Ontariohighwaytrafficact.com

Talk about low and sneaky. They're not trying generate cash, they're just looking out for our safety

The number for the "Taxi" service is (905) 878-5511 and it's real. I think they'd be liable for fraud if they posted up a fake one.

I wonder what would happen if people from all over the Halton region started calling to order a cab or inquire about package delivery rates...

Edit: Took out a bad link and... If the operator tells you that it is the police service, you can always play dumb and ask if there is a taxi service with a similar number or if an unlicensed cabbie is sporting a police service's phone number. You're just a concerned citizen, afterall

Edit2: An ghost is sneaky enough. Posing as a cab is a transparent cash-grab that has nothing to do with our safety. People slow down when there is a marked cruiser around. This tactic will just create an atmosphere of paranoia among Halton residents and fleece quite a few tourists for cash.

Even I don't like that!!

No reasonable person would... The Municipality of Halton is playing it just plain dirty. However, if they are driving around in "taxis" and they are proudly displaying their phone number, they better be ready to receive lots of taxi calls on it.

It looks like some people really liked the idea and already made posters to help the fledgling cab company... Ofcourse OHTA members are encouraged to spread the word and help the new business out

Hahaha

Wow, I don't like it, either. If that was behind me with lights on, I would assume it was a dickweed cab driver who had illegal lights to try and beat traffic. I'd end up calling the cops on the, er...cops

As for the paranoia, isn't that the point of an unmarked cruiser? To make the public think twice even if they don't see a marked cruiser nearby?

Squishy wrote:

As for the paranoia, isn't that the point of an unmarked cruiser? To make the public think twice even if they don't see a marked cruiser nearby?

I agree that all police should have cruisers that look like everyday civilian vehicles and load them up with hidden lights.

But the adding of other company logos, signs is not right...I would think it was the same thing as you Squishy, some cabby being an jerk and I would not stop either.

The only time I ever got pulled over by a ghostmarked car, it was broad daylight and the visibility was great so I could see the markings as I went by him (he was right behind a rise). Under those circumstances I pulled over with no drama.

However, had there been any doubt about the identity of the vehicle/driver, I would have flashed my 4ways to notify that I do intend to stop and proceded to the next gas station or any place where there's plenty of witnesses and preferably some cameras. In case of that particular traffic stop it would have been 20-30km north of there, so chances are he would have radioed for a b&w lol.

I don't try to make traffic stops extra-difficult I actually make it very easy:

Cage:

1) Wallet and key on the dash

2) Hands on the wheel

3) Dome light on at night

4) Answer questions (within reason.. I generally avoid admitting that I was speeding)

5) No sudden movements

Bike: (only happened once, but still)

1) Ignition off

2) Gloves in the lid, lid on the ground

3) Key in the gas cap

4) Wallet and vehicle docs on the tank

Note on the bike stop: That was the first time a cop ever asked me if I had a criminal record, even though I did all of this and all of my docs/equipment were in order.

However, there's no chance in hell I'm gonna risk my life and limb to make things easier for someone who may or may not be a cop. I'll take a yelling and a nastier ticket over getting jacked any day of the week. Yelling's just dirt off my shoulders and the ticket can be taken to court.

If in doubt if an unmarked cruiser is legit.....

- put on 4 ways

- dial *677 (star OPP) on hwys or *911 on your cell

- give call taker your licence plate.......it is common for police to check your plate prior to stopping, so therefore dispatch can confirm...YES, officer checked your plate 1minute ago...is legit....so stop now.

Bear, what if I don't have any passengers in the car and no hands-free feature for the cell? Or if I'm on 2 wheels? For legal and moral reasons I wouldn't use a cell while driving. Actually I'm that crazy guy on the motorcycle who will turn your way and warn you not to use the cell while driving.

For Pete's sake, which clown came up with the idea of using a taxi as a ghost car? What's next? A ghost car masquerading as a Tim Horton's delivery truck? Maybe they can get a cement mixer or a transit bus and deck it out with the light package.

FiReSTaRT wrote:

Bear, what if I don't have any passengers in the car and no hands-free feature for the cell? .

cellphone law is not in effect yet, but their in an excemption to use it for emergency purposes to dial 911

That's a good point. So under the circumstances, even if I did get charged, I'd have the official phone log to prove that I dialled 911.

Other than for emergency calls I'd personally ban cell phones in any way, shape or form, including hands free.

Been hit by drivers who weren't paying attention when changing lanes and I just thank God I wasn't on two wheels, so driver distraction is a big no-no in my books.

