Taxi Driver Online

Not too impressed by this at all

Maybe he is a wrong 'un, but could just as easily have been simple confusion when looking for a pre-booked fare. But, according to LOs and councillors here, all that sort of stuff is straightforward and easy peasy.

But to assess it all fully, would need to know the precise circumstances, what info the driver was given by his office, what precisely he said to the woman etc. And, of course, some women will construe any interaction as misogyny, or whatever, if it suits them

But even in quite a lengthy piece like this, simply not enough info to assess it all fully. Let's hope the actual meeting was a bit better informed than what's portrayed within the confines of this piece...


Taxi driver loses licence after making lone woman feel 'extremely uncomfortable and threatened'

https://www.essexlive.news/news/essex-n ... er-9697444

Council found driver’s behaviour left the lone female 'feeling fearful and nervous'

A taxi driver who made a lone woman feel “extremely uncomfortable and threatened”, after she asked for directions in the street, has lost his licence. Castle Point Council decided to revoke the taxi driver’s licence after a complaint was made about the incident during which “the driver’s behaviour and line of questioning left the lone female feeling fearful and nervous.”

On Friday August 23, the woman noticed the taxi and asked the driver for directions. The council’s driver’s panel was told how the driver asked where she was from and where she lived and she claimed the driver asked for her telephone number and she walked away quickly and sought shelter in a nearby block of flats.

Minutes of the council’s hearing, held on September 24, show the driver claimed they were looking for their customer and fare and as the job listed for them did not show a name, they said they slowed the vehicle to ask the person, who appeared to be looking around. The driver said they didn’t know whether they were looking for a male or female passenger. The driver did accept their questioning could have made the passenger fearful. During a separate interview the driver also admitted they were looking for a male customer.

The meeting stated: “The drivers’ panel had heard evidence relating to a complaint about the conduct of a private hire driver when a lone female was seeking directions. The panel had taken the licence holder’s recollection of the incident into account but found that the driver’s behaviour and line of questioning left the lone female feeling fearful and nervous.

“The panel found on the balance of probability, and given that the driver was at the time looking for their fare whom they admitted was a male passenger and that their attention could have placed the complainant in a position where they felt in fear for their personal safety and the fact that the complaint was raised in the first place, it was likely the events did happen as described by the complainant. The paramount concern for the panel was public safety. Private hire drivers are professional drivers charged with the responsibility of carrying the public safely.

“The licensing officer advised that during the interview the driver stated that they were looking for a male customer and also said that they must have scared the complainant. The Licensing Officer stated that the driver could have called their office if they were unsure about their passenger and drew the panel’s attention to the fit and proper person statement.”

Don't you just love this 'they' stuff?

Was the driver's actions a bit iffy? Maybe.

Was the driver's actions enough for 'they' to lose their license? Absolutely not.

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IDFIMH