Taxi Driver Online

Twas listening to the James Whale show as usual last night, he likes taxi drivers and truckers, the smoking ban came up, drivers are going to be stopped fropm smoking whilst driving with a new law

But what also came up is the Goverment is thinking of imposing more medical inspections for professional drivers, truckers, bus and coach, and taxi drivers

They are thinking of medicals twice a year [ie. every 6 months]
anyone know any more

I think Talk Sport is slightly prone to exaggerating just about anything. But more checks, be they medical or professional, is always on the cards.

A mate of mine is making fortunes re-testing HGV drivers, as they have to be re-checked every certain (can't remember the exact) number of years.

And some on here belly-ache about having the DSA for new entrants.

_________________
IDFIMH

Taxi Driver Fined For Smoking In Vehicle

When William Smyth was pulled over by police and handed a £30 fine for smoking in his vehicle, he initially thought he was the victim of an elaborate prank. The Belfast taxi driver was so taken aback that he initially didn't even take the fixed penalty seriously.

The 46-year-old, who works for a firm in the east of the city, was off duty at the time - but was told he had broken the law by lighting up behind the wheel as he drove along King's Road on February 4. "The officer had a look around the car and then more or less said, 'I see you are smoking in the vehicle' and gave me a £30 fixed penalty and said something about health and hygiene," said William. "It's hard enough to keep your van as charges go up year by year without being fined £30 for smoking. This is my own car, it's my only form of transport and when I'm not working it should be my business whether I choose to smoke in it or not. "I certainly don't smoke when I have passengers in the car." William has received the backing from East Belfast MLA Michael Copeland, who has pledged to overturn the fixed penalty.

Mr Copeland has written to police demanding that the fine be lifted. The MLA had already expressed outrage at figures showing that east Belfast and Castlereagh had the highest number of detections for speeding in Northern Ireland last year, with 2,394 and 2,298 fines collected respectively.

"I was amazed to hear Mr Smyth's story. It strikes me that this, when taken with the inordinately high levels of fines for speeding that are given out by police across east Belfast and Castlereagh, points to heavy-handed policing or someone in the PSNI setting targets for raising as much cash as possible," said Mr Copeland.

A PSNI spokesman said police did issue a fixed penalty to a man at King's Road on February 4 for "smoking in a PVC vehicle". He said smoking is an offence under PVC regulations (Northern Ireland 1985). The spokesman said anyone given a fixed penalty could contest it in court. He added that complaints about police should be made to the Police Ombudsman. It is believed it is an offence to smoke in a PVC vehicle, whether or not passengers are present.

_________________
IDFIMH

Maybe they were afraid it would melt

_________________
The views and comments of Charlie are virtual only - as this is t'internet boys and girls!

No running to the bosses - nobody likes a grass!

Metrocab, obviously.