Taxi Driver Online

March 27, 2008 Thursday

Taxi driver's door sticker attack fears

Bucks Free Press

A TAXI driver in Beaconsfield is refusing to display large stickers on his cab over fears he could be attacked or even murdered.

Abdul Rauf, who has been a self-employed taxi driver for 16 years, wants to renew his Hackney licence. But he does not want to have to stick on the new signs marking him out as a registered driver, which are now compulsory in the South Bucks district.

Mr Rauf, of Lindsay Avenue, High Wycombe, parks his Hackney cab outside the Revolution bar in Maxwell Road, Beaconsfield, for three nights a week.

He has appealed to South Bucks District Council not to have to display the signs, which have been mandatory since December last year, for fear they could attract criminals.

He said: "My concern is my customers and their safety to be honest. Criminals see them and think let's raid and get the money.

"They kill you before they find anything. Drug people are short of money and will do anything for the money."

In a letter to the council, Mr Rauf contested the plans. He said: "My concern is for health and safety primarily, as I believe the signs if installed on my vehicle would give the impression to would be criminals that money is left in the car as well as radio equipment."

He added: "There is also a concern for my personal welfare and safety - as you know that a taxi driver was recently murdered in the Buckinghamshire area - the motive was robbery which cost the driver his life and left his family without a father, husband and son."

On May 8 last year taxi driver Mohammed Mahroof, of Chiltern Avenue, High Wycombe, was fatally stabbed in the neck.

Mr Rauf is also concerned about his own safety - after being robbed and threatened only three weeks ago after picking up a group from Beaconsfield.

The council's report recommends the application be refused. It said that no complaints had been received in the four months the stickers have been in use. "Members of the public are fully aware that they are using a licensed vehicle," its report added.

Mr Rauf will appeal to use removable magnetic plates, which could be taken off when he's not on duty and plans to recruit fellow taxi drivers to support him.

A decision is due to be made at a meeting of South Bucks District Council's licensing sub committee at its offices in Denham on Monday.
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A taxi driver that doesn't want his cab to look like a taxi.

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IDFIMH

We used to have the license holder's name on the door, but were recently told to remove them.

Not quite sure why: someone said it was because of the threat of reprisals, but a lot of cars didn't have them anyway in the last few years.

I don't have door stickers, and I look like a Taxi.

There's a simple solution for the taking.

Just down the road in Wycombe district the p/h are being forced by the council to have door stickers but not the hacks strange old world

So you take work from a circuit but don't do your bit in the advertising department?

I'm beginning to think it's true what they say about you.

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IDFIMH

Yes thank you Sussex.

I'm still waiting on a fitting, the new Digitax terminal has to be fitted to the exsisting fleet of 2500 Taxi's. I'm looking at the end of June.

Mr Bart can keep me updated when he receives his new one.