Motorcycle Taxi Service!

[ksl]

OK Guys & Dolls!

Another business venture for someone......Motorcycle Taxi Service...avoid the traffic, get to work on time and even get to those important meetings on time.

And may u don't have to rent your bike, if you own one! However, don't forget the costs, especially insurance!

[durain]

i am a biker. tell me when can i start.

[ksl]

i am a biker. tell me when can i start.

Appears to be quite a strong demand in London, I guess it could easy work here too!

Although drivers abilities here make for higher risks...I feel much safer in Taiwans traffic, were it flows like water, none of this panic driving, and horn pushing you get here, and the traffic is much worse in Taipei City in peak times.

[durain]

i dont think there's much demand in UK. you fancy on the back of a bike in the cold and wet??? might work in singapore but do you think singaporean will like the idea of arriving at the fullerton front door on a motorcycle or a nice shinny merc? hmmm... how about with a sidecar like wallace and gromit? have you seens a sidecard before in singapore? i havent!!!

as for driving in taiwan, taiwanese are nutter behind the wheels. i dont know where you were in taiwan, where the driving can be better than singapore, i've been to taipei, taichung and kaohsiung and everyday i get on a taxi to work, i feel like i should increase my life insurance!!!

back to the bike taxi thing, you really thinking about it or just an idea?

[sundaymorningstaple]

Yes there are sidecars of a sort. Not many left though as they are meant as goods carriers on 20 year old 125cc bikes. Sometimes you will still see and uncle with his auntie wife in the red cart/sidecar. Not a whole lot of them left as I don't think they are allowed any more and when these guys retire that will be it. A lot of the icecream vendors use them as well (at least the ones the come into the HBD estates anyway and there is one always outside the AMK MRT station in the evenings hawking his icecream.

[FastCashh]

get your approval from LTA before u decide this.

[MikeDirnt]

get your approval from LTA before u decide this.

if you have a valid license and have a mutual agreement with your passengers, why need approval from LTA?

[ksl]

get your approval from LTA before u decide this.

if you have a valid license and have a mutual agreement with your passengers, why need approval from LTA?

Probably because it is illegal to take fare paying passengers! The law Rules!

Actually there was a program on the discovery channel, about how the super rich spend, their money in London, and believe it or not, the traffic is so bad at times, that motor cycles, are the quickest transport alternative, and without sidecar!,

The driver just supplies, the helmet, of course weather could be a negative factor, although i suppose it all depends on how urgent you need to get from A to B. for example if my time is costing me 75 pounds per hour, and I am stuck in traffic for 30 minutes to an hour, I would most certainly take the alternative transport.

There is nothing worse, than frustration, in times of urgencies, it doesn't only cost you money, but your client too, of course the Merc is great if you can use it, and in peak hrs, its a pain in the butt!

I'm pretty sure, it could be pulled off, in Singapore, but, like everything else, the feasibility research needs to be done.

I mean dial a bike, is maybe a good idea for single tourists, to, even better if you can recruit local drivers, with sound historical knowledge of Singapore, and I suppose its a great way to get around too, sight seeing and all that, its another kind of freedom on a motorbike, it's the experience and adrenalin rush, that passengers also seek out, as well as getting from A to B in the fastest possible time...You would be selling benefits, rather than just a ride in a car, and motorbikes have alot going for them.

Although passenger comfort and a weather protection is not a great problem even on a bike, Its handy to have some light weight, wet weather gear in the box.

Insurance must be the main priority for paying passengers!!! It is not worth cutting corners, and I'm not sure of the legality here. You could possibly operate from home, one thing for sure, you wouldn't be paying the fees taxi's have to pay! And yet it could also be built up, with a radio base.

I'm always having brain waves, when it comes to making money and I'm in the process of a buisness plan now. Which may even give rights to an entre pass. I know, what i am doing doesn't exsist in Singapore at the moment, in a professional manner and it is a skill, that needs to be taught, which i picked up in the Military.

So if you are not doing anything, PM me! Maybe, I can throw something your way.

I spent 5 years in Taipei, and travelled the full length of the Island too, and to be honest, only my first week, was daunting on the roads, and like here, you can be run down at any time...although driving skill, is much more prevalent, you can see, that when the cars are parked, bumber to bumber, in Taiwan, without white lines to guide the driver. Okay they may beep the horn, quite a bit, but they don't actually lean on it!

Twice here in Singapore, I have got out, and approached the guy behind, me, about blowing is horn constantly, while stuck in traffic, which i have never experienced in 5 years in Taiwan....

But I will say, that you have to drive like them, to fit in with the flow of traffic, it may seem chaotic, and nerve racking at first, but it works.

Singaporeans have difficulty parking in a normal parking spot, and especially next to the kerb, just plain bad drivers....In Taiwan, a badly parked car, or inconsiderate driver, will most definately come back to find his car damaged, big time!

