Taxi Driver Online

Taxi ran down cyclist on purpose


jock news!

Palmer was also convicted of failing to stop at the scene of an accident
A Glasgow taxi driver who deliberately ran down a cyclist he thought had made an obscene gesture at him has been convicted of assault.

Glasgow Sheriff Court heard Alistair Palmer mounted the pavement and swerved into Michael Martin twice on Auchinloch Road in Lenzie on 20 April this year.

He then drove off but was traced after another driver noted his registration.

Mr Martin said he had slapped the back of the taxi because it was too close. He was treated for cuts and bruises.

Palmer, aged 53, of Truro Avenue, Moodiesburn, was also found guilty of failing to stop at the scene of an accident and failing to report it to police.

'Too close'

Mr Martin, a competing racing cyclist, told the court he was out for a Sunday morning cycle when Palmer tried to overtake him at a mini roundabout.

He said: "Just as we approached the roundabout the taxi cut in front of me and because of the traffic island it had to come in closer to me than was comfortable. I saw the taxi swerve the first time and I thought "did that just happen?" then I saw him do it again

Kenneth Taylor
Eyewitness

"It was my natural instinct to put my hand out to the back wheel arch of the taxi and there was a slap as my hand made contact with the taxi.

"The driver turned round and I kind of pointed at my eye as if to say watch where you're going."

Mr Martin, 39, drove through the roundabout and noticed the taxi was approaching him.

He said: "I was aware that the vehicle was very close and there was contact between my hip and thigh and the front of the taxi.

Mr Martin said the impact made him swerve into the kerb.

He said: "At that point I became aware that the taxi was also on the pavement and again made contact with me.

"I put my hand to the front of the taxi to try and stop it and that then knocked me off my bike and flicked me round the front of the car into the centre of the road."

Another driver Kenneth Taylor, 55, said he could not believe what he was seeing.

Mr Taylor said: "I saw the taxi swerve the first time and I thought "did that just happen?" then I saw him do it again."

"The taxi driver was smiling, laughing away to himself."

Palmer told the court that he thought Mr Martin had "given me the finger" and chased after him because he had hit his taxi.

He said: "I put the window down to shout at him to stop but he just kept on going. He went to take another swipe at the taxi and I braked and he hit the air and tumbled off his bike."

Sheriff Andrew Mackie rejected his version of events and convicted Palmer of all three charges.

Sentencing was deferred until next month.

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

can't say i've ever been tempted myself

Was the cyclist prosecuted for damaging the taxi?

With his head.

_________________
IDFIMH

A moment of red mist and bang goes his licence

POBs or Pricks On Bikes....Tempting I must admit...they can cut you up, scratch your paint, fanny about and annoy you big time by making the bike take up the whole street...sorry...Ive no sympathy for them at all..

shame the guy got hurt though...

What a fool.

If he can't handle a little traffic altercation without losing it, then perhaps he should reconsider his career as a cabbie?

Then again I suspect the local licensing department will take care of that decision on his behalf.

What's he going to do if a punter tells him to pish off after a few shandies?

Stab him to death?

Be Ironic if he now took up Cycle Rickshaw driving for a Living!!

Don't think this fella is a fan of cyclists some how.

Welwyn Garden City taxi driver guilty of killing cyclist

_________________
IDFIMH

Quote:

Judge Plumstead said Gatier, of Salisbury Gardens, WGC, was no longer fit to hold a taxi licence.

Understatement of the year?

CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Must admit, off all road users, cyclists are the worst!

_________________
stressed controller!!!

Cab driver jailed for hitting cyclist


A TAXI driver who knocked down a cyclist he thought had made an offensive gesture towards him was jailed for four months yesterday.
Alistair Palmer, 53, swerved towards the cyclist, Michael Martin, twice before knocking him to the ground in April this year, Glasgow Sheriff Court heard.

He carried out the attack after the 39-year-old slapped the back of his black cab and signal led that he was getting too close.

Sentencing Palmer, Sheriff Andrew Mackie told him: "The courts will always treat the use of a motor vehicle in such a way as a very serious offence.

"It may just have been luck that Mr Martin, the cyclist, was not more seriously injured."

At an earlier hearing, Palmer, of Moodiesburn, was convicted of assaulting Mr Martin with his vehicle in Lenzie near Glasgow, on 20 April. He was also found guilty of failing to stop at the scene of an accident and failing to report it to police.

Mr Martin told the court that he was out for a Sunday morning cycle when Palmer tried to overtake him at a mini-roundabout.

He said: "Just as we approached the roundabout the taxi cut in front of me, and because of the traffic island it had to come in closer to me than was comfortable.

"It was a natural instinct to put my hand out and there was a slap as my hand made contact with the taxi.

"The driver turned round and I kind of pointed at my eye as if to say, watch where you're going."

The cyclist then rode through the roundabout before noticing that the taxi was again approaching him.

Mr Martin added: "I was aware that the vehicle was very close and there was contact between my hip and thigh and the front of the taxi.

"The impact caused me to swerve towards the kerb and I jumped up on to the kerb, still cycling. At that point I became aware that the taxi was also on the pavement and again made contact with me.

"I put my hand to the front of the taxi to try to stop it and that then knocked me off my bike and flicked me round the front of the car into the centre of the road."

The court was told that the taxi then drove off, but another driver noted the registration and called an ambulance for Mr Martin, who was cut and bruised. Palmer told the court that he thought Mr Martin had "given me the finger" and chased after him because he had hit his taxi.

He said: "I put the window down to shout at him to stop, but he just kept on going. He went to take another swipe at the taxi and I braked and he hit thin air and tumbled off his bike."

The defence lawyer, Graham Walker, said Palmer had since lost his taxi licence and that the effects of the case coming to court had been "catastrophic" for his client.

Palmer was also disqualified from driving for 18 months.

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin