Taxi Driver Online

REDHILL taxi drivers have warned Surrey Police to help them before they are forced to take matters into their own hands.

The stark message was delivered to Reigate and Banstead Neighbourhood Inspector Charlotte Rimmer by 62-year-old cabbie Raymundo Negro and eight of his colleagues, after he was "accosted" by five drunks on Sunday, October 10.

A meeting, at St Joseph's Church, Ladbroke Road, Redhill, on Monday, heard how Mr Negro was kept "hostage" in his car for half an hour, when the youths refused to get out of his vehicle.

The meeting, attended by Inspector Rimmer, was organised by Mr Negro, who invited fellow Hackney carriage drivers and the Mirror along.

He told the meeting: "I was imprisoned for 30 minutes. There were five of them, lads in their late teens or early 20s, and they had been drinking. They were rude, they called me racist for refusing to drive them, but I'm only licensed to carry four passengers.

"I called the police. We only call the police when we only really, really fear for our safety. But when I called they did not come out."

Mr Negro's ordeal only ended when a group of fellow cab drivers intervened, and all bar one of the thugs left his vehicle.

The last of the group reluctantly left only after speaking to a Surrey Police call centre worker on Mr Negro's telephone. But Mr Negro said he was disappointed by what he perceived as Surrey Police's failure to take him seriously.

He said: "It's always a problem at that time, when the nightclub closes. If you have 100 bulls in the field and you open the gate, you have to be prepared.

"The police should be ready for them. But the police are usually there until 2.15am, and the problems start around 3am."

Abid Majid, chairman of Reigate and Banstead Taxi Association, said: "Everyone here works as a private individual. We don't have panic buttons. The only time the police respond promptly is when a weapon, like a screwdriver, is used."

Inspector Rimmer said police call handlers were trained to grade every call they received and to assess its seriousness, but she would be speaking to call centre operators.

"Our understanding was there was no violence, no damage, no threats from those people. We made a decision on information that was wrong [after the event]," she said.

source: http://www.thisissurreytoday.co.uk/news/

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

So as long as they do not use violence then it is alright for them to refuse to leave your car/cab!!!!!!!!

I know in the licensed trade (Pubs) that it is an offence if you do not leave the premises once you have been asked and I believe the same applies to the taxi trade. Having been in the same situation myself an "Officer" on foot said to me in front of the T*sse*s, " Have you asked them to leave........Yes I said" Right you lot move NOW, and they were out.

That was a very poor decision by that Police Force, and shows the contempt that they have for people who are not thieves or lay abouts, we deserve better.

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

Quite appalling.

I would demand a meeting with the Chief Constable, who will send his Deputy, who in turn will bollock the local Inspector.

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IDFIMH