Taxi Driver Online

That wasn't the case but interesting all the same.

Intentionally avoiding payment is an arrestable offence but unfortunately there is no law that says a passenger can be taken back to the place where they were picked up. I would be the first to admit that it is a common practice among some cab drivers to sometimes do that but for the purpose of clarification the NTA unsuccessfully tried to get the home office to clarify the law in respect of such a scenario. As the law stands we are no further on.

Taking passengers to the police station who have refused to pay their fare and have committed the offence of trying to make off without payment no doubt constitutes a citizens arrest and under the circumstances the passenger would have to be told of such an arrest.

Taking a passenger back to where they were picked up is always a risky business because an offence is only committed when the passenger actually refuses to pay and tries to make off. One presumes that trying to get out of the vehicle in order to deprive the driver of the fare would constitute the Actus Reus of the offence but one must be extremely careful when taking people back to where they were picked up because if it is found that the passenger does indeed have money to pay the fare then it will be your word against there’s.

The correct procedure if faced with such a situation is to call the police for assistance, I know that is time consuming and sometimes unproductive but it might not appear that way to a court of law should it be you that is charged with an offence and not the passenger. I suggest the Sheffield TOA person who gave the wrong legal advice regarding the legality of cab drivers taking passengers back to where they were picked up has a refresher course in the law or perhaps Sheffield council can introduce a taxi driver course that insists their Taxi drivers are fully aware of their legal obligations to passengers before they are let lose on the public.

I would have thought that any cab driver who saw a passenger trying to get out of his moving vehicle might at least have had a little thought to the passenger’s safety regardless of what offence might have been committed? I'm also surprised that the driver had no thought of the possible legal consequence to himself by knowing what was taking place yet failing to stop in order to prevent an accident. Perhaps he did try to stop and then again perhaps he didn't? If he knew she was trying to get out of the vehicle through an open door and he proceeded to drive then he has committed an offence but I assume you know that, then again perhaps you don't? It would be interesting to read what the licensing committee said about this incident, if anything?
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The case to which I referred was this,

The Star (Sheffield)

April 10, 2003

Teenager tells of her terror ride in taxi

The Star (Sheffield)

A TERRIFIED teenage student held captive by a taxi driver in the back of his cab told today how she feared she was going to be raped.
Lara Mitchell feared for her safety after the cabbie turned his car around as he approached her house in Longley, Sheffield, locked her inside and drove back towards the city centre in the early hours of the morning.

The 19-year-old said today: I did not know what was happening, all I could think about was that I was going to get raped.

Lara was so terrified she screamed for help down the phone to her mum Deborah Haigh, who called the police to chase the cab - a fully licensed vehicle - at 3am. Now an investigation has been launched into the incident by council officials and the police.
Lara finally managed to escape from the moving taxi as it drove through The Wicker.
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I assume it doesn't ring a bell?

Regards

JD

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One thing that did jump out at me in this debate is the location named "Fargate" where this so called survey took place. I assume the place isn't frequented that often by Taxi drivers because I seem to recall that in 2002 a gentleman waited there five hours for a taxi. Perhaps the fact he was in a wheelchair had something to do with it?

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

I find the following story has a striking resemblance to the name "Lara Mitchell" highlighted in the above post, even the ages are compatible.
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The Mirror

October 20, 2007 Saturday

LIFE FOR CAB KILLERS

A YOUNG mum and three friends were yesterday jailed for life for beating a dad to death in a row over a taxi.

Andrew Ayres, 50, intervened after "Laura Mitchell," 22, her boyfriend Carl Holmes, 21, and mates Michael Hall, 22, and Henry Ballantyne, 20, accused brothers Craig and Dean Powell of jumping a cab queue outside a Bradford pub last January.

They chased Mr Ayres, hit him with a medieval flail with ball and chain and punched and kicked him. Holmes then stamped on his head, shattering his face and killing him, the city's crown court heard. The four were all convicted of murder and ordered to serve a minimum of 13 years and six months.
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Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

I'm surprised he's not still waiting there, cus the "Fargate" is a pedestrian only zone and no cars or taxis ever go there?

As for the other case JD it may be one of those where the Licensing wasn't even informed and all the fuss was just in the papers, but I seem to have missed the case you quote above.

My idea for "Cabbies against rape" would work like this. Every cabbie in the country would send me an annual membership of £50. Clearly, anyone who declined to join my campaign would be a potential rapist or sex offender. For their membership fee, each cabbie would receive a sticker to place prominently in their cab stating "Rape? No thanks!" which would obviously belay the fears of lone female passengers, in the same way as "Rock against racism" and "Nuclear power, no thanks!" stamped out those particular problems.

There are indeed, predatory cabbies out there. And also Policemen, Schoolteachers, Social Workers, and many other positions of trust.

"Hail Rape?" Hail Ceasar, Heil Hitler!"

And the stupid girl is a graduate of our higher education system? God help us.

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Former taxi driver

Could you not put Tigger and Junie2006 in touch with her, I'm sure Junie would like to share her site, they seem to have lots in common.