Radar Identified wrote:

For Pete's sake, which clown came up with the idea of using a taxi as a ghost car? What's next? A ghost car masquerading as a Tim Horton's delivery truck? Maybe they can get a cement mixer or a transit bus and deck it out with the light package.

Or a stretch limo or a school bus.

Timmy's truck wouldn't work. It would just get impounded by another police service. Try explaining that to the boss.

Squishy wrote:

Timmy's truck wouldn't work. It would just get impounded by another police service.

Only if Heidi Fischer is driving it.

hwybear wrote:

cellphone law is not in effect yet, but their in an excemption to use it for emergency purposes to dial 911

When is that law supposed to go into effect?

Also, if you are 20-30 km away from people, would you even have cell phone reception? Back in December my car got stuck on a sideroad just 6 km north of Fergus and there was no cell reception. I had to hike about a kilometre in around 20 cm of snow before hitching a ride on a snowplow. Got a bit of frostbite for my troubles.

That's why I get more robust quad-band phones. They can get receptions just about anywhere. Even had a nice yap session at some bush air strip half-way b/w Yellowknife and the GBL.

FiReSTaRT wrote:

That's why I get more robust quad-band phones. They can get receptions just about anywhere. Even had a nice yap session at some bush air strip half-way b/w Yellowknife and the GBL.

We were also equipped with nice satellite data gear, but that only became necessary once we made it to the bush camp.

Squishy wrote:

Also, if you are 20-30 km away from people, would you even have cell phone reception? Back in December my car got stuck on a sideroad just 6 km north of Fergus and there was no cell reception. I had to hike about a kilometre in around 20 cm of snow before hitching a ride on a snowplow. Got a bit of frostbite for my troubles.

Who's your cellphone provider? Bell and Telus have rather spotty reception. Their phones don't even work on UofG's campus for crying out loud.

It can also depend on the phone.. Here are examples...

1) Telus - With a good phone, people were getting crystal clear reception all over Northern Ontario and in Yellowknife

2) Rogers/Fido - With a crappy tri-band phone (weak antenna, too), I lost reception in a Chinese restaurant in Richmond Hill and in a Wal Mart in Aurora.

3) Rogers/Fido - With a good quad band you can get reception just about anywhere, I even received a phonecall under ground lol

My provider is Fido. I bet it's the phone, I'm using a Nokia 6190 from 1998.

I had a sexy quad band flip phone, but the Java interface was too slow for me, especially with the size of my address book. I never got reception underground, though. We relied on pagers in the subway tunnels.

I bought an el-cheapo Chinese A008 phone for $100 shipped. Quad band, dual sim, touchscreen (but it has a numeric pad and a few other buttons), camera, etc etc etc. The reception is awesome.

Haha.

Guys does this taxi have a discounted ride for the 50 over stunt driving charge?

What is the fares for it? Does the more you speed the cheaper the fare and 50 over is a free ride home!

Anyways he doesn't have a spectre in his taxi from the looks.

They must be really desperate for cash. No spectre in an enforcement vehicle as an under cover taxi!

Anyways when in doubt look at those rims.

I hate taxi's they scare the hell out of me. Especially when they use those black steal rims the cops use.

Sorry i just had to ask.

Was that Julian Fantino behind the wheel making our roads safer?

tdrive2 wrote:

Sorry i just had to ask.

Was that Julian Fantino behind the wheel making our roads safer?

No, he was busy intimidating witnesses and blackballing underlings This is a local Halton matter, nothing to do with the OPP.

FiReSTaRT wrote:

Even had a nice yap session at some bush air strip half-way b/w Yellowknife and the GBL.

Are you a field geologist, by any chance?

Close enough.. Did geophysical data pre-processing and some field work... Gravitating towards GIS work these days. A lot easier than geophysics and the money's better.

FiReSTaRT wrote:

No, he was busy intimidating witnesses and blackballing underlings

When his OPP career is over, which might be within a year or two, Fantino's put his name in the hat to run for the Mayor of Vaughan. I'm not kidding, either. Wonder how much of a chance he has. It's the same municipality that elected Michael DiBiase, who crashed his car while running red lights three times while in office, then crashed his car by rear-ending someone while on the cellphone the year after he left. It's also the same city that elected Linda Jackson, who is embroiled in a huge controversy right now as well.

FiReSTaRT wrote:

Did geophysical data pre-processing and some field work...

Thought it was something related. Lots of people are doing exploration and field work up north these days, including my sister who is a field geologist based in Vancouver.

I read about that. But since I believe that you have to be a special piece of "work" to be a successful politician, I wouldn't be surprised if he won in a landslide.