Taxi Driver Online

Taxi firm tells disabled man “you’re too fat to use our cabs”



Ronnie Dickson was told he was too heavy to get in the taxi


A CAB firm reduced a disabled man to tears by telling him he was too fat to get in their vehicle.

Ronnie Dickson weights 33 stone and suffers from a cellulitis, a skin condition that affects both his legs.

The painful medical condition means he is only able to walk with the help of two crutches and needs to use a disabled ramp to get into taxis.

His failing health means the 64-year-old has been travelling to hospital repeatedly over the last few months and is reliant on the service.

But Edinburgh-based City Cabs have refused to let him travel in one of their taxis, as he could break the vehicle’s ramp.
They said that they sympathised with Mr Dickson, but said the pensioner had broken a ramp on one of their cars just a week before.

Mr Dickson had called on the firm to take him to a doctor’s appointment but was shocked to be told he was too heavy to travel.

He said: “It hurt inside and I burst out crying. I got myself all uptight.”

Regrettable

His wife and carer, Hazel Dickson, 46, said: “My husband needs to use the ramp to get into a taxi on his crutches, but on Wednesday the driver said he couldn’t.

“Ronnie came back into the house and he was actually crying, he was very upset and I was angry.”

She added her husband had had similar problems with other taxi firms in the past.

City Cabs said they stood by their decision on the day. Company secretary Les McVay said: Company secretary of City Cabs, Les McVay, said: “Mr Dickson has been a customer with City Cabs for almost a year. In the past, Mr Dickson has been able to gain access to the taxi with the assistance from the driver.

“Unfortunately, Mr Dickson’s mobility recently has deteriorated and a combination of his weight and the inability to bend his knees has meant that he has recently started requesting the use of the wheelchair ramp to gain access to the taxi.

“The wheelchair ramp is designed to take a load in excess of 33 stone, but spread over the whole ramp. If Mr Dickson was in a wheelchair, then City Cabs could continue to provide a service. Mr Dickson damaged a ramp last week. The vehicle was off the road and the driver had to meet the repair bill at his own expense.”

He added: “City Cabs fully recognise and are fully committed to all of our disabled customers.

“Obviously this incident has caused Mr Dickson some distress and that is regrettable, but due to his failing health, the inability to bend his knees and his weight, he can no longer safely gain access to a normal taxi. He requires specialised help and a specialised vehicle.”

Short URL: http://www.deadlinenews.co.uk/?p=40987

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

I suspect some of the 2 piece telescopic ramps that the TX carries would buckle even if he was in a wheelchair.
Dont know about the one piece ones fitted to the E7 and Vito
Is there a weight limit sticker on the ramps or in the vehicle hand books???

More good press for the Edinburgh HC trade.

CC

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

The Skull should know

I wonder who'd be the first to complain if the ramp broke and he fell injuring himself ? And who he'd be blaming for not carrying out a risk assesment to ensure his safety whilst using the ramp ?

Perhaps the firm should take him with the conditions that he does so at his own risk, but if the ramp breaks he cannot make any claim for injury and will have to pay for any damage he causes to the ramp himself.

I have taken this passenger a few times. He is a nice guy but unfortunately the cabbie has to look after himself first

No weight sticker to my knowledge, I don't think they are even tested to British Standards, so no kite mark either.

i've taken him a few times too, usually goes to medical centre at slateford. got to say i've been worried about getting him in safely but we've always managed it in the end. its a bit of a no win situation for citycabs though. wonder how much it cost the guy who's ramp got broke - what a nightmare that must have been.

This guy should have been refused a taxi, about 13 stones ago. Ffs, 33 stone, you're having a fecking laugh.

Oh look, here's 33 stones of sweet smelling blubber coming down the path, I'd better use my council issue fat boy shoehorn to squeeze him through the door, and into my taxi.


At twenty stones, I would've been saying, listen, fat boy, you're not getting in here.

Oh and before anyone starts, the fact is, this guy has a medical condition relating to his weight. It is therefore, beyond the responsibility and expertise of the taxi driver to assess the situation. In other words, it's a medical problem. He needs an ambulance.

They will have made in China on the new TX ones now, and we all know there things can only be used once before they fall apart

After probably working the worst 12 hr shift ever...that cheered me up ! say what you will but...The Skull's bang on the money there ! can the guy no open an account with a local removal man ?

I've just fell out of my chair laughing at the above ^^^^^^^^^. I agree Skull.

Why did the driver have to pay for the ramp? I would have sent the bill to the person who broke it.
This chap weighs in at 231 KG. The tail lift on one of my WAVs states that it can lift 330 KGs. Maybe I should put in a quote.

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Grandad,

As with many incidences of disabled conveyance this guy needs an ambulance not a taxi.

Any sudden deterioration in his health and the cabbie is NOT medically or physically competent to help him. It would take a paramedic. No, it would take a team of paramedics.

So, CC have refused him in his own interests. They should be commended.

Another case of just pass the buck onto the taxi trade.

And because very few in the trade have the balls to stick up for their own rights, well we just get what we deserve don't we?

BTW Have to say how disappopinted I am that I may well have failed to pass the Skull's threshold for getting in his taxi