Taxi Driver Online

York taxi driver has cigarette stubbed out on neck in attack

https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/173410 ... in-attack/


Image: York Press

A YORK taxi driver had a cigarette stubbed out on his neck during an attack from behind by customers in his mini-bus.

Now the victim, AJ Smith - who reversed into a lamppost in a desperate bid to escape the thugs - is calling for more protection for cab drivers.

Mr Smith, from Strensall, who works for York Cars Taxi, said the late-night incident happened near the Riley-Smiths Hall venue in Tadcaster.

The 27-year-old said: “I had a job to pick up 24 people in Tadcaster.

“When I arrived one of the customers was spitting and smoking. He blew smoke in my hair repeatedly even after I asked him to stop politely.

“Then he and another came up behind me on the bus. He then grabbed my face and proceeded to stub a cigarette out on the back of my neck.


Image: York Press

“I told them both to get off and I shut the door so they couldn’t get back in and called the police. I had to reverse into a lamppost to get away, and by the time the police turned up they had all run off."

North Yorkshire Police confirmed it was called to the incident at 11.50pm and that inquiries were ongoing.

Tony Loftus, manger of York Cars Taxi, said: “The safety and well being of our drivers is paramount to our company. We are aware of the incident and it is unacceptable for any of our drivers to be treated like AJ was.

“Drivers are providing a service like any other job and should be showed respect by customers.”

Mr Smith added that he enjoyed his job but drunk customers could leave taxi drivers feeling vulnerable.

He said: “People need to understand that like their work, this is my office and we should be allowed a level of privacy and respect. If that can’t happen then taxi drivers need some CCTV in their car or a panic button to help provide us with more protection.”

A spokesperson from City of York Council said: “To support driver and passenger safety, our licensing policy allows vehicles to carry approved CCTV systems. The systems need to ensure that the images can be used as evidence and are encrypted to protect passengers’ rights to privacy.

“We have a list of approved systems and drivers proposing new ones can ask the manufacturer to contact us and show that they meet our standards for it to be added to the list.

“The hackney carriage and private hire vehicle licence proprietors can put CCTV in licensed vehicle if they wish."

The spokesperson added that taxi licensing policy and Department of Transport guidance recommended that licensing authorities "look sympathetically on or even actively encourage" the installation of security measures such as a screen between the driver and passengers or CCTV systems as a means of providing some protection for the vehicle.

The spokesperson added: "The installation of CCTV in licensed vehicles must first be approved by the council. The installation is voluntary and all costs borne by the vehicle proprietor.”

The attack happened at about 11.45pm on Saturday, December 22.

Amazed driver hasn't been fined for letting someone smoke in his cab

Think he may have been driving something other than a private hire vehicle as 24 people would not fit into the private hire vehicle in his. photograph

I suspect he was one of many cars sent.

But what a disgusting attack on a fella merely doing his job?

I'm very rarely out that late at night, other than at an airport, but even if I was I would never do a multiple pick up from a pub.

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IDFIMH

11.50PM 'late at night'? That's early

But, yes, even apart from the trouble, that kind of job is why I prefer to work the ranks in my four-seater - three-car pick up from a venue with lots of people, most probably all pish-heads?

Remember about a year ago doing a short pre-booked run as a favour to another driver. About an hour later he approached me on the rank to do a 12-person pickup from a pub about 150 metres from the rank, to a narrow side-street with little room between all the parked cars etc, about half a mile from pub. So that would be me doing the same pish run three times, for the same no-doubt pished-up group of a dozen people I'd have to search out and organise in a crowded pub.

Er, no

The problem many of us have is the inability to say no.

I get it that things can be a bit tough financially out there, but if a job doesn't seem or pay right then bin it off. There will always be another job.

Unless you get unlucky on a rank.

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IDFIMH