Taxi Driver Online

Driver slams council red tape as poppycock

A PATRIOTIC taxi driver is outraged after he was forced to remove a Remembrance Sunday poppy from his vehicle.

Robert Holland has been driving taxis in Folkestone for more than 20 years and regularly attaches a poppy to the front of his car.

But Shepway council have banned him from displaying the symbol of our war dead, claiming it breaches Hackney Carriage rules.

Mr Holland was told to remove the poppy immediately then present his vehicle for inspection by a member of the licensing team at the Civic Centre by 4pm that day - or risk suspension of his licence.

Father-of-two Mr Holland, of Capel-le-Ferne, said: ''I was absolutely outraged to get this letter.


''I have supported the poppy appeal since I was a child and it is something I am proud to support all year, by keeping the flower on my vehicle.


''Something is drastically wrong if the council is using our taxpayers' money to fund decisions like this. It is a total farce.


''I received the letter on the afternoon of the day they wanted me to present my vehicle for inspection.


''I feel that I did not even get sufficient notice. I think the idiotic way in which Shepway council is wasting everybody's time and money should be brought to the attention of the public.''


A Shepway spokesman said: ''We turn a blind eye to taxi drivers who display poppies during the period around Remembrance Sunday, as we turned a blind eye to football regalia around the recent World Cup.


''But we believe this poppy has been up since the last Remembrance Sunday so it must be removed. Taxi drivers aren't allowed to decorate vehicles as signs and symbols detract from things such as registration plates.''

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

I wonder if the driver was going to buy a new one this year?

CC

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

How sad is this the council needs to be sent a box full of them. I bet the author of said letter obviously doesn't have any war dead, shame on them.
OK you must obviously have a clear view of licence plate and badge but if this is clearly shown then what exactly is their problem

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Legal and proud

Loads a love from BERTIE !!

Stories like this drive me mad, not just because of the slant on the war dead and injured, but because of the f***ing stupid jobs-worth attitude from the LOs.

All they had to do was have a quiet word with the driver to say he can put it on for the duration of the remembrance, as long as it doesn't stay on forever.

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IDFIMH

That would be too logical for them sussex

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Legal and proud

Loads a love from BERTIE !!

yes, but I wonder who took the story to the press?

CC

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