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Cab drivers who ‘cherry-pick’ fares could lose their licence
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Author:  captain cab [ Fri Feb 13, 2009 12:02 am ]
Post subject:  Cab drivers who ‘cherry-pick’ fares could lose their licence
Cab drivers who ‘cherry-pick’ fares could lose their licence


TAXI drivers who “cherry-pick” passengers in an attempt to land bigger fares face having their licences revoked.

That’s the message being sent out by Cardiff Council after its Public Protection Committee stripped a driver of his licence after refusing to take a passenger from the city’s central station to City Hall.

Mohammed Asfaque Ali, 27, of Rutland Street, Grangetown, Cardiff, denied refusing to take the woman and is expected to appeal.

Since the construction of the St Davids2 shopping development, the number of taxi ranks in the city has been cut, leaving cabbies with fewer official places from which to ply their trade. This has led to some drivers picking and choosing their customers.

Paul Shone, the council’s licensing operations manager, said: “It’s a hidden offence.

“They sit there with their lights off and say they are not working. I think it’s become accepted practice.”

Mr Shone said officers carried out a series of test purchases during the last few weeks and were due to prosecute three more drivers.

Helen Ward, a 31-year-old account manager from Cardiff Bay, said she had frequent problems in getting a taxi to take her home from the city centre.

She said: “I’ve lost count of the number of times this has happened and it’s at different times of the day and night.

“It’s happened to friends of mine as well. They either refuse to take you or charge you a bigger fare.”

Mathab Khan, chairman of the Cardiff Hackney Carriage Association, blamed the problem on a combination of lack of rank space, too many taxis and part-time drivers trying to make a quick buck.

He added drivers caught cherry-picking should be given a warning before getting to the stage where their licences are revoked, and called for council officers to be on duty during the night in order to monitor potential problems.

He said: “There’s 900 drivers out there and not everybody sticks to the rules. I’m totally against cherry-picking. We want to make sure that everyone works fairly and freely, so that everybody gets a fair crack of the whip.

“The regular drivers who depend on this job are not cherry-pickers.”

Ed Bridges, chairman of the public protection committee, said: “It’s a serious offence for the drivers to be committing.

“We would urge any member of the public to take the details of the driver and report it to us so that we can take the appropriate enforcement action.”
Author:  gusmac [ Fri Feb 13, 2009 12:11 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Cab drivers who ‘cherry-pick’ fares could lose their lic
Quote:
He added drivers caught cherry-picking should be given a warning before getting to the stage where their licences are revoked,


I think they have just had their warning.
If they don't know it's illegal, they shouldn't be a taxi driver.
Author:  toots [ Fri Feb 13, 2009 12:15 am ]
Post subject: 
Quote:
Mathab Khan, chairman of the Cardiff Hackney Carriage Association, blamed the problem on a combination of lack of rank space, too many taxis and part-time drivers trying to make a quick buck.


This has gone on in various places forever so I don't see how his excuses hold any truth. It is just greed plain and simple.

Quote:
He added drivers caught cherry-picking should be given a warning before getting to the stage where their licences are revoked


If the warnings are to be taken seriously perhaps a fine with the warning would be acceptable or would they want a warning that the next warning will be accompanied by a fine :roll:
Author:  captain cab [ Fri Feb 13, 2009 12:24 am ]
Post subject: 
In fairness toots the guy is making a point towards the LA, probably part of a wider agenda :wink:

CC
Author:  toots [ Fri Feb 13, 2009 12:41 am ]
Post subject: 
Would this be another de-regulated/de-limited LA that without fore thought increased it's taxi numbers unrealistically.

I can see only one agenda here that may work and that is to get more ranks but I don't think that will stop the cherry picking.
Author:  captain cab [ Fri Feb 13, 2009 12:46 am ]
Post subject: 
toots wrote:
Would this be another de-regulated/de-limited LA that without fore thought increased it's taxi numbers unrealistically.

I can see only one agenda here that may work and that is to get more ranks but I don't think that will stop the cherry picking.


