I recently took a private hire taxi home from a station that gets services later than my local station. The taxi was booked from one of the large firms in the Stockport area from a local station that gets services later than my local station does. This is something I do somewhat frequently and I previously haven't had any problems doing.
Over the last few years, it seems that pretty much all private hire operators have switched from traditional taximeters and seperate dispatch radios to systems based on a smartphone that combine both dispatch and metering. Unfortunately when I got home the meter stopped responding to the drivers input. The driver could drag the finish journey slider, but it just sprang back and failed to actually end the journey. It took some time and several restarts of the taximeter app before the app would respond and end the journey. During this time the meter continued to tick.
When I arrived the meter was saying just over £6 but by the time he managed to complete the journey in the meter it was over £7. The driver refused to take my money until the app worked and when he did take my £10 note he only gave me £2.50 change. I then said "either you give me proper change or I call the police", he gave me another pound coin, I decided that was close enough and left.
Did I act reasonablly?
Over the last few years, it seems that pretty much all private hire operators have switched from traditional taximeters and seperate dispatch radios to systems based on a smartphone that combine both dispatch and metering. Unfortunately when I got home the meter stopped responding to the drivers input. The driver could drag the finish journey slider, but it just sprang back and failed to actually end the journey. It took some time and several restarts of the taximeter app before the app would respond and end the journey. During this time the meter continued to tick.
When I arrived the meter was saying just over £6 but by the time he managed to complete the journey in the meter it was over £7. The driver refused to take my money until the app worked and when he did take my £10 note he only gave me £2.50 change. I then said "either you give me proper change or I call the police", he gave me another pound coin, I decided that was close enough and left.
Did I act reasonablly?