Taxi Driver Online

Watch out for rogue cabbies’, students warned

Students are being warned to be on their guard Students are being warned to be on their guard

Crooked cabbies are reportedly preying on new students and forcing them to pay over the odds.

Police officers have warned students that “rogue drivers” could be ripping off international students who started at the University of Hertfordshire last month.

The University of Hertfordshire Policing Team’s Dave Murray said: “Whilst this is a matter for the council, it is important that students who may be new to the area, particularly the international students, are aware that there may be rogue drivers charging overinflated fares.

“The vast majority of taxis in the town are reputable so we’d advise students to pre-book and agree a fare in advance.”

Fears unscrupulous drivers could be targeting young people follow a Welwyn Hatfield Council prosecution on September 9.

Syed Hussain Shaheed, 44, was hit with £975 worth of costs and fines after he overcharged a 16-year-old girl by £1, and forced her to hand it over.

The Luton resident committed the offence in WGC on October 22 last year.

A spokesman for the authority said: “If anyone feels they have been overcharged in a taxi or hackney carriage licensed by the council, we would urge them to contact us.

“As our recent successful prosecution of a driver who overcharged a 16 year-old by £1 shows, we do take this matter seriously and will take appropriate action.”

source: http://www.whtimes.co.uk/news/watch_out ... _1_3790105

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

15/09/2014 Taxi driver fined for overcharging schoolgirl


A taxi driver was fined £450 this week by St Albans Magistrates Court for overcharging a 16 year-old schoolgirl's fare.


Mr Syed Hussain Shaheed, 44, of Maryport Road, Luton, was found guilty by the court of charging a greater sum than he was authorised to in a hackney carriage licensed by Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council. In addition to the fine, Mr Shaheed was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £25 and to make a contribution of £500 towards costs incurred by the council, which brought the prosecution.

The court heard that the girl had taken the same journey from the taxi rank in Fretherne Road, Welwyn Garden City on several occasions and the fare was usually around £3.50. Before the journey in question she asked whether the fare would be the same amount and was told by Mr Shaheed that he believed it would be around £4.50.

Before departing, the taxi meter was set but Mr Shaheed switched it off while travelling along Osborn Way. When asked why he had done so, he told his customer that it was because they had agreed a fare of £4.50. A discussion followed but Mr Shaheed insisted that the fare was £4.50 and the 16 year-old felt pressured into handing over this amount to him.

In the judgment on 9 September, the court said that the witness had been consistent and reliable in her evidence, and it believed that if the meter had been left on, the fare would not have reached the £4.50 charged.

Councillor Mandy Perkins, the council's executive member for governance and public health, said: "We're pleased that the court agreed this was a serious offence, and I hope this serves as a harsh lesson to the driver. The vast majority of the drivers we license are responsible, but we have a duty to residents to uphold and maintain high standards in the borough. This shows that we have a zero tolerance policy to people overcharging their customers."

http://www.welhat.gov.uk/article/5819/1 ... schoolgirl

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

F*** me they do indeed have a problem.

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IDFIMH

I wonder if the fare had been £4.50 but the girl only had £3.50 whether SHE would have been fined £450 + £525 costs ?

I hate it when people make a fuss over trivial amounts, had complaints to the office because punters have been charged £8 and they usually pay £7.80. Someone even complained because the driver wouldn't do a £20.40 run for £20