Taxi Driver Online

Hi iam new too the forum i discovered it today out of desperation to find out my rights.
Iam a hc driver i have been for three years i my self are 29 and i have three points on my licence for speeding 46 in a 30
That is all of my driving endorsements and with the council i have zero points and up until this no complaints from the members of the public apart from two women who i quoted a price too which was over what the journey was but they didnt travel with me they did with another taxi hence them knowing it was way over quoted £4 actual i said £10 but this was because sick of quoting a price then they get you to run around half the country for the same quoted price anyway thats it in regards to the public and the other minor things have no substance but our council dosent follow things up its just there side of things and yours then its left on file.
As stated in the title i have just been given a 6 month ban because a member of the public has said i nearly rammed him of the road in a merge in turn and then when he arrived at his destination in the centre of town at the car park i tried to confront him.i did walk up to his vehicle but he just drove off so nothing was said no hand gestures or anything this has gone to a panel and with my other minor bits in my three year history and this they have decided to give me a 6 month ban as said this is the first time ive been in front of the panel i have a clean record so why have i been dealt such a harsh and unjust punishment surely its against my human rights too stop me working esp for that Lengh of time also the person accusing me of not behaving on the road decided to stop at the traffic lights and take a picture of my plate breaking road traffic laws but this wasnt mentioned part from the picture as evidence iam going to appeal but is it worth it do you think I have a case ? Thanks in advance

I think it is sensible to keep your options open as to your appeal, I know I would certainly appeal. There are others on here that have far more experience than I to advise you and I'm sure they will in due course. I just wanted to say 'welcome aboard'

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

Thank you shame i found it in this situation wish i had looked before as the is a whole load of info on here

yeah - the lack of interest in the job generally jumps up and bites people on the backside

its like those meddling unions and associations - they spend thousands of pounds defending cab drivers across the country - yet people don't want to join - go figure.

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

Well maybe if they got off their backsides and made drivers aware of their existence they may well join. Now pick your dummy up and say something useful

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

I thought it was useful - you cant tell me drivers and props don't know of the existence of local union branches or associations.

I hear and read the same excuses time after time - theyre only in it for themselves is a good one - they just look after number one - like a fare increase only affects members.

They don't like certain people locally - so they don't join and try to change things - or do join and find they're out of their depths.

I have heard and read every excuse possible - the meetings clash with my darts or snooker night was one.

I am not criticising this particular poster - but even then his post appears to say everything that's wrong with the licensed trade - it gives half a story and we're expected to give an opinion (which would cost hundreds of pounds from a solicitor) based upon this.

Look at the first two sentences - he's done nothing wrong save for a couple of speeding offences - oh and possible overcharging which slipped in there.

Things are left on file - the longer your in the job the longer the file becomes - its sh*te - but it helps the licensing committee make an assessment.

If this chap doesn't like what the council have done he has the right of appeal.

He hasn't told us if he was immediately suspended - therefore he can drive for the next 21 days, at which point he can lodge an appeal with magistrates.

What will magistrates say? well they will very probably think (if what has been so far said is true) that 6 months is harsh - they will then give him 2 weeks - maybe one month - they maybe even extend it - at which point he can appeal to a higher court.

I didn't write the system - but I read it - why? because I might need it one day and I take an interest.

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

Seems like your,your own worst enemy, why would you want to follow him? Beggars belief. What if it was a female driver? We see dick heads every day but we don't go round chasing them,let alone confront them, I'm sorry you got what you deserve in my opinion.

There you go, something useful. I know drivers don't think to join unions or associations until they need one, some try to form associations and give up at the first hurdle, some think they don't know enough to even consider starting an association, some are overwhelmed by it all and some are just too bone idle to be bothered but at the end of the day without encouragement nothing will ever change.

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

Mr Madder - you could ask Charles if you are in his area. You and he could exchange PM's. Hours of fun for both of you.

Associations and Unions don't generally take you on when you are already in the rattle.

What area are you in?

Are the minutes of your hearing available? Not that I don't believe you, but we have only seen your side of things. Whenever I have been asked to help anyone the "Molehill" they mention from their past turns out to be perched on top of a "Mountain".

CC is right, you have 21 days to lodge an appeal at the Magistrates Court - you can then continue to work until the appeal is heard. You can represent yourself but you should consider a Solicitor.

Oh, and welcome to TDO by the way.

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Chris The Fish

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

Thank you for your help and for welcoming me
Firstly I didnt want to right a whole chapters worth of info as people get bored and dont read thus no help is given
I was accused of over charging but as i said I didn't take them someone else did so i over quoted which isnt against any rules as long as you only charge the meter fair and i was being as honest as i could by explaing why I did it as other members of the trade would understand i thought.its always one stop in so and so how much you quote the price you get there or on route u have to go to a garage or the is three drops across a 20 mile town it makes a diffrence.
I can give details about all i have on file and yes I understand it builds up but all that is on there is minor things which as stated have no substance for instance i was wrongly sacked /vehicle not rented too me anymore and he claimed he dosent owe me anything and i was spouting lies thats on there so i look like a gobby lier but what isn't on there is that I took him to a solicitor and he ended up paying me £600 its all that sort of thing never actually getting to a conclusion just he said she said and they seem to focus on what they said more

I didnt follow him as such i had no choice i had dropped of my passenger in another street and then went into the one way system of town and he was three cars in front yes in hind sight i shouldn't of gone to his vehicle but every day u get people act like a idiot on the road and then gesture to you that your in the wrong via horn or v signs etc this day i was sick of it and wanted to ask why he felt i was in the wrong but that was it iam in a taxi and i represent the council why would i want to do anything other than speak to him and in all fairness it never used to be a crime to ask someone why they feel the need to swear at you

I have always found it better to tell customers it will be a guesstimate of £££ but at journeys end it WILL be whatever is shown on the meter...if you only intend to pay £££ then I shall take that now and stop at the safest place for you when it reaches this. I would strongly recommend you ask to see a copy of any files they have on you-this is your right under data protection...if they get stubborn make it a freedom of information request. Then take this information to a solicitor for a 30 minute advice brainstorming....Charlie Oakes on here would be another good avenue...good luck.

You say that you quoted a price of £10 for what should have been a £4 fare. If the punter had taken you up on your quoted fare, would you have honestly put the meter on and charged them the fare shown on the meter at the end of the journey, or would you have taken the £10 and thought that you had got a result?
On how many other occasions have you quoted a price knowing that it would be way above the metered fare, so that you covered the possibility of being messed around, and the customer has said nothing and either walked away or paid you over the odds to get home?

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Grandad,

my guess is that is how the council viewed it.

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

off a rank and going a distance (out the LA), if asked, id say "ok, its a tenner, but lets gamble, ill put the meter on, if its less you pay that, if its more youve won"

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