Taxi Driver Online

Chauffeurs set to be exempt from filming


CHAUFFEURS are set to be exempted from the controversial camera ruling following concerns from drivers.

Firms said the security measures are not needed as they have a list of known clients.

A city council report said “lucrative contracts may be lost” and no complaints had been made over the city’s 37 chauffeur licences.

Nathan Thomas, who runs Headington’s Hilltop Chauffeurs, said: “I’m private hire but I’m not like your Saturday night taxi.

“One hundred per cent of our clients are account customers, it is all corporate.”

He said: “My clients say they wouldn’t get in my car if they have cameras in them.”

The rules would still affect 521 private-hire vehicles, which can only be pre-booked and 107 Hackney Carriages, which can be flagged down.

Nick Pickles, director of privacy campaign group Big Brother Watch, said: “The message from Oxford council seems to be people with chauffeur-driven cars are entitled to privacy but ordinary folk using taxis are not.”

He said: “Forget tinkering around the edges, the whole policy should be scrapped.”

The council’s general purposes licensing committee is expected to approve the exemption on Wednesday, February 22.

Committee chairman Clark Brundin said of chauffeurs: “The passengers and drivers are known in advance so the kind of reasons that need the audio visual recording equipment for security purposes are not there.”

http://www.oxfordtimes.co.uk/news/yourt ... m_filming/

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

and where would CCTV be with school contracts? is filming minors not a tad dodgy?....

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

wannabeeahack: That is a gross misunderstanding of the Child Pornography Legislation. Anyway the Images are encrypted and only available to whoever has the key.

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Don't dream it ~ Be it.

yup its one set of rules for the supposed "chauffeurs" and the rest of us

Tell that to every corner shop......

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

No, else there would be no pictures of minors posted anywhere in the press or on the net.

The is issue of illegality is what is done with the data.

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IDFIMH

If it were compulsary in all private hire cars, what would they do then? Walk?

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Grandad,

Two sides to this.

I suspect most of those chauffeurs were operating under the exemption until it was binned, so the fact that they are now doing it properly indicates they are of good character.

However I'm not sure that any act allows a council to have different tiers of ph licensing.

But, on balance, I think the council are acting reasonably.

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IDFIMH

Lichfield have 2 different systems for private hire licenses. They have the usual PH like most councils and they also have "special events" licenses.

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Grandad,

yeah, no age or mileage limits, should have "redeeming features" like.....leather seats and alloys........lol

one firm runs a 03 plate jag 2.0d in a grotty green colour (not BRG) - mainly to avoid the PH age rules

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

have to hope there are no paedo hackers working in the council offices then...

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

Use a company from a neighbouring local authority who don't have such rules.

By all private hire cars I was refering to all councils having the same rule.

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Grandad,

Ah right!

In that case, the only answer I can think of, is to hire a driver personally to drive your own car!

1 national rule?

wont happen, it would undermine LA's status as demi-gods

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