Taxi Driver Online

Having just become a member of York Taxi Association, I was given a dashboard sticker which informs passengers that the police will follow up fare dodgers, and so far 7 have been prosecuted since this initiative was introduced last August, so thanks to the hard work of YTA things can and do happen, I am told by our secretary to quote section 1 of the 1978 theft act, which replaced section 15 a of the 1968 act.

Whilst it's commendable of YTA, it's against the law to hire a taxi without having the means to pay for it or doing a runner. So they haven't in fact created a new law. It's always been there.

I was not saying they had created a new law, what I was trying to get across was that they had met with the police chief to alert her, yes thats right another woman, to the fact that we used to get fobbed off with the civil matter crap, she in turn briefed all her officers and now we get a prossecution, girl power to the fore.

Well done - it is a shame that the law application is not seen to be fair for all. We have at the moment got to put up with the "civil matter crap".

Another time and money saving exercise whilst crime continues to rise.

"Give them an inch and they will take a mile"

Regards John

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

John so there you have it organised success, on your own MUGGED off, we recognise that an assc is better than nothing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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The views expressed by this contributor do not neccesarily reflect the policys of The GMB Nationally or of the GMB London Region.

Our local Police have finally realised that the cabbies were right all along when we stated that "doing a runner" was a Criminal Offence and are now taking our side (although us refusing to take people off the streets probably had something to do with it ) We are now told to call a "13" for a runner and let the GPS and the wonders of our marvelous computer system tract the person down!

Best one I ever had on this was - had this rear end wipe get in the cab one night and started mouthing off from the second he got in; started with racial... went to religious and then just threatening and then killed the evening with getting into the old female cabbie thing!. At the end of the journey (doh he gave me an actual address ) he decided that he was not able to pay his fare and that it was within the law for him to state that he would pay at some point in the future. Unfortunately I'd taken a few of his comments to heart and was suffering from PMT - so low and behold there are Police in the area; did someone hit the big red button - erm YES!!! They knock on his door and he states that he has been in bed all evening with a cold and not been anywhere near a Taxi "In that case Officer" I says " I take it I can charge the fare to any credit card I find in this wallet then?" The PC looks bewildered until he realises that the dippy git left his coat and wallet on my back seat That was £20 for the fare and £20 waiting time till the beloved boys in blue arrived and a tenner tip LOL!

Its about time that fare dodgers were named and shamed! Then no one else would get stung! Same goes for people who threaten cabbies .... a UK wide (or regional to start) banned from one banned from all might make people realise that we take our livelihood seriously. Where's the poster campaign of the starving kids with no heat or light with the Cabbie saying "sorry they didn't want to pay"! They do it for drinking and driving and assaults etc on us are just as serious as they happen every day of the year! Yes shocking but so true..........

Human what ????

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IDFIMH

on the 12th Jan at 23.40 i picked up seven so called punters, anyway we go all around the world, shopping etc until they finally decide to give me their final destination.

Anyway we pull up down a dark lit dead end road and the fare is £22.55 before i get the chance of saying erm thats........

6 in the back are out and gone Im left with a girlie in the front who gives the usual, gonna have to pop to my house to get the money.

So i say thats fine leave your mobile as security and ill be here waiting, shes not happy and looks in her purse and digs out £8.25 but i still insist she leaves the phone.

Anyway cut a long story short 15mins later with her phone in my possesion and no sign of anyone i call the police and they say yes we will be with in you in ten mins, another half hour later i get a call from the police saying that theyre busy and cant deal with it and can i take it to the station tommorow,

Meanwhile the following day the girls mum calls our office asking about the mobile and ive told her its at the local cop shop and they need your landline number for me to give you the receipt number.

So i hand the mobile to the police including the parents landline over a week ago and i still havent heard anything... now thats breaching my human rights

Re taking phones as security, I am sure many of you know this, but for those who dont. A number of them (punters) have rumbled that taxi drivers will take a phone while they go and get the money; But some of the clever Bathplugs have either nicked some one elses phone, are passing on an old out of use one, Or taken the sim card out.

Whichever way we lose, so if you are taking a phone and they dont mind to much, Beware.

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

I'm surprised you handed it in as it's not lost property, more a deposit.

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IDFIMH

hehe smart ar*e

a deposit may be asked for waiting

CC

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

The thing about taking personal items as security is that some councils have bylaws or conditions that prohibit a driver from demanding personal items as security in respect of an unpaid fare? However in many cases the bylaw does not make it an offence if the passenger freely offers the personal item as security? So I would ask your council if such a bylaw or condition does exist and what form it takes?

In short the difference between the two, is one of "Demanding security" as against security being Freely offered?

Regards

JD

Thats where cctv comes in, just point it at them , say leave your bag on the seat with the camera pointing on it (to prove its left untouched) while you go and get the cash. It's surprising how many suddenly find the cash in their pockets!
In fact most see the camera and dont even try conning me anymore!