Taxi Driver Online

Cab Warning

From the letters page of The Plymouth Herald

Tuesday, February 07, 2012

On Saturday my two 19-year-old daughters went to a Plymouth nightclub with some of their friends.

During the early hours of Sunday morning, one of my daughters badly sprained her ankle, and her sister and friends decided to get her home as she was in a lot of discomfort. Usually they tend to use a private hire taxi firm and have had nothing but a professional service. Unfortunately, for them they could only find a black cab outside the club at that time, at 2.30 am.

After telling the driver that they wished to go to Saltash fire station the taxi driver stated that this would cost them £15, which they thought was reasonable. On arriving in Saltash Fore Street, the taxi driver stated that he was unwilling to go any further than the top of Saltash town centre unless they paid him an extra £10. The driver insisted that they pay the extra, or they should get out of the cab. They got out, eventually arriving home at 4.10am on Sunday with my daughter in a lot of pain.

Later, after asking any of their friends if anyone had had problems with a taxi, one mentioned that the previous weekend he had used a black cab from the same club to Saltash in the early hours of Sunday. The driver stated before leaving that the fare would be £15. On arriving in Saltash the driver then insisted that the fare would now be £25. The driver locked the doors until payment was made.

I feel readers need to be aware that there appears to be some black cab drivers around who seem to feel that teenagers returning to Saltash from a night out in Plymouth over the weekend are easy prey for a possible "sting" regarding the taxi fare. I am fully aware that the majority of taxi drivers play things by the book and it may be just one bad apple.

Unfortunately my daughters and their friends neglected to take note of the taxi driver's licence plate. But in the future if they use a black cab again, they will ensure that they note the number in case of any problems.

I was also under the impression that black cabs were supposed to use a meter. Has this now changed?

ANDREW VEALE

Saltash

Source; http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/Cab-war ... story.html

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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.

It sounds like the driver is a regular 'sting merchant'!!

It's time he had a session with the licensing committee.

_________________
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.

And how do they 'usually' get this private hire firm, is there one of their cars 'usually' waiting outside ? That implies that they don't usually have to book the PH as there's usually one waiting outside the club !

I think you may be reading too much into this. Maybe the private hire firm were just to busy when they rang.

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Grandad,

The PLTA has of course sent a reply - it will be interesting to see if it gets printed.

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Chris The Fish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdlyi5mc ... re=related

Usually when a PH does something like this the local black cab trade suggest to readers to ensure they get a black cab.

So can I assume your letter will be advising readers to ensure they book a PH?

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IDFIMH

If it is not printed - I'll post it on here.

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Chris The Fish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdlyi5mc ... re=related

If plymouith is anything like peterborough every nightclub and hotel with a conference centre/ballroom has dozens of PH waiting outside for their fare but mysteriously when an unbooked fare appears they are free to take it !

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Taxi rights



WE WRITE in response to the letter from Mr Veale and sympathise with him and his daughters.

As in any large grouping, there are some who wish to chance their arm. We urge that whenever using a City of Plymouth Licensed Taxi within Plymouth, passengers ensure that the taximeter is switched on.

Should the journey be terminating outside the city limits, the driver is entitled to quote a fare. They may ask for the sum "up front", in which case it is reasonable to request a receipt. However only on very few occasions, and under peculiar journey circumstances, should a driver demand any further payment as it is a criminal offence. In all cases passengers should make a note of the Taxi Vehicle Licence Number for their own peace of mind. Passengers are also within their rights to only use a taxi going outside of Plymouth that is prepared to do the journey as a metered fare.

ROY HAMILTON

Secretary, Plymouth Licensed Taxi Association

http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/Taxi-ri ... story.html

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

excellent reply factual and to the point

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

It's a shame that you didn't get this letter as well....

We'll investigate claims of cabbie misconduct
Friday, February 10, 2012

PLYMOUTH's Hackney Carriage drivers are, in the main, a professional and hard-working group of people.

I was therefore very concerned to read of an alleged incident of overcharging (Tuesday). Mr Andrew Veale stated that his daughters had travelled from the city centre to Saltash after a night out, and agreed with the driver to pay £15 for the journey to Saltash fire station. But on arriving in Fore Street, Saltash, the driver said he was unwilling to go any further than the town centre unless they paid an extra £10.

As chairman of Plymouth City Council's hackney carriage committee, I can assure Mr Veale that his letter has not gone unnoticed and that a number of members of the committee, including Cllr Eddie Rennie, have contacted me to express their concern.

Hackney Carriage drivers are allowed to 'agree' a price with customers at the start of a journey, especially if the person or persons travelling are heading outside the city and are concerned that the metered charge may be higher than an agreed fee. But drivers are not permitted to change the agreement, unless the route is changed by the client and both parties agree on a new amount.

It must have been very worrying for Mr Veale when he realised that his daughters had been forced to walk home. As he states, the driver asked for more money and when they declined he left them to make their own way. The incident as described by Mr Veale is not acceptable; but with respect to Mr Veale, we need to know what the driver has to say about this allegation. In order to investigate this incident the Hackney Carriage officers need evidence, and I would ask Mr Veale to speak to his daughters again. If he can collate any information about the driver's identity, or his cab, please give it to the city council Hackney Office or myself, and I will pass it on. The second incident, in which the driver locked his cab's doors until payment of £25 had been made, is also alarming but again we need more facts.

I must, as I am sure readers and Mr Veale will understand, remain impartial and cannot make a judgment about this driver or any other cabbie, without considering all the facts. There are always two sides to a story. However, I would like to put on record that we take such alleged incidents very seriously, and if information is forwarded it will be investigated.

Plymouth Hackney Carriage drivers are often the first person that visitors and tourists come into contact with when they arrive in the city. They are unpaid ambassadors for Plymouth.

It can be a challenging occupation and no matter whom they pick up, the drivers must remain professional at all times.

CLLR DAVID REYNOLDS QVRM
Chairman, Hackney Carriage Committee
Plymouth City Council


Source http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/ll-inve ... story.html

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Chris The Fish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdlyi5mc ... re=related

I think the reply by Roy was more accurate - but the intention of Cllr Reynolds QVRM is to be applauded, even if slightly incorrect.

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Chris The Fish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdlyi5mc ... re=related