Taxi Driver Online

Meant to post this with the Shetland article, but Sussex beat me to it

But it's also from Scotland, and also about a ten-year age rule. But this one's about an individual exemption based on extenuating circumstances as opposed to the blanket proposal in the Shetlands.

And congratulations to the reporter for not misusing the t-word


Perth private hire driver allowed to use ageing car as she waits for arrival of Skoda

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/pe ... ire-skoda/

The council has waived a rule that private hire cars must be no older than 10 years.

A Perth private hire operator has been allowed permission to use her ageing vehicle for three months beyond its 10th birthday.

Perth and Kinross Council policy states a taxi or private hire car must be no older than 10 years from the date of first registration before being replaced.

But the council’s licensing committee voted to waive the policy while a driver awaits the arrival of her new vehicle.

Kathleen Dyke told the committee the replacement vehicle she had ordered was still in production.

She said: “I just wanted a Skoda and also did not realise how long it would take for it to be available – 28 weeks.

33 years without driving fine

Councillors were told her current vehicle was not wheelchair accessible, which would have allowed her to use it for 12 years rather than 10.

However, Mrs Dyke’s car had just passed its MOT on May 25 with a few advisories which the committee was told had been dealt with.

Mrs Dyke sought support from Perth City Centre councillor Eric Drysdale in addressing the committee.

He advised Mrs Dyke to get her car through its MOT as a “pragmatic approach” to illustrate the car was road-worthy.

The deputy council leader told the committee Mrs Dyke was an “exemplary” and “very careful” driver having driven for 33 years without so much as a speeding ticket.

He added: “Not many of us can say that!”

Seven votes to four

SNP councillor Iain MacPherson moved to grant the extension until September 30, 2023.

This was seconded by Conservative councillor David Illingworth.

Conservative Bailie Chris Ahern moved for refusal and said: “I do not see sufficient evidence to deviate from the current policy.”

This was seconded by Conservative councillor Keith Allan.

Councillors voted by seven votes to four to grant the extension.

Reminds me of when my last motor reached the eight-year age rule here (it's since been increased to ten years).

I was waiting for delivery of my new motor, but got a date from the council for my annual test on the old one. So I phoned the garage to ask if I could wait forgo the test until I got my new motor. My old motor was due to reach the age limit about five days after the test anyway.

Which was all fine and dandy, but problem was that the garage didn't tell licensing people that the test was postponed, so the latter got in touch accusing me of not attending the annual test, blah, blah.

Anyway, like I was going to take an eight-year-old taxi for its annual test when it would be off the road anyway a few days later because of the age-rule

And if I failed the test even on a bulb, I'd have to appear in front of the committee, would have to pay an automatic £100 retest fee, then have an interim retest in addition to the annual test, and of course a black mark against my name, even if no further action was taken. All for another few days on the road until the car reached the age limit

Then a couple of weeks after my old car was off the road because of the age rule, the council started getting uppity and threatened to revoke my plate because I was waiting for the new car to be delivered.

Think I had a month to get a replacement car on before they took the plate back

Of course, others have plated cars sitting at their front doors which aren't used in the trade for months on end, but that's OK...

Anyway, the car arrived before they took they were due to take the plate back. But maybe I should have asked for a temporary extension like the Perth driver above...

Well done to the council for acting sensibly, quite why it needed a committee to decide beggars' belief though.

But typical of such a committee, commenting about issues that have no bearing on the matter at hand, what on earth has this fella's perfect driving record got to do with the fitness of the motor?

Would they have rejected the application if the fella had points on his license?

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IDFIMH

Misgendering someone is a hate crime these days, doncha know?

Or are you trying to say that Mrs Dyke might actually be a dy** and actually quite masculine?

Or maybe Mrs Dyke actually identifies as a man...

But I'm surprised anyone is actually referred to as Mrs-anything these days...

Complicated, all this kind of stuff, innit?

My apologies to Mrs Dyke.

I think I will leave it at that.

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IDFIMH