Taxi Driver Online

‘Driver left my son at wrong address’



A frantic mum spent an hour searching for her missing eight-year-old boy after he was dumped by a private hire driver outside his empty home.

Hazel Thorpe was “worried sick” as she anxiously looked for son Junior after private hire firm Eagle Cars dropped him off in Rothwell Walk, Caversham, on Monday afternoon.

The distressed youngster was later found in tears having crossed two busy roads to get to his friend Drew’s house in Ardler Road, Caversham, where he was eventually reunited with his mum.

Mrs Thorpe, 39, booked the car to pick Junior up from St Anne’s RC Primary School in Washington Road, Caversham, to take him to his grandmother’s in Bedford Road, West Reading, at 3.30pm.

The private hire driver asked Junior where he lived and took him to Rothwell Walk where there was no reply at the door, before demanding the cashless youngster cough up the £6 fare.

Mrs Thorpe said: “He had no money on him as his grandma was going to pay the fare when he got to her house.

“The driver kept arguing and then drove off saying he had another job to do.

“If the driver was unsure where he was going he should have checked with the control room or if he had said where he was I would have known where to find my son.

“The fact remains he just left him there on the doorstep and drove off. I feel very let down, upset and angry and won’t be using them again.”

Earlier Mrs Thorpe had received a call at work from Eagle Cars saying her child was outside but no one was at home but when she asked his gran to check Junior was nowhere to be seen.

The private hire company insisted it had dropped him off in Bedford Road and not Rothwell Walk and eventually Mrs Thorpe was forced to leave work early and look for her son.

Mrs Thorpe rushed home and then to Bedford Road and along Oxford Road before heading to Beresford Road after thinking the driver may have gone there by mistake but there was still no sign.

Customer services assistant Mrs Thorpe said: “I thought someone had taken my child. I was panicking and worried sick. All sorts of things were going through my head.

“You read about things in the papers and on the news and I was so scared what might have happened to him.”

When Mrs Thorpe complained to the private hire company she was told English was not the driver’s first language and when she asked to speak to a manager was informed he was out of the office until February.

Eagle Cars, based in Cremyll Road, Central Reading, has been in business for more than 20 years and boasts on its website to “provide the best customer satisfaction” and to have a trusted reputation.

Mohammed Tahir, from Eagle Cars, said: “It is the driver’s job to knock on the door and make sure the child gets inside and collect payment.

“He did not do any of that and lied to the company and there can be no excuses. He has been suspended until he apologises.

“We have spoken to the lady concerned and have offered a complimentary journey.”

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

So a parent sends an unaccompnied 8 year old by taxi. The kid is unable to tell the driver where he is going and somehow it's the drivers fault?????

I assume a driver (PH or Hack) would be within his rights to refuse an un accompnied child?

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There's no excuse for animal abuse. If you ain't vegan you are an animal abuser.

Yep that'll do it

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Life? Don't talk to me about life!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjm2eslm6hI

Didn't check with the office either. Left an eight year old.

Fit and proper???? (on the facts as shown above.)

Simple solution .....Don't take an unescorted 8 year old

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Life? Don't talk to me about life!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjm2eslm6hI

I'm quite happy with such a journey in normal circumstances although the destination address would have a bearing on my starting the trip in the first place.

So am I but we speeka da english

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Life? Don't talk to me about life!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjm2eslm6hI

I would make certain he knew where he was going, and make certain I was taking him to where the office says he mum wants him to go.

But the mum should have given the boy a contact number, which the driver could have rang if need be.

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IDFIMH

Almost Sussex:

I had a run the other day from school reception to home. Dad normally collects but couldn't. Reception grabbed the child from class and kept it until I turned up. The child knew nothing about it until then or where it was going. Reception confirmed the address of neighbour given by father which was the same given to our office.

Well organised, child got home safely, I got paid. Quite pleased with that one. Team work all round.

I would not have took him in the first place.
You leave yourself wide open to all sorts of things, what if the kid said you touched him?
Some drivers are cluless!

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stressed controller!!!

How are you getting on with the 'vigilante' forum Rambo?

Are they planning any assaults / shootings / Nuclear attacks yet?

Can you understand the 7yr old that used to post on here as xyzxc / Smudger?

Marvellous, hundreds of years of credibility and history destroyed by about a dozen keyboard tough guys / warriors.

I would be more worried about a pi55ed up woman saying she had been touched. If you worry about what could happen every time you picked up a fare, you would never do any work at all.

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Grandad,