it. The prices used to be set by Hackney Carriage Office but I believe it's TFL now. But the drivers also don't get to increase their prices because it's snowing, busy or some terrorist has just bombed a tube station.

[butters]

I use Addison Lee. A prebooked taxi from Paddington to Sydenham was £25 quid, and the service is great!

[butters]

Quite right about the decline in black cabs though. Their slugglish refusal to move with the times and extortionate fares are the death sentence for them. Back in the day they were revered because of the extensive knowledge of the roads but with the invention of sat nav its kind of a moot point.

I have an Addison lee account, it charges me a flat fare agreed in advance and I pay by card. Most black cabs still insist on cash payments which is pretty prehistoric in todays terms.

Im not a fan of Uber I must say.

[Eagle]

Butters

Cash prehistoric ?? What an incredible statement. I always use cash for under 30.00 pounds and sometimes over.

I hope you people who have maligned Sydenham Cars can prove their allegations.

[Sydenham Syd]

black cab (of which I didn't see a single one when i was waiting for my Uber) and I paid 1.9x the normal rate due to demand.

Did you know there was an app to order a black cab, just like Uber.. There is Hailo or Gett

As for the prices, the drivers don't get a say in it. The prices used to be set by Hackney Carriage Office but I believe it's TFL now. But the drivers also don't get to increase their prices because it's snowing, busy or some terrorist has just bombed a tube station.

Yes

[Sydenham Syd]

I use Addison Lee. A prebooked taxi from Paddington to Sydenham was £25 quid, and the service is great!

And I took an Uber at 2.30pm on Wed from Paddington last week and it cost me £23.41

I have only ever had one bad experience with Uber, and when I sent customer services the complaint, they put £20 on my account

I have had several issues with black cabs, and sadly there is no customer service

It may not be perfect, but for the level of cost, Uber is tough to argue against as a consumer. As a black cabbie, however, I would understand that having your monopoly destroyed in front of your eyes must be a savage blow.

[Pally]

Butters

Cash prehistoric ?? What an incredible statement. I always use cash for under 30.00 pounds and sometimes over.

I hope you people who have maligned Sydenham Cars can prove their allegations.

Fair enough Eagle that is your choice but its not the way the world is going,!

[gerispringer]

Uber have been very reliable for local trips, in my experience. I do like a black cab in London for an occasional treat, but they are expensive, you have to tip etc. With uber no cash changes hands which I like. It is well known black cabs don't like to venture south of the river at night.

[JRobinson]

my wife tried to use an uber, with the free money that she got to open the account - she was running late so organised it on her phone to pick up from FH station, to get to near Livesy Hall. When she got outside FH station the car wasn't waiting, and when she checked her phone, it had driven off with someone else inside! which is supposed to be impossible!
I think she's still arguing with uber about the cost of the journey, on her card, that someone else made.

bloke opposite us is a cabbie, and he says he refuses to drive in Hackney.

If I'm feeling flush on a night out in central london, and still have enough cash on me I'll get a black cab home, and it's usually about £30.

Fares for black cabs are set by TfL. They can't legally charge more. but often you hear that they've waived charges, like for people in need, or in an emergency.

If a minicab or uber is using a satnav then he's not paying full attention to the road, and is therefore less safe than a black cab driver who knows exactly where he's going (to the nearest main road or so).

some black cabs do have card machines, and more are being introduced.

[Manwithaview1]

Uber have been very reliable for local trips, in my experience. I do like a black cab in London for an occasional treat, but they are expensive, you have to tip etc. With uber no cash changes hands which I like. It is well known black cabs don't like to venture south of the river at night.

The old joke is, Do you go South of the river? What river?

[mosy]

Yes, or when "For Hire" light suddenly became "I'm only picking up fares on the way to my home".

Why don't black cabs create transfer hubs at the southern end of central bridges that cabbies who live south of the river would be happy to go on from? More a joined up network approach.

PS: I've always found Sydenham Cars to be good, though granted I don't use taxis often.

[mosy]

Yes, "good" is the wrong word. I should have said that Sydenham Cars have never let me down after I've made a booking. One of their drivers even helped me jump start my car once when I asked if anyone had a free five mins.

What's the weather like in Tuscany Nigel? (Or is it rod taylor in Tuscany?) We can send you some rain if you're short

[Eagle]

I am sure Nigel , as a Brexit Gent is not in Tuscany . Tonbridge perhaps.

[G-Man]

We've always found Sydenham cars great. Only bad experience wasn't their fault, there was a big accident and we were being picked up from Heathrow. The driver called us every 10mins to keep us updated and tried his hardest to get to us. He eventually did and got us home.

G-man