Taxi Driver Online

Hi
I've just got back from my annual taxi test and it failed because the guy wasn't happy with the camera in my taxi which points at 2 of the 3 back seats.

I had to have a word with an enforcement officer to eventually be told it was a very thin line regarding privacy when the public are involved.

I told him that the device I have is wi-fi enabled and it's connected via my mobile phone. I can, and only do, use it to view the passengers in case they are going to be sick / do a runner / spill pizza, kebab, drink etc / and possibly be violent in the taxi.

I view the images on my mobile phone which is attached to the windscreen - at no time is the device recording. I can't store the images or save anything for a later date. It's basically a means to catch anyone "live" before they are sick but the enforcement officer wasn't 100% happy.

The incredible thing was instead of placing an advisory note on a "passed" paper he failed it and tried to get £25 for me to spend 5 seconds taking the camera out for a retest! He also said they were looking at getting cameras in the taxis but it would be at a cost of around £800!! wtf!.....it's only just cost me £50......councils are strange!

Anyway...my question is..if there is nothing in the by laws (for Newcastle) surrounding cameras in the taxi, should I be okay to put the camera back in the taxi? It doesn't record sound or video and is only available to view "live".
I can't understand why not...public buses have them, trains, local metros, every street corner, the council offices.....and a person working alone with upto 4 strangers in there vehicle can't have means to stay safe....weird!

I've got a dashcam and that was viewed at being okay - recording the public before they get in the car!

Cheers.

I don't think you are legally allowed to watch the screen whilst driving but I could be wrong.

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Grandad,

Id have thought the interior of your car was YOUR domain, put up a small notice "Interior CCTV is fitted, by getting in the vehicle you are accepting that your image may be recorded and viewed at a later date"


when I say small i mean really small

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

Register it with the commissioners office then there's nothing the Council can do.

As for viewing the screen, that's bollox.

Is it? The police may think otherwise. It is a distraction and could be seen as driving without due care and attention.

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Grandad,

Never had a problem with mine, it's been viewed by plenty of Police Officers. If they were going to be that anal about them they'd take them off the market and they'd be banned in buses, lorries and Police cars; yes police cars have screens which they look at in their cars, the ANPR computers have screens in the Police cars.

ANPR in a Police car.





Nice BIG screens

I take on board what you are saying but is it anything different to looking in your rear veiw mirror.

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Common sense........is just not that Common.

Grandad is right - and the fact it may not be any different to looking in your rear view aint what the law says.

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

Is it? The police may think otherwise. It is a distraction and could be seen as driving without due care and attention.[/qu


dash mounted DVD players should have a lead that connects to the handbrake, only when the brake i on should the screen be working

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

But thats not a dvd player and they aint watching Happy Feet are they

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

The law is regarding Televisions..not ...Monitors...

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

People have been prosecuted for watching stuff on their mobile phones whilst driving. This chap is watching the live images on his mobile phone.

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Grandad,

This thread has some really good comments and thoughts. I didn't know about this place and had a little look last night while I done £22 all night (Newcastle...party city!). I think Nidge2 could well be right. If I register (I assume paying the £35 per year too), the council should not be able to force me to take the camera out. It is my "work place" and does indeed look as though I have a right by law to install a camera if I place clear signs on the vehicle. As it stated somewhere else, customers then have an option to get in....if they don't want to be seen on camera they don't get in. The unusual thing with my question I think is the fact I'm not recording.

As for "watching" the screen. I really can't see the Police being able to do anything about this. New vehicles are being promoted now with huge touch screens within the center console - atleast the phone screen is in my eye line facing forward (instead of looking down to the center console area). You have screen sizes which are nearly tablet size for Tom Toms etc. I would like to assume it is exactly the same as having a rear view mirror in the car and looking at that - you eye flicks left and right. In fact its safer as the screen (very dimmed to near darkness - its black and white night vision) again is in better eye line.
I'm certainly not watching the screen continually - if I'm at a set of lights or in very slow moving traffic, I'll take a look...if all is fine and no ones going to throw up all over my taxi, I drive on.

It's hardly multitasking to a level which is dangerous or putting peoples lives in danger. As pictures above show, the information some business' have on these monitors is a joke and should really only be allowed to be inputted when stationary - which obviously won't happen, but it is perfectly legal to have these types of screens in a vehicle. There is a local taxi company that had these screens in and I really don't know how the passenger in the front got into the front of his cab. Always thought the screen size was incredible for the data getting received - they have now gone onto use data through mobile devices and placed on the windscreen.

Chris

This is the bit that you may find is illegal.
If you were recording the images to be viewed later, then you would be ok. But the fact that the pictures will be running live in your full view is not allowed.

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Grandad,