Quote:
Mr Kelly said: “What makes the Government think they know any better than us? We are the experts, because we are the ones dealing with it.”
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| Taxi drivers: ‘you can keep your tips’ http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10067 |
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| Author: | captain cab [ Tue Nov 25, 2008 10:17 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Taxi drivers: ‘you can keep your tips’ |
Taxi drivers: ‘you can keep your tips’ By Alice Murphy 25/11/2008 Taxi drivers who risk regular threats and attacks say they need support, not advice, to help them handle problem customers. Wokingham Borough Council issued tips, based on Home Office guidance, two weeks after a taxi driver was threatened with a knife by a gang who refused to pay their fare and stole his car keys. Cabbies in Wokingham say what they really need is help from police and the council. Don Kelly, who has been driving taxis for 35 years, said he had not heard the new advice, which includes trusting their instincts if they do not want to pick up a fare, having mirrors so they can see in the back seat and having a list of troublespots. Mr Kelly said: “What makes the Government think they know any better than us? We are the experts, because we are the ones dealing with it.” He gave up working at night after tiring of abuse. He said: “The advice says trust your instincts, but what happens when you refuse a fare and the person complains to the council? “When you are in a car, you are on your own. I fail to see that anything the council can advise on will help us, because we’re the ones who are in the cabs day after day and dealing with trouble.” Mr Kelly added Wokingham is fairly safe, but across the country instances of violence have increased. In the last 12 months in Wokingham, there have been 18 reported cases of assault against drivers. One taxi driver told The Wokingham Times how a colleague had picked up a group of men in Wokingham on Tuesday, October 28, and taken them to Reading, where they refused to pay the fare and threatened him with a knife. They then ran away after stealing the driver’s keys. Imran Hussein works until 3am at weekends and has been a driver for nine years. He has been subjected to frequent attacks and knew the driver who was threatened with the knife. He said: “We are either foolish or brave to work at nights – probably both. “We don’t feel backed by the council, yet they put our fares up. If anything does happen, it’s our word against the public. “We are helping the police by taking people home after a night out, because otherwise trouble starts. People kick the cars, spit on us. “We are proud men but we get disrespected, people treat us like we have come straight off the banana boat, but I am able to deal with it because I have been working nights for so long and it is mostly tongue-in-cheek. “I never talk about work to my wife, but when I come home with cuts and bruises, or with sick in the car, she knows what has happened. “We need support and we have had meetings with the council, but they don’t know our job. “We were some of the first people to suffer the credit crunch because taxis are a bit of a luxury. We can’t afford to refuse fares.” Councillor Rob Stanton, executive member for corporate services including community safety, said: “It is a shame this advice is necessary. Many people rely on taxi and private hire vehicle drivers. “But we know these assaults do happen and drivers often operate at night and have to deal with people who have been drinking, which can obviously increase problems. “This advice is necessary to help drivers stay safe and I am very pleased we have produced it.” Police crime reduction officer John McNicholas said: “There should not be any ‘no go’ areas for taxi drivers in Wokingham, but if at any time drivers are not happy with passengers then the discretion should lie fully with the driver as to whether or not to accept the fare. “We are essentially asking taxi drivers to establish their destinations before starting out on a journey and to keep in touch with their control.” |
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| Author: | captain cab [ Tue Nov 25, 2008 10:18 pm ] |
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Quote: Mr Kelly said: “What makes the Government think they know any better than us? We are the experts, because we are the ones dealing with it.”
CC |
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| Author: | JD [ Tue Nov 25, 2008 10:31 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Taxi drivers: ‘you can keep your tips’ |
captain cab wrote: but if at any time drivers are not happy with passengers then the discretion should lie fully with the driver as to whether or not to accept the fare.
Discretion or reasonable cause? Discretion sounds more appealing to me. Regards JD |
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| Author: | captain cab [ Tue Nov 25, 2008 10:37 pm ] |
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It is typical of the cab trade, the DFT issue something which is useful.....sound advice that may be of use to some. And we get a cab driver telling them to keep their noses out! ffs CC |
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| Author: | toots [ Wed Nov 26, 2008 2:55 am ] |
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The only thing available here is advice. We've had drivers being attacked at weekends and when the police are called we're told "we'll get there as soon as we can but we haven't anybody available at the moment it's Friday/Saturday night and we're busy" We don't dispute that they are busy we have anything from 20 to 40 police keeping order in our town centre at weekends and that's just for 5 clubs and then there is the usual dealings in homes and on the streets to deal with. IMO you should take whatever advice is available, it might save your life one day. |
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| Author: | GBC [ Wed Nov 26, 2008 4:29 am ] |
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toots wrote: We don't dispute that they are busy we have anything from 20 to 40 police keeping order in our town centre at weekends
You think so? 
From personal knowledge, Charing Cross Division in Central London which is acknowledged as being one of the busiest Police areas in Britain parades about 2 PS's and 11 PC's on a Friday night. That's it, there is no more. If your local area has a reserve of 40 you’re doing very well, I suspect that's what the public would like to think are the numbers on duty, I fear the reality would shock you. 7? 8? maybe 9? 
