Taxi Driver Online

Our annual vehicle inspections are all taking place over the next few weeks, and this is the latest requirement. Lack of sticker apparently means removal of plate.

Comments please

Is it in the council's rules and conditions?

The question I would ask is what's the point of the sticker?

Clearly the driver is aware of where the extinguisher is, so presumably the council wish to inform passengers of the location.

One has to wonder why. Are the council, indirectly, suggesting that they assist in putting out any fire? If so then I'm quite sure those views would not be shared by the local fire and rescue service.

Down here (B&H) both hackneys and PH no longer need to have a fire extinguisher, and should a council require one then English Best Practice Guidance says that the council should undertake training on how to use them properly.

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IDFIMH

Thanks, Sussex - that's kind of what I was thinking in view of past stuff on here about fire extinguishers and the DfT's BPG etc.

It's in a new inspection manual our council sent out a few weeks ago. The fire extinguisher sticker thingy is something entirely new, and wasn't specifically flagged up, and apparently a few cars have failed because of it

(The rules relating to fire extinguishers per se don't seem to have changed.)

Google suggests that at least a couple of other Scottish councils have exactly the same rule, and this is the wording on Moray Council's website:


So it's obviously aimed at passengers, and presumably the driver thing is for when it's a multi-driver vehicle, or it's not an owner-driver, or whatever

http://www.moray.gov.uk/moray_standard/page_46248.html

And, for what it's worth, although I think a lot of the Scottish best practice guidance is just lifted from the DfT's version, the bit about extinguishing fires seems to have been excluded entirely

I had a lengthy conversation with the Shepway LO when I ran a Toyota hybrid about 12 years ago. There's literally nowhere to stow an extinguisher in the passenger compartment for a start, much the same as most cars I suspect. What spec extinguisher would I need? I know the spec for bus extinguishers. can't use spray powder in case punters inhale the stuff. Can'r use water, as that's no good for oil fires and definitely not recommended for an electrical fire. He was at a loss to know what to suggest

The advice from the local fire brigade was don't bother, if you car catches fire, get the punters and yourself out of the way and take steps, bloody great big ones to get out of the way. Maybe ask these questions of the councils. Bus driver training these days is in case of fire, get the punters off first, if it's a small fire, try the extinguisher, keep well away. It takes about 3 minutes for a small fire on a bus to engulf the whole vehicle. there's nothing to suggest a car would take longer to go the same way.

I think I would defo email the local fire and rescue service asking for their advice, as to what to do if the vehicle was on fire.

I would be amazed if their reply wasn't, me paraphrasing, run for the f***ing hills.

It certainly won't be read the instructions on the car's dashboard.

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IDFIMH

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

T^here is no requirement to carry a fire extinguisher in our Borough any more however the County Council insist that we have one for school work and refuse to consult the fire service dispite me sending several requests.

I would write to the Local Fire Brigade. Don't ask them to chat to County. Ask them in what scenario would they like you to fight a fire. Point out that the County are insisting on the extinguisher. I bet they will fall over themselves moaning at County and, before you know it, you will get a letter saying "11th Commandment. Thou shalt not carry a Fire Extinguisher."

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Chris The Fish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdlyi5mc ... re=related

In the event of a vehicle fire does county tell you to get school kids out of vehicle first or fight the fire with extinguisher first.
If it is the first option what is the point of having an extinguisher as the vehicle will be a blaze.

A belated thanks for the astute insights, chaps.

Unfortunately none of us are astute or insightful enough to know the actual rationale for it. Or at least, I asked the vehicle inspector at the council garage today, and he said the passenger needs to know the location of the fire extinguisher in case the driver has become unconscious

I got a letter from the chief fire officer stating what to do and sent that to the County Council and still nothing. I asked them what extinguisher to carry for a hybrid or electric car, we had both at the time, the chap lost his temper with me and said something along the lines of, " just have any extinguisher in the car, it doesn't matter what it is as long as you have one in the car."

If the driver is unconscious and the vehicle is either on fire or possibly going to be then I suggest their time would be far better spent getting the driver out of the car into safety rather than playing hunt the fire extinguisher.

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IDFIMH

In theory the unconscious driver scenario may have some merit, but it seems so improbable and far-fetched that the dangers as outlined above surely outweigh any possible benefit?

And as one driver said on the rank the other day, if the vehicle did catch fire and the driver was unconscious, does the council really think the passenger is going to start fannying around trying to find and operate a fire extinguisher (and they call me cynical )??

Anyway, no point sweating it any more on here, but for other related reasons I may be forced to end up sweating it elsewhere

But the driver above actually got one of the stickers below, and put it on the tailgate window of his vehicle.

Until someone spotted something amiss - he was peeling it off the car while on the rank

Heard another (supposedly) official rationale the other night (via another driver).

Apparently it's for the benefit of the emergency services

So if they roll up and there's a fire, the sticker helps them find the fire extinguisher (so why do the rules say "if the extinguisher is hidden from view the position must be clearly marked in view of the driver and passengers )

Well presumably it's not for the benefit of the firies, because, you know, presumably they have their own more specialist equipment for dealing with, er, fires...

So maybe it's for police and paramedics - maybe it's just me, but I'd have assumed they'd have their own stuff for dealing with fires, and stuff that's more accessible to them than fannying around looking for stickers in the taxis and then finding the actual extinguisher, which will generally be in the boot.

But which all seems to me like an even more contrived rationale than the first one about it being for the passengers' benefit if the driver lost consciousness.

But I'd guess the more likely form of unconsciousness would be that of passengers because, of, er, stuff, and most likely young females.

And I wonder which group of people in positions of power should maybe except some of the blame for that?