Quote:
and also meant the vehicle insurance was not valid.
| Taxi Driver Online http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/ |
|
| prosecuted for not using his meter http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=27550 |
Page 1 of 2 |
| Author: | captain cab [ Wed Sep 09, 2015 10:42 pm ] |
| Post subject: | prosecuted for not using his meter |
Northamptonshire taxi driver prosecuted for not using his meter A taxi driver has been prosecuted after overcharging a customer. Seydi Vakas Colak was ordered to pay £845 after being found guilty of not using the meter in his cab, resulting in his passenger being charged too much. The action also invalidated his vehicle insurance. Wellingborough Council’s licensing team received a complaint in October last year that Mr Colak, a licensed hackney carriage driver, had taken a passenger from the rank in Orient Way to an address in the town without turning on the meter in his cab. At the end of the short journey, Mr Colak told his passenger the fare was £3.50. As this was more than they usually paid, the passenger asked for a receipt and then contacted the council. An investigation by licensing officers showed that because the meter wasn’t used, the fare charged was in excess of the maximum allowed under the set tariff prescribed by the council. It was determined that not using the meter was contrary to the byelaws for hackney carriages and also meant the vehicle insurance was not valid. A prosecution was taken against Mr Colak for one offence under the byelaws for not using the meter fitted in his car, and one offence under the Road Traffic Act for driving with invalidated insurance. The case was first heard at Northampton Magistrates Court in April, where the Mr Colak pleaded not guilty. The case was then listed for full trial at Kettering Magistrates Court and was heard last week. After evidence from Mr Colak and council witnesses during the trial, Mr Colak was found guilty of both offences. He was fined a total of £450, a victim surcharge of £45, and given eight points on his driving licence. The court also awarded costs of £350 to the council. Amanda Wilcox, licensing manager at Wellingborough Council, said: “This may seem like a small amount, but not using the meter and overcharging are serious offences no matter how much money is involved. “It is essential that the public can trust a taxi driver. “This case involved a driver clearly not complying with the conditions attached to his licence. “It was only possible to take the case to court because the witness was prepared to give evidence. “We’d advise anyone travelling by hackney carriage to ensure the driver sets the meter running at the start of the journey and if they believe they have been overcharged they should request a receipt from the driver. “People should also make a note of the driver and vehicle details and contact the council’s licensing team on 01933 231 966.” Mr Colak will now be referred to the council’s licensing sub-committee. source: http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/ ... -1-6948848 |
|
| Author: | captain cab [ Wed Sep 09, 2015 10:45 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: prosecuted for not using his meter |
Quote: and also meant the vehicle insurance was not valid.
|
|
| Author: | Chris the Fish [ Wed Sep 09, 2015 10:50 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: prosecuted for not using his meter |
captain cab wrote: Well, you would have to see his insurance schedule, but it could say along the lines of "Insurance invalidated if Local Licence Provisions are not complied with." I have had several policies over the years that have had similar wording to this. |
|
| Author: | Midlife martyr [ Thu Sep 10, 2015 8:57 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: prosecuted for not using his meter |
What a stupid idiot losing his livelihood over a pittance, not that it would have would have been any less wrong if the job had been a longer distance. |
|
| Author: | edders23 [ Thu Sep 10, 2015 9:03 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: prosecuted for not using his meter |
Say what  Ok so the dimwit overcharged on a short journey and deserved some sort of penalty against his license/record BUT why on earth does forgetting to put your meter on constitute invalidating your insurance ?Most taxis do some work not on the meter after all does everyone on here put their meter on when doing a school run or taking passengers to the Airport on a pre arranged fixed price ? And for that matter can anyone on here honestly say they have never forgotten to put the meter on and ended up estimating the fare usually on the low side ? I think there is an issue here that needs tackling because there are 101 things that a council can claim is contravening licensing conditions from wearing the wrong shorts to having a religious icon that looks phalic. This strikes me as grossly unfair and a license to enforcement officers to get drivers they dislike ! |
