Taxi Driver Online

Absolutely, but the point was about the legality of it, not whether the driver's an idiot or not



Well if he's doing nothing illegal then I doubt if the insurance co would be interested.



Well I think it's illegal to impersonate a police officer, so to that extent he wouldn't, but I'm not so sure that it's illegal per se to look like a taxi.

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Taxi Driver Online
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I can't really see the difference - surely the important point is the public perception, which clearly changes when the top sign is added.

The public wouldn't see any difference between the driver in question who doesn't have a licence and a driver from another area that does. All they see is a taxi with a top sign.

So if you're saying that putting on a top sign automatically means that you're plying for hire then surely it's the same for an out of area taxi?

If your argument is valid then anyone test driving a TX or whatever would be breaking the law.

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I wouldn't be too sure. Guy I know had his car nicked a while back. Insurance refused to pay out because he changed the alloys for a different set without telling them.
Do you suppose this guy has informed his insurance that he likes to impersonate a taxi

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Guess what, he was seen picking folks up at our working mens club last night. Top sign on and illuminated. Unfortunatly the chap that saw him didn't have a camera. I rang the council this afternoon and basically they don't want to know.

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Grandad,

Get a written statement from the guy who saw this and include with your objection.

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You could have a point there gusmac, but he may have taxi insurance already - I think normal practice is to get the policy then the council will test the vehicle then give you the plate?

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Taxi Driver Online
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As hack insurance costs a sheit lot more, around here we don't shell out for it until the day before the test as this is when the council ask to see the insurance. If he's paid for it already then he definately is an idiot. He won't be covered to carry passengers until he is plated.

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Well I suppose it depends on local procedures.

However, I think we're moving away from the original point a bit, which was whether displaying a roof light etc per se was illegal, and personally I'm not convinced that it is.

If the driver is procuring business then clearly that's another matter, but I suspect that if he is then it's prebooked work rather than public hire. But either way the problem is clearly proving that he's doing business with a view to profit and getting sufficient proof, not to mention getting the relevant council to take action.

I would concentrate on that rather than the signage per se.

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The council managed to contact him late yesterday afternoon and asked him to remove the top sign until he had his plates, which he did. So unless he was trying to procure fares, why would he then put it back on and turn the meter on to illuminate it?

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Grandad,

I'm not sure either.

JD is there any case law on this?

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The 1847 Act is quite clear:

S45 An owner of HC who permits the vehicle to ply for hire within the District without obtaining a licence for its use or if that licence is suspended or using a vehicle without clearly displaying the number of the vehicle or outside the district for which they are licensed.

S46 A driver who acts as a driver of HC without obtaining a licence.

IMHO he should be nicked

Insurance database may help you but beware of the caveats regarding the use of the site.

http://www.askmid.com/askmid.aspx

What isn't clear is whether putting a plastic sign on top of his car makes it a HC

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This only tells whether it has insurance, not what type.

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Well, it is a start. Who knows, if he's not plated, he may not have RTA insurance!