Its deregulated and I'm not sure of the local conditions......I do know when Carlisle United played in Cardiff for the football league trophy, my brother hired a cab and seemed to be charged over the top.

The place seriously needs somekind of enforcement, irrespective of taxi numbers.

CC
Author:  toots [ Fri Feb 13, 2009 12:52 am ]
Post subject: 
Everywhere needs enforcement regardless of taxi numbers. There doesn't appear to be any money in the kitty for it. Perhaps they should train up the traffic wardens and pay them by results :lol: :lol:
Author:  captain cab [ Fri Feb 13, 2009 12:53 am ]
Post subject: 
toots wrote:
Everywhere needs enforcement regardless of taxi numbers. There doesn't appear to be any money in the kitty for it. Perhaps they should train up the traffic wardens and pay them by results :lol: :lol:


Strange you should mention that......I wonder how the byelaws consultation is getting on :shock:

CC
Author:  toots [ Fri Feb 13, 2009 12:56 am ]
Post subject: 
captain cab wrote:
toots wrote:
Everywhere needs enforcement regardless of taxi numbers. There doesn't appear to be any money in the kitty for it. Perhaps they should train up the traffic wardens and pay them by results :lol: :lol:


Strange you should mention that......I wonder how the byelaws consultation is getting on :shock:

CC


Seriously blonde moment, coffee time
Author:  gusmac [ Fri Feb 13, 2009 2:56 am ]
Post subject: 
toots wrote:
Would this be another de-regulated/de-limited LA that without fore thought increased it's taxi numbers unrealistically.

I can see only one agenda here that may work and that is to get more ranks but I don't think that will stop the cherry picking.


Delimited or limited, cherry picking is wrong and illegal.
£2 or £200 it's just your donald duck what you get when the door opens.
When a driver does this on a rank, he puts the driver behind in a bad position . Does he take the short hire which the tw*t in front has refused? or does he also break the law?
I'd say he was lucky not to get a smack in the mouth into the bargain.
Author:  JD [ Fri Feb 13, 2009 9:19 am ]
Post subject: 
gusmac wrote:
toots wrote:
Would this be another de-regulated/de-limited LA that without fore thought increased it's taxi numbers unrealistically.

I can see only one agenda here that may work and that is to get more ranks but I don't think that will stop the cherry picking.


Delimited or limited, cherry picking is wrong and illegal.
£2 or £200 it's just your donald duck what you get when the door opens.
When a driver does this on a rank, he puts the driver behind in a bad position . Does he take the short hire which the tw*t in front has refused? or does he also break the law?
I'd say he was lucky not to get a smack in the mouth into the bargain.


Goes on quite a lot in Manchester, what people do when sat on the their own away from a rank doesn't concern me because someone else might benefit from such actions but on a rank it shouldn't happen.

Regards

JD
Author:  cabbyman [ Fri Feb 13, 2009 8:04 pm ]
Post subject: 
The great thing about being on a radio circuit is that even the shortest rank job could get you a follow on from the office. Ergo, I welcome every job!!
Author:  toots [ Fri Feb 13, 2009 8:57 pm ]
Post subject: 
Quote:
Strange you should mention that......I wonder how the byelaws consultation is getting on


What bye laws consultation :?
Author:  bloodnock [ Fri Feb 13, 2009 9:08 pm ]
Post subject: 
No need to cherry pick..if you dislike the run start coughing...froth at the mouth a bit....shake all over....start grunting.....break wind in a wettish manner. Surely to god that'll make them take the taxi behind yours and once the deterred punters left just start acting normal again...
Author:  toots [ Fri Feb 13, 2009 9:10 pm ]
Post subject: 
bloodnock wrote:
No need to cherry pick..if you dislike the run start coughing...froth at the mouth a bit....shake all over....start grunting.....break wind in a wettish manner. Surely to god that'll make them take the taxi behind yours and once the deterred punters left just start acting normal again...


Some men should not be left to play alone :lol:
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