The thin blue line now has anorexia, when you call 999 nowadays, it's pure luck if you get an attendance. Another New Labour cracker. |
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| Author: | Sussex [ Wed Nov 26, 2008 8:09 am ] |
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GBC wrote: If your local area has a reserve of 40 you’re doing very well, I suspect that's what the public would like to think are the numbers on duty, I fear the reality would shock you.
40 is about the number that police a certain south coast city's club land on a Friday and Saturday.
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| Author: | toots [ Wed Nov 26, 2008 12:44 pm ] |
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GBC wrote: toots wrote: We don't dispute that they are busy we have anything from 20 to 40 police keeping order in our town centre at weekends You think so? From personal knowledge, Charing Cross Division in Central London which is acknowledged as being one of the busiest Police areas in Britain parades about 2 PS's and 11 PC's on a Friday night. That's it, there is no more. If your local area has a reserve of 40 you’re doing very well, I suspect that's what the public would like to think are the numbers on duty, I fear the reality would shock you. 7? 8? maybe 9? The thin blue line now has anorexia, when you call 999 nowadays, it's pure luck if you get an attendance. Another New Labour cracker. Perhaps I shall count them this weekend. I do know that some are 'borrowed' from surrounding forces and some are possibly 'specials'. I think perhaps it comes under the heading of 'not so desireable overtime' but it gets them extra money. |
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| Author: | bloodnock [ Wed Nov 26, 2008 1:00 pm ] |
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toots wrote: GBC wrote: toots wrote: We don't dispute that they are busy we have anything from 20 to 40 police keeping order in our town centre at weekends You think so? From personal knowledge, Charing Cross Division in Central London which is acknowledged as being one of the busiest Police areas in Britain parades about 2 PS's and 11 PC's on a Friday night. That's it, there is no more. If your local area has a reserve of 40 you’re doing very well, I suspect that's what the public would like to think are the numbers on duty, I fear the reality would shock you. 7? 8? maybe 9? The thin blue line now has anorexia, when you call 999 nowadays, it's pure luck if you get an attendance. Another New Labour cracker. Perhaps I shall count them this weekend. I do know that some are 'borrowed' from surrounding forces and some are possibly 'specials'. I think perhaps it comes under the heading of 'not so desireable overtime' but it gets them extra money. Ive nothing to add really...I just get excited by Toots type font
ooooooooh yes I did have something to add.. I see on average 3 Policemen in any given week.....and usually theyre in the car Behind me...Do they still have Legs that are capable of walking ??? |
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| Author: | captain cab [ Wed Nov 26, 2008 1:16 pm ] |
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bloodnock wrote: Ive nothing to add really...I just get excited by Toots type font
Awwww 
CC |
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| Author: | toots [ Wed Nov 26, 2008 6:19 pm ] |
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captain cab wrote: bloodnock wrote: Ive nothing to add really...I just get excited by Toots type font Awwww CC 
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| Author: | bloodnock [ Wed Nov 26, 2008 7:35 pm ] |
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toots wrote: captain cab wrote: bloodnock wrote: Ive nothing to add really...I just get excited by Toots type font Awwww CC I know...I got to get out more 
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| Author: | captain cab [ Thu Nov 27, 2008 5:32 pm ] |
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Cabbies: ‘Council is out of touch about safety’ Taxi drivers in Wokingham are banding together to form an action group to keep them safe while out working. Cab drivers are hoping to form Cabwatch to help solve some of the issues between them, their customers and the council. Imran Hussein, who has been a taxi driver for nine years, has decided to take action after recent advice put forward by police and the council. He said: “Their suggestions were things like ‘radio back to base when you set off’, but we don’t have radios in some of our cabs. “That kind of advice shows how out of touch the people who put those things together are. They haven’t got a clue what it’s like to be a taxi driver.” The drivers plan to have a meeting with licensing officers at Wokingham Borough Council to discuss ways of working together to help them feel supported. Currently, they say they feel the council is out of touch. Conflict has arisen over travel tokens, because they were changed without drivers being told about it and they had to accept them without being certain they were genuine. Mr Hussein said: “It’s all or nothing. We are trying to arrange a big meeting to discuss the kind of issues affecting drivers and see where we can go from here.” Mr Hussein is suggesting a ‘mystery shopper’-style test where officials hail cabs to see whether the drivers are charging the right fares. He said some taxi drivers overcharge customers who are drunk and rude and in return, customers are abusive or refuse to pay at all. He hopes the Cabwatch scheme will start once the planned meeting takes place. Mr Hussein said: “We are really trying to get all the drivers on the rank together and the council to get this started.” |
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| Author: | captain cab [ Thu Nov 27, 2008 5:34 pm ] |
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The council are damned if they do and damned if they dont. CC |
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| Author: | JD [ Thu Nov 27, 2008 5:48 pm ] |
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captain cab wrote: The council are damned if they do and damned if they dont.
CC WOKINGHAM The village of the dammed! Regards JD |
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