Taxi Driver Online

Lights go out in DJ Earth's taxi

https://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/1798 ... rths-taxi/


Image: News & Star

A TAXI driver, who suffers from anxiety, has been told to remove sensory lights from his vehicle - because councillors say they could be distracting.

Stuart Curtis, 44, who ferries people from A to B, is known in the city as DJ Earth.

He says he has lights in his taxi to help him with his condition and his young daughter, Summer, who suffers from Down Syndrome.

But this week, Mr Curtis, of Warwick Bridge, appeared before the council's licensing panel - which had concerns about the lights in his taxi.

On September 2, the council received a complaint that Mr Curtis had an extensive lighting system and was playing loud music in his vehicle.

He requested a meeting with the council's regulatory panel and removed his comprehensive lighting system but left his sensory lights up.

He wanted the panel to exempt him from a condition attached to his Hackney vehicle licence which prevents additional lighting in his taxi.

The council document stated: "Mr Curtis would like condition 13 to be removed from the conditions attached to his Hackney licence and is seeking permission to retain the lights which he states are sensory and have a positive impact on young children, intoxicated adults, person/s with behavioural issues and person/s with cognitive impairments and is referred to the panel to consider."

Condition 13 of the terms and conditions attached to a Hackney Carriage vehicle licence states: "No signs, notices, advertisements, plates, marks, numbers, letters, figures, symbols, emblems, superfluous lighting or devices whatsoever shall be displayed on, in or from the vehicle except as may be required by any statutory provision (including bye-laws) or required or permitted by these conditions."


Image: News & Star

Mr Curtis, who has driven a taxi for 14 years, said: "The whole situation is just really frustrating.

"The lights help people like myself, my daughter and passengers suffering from various conditions. They're not strobe lights or flashing lights they are sensory lights. They are a calming influence.

"My taxi is not a rave taxi. I feel a lot of the councillors on the panel are set in their ways. The lights I've got are not illegal. I have not modified my vehicle in any way."

Mr Curtis is refusing to take his lights down but says, following the hearing, that he is not switching them on.

"You can't even see them during the day," he said.

"Saying they have to come out is just crazy. The only person who has complained about this is another taxi driver and for what reason I don't know."

"I'm not here to cause trouble. I have a good relationship with the licensing officers. I think they do a fantastic job. I am merely just standing up for my rights."

Mr Curtis has the backing of lots of his customers and friends who have all posted messages on his Facebook page.

He has also got a petition together through change.org, which can be viewed here.

One mum, in support of Mr Curtis, wrote: "As a mother of a four-year-old with autism I fully support this. They are not harming anyone or putting anyone in danger."


Image: News & Star

The council refused Mr Curtis's request.

He intends to appeal and is going to try and gather evidence from charities and sensory organisations about the effect the lights have on people.

Jo Ellis-Williams, chairwoman of the council's licensing panel, said: "It was not a unanimous decision and there were some good arguments.

"However, the council do have rules and regulations for Hackney carriage licensees and they must adhere to these.

"We do like to have things that are interesting in the city and the lights are Mr Curtis's unique selling point but the panel decided that the lights are in breach of the condition and so we asked Mr Curtis to remove them."


Image: News & Star

Some scepticism in the comments as to whether he should be driving a taxi if he suffers from anxiety. To which he's replied:

Stuart Curtis
Let me tell you now. anxiety is not a heart attack everyone has anxiety without it we would be in trouble as it's there to protect us but in some people anxiety can get a little out of control but it's perfectly safe. Panic attacks are perfectly safe they are just very unpleasant. No one has ever died of an anxiety or panic attack and they never will die from it. I've drove since 1992 and drove my taxi for 14 years. these lights keep people calm and stop them distracting me whilst I'm driving. When they are not on and there is no fabric for them to draw on in the back and no music on the drunks can make your driving very very distracting indeed. They all start shouting climb over seats start pressing buttons on your dashboard and radio they lean right into your driving space just shouting drunk stuff shouting out of the windows but when these lights are on and they draw on the roof it all stops. you wont find a safer taxi in town.


To which one cynic has responded:

oracle two
You are a professional driver and you will behave in a professional manner at all times, that means no music and no lights, you are a rave dj in your spare time and drive a rave taxi so you can play then sell your own rave cds to your taxi customers and you have done this for the last 14 years and you have promoted yourself as a rave taxi for many years again to sell your rave cds to make a financial gain and for you to go down this anxiety route to get round the rules and to involve your own child in this lie is cowardly. Why your licence has not been revoked is beyond me.Your not carrying sheep your carrying the most precious cargo people. If a taxi driver was to turn his taxi into a night club by playing loud rave music people would behave like it's a night club and it could turn nasty so they don't do it , they have silence (as the rules state) so they talk to their customers , you should try it. If you can't and wont accept the many rules and regulations like the rest of the law abiding taxi drivers then may i suggest you move on.

Can't see this stuff helping with drunks myself. In fact at a rough guess I'd say it would make them worse

Can't see how he manages to do the job if he genuinely suffers from panic attacks when dealing with drunks etc, and can't for the life of me see how these lights would would deter drunken idiots

TBF he's a nice lad, but the lights ain't professional

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

But should this be taking up councillors time?

At Xmas we have drivers with all manner of lights in and on cars, and no one really gives a stuff.

My Mondeo allows me to have a dozen or so different colours of ambient light, and at night it does look like a nightclub.

But no-one cares.

_________________
IDFIMH

Now yer just showing off

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