|
| Author: | grandad [ Thu Sep 10, 2015 10:24 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: prosecuted for not using his meter |
edders23 wrote: And for that matter can anyone on here honestly say they have never forgotten to put the meter on and ended up estimating the fare usually on the low side ? Fortunately the only times that I have forgotten to put the meter on have been town jobs. If I realise whilst on the journey I will appologise and put the meter on at that point. I then charge what is on the meter at the end of the journey. If I forget to put it on at all I charge the flag fall at the end of the journey. The loss to me has never been more than a couple of quid and i make more than that in tips. |
|
| Author: | Chris the Fish [ Fri Sep 11, 2015 12:53 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: prosecuted for not using his meter |
grandad wrote: Fortunately the only times that I have forgotten to put the meter on have been town jobs. If I realise whilst on the journey I will appologise and put the meter on at that point. I then charge what is on the meter at the end of the journey. If I forget to put it on at all I charge the flag fall at the end of the journey. The loss to me has never been more than a couple of quid and i make more than that in tips. That's the way to do it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBtEfgpQ8wY |
|
| Author: | bloodnock [ Fri Sep 11, 2015 9:10 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: prosecuted for not using his meter |
If he overpaid at £3.50 what was the normal charge, as a PH I wouldn't turn a wheel for that amount. |
|
| Author: | x-ray [ Fri Sep 11, 2015 1:29 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: prosecuted for not using his meter |
I wonder if the same applies to a PH driver if he forgets to zero his tripometer ? |
|
| Author: | grandad [ Fri Sep 11, 2015 1:59 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: prosecuted for not using his meter |
x-ray wrote: I wonder if the same applies to a PH driver if he forgets to zero his tripometer ? Doubt it. |
|
| Author: | edders23 [ Fri Sep 11, 2015 5:18 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: prosecuted for not using his meter |
The point I was trying to make was that what this story is telling us is that a licensing authority can impose ridiculous or daft conditions of license and then if a driver was found to be in contravention his insurance is invalidated This is unfair and biased against drivers I think there should be a campaign to get it changed so that any breach of licensing conditions shouldn't automatically constitute invalidation of insurance only those where it can be proven passenger safety was compromised |
|
| Author: | Sussex [ Fri Sep 11, 2015 8:28 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: prosecuted for not using his meter |
edders23 wrote: BUT why on earth does forgetting to put your meter on constitute invalidating your insurance ? It doesn't, they are talking bollocks. |
|
| Author: | edders23 [ Fri Sep 11, 2015 9:02 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: prosecuted for not using his meter |
Sussex wrote: edders23 wrote: BUT why on earth does forgetting to put your meter on constitute invalidating your insurance ? It doesn't, they are talking bollocks. If thats the case then how did they get a conviction and 8 points on the drivers license ? |
|
| Author: | Sussex [ Sun Sep 13, 2015 6:16 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: prosecuted for not using his meter |
edders23 wrote: If thats the case then how did they get a conviction and 8 points on the drivers license ? Through not having proper insurance at a guess. Nothing to do with not using the meter. Non insurance is a police matter, non meter use is a council matter. |
|
| Author: | edders23 [ Sun Sep 13, 2015 8:25 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: prosecuted for not using his meter |
But the point I was making why was it a police matter at what point was passenger or road safety compromised. basically what this is saying is that if Jobsworth district council makes it a condition of license that you have to wear a pink shirt and pink trousers whilst driving and you turn out in grey trousers you can be prosecuted for no insurance because license conditions were breached this should not be the case. If whilst driving wearing grey trousers you have a prang would your insurance cover the prang if so then your insurance is valid. I personally think this is an abuse of the law your insurance should only be invalidated if you do something that is a real safety of the public issue |
|
| Page 1 of 2 | All times are UTC [ DST ] |
| Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group http://www.phpbb.com/ |
|