Taxi Driver Online

Bus and taxi drivers coming into conflict - who'd have expected that?


Bus drove off with taxi driver clinging to doors after road rage incident

https://news.stv.tv/west-central/bus-dr ... e-incident

McGill's driver Daniel Smith got into an argument with the cabbie after crashing into him in Glasgow

A bus drove off with a taxi driver clinging on for life to the doors in a fit of road rage.

Bus driver Daniel Smith, 34, got into an argument with the cabbie after crashing into him in Glasgow’s Hillington on November 13, 2022.

The taxi driver, who repeatedly asked for Smith’s details, desperately held on to the bar of the open doors as the bus moved off.

He fell to the ground, which caused several injuries, including broken bones.

McGill’s driver, Smith, was found guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

He was also convicted of assault and pleaded guilty to failing to appear at a court date last year.

The court heard from the victim, a taxi driver of 34 years, who stated in his evidence that he was on his way home before the incident.

The man, who was in the outside lane, claimed that Smith pulled out in front of him from the inside lane.

He said, “I slammed on the brakes and pulled as far as I could to the outside line.

“The bus hit the driver’s side of my taxi, and there was a loud bang.

“I thought that serious damage was done to my taxi at that point.”

Mr Meek stated that the bus continued to drive, so he honked his horn as he pulled to the side of the single-decker.

He further claimed that Smith “kept looking away” from him.

Smith then pulled over at a bus stop, and the cab driver got out of his taxi and approached him to get registration details.

He claimed that Smith told him that he did not realise he had collided with the taxi and apologised.

It was then stated that Smith denied hitting the taxi vehicle before the two men ended up on the bus.

The victim claimed that Smith told him that he was not getting his insurance details and to get off the bus.

The taxi driver said: “He then got out of the driver’s side and punched or slapped my phone out of my hand, then it hit the ground.

“He told me to get off the bus and I said, ‘not until I get your details’.”

Smith then went on to drive the bus with the victim still at the open entrance doors.

“My recollection was the bus was hitting the brake,” the taxi driver recalled.

“I turned around and held on to the bar on the bus, and I fell off.

“My legs have not been the same, I can’t sleep, I have nightmares, and my arm was killing me. I felt at that point my life was over.”

The taxi driver stated that he “crawled” home and phoned the police to report the incident.

He was then taken to hospital where he was found to have suffered a broken elbow bone, broken toes, as well as wounds to his nose and hands.

CCTV of the incident was shown to the court, where both men are heard to shout at each other.

Mark Dunbar, defending, put it to the taxi driver that he was shouting and screaming at Smith.

“At him, I accept that I said what I probably shouldn’t have said,” the cabbie admitted.

When convicting him, Sheriff Collette Gallagher told Smith that the victim was a “credible and reliable” witness who made concessions about his own behaviour.

The sheriff went on to say that Smith was not a credible or reliable witness.

She said: “Your evidence was not supported by the CCTV, and the inconsistencies mean I cannot rely on your evidence.”

The sentence was deferred pending background reports until next month.

Smith, of Renfrewshire, was granted bail and disqualified from driving.

So that's a bus driver out of a job surely ?

Could the driver have handled it better ? i think yes

Will getting into a road rage argument cost him his license ? probably despite his injuries

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Given that the bus driver no longer has a license it might be a tad difficult.


Of course he could have. He just needed to take a photo of the bus, of the driver, and of the bit of the bus that hit his cab. He didn't need to get into a row with the bus driver.


I hope not, especially as the judge commended him for his honesty.

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IDFIMH

The bus driver will no doubt have attracted the attention of the Traffic Commissioner who will no doubt invite the driver to his office without being offered tea and chocolate biscuits. He could well get his PSV entitlement withdrawn permanently.

Wondered how I hadn't picked up on the age difference between the pair last time round, but if you look at the article above again then there's something missing from the narrative, because that's the first time Mr Meek was mentioned, and normally he'd be introduced by his full name. And probably age.

(And I checked back to the original STV News piece, and it wasn't my fault )

Anyway, it was perhaps obvious that there was a big age difference, because the piece had also said he'd been a taxi driver for 34 years, which was precisely the same age as the bus driver.

Sounds like he was lucky to avoid jail, though.


Paisley bus driver drove off with taxi driver hanging from doors

https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/sco ... ing-doors/

A bus driver who drove off with a cabbie clinging on for life to its doors in a fit of road rage avoided jail today.

We previously reported Daniel Smith, 35, got into an argument with George Meek, 67, after crashing into him in Glasgow's Hillington on November 13 2022.

Mr Meek, who repeatedly asked for Smith's details, desperately held on to the bar of the open doors as the bus moved off.

The taxi driver went on to fall to the ground which caused a string of injuries including broken bones.

McGill's driver Smith was found guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

He was also convicted of assault and pleaded guilty to failing to appear at a court date last year.

Sheriff Collette Gallagher today ordered Smith to do 200 hours of unpaid work and was put under supervision for 24 months.

Smith, of Paisley, Renfrewshire, was also fined £300 and disqualified from driving for 30 months.

The sheriff told him: “This was a serious matter and weighing up all of the factors, the custodial threshold has been met, however, an appropriate alternative is available.”

The court heard from Mr Meek, a taxi driver of 34 years, who stated in his evidence that he was on his way home before the incident happened.

Mr Meek - who was on the outside lane - claimed that Smith pulled out in front of him from the inside lane.

He said: "I slammed on the brakes and pulled as far as I could to the outside line.

"The bus hit the driver's side of my taxi and there was a loud bang.

"I thought that serious damage was done to my taxi at that point."

Prosecutor Tammy Gibson asked the witness how he felt and Mr Meek replied: "I was just in shock."

Mr Meek stated that the bus continued to drive so he peeped his horn while he drove to the side of the single decker.

He further claimed that Smith "kept looking away" from him.

Smith then pulled over at a bus stop and Mr Meek got out his taxi and approached him to get registration details.

Mr Meek claimed that Smith told him that he did not realise he had collided with the taxi and apologised.

It was then stated Smith denied hitting Mr Meek's vehicle before the two men ended up on the bus.

Mr Meek claimed that Smith told him that he was not getting his insurance details and to get off the bus.

He added: "He then got out of the driver's side and punched or slapped my phone out of my hand then it hit the ground.

"He told me to get off the bus and I said I not until I get your details."

Smith then went on to drive the bus with Mr Meek still at the open entrance doors.

He said: "My recollection was the bus was hitting the brake.

"I turned around and held on the bar on the bus and I fell off.

"My legs have not been the same, I can't sleep, I have nightmares and my arm was killing me. I felt at that point my life was over."

Mr Meek stated that he "crawled" home and phoned the police to report the incident.

Mr Meek was then taken to hospital where he was found to have suffered a broken elbow bone, broken toes as well as wounds to his nose and hands.

Horror CCTV of the incident was shown to the court where both men are heard to shout at each other before the incident.

Mark Dunbar, defending, put it to Mr Meek that he was shouting and screaming at his client.

He replied: "At him, I accept that I said what I probably shouldn't have said."

Mr Dunbar told the sentencing today that his client has lost his job. He is currently unemployed.

The lawyer added: “A degree of remorse has been shown. He has to accept he is the author of his own misfortune. The incident was a serious one.”