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PostPosted: Sun Jul 28, 2019 8:39 pm 
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There's a YouTube video about the issues raised in this article.

It's 30 minutes long, though, and while I haven't had a chance to watch it yet, had a quick look at the first couple of minutes, and it certainly looks very professional.

https://youtu.be/aj9GdLbJf3c


Struggling black cab drivers suffer ‘despair and anxiety’

http://camdennewjournal.com/article/cab ... nd-anxiety

Warnings of a 'mental health crisis' as drivers facing competition from fixed-price private hire taxis try to make ends meet

THE Mayor of London has ignored warnings of a “mental health crisis” among black cab drivers struggling to make ends meet because of Uber-style private hire vehicles, they say.

A “Driven to Despair” campaign was launched this week that takes aim at Sadiq Khan and Transport for London, which regulates the taxi trade.

Professional drivers, who have spent much time memorising London roads and landmarks, say their livelihoods are threatened by competition from fixed-price private hire cabs.

Some are suffering from depression and anxiety, according to a 30-minute promotional film published this week that says “there is no coincidence why there is a mental health crisis within the taxi industry”.

In the film, cabby Chris Johnson, one of the organisers of the campaign, said: “TfL’s policy and poor performance and failure to regulate the industry is the cause of these mental health problems.

“TfL are not doing anything near as much as they could be, they appear to be brushing it under the carpet. They have continuously implemented the policy that has impacted on drivers’ health and wellbeing. When we have highlighted these problems to TfL, they ignore us. They leave us to get on with fending for ourselves.”

Mr Johnson said that the meter fare system afforded an industrial wage, but that this had been “undermined and undercut” by the private hire trade.

The film said that some taxi drivers fear raising mental health concerns with health professionals because they could be stripped of their licences. Recently-published figures show more than 500 drivers have failed to meet DVLA medical standards because of medical disorders, including poor mental health, since 2014.

Paul Harris, a cab driver for 23 years, said: “It’s not something I’m happy to talk about. It affects me. It makes me feel like I’m part of London, but not any more. Because my job has been taken by another entity – and that entity doesn’t play by the same rules as me.”

Cabbie Dale Forwood said: “TfL are not very sympathetic of the stress. Everyone is very worried about having go to the doctor about depression and anxiety.”

Other drivers in the film talk about the “sense of loss” and “hard to get out of bed” and depression.

Matt Johnson, an ambassador for mental health charity MIND, said: “It’s difficult for a man to talk about mental illness. It’s perceived to be a weakness, it is not. Cabbies have a wonderful skill and knowledge. It seems like they are not being backed up by the people they should be backed by the most. It’s 100 per cent, I believe, TfL’s responsibility to provide some sort of therapy because of working environment they are creating. There are so many options of therapy that people can provide. If people are struggling with rules being imposed on them, the least you can do is help them out.”

Last week Sadiq Khan was asked about taxi driver licences being revoked or suspended because of depression or anxiety.

He said: “TfL would expect licensees to seek help for any medical condition at the earliest stage possible, to ensure it is treated. In the vast majority of cases, if medical help is sought and the condition is treatable, it is unlikely that TfL will need to take licensing action. Licensing action will only be taken if there is a risk to the travelling public or indeed the licensee.”

He added: “Mental health illnesses, including depression and anxiety, are serious conditions that require treatment. No one should suffer in silence.”


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PostPosted: Mon Jul 29, 2019 9:21 am 
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Joined: Wed May 16, 2012 6:33 am
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I wrote:
There's a YouTube video about the issues raised in this article.

It's 30 minutes long, though, and while I haven't had a chance to watch it yet, had a quick look at the first couple of minutes, and it certainly looks very professional.

https://youtu.be/aj9GdLbJf3c


Watched this on the rank last night (another quiet one :roll: ) and worth having a look at, although a video of half the length might have got the message across more succinctly.

Anyway, it's as much about how Uber in particular have impacted on the HC trade as about the mental health issues. However, unsurprisingly the basic case being made is that Uber and PH generally have eaten into the black cabs' trade to such an extent that incomes have dropped significantly, and some drivers' mental health is suffering accordingly (there's also a brief mention about the similar plight of those who have invested in a plate in the big cities).

So, rightly or wrongly, the Uber dimension to the video will be pretty familiar to regulars on here, which is possibly why it all seems a bit repetitive at times - if they'd shortened the Uber aspect a bit, but kept the mental health stuff then it might have made the video a bit more reasonable in terms of length.

Of course, it's probably aimed at a more general audience rather than a specialist one like us, so to that degree the length of the thing may be necessary to get the message across, but on the other hand, the length might stretch the attention span of most people.

As regards the issue itself, most of the contributors seem to be heaping the blame on TfL for lax regulation of Uber, so to that degree the arguments are quite familiar. And, while not wanting to appear unsympathetic, it's difficult to see what TfL can do to turn things round - suspect the genie can't/won't be put back in the bottle.

TfL's response to the mental health issues is also heavily criticised, but again I'm not sure if dealing with those things is within its remit. Presumably drivers will have to rely on the same health/medical services as the population generally (not sure if the LTDA et al offer any support services in this regard), although one of the central criticisms being made is that drivers are reluctant to seek help in case TfL suspend/revoke their badge. (Of course, the piece above quotes Mayor Khan as saying that action of this kind would only be considered in exceptional circumstances.)

Anyway, despite the minor criticisms above, the video is a great effort and well worth watching =D>


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PostPosted: Mon Jul 29, 2019 9:05 pm 
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Anyway, despite the minor criticisms above, the video is a great effort and well worth watching =D>

When I get a mo I will view it.

Mental Health in our trade is one of the great unknowns/secrets, but what is no secret is that way too many in our trade end up committing suicide. :sad: :sad: :sad:

Our trade is tailor made for mental health issues. Sitting in a car for hours on end earning peanuts when you need to pay the bills is a trigger for depression if ever there was one.

In another life I organise training events, and have included mental health issues in that training.

It's so very sad. :sad: :sad: :sad:

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PostPosted: Mon Jul 29, 2019 9:14 pm 
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TfL's response to the mental health issues is also heavily criticised, but again I'm not sure if dealing with those things is within its remit.

I think TfL have a Duty of Care for all licensed drivers.

That doesn't mean they operate as a nanny state, but they should make sure that the licensing rules they adopt allow for drivers to be able to make a reasonable living in a reasonable number of hours.

Clearly the most obvious one is the set tariff for hackney carriages, but I think for PH that could include driver and vehicle standards that stop the market getting flooded.

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