Taxi Driver Online

Speeding Carlisle Cab Driver May Lose Taxi Licence

29th June 2009

A Carlisle cab driver could be stripped of his taxi licence after he was caught speeding twice in six weeks.

Paul Rhodes, 45, of Gilsland Road, Durranhill, agreed to attend a speed-awareness course after he was caught speeding in Durranhill Road on March 3.

A month later he was caught again, this time travelling at 47mph in a 30mph zone on Castle Way with three passengers in his cab.

He was fined £295 by magistrates and must now appear before a city council regulatory panel on Wednesday.

The panel could suspend or revoke his taxi licence.

A report to councillors lists seven previous incidents.

Mr Rhodes was fined and cautioned for two counts of common assault in 2007.

In the same year he received a fixed-penalty fine for using a mobile phone while driving.

He was fined £60 for speeding in September 2008 and £100 for a similar offence in 2007.

He received another fixed-penalty fine for speeding in 2003 and a year earlier was cautioned for resisting or obstructing a police officer.

Mr Rhodes last appeared before the council’s regulatory panel in January 2008 when he was let off with a warning.

He was also sent a warning letter by licensing officers after the speeding conviction last September.

The report says he has held a private hire licence “at various times” between 1985 and 1999 and a taxi driver’s licence since April 2007.

The panel may also take action against another speeding cab driver.

Michael Donnelly, 46, of Parkside, Belah, Carlisle, was caught travelling at 44mph in a 30mph zone in Preston on April 24.

He was carrying a contract passenger at the time.

Mr Donnelly has previous speeding convictions dating from 2003 and 2006, and was fined £240 for having no vehicle insurance in 2000.

He has been a taxi driver since November last year.

Source; newsandstar.co.uk

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Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

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I know the two of them.....I wont give a view till after the meeting

CC

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

It's a hazard and nothing else, there are lorry drivers out there who are running on 12 points and over but they still get to keep their licences, it's about time the Councils looked upon it as a hazard instead of going hell for leather trying to take a mans living away from him.

Our lot are starting to get a but strict on points, if you don't tell them within 14 days that you've been flashed they will have your badge off you until you go in front of the licensing panel and plead otherwise.

Every corner you go round nowdays there's a speed camera with a copper pointing it at you.

Ive a poor memory but a TomTom with the database and road angel, ive gor 3pts on my licence thanks to some roadworks on the A30 over Bodmin moor one foggy 2am job......

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

HTF did you get done in fog???

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Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

the first one will be off and posably the second, any speeding covictions are taken from the time of the ofence and not the court case and only apply for 3 years but are now on your licence for 4 years

IMHO If a driver has clocked up 12 points for speeding I think it is safe to say that the 'hazard' is too great a risk to be driving the public around.

Whilst I can appreciate that there are so many speed cameras around nowadays they are obviously needed to keep speed at a safe level for the public, that at will, walk out in front of moving vehicles.

The job of a taxi driver is to get the public from A to B as safely, not necessarily as quickly, as possible.

It appears that some drivers just don't take any notice of penalty points or warning letters and therefore invite the council to remove their livihood

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

Why take a mans living away from him? He's not committed a crime against the country he's been pillaged by these speed cameras. If he took the case to the magistrates they'll give him his badge back straight away.

I got a driver his badge back 8 years ago after he racked up 15 points through speeding, he wasn't a bad driver they'd put 3 new speed cameras up round Mansfied he didn't think they were turned on, he got a shock when all the brown envelopes dropped on the doormat. We took the case straight to the Magistrates when the council said they were thinking about revoking his badge, the Magistrates said that the Council had no right in taking this mans living away from him, they warned him that if he appeared in front of them again then they would remove his driving licence.

I give up. They put limits there and the drivers know what the limits are and when it comes to breaking the limits they cry and say it's not fair. Our council have a 12 point limit and then they will consider taking your badge off you. I actually think that's quite fair. Reading what the court said it appears that 15 points is acceptable but 18 isn't, so it's just a matter of deciding what a fair level of points is before the driver can expect to lose his badge.

With regard to the initial questions of "Why take a mans living away from him?". I'd rather that than have him take a persons life away from them through his speeding or perhaps I'm being a tad dramatic

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

Warning For Speeding Carlisle Taxi Driver

Thursday, 2nd July 2009

A Carlisle taxi driver escaped with a warning after he was caught speeding at 44mph in a 30mph zone with a passenger in his cab.

Michael Donnelly, of Parkside, Belah, received a fixed-penalty fine for the offence in Preston in April. But he faced more serious sanctions when he appeared before a Carlisle City Council regulatory panel.

Councillors could have suspended or revoked his taxi licence as punishment.

Mr Donnelly, 46, told them: “This happened in the early hours of a Sunday morning. It was just a lack of concentration which I apologise for.”

He has been a taxi driver since November 2008.

Before that he was caught speeding twice while working as a lorry driver. He was also fined £240 in 2000 for not having insurance for his car.

Mr Donnelly added: “I became a taxi driver to get out of unemployment and I didn’t expect to enjoy the job. Now I really think I have the right temperament for it. Revoking my licence would be devastating.”

The panel took only a few minutes to decide to issue a written warning.

Chairman David Morton said: “If you find yourself in similar circumstances in the future, the outcome may not be as comfortable for you.”

Another Carlisle taxi driver who was due to appear before the panel failed to turn up.

Paul Rhodes, 45, of Gilsland Road, Durranhill, was caught speeding twice in six weeks in March and April this year.

He had previously been fined for speeding three times between 2003 and 2008, and in 2007 was caught using a mobile phone while driving.

Licensing manager Jim Messenger said that Mr Rhodes claimed not to have received the papers summoning him .

He was away from Carlisle and could not get back.

The hearing was adjourned but Mr Morton warned: “It will be decided in his absence if he does not attend next time.”

Source; newsandstar.co.uk

_________________
Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

The Licensing panel decided right IMO.

I think they were fair but I'm not so sure the other driver will be so lucky. Having said that he probably will some people are just born lucky

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!