Taxi Driver Online

Taxi tout is outfoxed by Airport Cars boss


THE director of Airport Cars Gatwick has told how he helped snare a 71-year-old taxi driver illegally touting for work.

The elderly cabbie, Michael Sabana, has been disqualified after he attempted to poach customers leaving the airport.

He was caught on October 28 last year when the potential passenger he approached turned out to be James Kemp, director of Airport Cars, which holds exclusive rights to pick up passengers at Gatwick.

Sabana, from Bedfordbury, London, appeared at Mid Sussex Magistrates' Court on March 15.

He was found guilty of touting for hire the use of a private vehicle at the airport and using a motor vehicle without third-party insurance. Sabana was disqualified from driving for 12 months, fined a total of £200 and ordered to pay court costs of £200.

Mr Kemp said touts at the airport are a common problem.

He added: "On the day in October we received a report from a taxi driver from London that he saw a guy hanging around and trying to pick up passengers.

"He was looking out for people who seemed confused or lost. I went down there myself and he offered me a taxi."

Before getting in the car, Mr Kemp told Sabana he needed to head back and collect a friend from inside the airport.

However, he actually went to tell the police what was happening and agreed with officers to get into the vehicle and contact them as soon as it started moving.

Once he had done so, the car was stopped and Sabana arrested.

Mr Kemp added: "This is not a rare thing to happen at all at the airport and it is a problem we are looking to crack down on.

"The hardest bit is catching them. People are in danger of being forced to pay extortionate rates.

"The biggest worry I have is that a passenger getting into a tout's vehicle is exposed to a ride in a car that is unlicensed, uninsured and has a driver who may present a serious risk of harm.

"You never know who you are getting into the car with when approached by a tout. Anything could happen."

Mr Kemp added that, in contrast, all of the drivers at Airport Cars are licensed, undertake a specific taxi driving test, are subjected to stringent medical examinations and are checked by the National Criminal Record Bureau.


http://www.thisissussex.co.uk/Taxi-tout ... 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

Think airport cars livery has a part to play in this. Spray them bright yellow with conquered black, or whack great airplane transfers on the side. Dark blue with a little lunch box on top doesn't exactly jump out to the public.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=18701

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

Hmmm, so Checker Cabs who muscled the normal cabby out of several airports has now been muscled out themselves, shame.

I take it the tout's middle name isn't lucky.

Rubbish.

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IDFIMH

The only people paying extortionate rates are the people getting into your motors.

I would say they are the dearest, large licensed vehicle fleet, in the country.

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IDFIMH

I don't know have you checked out the prices being charged at Stansted by the local monopoly holder

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

I haven't, but Gatwick cars are really really expensive.

Which to the rest of us down this way is lovely jubbly.

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IDFIMH

How much does your office charge to Gatwick from Brighton?

The ones in Eastleigh Airport a few years ago were slightly under our meter and 25% more than our local peseant hire.

well lets put it this way our price is £75 to Stansted last time i checked they were charging £190 from stansted to here funny how we never see their cars in the area !

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