Taxi Driver Online

Cabbies threaten court action in magnets row



CABBIES say they will take Crawley Council to court to "protect their safety".

They want removable magnets on the side of their vehicles instead of the permanent stick-ers,which they claim cause them to be harassed 24-hours-a-day by members of the public.

The Crawley Licensed Cab Drivers' Association (CLCDA) has been negotiating with the council for the last year but it has refused to introduce the magnets because of concerns over public safety.

Association chairman Zainool Ebrahim, from Broadfield, said: "I have had someone knock on my door in the middle of a night and ask me for a lift because they saw my car in the driveway.

"Even when my family go to the cinema we are getting asked for lifts and then I worry about my car outside for the rest of the night.


"My son doesn't like getting in it now because of the hassle we are getting from people.


"We would pay for the magnets ourselves so the council would not have to go to any further expense for this change."


The association is also unhappy that some cabbies operating in the town are reportedly obtaining their licence through Mole Valley Council and then working in Crawley without the stickers on their cars.


Under current laws there is nothing stopping cab drivers doing this.


And now Crawley cabbies are reluctantly threatening to do the same if the council does not listen to their demands over stickers.


There are more than 500 cabbies in Crawley who pay around £300 to get a licence through the council.


Derek Kiernan, vice-chairman of the association, said: "If the council do not listen about the stickers we will have to go to Mole Valley Council for our licences."


A Crawley Council spokes-woman said: "We have a very good relationship with taxi drivers in town and we value the high standards that they meet with our council.


"However, we can't stop other licensing authorities licensing private hire vehicles beyond their boundary.


"We think it is wrong and we have spoken to other councils to ask them to stop doing this.


"The decision to bring in stickers was introduced in 2003 when the licensing committee agreed it was the safest way of alerting the people to which firm the cab is from."

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

A number of things strike me about this article.

A Hackney Carriage is always a Hackney Carriage, once your vehicle becomes a licensed vehicle then surely you give up certain things such as the privacy element?




For an elected member of the association to state this I find quite amazing

CC

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

Sounds like a bit of unmet demand going on here.

Wait until you all have to use wav's, stickers won't make much difference then.

I can't see anything wrong with privacy if the car is off-duty.

Surely it benefits both parties if the public don't try to hire a car that's off duty and thus the driver isn't hassled?

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

I was even more amazed at the following:

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

Is there no argument that a HC is always a HC & if they dont like it do something else?

I mean, I dont see many bus drivers taking there family shopping in 52 seaters!

CC

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

But it can't always be available for hire, what about when the driver's on the way to swap with another driver or at home resting or using the vehicle on personal business?

An HC may always be an HC, but it's not always on duty?

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

It sounds to me as if the driver of the vehicle might be taking advantage of it's taxi status to use rank spaces as convenient parking which might lead members of the public to approach it at busy times. I get approached sometimes when i'm off duty usually when i'm supermarket shopping you just politely tell them your not available.

As to stickers being dangerous HOW ?

Surely there is far more risk of a magnetic board coming loose from the car and injuring someone and a taxi will always stand out from the crowd of cars when parked wether it is on a car park or outside your street that isn't dangerous it just means your going to occassionally be asked to do a fare

If you have something like a Compliance Certificate instead of an MOT, isnt the compliance only any use whilst the vehicle is licensed?

Some areas have a condition where plates & signage must be attached 24/7.

Personally, the vehicle is a tool and I think you give up certain things.

CC

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