Wrong way taxi driver 'pressured by passenger'A TAXI driver who drove the wrong direction along a one-way street to pacify a raging commuter who was late for work has been fined for flouting the rules of the road.
Zalal Abdul, 38, of Brookfield, Woking, was just five days into his new job behind the wheel when he caved into pressure from the angry customer, who ordered him to deliberately drive the wrong way down a road outside Woking Railway Station for fear he would miss his train.
Abdul, who admitted failing to comply with a no entry sign when he appeared at South West Surrey Magistrates’ Court in Guildford on Tuesday, claimed he felt pressurised to comply with the passenger on the morning of May 13.
Describing the incident, prosecutor Zeltia Carrera said: “The statement provided by PC Brown of Surrey Police states the offence took place at 9.10am, the officer was in Station Approach and saw the driver go the wrong way down a one-way street.”
After dropping off his fare at Woking Railway Station, the driver was promptly pulled over by police and quickly admitted his mistake.
“He said: ‘I know I shouldn’t have done it, the passenger was late and told me to drive there,’” added Miss Carrera.
Abdul refused a fixed penalty notice at the roadside in May for fear extra penalty points would add to the six he received in October 2008 for driving without insurance and leave him without a licence and a chance to earn a living.
Pleading for leniency from the bench, Abdul, who was representing himself in court, claimed he needed to keep his licence to support his wife and two-year-old son.
Explaining the incident, he said: “I saw the no-entry sign and I knew I couldn’t enter. As soon as I went to drop him he was screaming, ‘I don’t you dare because I'm already late.’”
The defendant explained that the taxi had already been forced to take a longer route because of the closure of Elm Bridge in Kingfield, further antagonising the passenger.
He added: “Other cars started beeping me from behind so I went [down the one-way street] and he was gone and he didn’t pay me. That’s when the police saw me and I started trying to explain.”
Chairman of the magistrates Patrick Jordan warned Abdul: “We are going to deal with this by means of the three penalty points on your licence.
“We have listened to what you have said and we can appreciate the difficulty you found yourself in, being shouted at by a customer.Nonetheless being a taxi driver is a very important job – you are a professional driver and you must drive to your best professional skills.”
Now working in a takeaway restaurant, Abdul was also ordered to pay a fine of £60, court costs of £60 and a surcharge of £15. Mr Jordan added: “If you go back to driving a taxi we expect the highest professional standards.”
source: http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/2102829_wrong_way_taxi_driver_pressured_by_passenger
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