Taxi Driver Online

Stoke-sub-Hamdon man taxi driver fined £400 after failing to produce identification for police officer



A TAXI driver who failed to produce identification to a police officer has been fined £400.

Mark Bugler, of Stoke Sub Hamdon, has been convicted of failing to produce his Hackney Carriage badge to a police officer while on duty at Heathrow Airport.

Mr Bugler was unable, without reasonable excuse, to produce his badge, and said he had left it at home.

All drivers must carry their badge with them while working as a driver.

He was fined £400, £85 in costs and a £40 victim surcharge at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on January 10.

Nigel Marston, South Somerset District Council’s licensing manager, said: “It is important that taxi drivers are able to be recognised by the public, police and officers of the local authority.

“Badges are provided to drivers to reassure the public that the driver has been vetted as suitable to drive a taxi and must be worn at all times whilst driving a licensed vehicle.

“An additional badge is also provided by the licensing authority for display in the vehicle. There is no excuse for not wearing the badge whilst driving a taxi”.

Councillor Peter Seib, portfolio holder for regulatory and democratic services, said: “The police were right to prosecute this taxi driver. The law on showing a badge is designed to protect you from imposters. When you get into a taxi the badge identifies the driver and confirms that he is currently licensed. If you can't see a badge, you shouldn't get into the vehicle.”


Read more: http://www.westerngazette.co.uk/Stoke-s ... z2su2ZZsHB

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

This went far too far IMO.

Clearly the mush didn't have his badge, but he was legal.

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IDFIMH

Our conditions state that our drivers badge must be worn whilst driving the vehicle.

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Grandad,

They'd be better employed nicking the touts within the terminals than worrying about a Somerset taxi!

same here

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

The article also says.....



I agree with Sussex on this one. If the "additional badge" is the same as ours then it is visible to everyone. The licensing manager goes on to say........ - by virtue of the fact that (I assume) he had his vehicle badge on display - then he was identifiable.

I would say points on your record would be applicable.........but not £400

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if you cannot be yourself, then who can you be.

This is a good reason why ID should be worn at all times: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=23913

I agree and I'm not defending the fella getting a few words of advice.

But this really should never had made court FFS.

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IDFIMH

I'm not a legal expert, but this case on TDO may have helped the man:

Reading Borough Council v Hussain [2006]