I've seen people damage cars in Taiwan on several occassions, because of inconsiderate behaviour to other drivers.

Lets face it Asia is unreal, its the only place I know where drivers will run you down, and think they had a right to do so, which leaves, much to be desired about their social skills.

[TAJ]

Just have to say - I think you are all nuts!! Having been on many white-knuckle rides in the local taxis and been involved in one crash with my children when the driver took a brief nap, I wouldn't dream of using a motorbike taxi. All passengers would have to wear a blindfold and earmuffs, full leather protective clothing and a dozen St Chritophers! Good luck to all ye mad fools!

[durain]

richard branson... i mean SIR richard branson has the virgin bike taxi. (www.virgin.com/subsites/virginlimobike/).

if it's going to work in singapore, the bike taxi got to be cheaper than taxi. and the bikes got to be nimble, so no big bikes.

as a biker and cyclist, i am more aware of the road than a normal driver. it is shocking how bad drivers are in asia.

[durain]

Just have to say - I think you are all nuts!! Having been on many white-knuckle rides in the local taxis and been involved in one crash with my children when the driver took a brief nap, I wouldn't dream of using a motorbike taxi. All passengers would have to wear a blindfold and earmuffs, full leather protective clothing and a dozen St Chritophers! Good luck to all ye mad fools!

hey, bikers are responsible rider! the problem with taxi is they are inside a protective cage, so they drive like a nutter. whereas bikers dont have that luxury and therefore we ride more carefully.

so when you want me to pick you up?

[sundaymorningstaple]

hey, bikers are responsible rider! the problem with taxi is they are inside a protective cage, so they drive like a nutter. whereas bikers dont have that luxury and therefore we ride more carefully.

so when you want me to pick you up?

You must have dropped your bike and landed on your head if you believe that. The majority of Big bike rider are responsible. But they are the minority and not the vast majority of 125-400cc crotch-rocket riders out there on the roads every day. These guys don't have a clue and those who tear along the dotted line deserve to be sandwiched between an SBS Transit double decker and a prime mover. The "bikers" are responsible it the "bikies" that are the problem. As yes I'm an old biker from way back (my favourites were a 1952 KR framed HD 45ci flathead with reverse gear and tankmounted sideshift and my 1973 850cc Norton Commando.) My last bike here was a more modest 84 750 Honda Magna. Hung up my helmet around 8 years ago.

[ksl]

Just have to say - I think you are all nuts!! Having been on many white-knuckle rides in the local taxis and been involved in one crash with my children when the driver took a brief nap, I wouldn't dream of using a motorbike taxi. All passengers would have to wear a blindfold and earmuffs, full leather protective clothing and a dozen St Chritophers! Good luck to all ye mad fools!

Well TAJ, All the more reason, that expatriates, especially from Countries, with good road manners, should take over. Standards have to be set in this country, and they need a code of practice too.

That's why people like yourselves, with experience of what it's like, should be thinking of the business opprtunities, to improve, the situation, lets face, it, the competition leaves much to be desired. So any person, with a little commonsense and a gracious manner, can actually capitalise on the opportunity....

It's only a matter of time before the bad are whittled out of the business completely, although one also needs to plan the strategy to do it. The hospitality business, is a very serious market place, and there certainly isn't room, for the dangerous drivers.

They need to be retired asap. or retrained in customer service and driving skills, along with many of the bus drivers too! Lets say there are many needs, and many opportunities, with many proplems, to be solved, and that is business in a nutshell, all one needs is the creativity to solve the problem, and the will to succeed.

When the high rollers start coming, and more turists, they expect hospitality, good manners, with a safe driving environment. Expats manners, V's locals, it's that simple in business...

[TAJ]

I completely agree, and have done my bit of complaining to Comfort not just about safety but about customer service too - what is it with the Pandan leaves that make me wind down all windows, just to recieve the comment that they are there to keep the cockroaches out - aaaargh! I think your cavalier approach is great but I wouldn't like to be the lone ranger on a mission to improve driving standards in sg, especially not whilst riding a motorbike!

[ksl]

I completely agree, and have done my bit of complaining to Comfort not just about safety but about customer service too - what is it with the Pandan leaves that make me wind down all windows, just to recieve the comment that they are there to keep the cockroaches out - aaaargh! I think your cavalier approach is great but I wouldn't like to be the lone ranger on a mission to improve driving standards in sg, especially not whilst riding a motorbike!

Well it's not for me either, the main thing especially on a forum, is to give food for thought(plant the seed), there are capable locals, out there, that just need, a little $ sign to think about!

The Hospitality business is sure to grow in a big way, over the next 10 years, opportunities for improvement in the service sector, creates good healthy competition, which will force, the bad ones out of the market.

Can't wait to see, the improvements, although i may be pushing up flowers, before i see it happen!