Glasgow cabbie loses licence after overtaking 'old lady' in rush to reach diabetic wifehttps://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/195 ... etic-wife/GLASGOW cab driver has lost his licence after carelessly overtaking an "elderly lady" to reach his diabetic wife who had cancer when she took unwell in a shopping centre. Jagjit Singh also drove at over 90mph on the motorway and through red traffic lights in separate incidents – earning nine penalty points since 2018.
Councillors refused to renew Mr Singh’s private hire licence after hearing of his three offences at a council meeting this week.
He told politicians he completed a manoeuvre passing a 30mph “old” woman driver on a 60mph stretch to get to his wife. Mrs Singh’s blood sugar had dropped in East Kilbride’s shopping mall.
But politicians on the Licensing and Regulatory Committee had no sympathy for Mr Singh when they heard all the details.
Mr Singh asked his wife to step in and explain to councillors why he overtook the other driver carelessly in April last year.
Mrs Singh told the committee she has had ovarian cancer, is diabetic and was on the verge of passing out while shopping.
She said: “My blood sugar really dropped. I said to Jagjit: ‘you need to get here, I really don’t feel well.’ That is why he was rushing to see me and took me to the hospital.”
Councillor Alex Wilson replied: “There is no excuse for anyone driving inconsiderately whether you had to be seen to or not. If you were that medically in need of help you dial 999 or 101.
“You certainly don’t get your driver to do dangerous manoeuvres on the road. Someone could have been coming in the opposite direction and you no longer have a husband or he wipes out a family.”
Mrs Singh said: “I didn’t expect him to overtake. I just asked him to get there as soon as possible.”
Mrs Singh explained how she lost her sight and couldn’t alert staff. Members of the public took her arm and assisted her outside to wait for her husband.
Independent councillor Elspeth Kerr said: “I am Type 1 diabetic and I carry Jelly Babies.”
She added: “I understand there are extenuating circumstances. However your driving should be at the normal speed and careful no matter what.”
Mrs Singh, who can’t work as much due to her ill health, said: “Jagit brings in the main household income.”
She agreed her husband must slow down and has made mistakes.
Commenting on how Mr Singh had totted up points in 2018, 2019 and 2020, committee chair Councillor Wilson, SNP, asked: “How have you managed not get points this year?”
Mr Singh said: “I am driving more carefully this time. I made a mistake.”
Explaining more about the traffic signal offence, Mr Singh said the lights changed “very quickly” from amber to red as he drove. He told the committee police were behind him during the night in question in October 2019.
Answering other questions, Mr Singh confirmed he drove at “90 plus” miles per hour on the motorway in 2018 in a rush to pick up his cousin. He said he didn’t realise how fast he went.
Blasting it as “unacceptable,” Councillor Wilson said: “You were lucky you didn’t have an accident.”
The meeting heard Mr Singh didn’t have any passengers in the car during the incidents.
Mr Singh currently has six points on his licence after three from 2018 expired recently.
Councillor Wilson said: “We have to make sure regardless of what the situation is that Mr Singh is a safe driver. We have to make sure we can get the public from A to B safely.”
Police Scotland objected to the renewal of his private hire licence.
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