Taxi Driver Online

Cheltenham taxi driver fined £637 for smoking in his own cab


A smoker who lit up in a taxi ended up with a hefty fine of £637 for the act.

Barry Lewis, of Queen Street, Cheltenham was convicted of two charges of smoking in a smoke-free place - which turned out to be his own taxi.

The case was brought by Cheltenham Borough council.

Licensing team leader, Louis Krog, said: "Taxis and private hire vehicles are classed as workplaces in the context of the Health Act 2006 and therefore smoking in a licensed vehicle is an offence.

"In Mr Lewis' case, he chose not to discharge the offence for smoking in his licensed vehicle by paying the fixed penalty notice and was taken to court for the offence where he was found guilty in absentia."

Lewis was fined £100 on each count and must pay costs of £417 and a victim surcharge of £20 .

The fine is not set by the council but is imposed by the court through national Regulations called the Smokefree (Penalties and Discounted Amounts) Regulations 2007.

Since 2008 46 fines have been issued for smoking in a smoke-free place in Cheltenham. Seven of these were for taxi drivers.

Cheltenham Borough Council said that the majority of these fines were in the years immediately after the implementation of the legislation and that now the offence is fairly uncommon.

Smoking in a smoke-free place will get you a fine of £30 if you pay within 15 days.

If paid in 29 days that figure goes up to £50 but you could receive a court awarded fine of up to £200.

If you fail to prevent smoking in a smoke-free premises or vehicle then you could be fined up to £2,500 by the court.

Sarah Clark, public and environmental health team leader, said: "A wealth of scientific data and research has been undertaken over the years and experts now state definitively that tobacco smoke and secondhand smoke is harmful, containing as many as four thousand chemicals (some considered highly toxic) and being responsible for a number of serious health issues.

"Scientists confirm that there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke and so to protect non-smokers and smokers alike the Smoke Free law was introduced so everyone may enjoy a healthier smoke-free workplace and their travel, social and leisure time may be similarly protected from exposure."


Read more: http://www.gloucestershireecho.co.uk/Ch ... z3ijFjw91p

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

Thick twat. Expensive packet of ciggies that was.

I'm not sure who I dislike most, The persistant Cab smokers or the Fag Gestapo...I'm edging towards hating the Fag Gestapo most I think

Theres no Smoke without Fine it seems..

It's the law I'm afraid, I agree about the Fag Gestapo though.

So, could have paid £30, ignored it and paid £637. And smokers claim smoking doesn't rot the brain...

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Former taxi driver

Indeed.

The mush had the same f*** everyone attitude to smoking as he had to the penalty charge.

Nob head.

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IDFIMH

absolute disgrace tbh

What is? The fact that he was smoking in his cab or that he got prosecuted for it?

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Grandad,

How exactly do you prevent a determined punter from smoking in your cab?

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

You don't.

You just don't pick them up again.

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IDFIMH

Saturday night: (Drive) can I smoke in the cab, answer no, (drive) if I give you an extra £10, answer no, this went on up until the guy said I will give you an extra £100, my answer being no. He came back with (drive) you are a liar you would! My answer being that if I took £100/whatever and got caught, I then risk my license/livelihood, and that would cost me a lot more than what you are asking/offering. The reply was then......I know that you are right (drive), because I also drive as a taxi driver in another borough.

Lesson 1. is that you do not always know who is trying it on. Lesson 2. is that I knew that even if I was tempted (and I was not), then I would not have got the money in any event.

Having said the above, when a punter has been told NO...and then lit up - I have stopped the cab and turned the engine off. I have got out of the cab...opened the door...and told them chuck the ciggie out or walk - that generally tends to do it.

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Common sense........is just not that Common.

I used to get that quite a bit in my area, where there's only about 6 p/h cars and only 1 hack. "Drive, can I smoke in here?" "No". "But xyz cars lets me smoke in his cab". "Then I suggest you get xyz cabs in future". "But he's not answering his phone". "That's because he lost his licence for smoking in his cab".

What a c***?

If the job isn't (at times) a nightmare, it doesn't help when one of your own tries to be funny and makes things worse.

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IDFIMH

i would have just stopped the car & told him to get out tbh , wouldnt put up with that chit at all