Taxi Driver Online

Man shocked at being told he's banned from taxi company because 'he smells'

https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/n ... es-2546029

The taxi company has been told that they have the right to refuse to take a fare


Image: Gloucestershire Live

A Gloucester man says he is shocked after he says he was told he can not use a taxi firm in the city as the drivers say that he smells.

Stephen Davis, 52 from Gloucester, has cellulitis, a bacterial skin infection which can inflame the legs and break the skin.

Mr Davis, who has diabetes, has been having the condition treated since March 2018.

This means that he attends appointments at his GP surgery three times a week.

Mr Davis says that he has his dressings changed on Friday and when Monday comes around the bandages can be a little smelly.

Mr Davis said: "When I got home on Monday night I had a voicemail on my landline and when I played it back it told me to ring the taxi number.

“When I called the operator told me that there was an issue of some sort. I was then told that I was banned from using Andy Cars due to my personal hygiene.

“I have had a problem with my legs for a while and I am being treated and due to see a specialist in March. I know that the dressing can smell a bit after the weekend.

"The smell is not my personal hygiene it is more that the bandages smell of damp as they get wet when I shower.”

Mr Davis claims that he explained to the taxi company that he has this medical condition but he was advised that the decision had been made.

When he then put in an official complaint with Gloucester City Council regarding his treatment he was told that the taxi company are within their rights to refuse a fare.

Mr Davis said: “I was just disgusted with what they said and yes I did take offence. It is down to a medical condition.

“I used the company every day and I needed to get from my house to the mobility shop on Eastgate Street so I could get the mobility scooter that I use each day to get around.”

Taxi company Andy Cars say they took the decision to no longer transport Mr Davis.

The manager claims that they had told Mr Davis for some time that drivers were refusing to have him in their vehicles.

Andy Cars Gloucester manager John Taylor said: “The situation was that no-one wanted to take him.

“We suggested that the NHS may be able to transport him.

“Sometimes personal hygiene is a bit below what you would expect from some.

“If someone has a medical condition, the driver has the right to not take them.

“We have explained the situation and I have spoken to the council about the rules and they said it is our choice if we refuse to take a fare.”

Now Mr Davis is using alternative companies.

A private taxi firm does have the right to refuse any fare.

Gloucester City Council spokesperson said: “There is nothing either in law or within the current council licensing policy that states or requires that a Private Hire Operator must accept a fare."

We have had the same problem. It is not just the smell but, as the chap says by Monday some of the fluids can be leaking out. These inevitably end up on the seats and then you have to go and get the seats properly cleaned.
Whatever happened to district nurses? This would have been something that they would have come round and done years ago.

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Grandad,

Taxis and PH's are not surrogate ambulances and nor are our drivers trained ambulance drivers who don't need to worry about taking their vehicle off the road to have it sterilised inside and lose a days profit and a days wage every time it occurs.

Where's the Volunteer drivers who are normally quite happy to steal our work, they should be available when they are really needed and not just when it suits them.

So what is an operator meant to do?

Well done to the firm for actually having the balls to deal with this issue, and issue that everyone on TDO is well aware off.

I think the firm acted reasonably and if the drivers on their circuit wont pick the punter up, then what else can they do?

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IDFIMH

We all do, but in my experience it's not just down to the medical condition, it's down to the punters personal hygiene, or complete lack of it.

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IDFIMH