God help us is right Jimbo. Education my Arse.

The campaign is supposed to change it's name to "Hail safer" as of now.

Not far off "Hail Safe" where you pay a text premium number to register the cab licence plate number to a central register if you think the driver may be a weirdo. Yeah right, I can see that being a deterrent.

If you don't like the look of the driver, don't get in may be better advice.

A father of a girl aged about ten or so, recently asked me to take her to her grandparents house, as she was feeling unwell. He paid in advance, which was fine. He then asked if he could take a picture of my badge with his cameraphone, presumably because he would be able to give it to the police if I failed to turn up at granma's house. Better safe than sorry? It did occur to me though, that I would have travelled with the child myself if I had misgivings about the driver, but clearly saving £7 was more of a priority to him than his daughters physical security.

This was from a Taxi rank in a metrocab, with my badge worn prominently, in broad daylight. No offence was supposed to have been given or taken.

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Former taxi driver

To a degree I can understand his concern, but having said that it is a B****y cheek and obscenely rude. I mean for gods sake if you have that type of mistrust you just do not put your child in with anyone.

It makes me smile/grimace when women/girls say to another female when they are getting out of the cab, now dont forget text me when you get home.

A bit late to say the least if I were that way inclined, texting is not going to alter anything.

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

Hailrape (what a stupid name!) is no more than a self-seeking publicist. She had an article in the local Sheffield newspaper about her campaign, and then started a debate on the Sheffield Forum (SF).

Her original stated intentions (to prevent any applicant with certain criminal convictions from being licensed) were soon forgotten. She acknowledged that her campaign title (Hailrape) was a gross slur on all taxi drivers in Sheffield and promised to change it. However, she then disappeared from her own discussion thread, leaving umpteen questions from other posters unanswered.

I contacted her via email and asked her to return to the thread and answer outstanding questions. She declined, citing that she was only trying to raise 'awareness of the issues'. As I said, she is no more than a self-seeking publicist.

As a Sheffield councillor and member of the Licensing Board, I personally resented the slurs on Sheffield taxi drivers which she repeatedly made. She also referred to her own unhappy experience - which turned out to be verbal abuse she suffered by a Nottingham taxi driver..... four years ago!

Not once, when challenged, did she provide any supporting evidence that she had, as she claimed, a number of councillors supporting her campaign. Certainly not one of the 15 Licensing Board councillors had been approached by her. As far as I could ascertain, she made no direct communication with any of the 84 councillors in Sheffield. She did speak to Licensing staff, where she was informed of the current regulations affecting applicants.

Hailrape undertook a limited 'survey' in a city centre street, with loaded questions that had no statistical merit whatsoever. Her 'survey' was rounded derided and condemned on SF.

Her claim to be seeking to change the conditions of licensing in Sheffield never materialised - and all Hailrape managed to do was create anxiety in the minds of the public over their safety when travelling by taxi. Having stirred up a non-existent controversy, and refusing to answer pertinent questions on SF, she then disappeared. I repeat again - she is nothing more than a self-seeking publicist.

Tell me Mr Robbo, what will a Sheffield license plate be worth if Sheffield council decide to restrict licenses in the near future? Do you have any idea or is it something that doesn't concern you?

Regards

JD

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So what exactly is your problem councillor?

Far from being an extremist Sarah Coates came over as a sober realist who said nothing more than this in her interview with the star.

Many drivers are decent, caring, hard-working people who want their profession to be able to be viewed as trustworthy. But not all.

"It is also very important to remember that not every driver who picks up fares at night is actually a licensed taxi driver. It's so easy for an imposter to go out in a car and pick women up.

"My aim is to make women aware of the dangers and to encourage a change in how taxi licenses are issued and regulated.

"The main change would be that no applicants would be accepted if they have a criminal background for sexual or physical aggression towards women."

So whats so dramatic about a young lady wanting to rid the taxi trade of its flotsem?

Her comments don't appear extreme to me so pray tell us what it is in her comments highlighted above, that offends you?

By the way, considering you are on the licensing committee can you tell us how many taxi drivers the sheffield LO and licensing committee have suspended in the last three months

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

I thought she said,

"The main change would be that no applicants would be accepted if they have a criminal background for sexual or physical aggression towards women."

What's your view on sexual and physical agreession towards women?

With regard to your comments I suppose you welcome it?

Do you realise that Manchester city council were of the same opinion as Sarah Coates until they realised that the courts would determine who is fit and proper and not a bunch of councillors who had the impression they were above the law?

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

It must be ok to licence drivers with sexual or physical agression towards men then?



Before anyone launches a campaign for change, wouldn't it be an idea to look at what changes are needed in light of what already exists? What more does this lady with JD's sypathy want from the taxi trade than even more sympathy for her warped image of the taxi trade?

If she was so right and proper then why the change of name and change of aim?
Maybe you can continue her original slur and take up the hailrape campaign, as a vacancy seem to exist now
I would assume from this comment that redrobbo's advice did some good after all, and not much help from the jumping on the bandwagon gang.