The requirement for it to always be available is a new one - it was introduced in recent months. So if your experience pre-date that, that behaviour may have changed.

If it hasn't you absolutely 100% need to report the driver to TfL.

Not true. Alternatively, you can have competition and consumer choice which can also make it better for everybody. Not everyone wants to be a squeaky wheel on these things, nor should they be forced to.

All the reporting in the world didn’t help my black friend hail a yellow New York City taxi. You know what did ? Uber exerting competitive pressure on the Taxi & Limousine Commission and its drivers.

The easier way is to use a service that doesn't suck, and let the services that DO suck go out of business.

There was one restaurant recently that didn't have one, and we almost freaked out about it.

"You can tip taxi drivers as much as you like, but most people round up to the nearest pound."

On the other hand, if I were to go with a reasonably sized group of people, had to get a table big enough for the lot of us, have people with dietary requirements or order cocktails or who otherwise make many demands of the staff... it's worth tipping as we're a pain in the ass, basically. And many restaurants automatically add a service charge in that case anyway.

Some places accept tips, and perhaps in some you should. The vast vast vast majority don't expect them as par for the course.

Ok, but I still think restaurant = tip expected. But hey, you are free to tip/not tip as you see fit.

Uber, it's worth pointing out, does not currently allow for tipping either, I believe.