From the Portsmouth News.

Raymond Smith 28 of Gosport. Admitted not paying a taxi fare and failed to surrender to custody. Fined £85 Compensation £93.60 and £55 costs.

Serves the sod right

I think the good part of this post isn't just the fine and compensation, but the fact it made it into the press.

Maybe, just maybe, a scum-bag or two has been put off the idea of doing a runner and gone back to the buses.

I agree with you on the fact that he was prosecuted, but the question of my mind is was it a real Taxi Driver, or just a pretend one .ie private hire

I agree with you on the fact that he was prosecuted, but the question of my mind is was it a real Taxi Driver, or just a pretend one .ie private hire

ps I'm just a supposed "pretend" cabbie but it makes no odds to me.
I'll always get the police to any scum-bag who does a runner on me, no matter how long it takes to give evidence or statements etc.

ps I'm just a supposed "pretend" cabbie but it makes no odds to me.
I'll always get the police to any scum-bag who does a runner on me, no matter how long it takes to give evidence or statements etc.

Surprise,surprise, not one letter of reply by the police, the council or anyone. The wall of silence operates down here, no reply and it goes away.

I think if you want to bring attension to an issue then writing to the local press is a good way to do it. Maybe an open letter (published in the press) to the top policeman might also help, then at least he has to reply.

I'd also add, get a working relationship going with your police at an operational level. There is no benefit for you in throwing brickbats at the local police, what you want is a response to cabbies problems. Get the name of a contact officer at least at Inspector level and invite him to address a meeting of cabbies perhaps at an AGM of your local Assn. Work on the idea that you can help them by being extra eyes & ears eg when a child goes missing. And use the" 41 murders in 15 years" to get their attention. And get publicity for any runners convicted!

Sorry to go on but as you can see by my signature this is a topic very dear to my heart. Good luck.

Two of our drivers down here in the space of a week were robbed and assaulted.

So I write into our local rag and says that I am not surprised as the police down here do not prosecute runners, and by not doing that the crim moves on to the next level i.e robbery. Working on the basis of give them an inch and they will take a mile,I asked the question as to whether they were waiting for another murder to happen like the one some years ago that was never solved.

Surprise,surprise, not one letter of reply by the police, the council or anyone. The wall of silence operates down here, no reply and it goes away.

Well it will until the next one happens!

It is a Criminal Offence not to pay a Taxi Fare; so if they don't pay call the Boys in Blue and demand that they take action. The old "this is my name and address and I'll pay next week" isn't enough any more. It's about time that there was a publicity campaign along the same lines! Non - payment = Criminal Record = Night int he Cells / Court Appearnance. Its about time there was a record of non-payers so that there could be a barred from one barred from all situation. How many people would actually attempt to do a runner if they knew that they would never be able to get into another taxi for the rest of their lives?

So all's well that ends well. the police are very quick around here