Taxi Driver Online

Nothing particularly new here, but that maybe illustrates the problem - nothing very much seems to be getting done.

Another few threads on this, but last one got a bit messy, so started a new one


Anger as taxi pelted with rocks by gang of kids in east Hull

https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hu ... ll-3455142

Taxi boss Peter Nilsson says not enough is being done to address the problem


Image: Hull Daily Mail

A Hull taxi boss has expressed his anger after a fellow cab driver’s car was struck by a rock thrown by a gang of kids in east Hull.

The chairman of the Hackney Carriage Association, Peter Nilsson, was contacted by a driver who told him a gang of youths threw a rock which hit his car as he was carrying passengers.

The group of youths were outside the police station in Preston Road at the time.

While no one was injured and the car was undamaged, Mr Nilsson reported the incident to the police but fears nothing will be done.

He said: “The police were very good when I called and said they would send officers round but I don’t think enough is being done more broadly.

“There were about ten kids and they were riding bikes and throwing stones at cars right next to the police station.

“I don’t think it is a huge problem down there right now but it certainly isn’t isolated.”

Earlier this year, taxi drivers and buses refused to go to Orchard Park because of gangs of kids were throwing stones and committing antisocial behaviour which led to a big police clampdown.

But Mr Nilsson still believes not enough has been done and revealed many taxi drivers still refuse to go to the estate.

He said: “We have had this problem with Orchard Park and myself and many drivers will not go there anymore.

“These youths should be charged with endangering lives but I don’t feel the police really recognise this.

“I have been hit three times in the last two years and nothing has been done.

“I appreciate it is difficult to catch these kids and prove what they have done but we are not really seeing anything.

“This was not an isolated incident and other cars were targeted too on Preston Road.

“Having said that, I don’t think Preston Road will become a no-go area like Orchard Park.”

Mr Nilsson believes the police are not patrolling the trouble spots at the right times.

He said: “I know the police are stretched and numbers are down but we do need more on the streets and not just until 7pm or 8pm. These kids are there until 1am.

“They were throwing these rocks right outside a police station on the estate. I can only assume it wasn’t open but it shows the contempt these kids have. This needs to be dealt with.

“Someone is going to get seriously hurt or killed. One day a driver could get knocked unconscious and end up driving on to the footpath and killing someone."

Mr Nilsson says the decision by some drivers not to enter Orchard Park has not been taken lightly.

He said: “Orchard Park remains a problem despite discussions with the police. Many of our drivers still do not feel safe. It is up to them whether they want to go there but safety comes first.

“I do not think the public understand what a difficult decision this has been to make but we have to protect our drivers and customers.

“I understand the police have a difficult job but they need to do something otherwise people will start to take things into their own hands

“We don’t wasn’t to stop going in certain areas and we want to provide the best service we can to the public but these kids are putting everyone at risk.

“We are not anti-police or anti-Orchard Park but we have to make sure both our drivers and customers are safe.”

Inspector Mark Peasgood, of Humberside Police, agrees that throwing stones could prove extremely dangerous and insists such acts are taken seriously.

He said: “I completely understand the impact that offences of this nature have on a community and particularly on the drivers.

“This behaviour is completely unacceptable, and it is not something that we take lightly. Not only is it a careless act that causes damage to someone else’s property but it is also extremely dangerous and could ultimately cause a collision and potential serious injuries.

“Thankfully, the reported incident on Preston Road on Saturday does seem to be an isolated incident. The officers that attended, challenged a group of teenagers, speaking to them about the impact of offences of this nature. No further reports were received that evening.”

Insp Peasgood also says work is continuing to tackle problems on Orchard Park.

“Of course we know of the issues experienced in the Orchard Park area earlier in the year,” he said, “and want to offer my reassurance that the local team continue to work tirelessly to prevent issues of this nature.

“We continue to have officers out and about in the area both to offer support to local residents and to challenge anyone behaving inappropriately and work closely with CCTV operators to gather information about anyone involved in crime or antisocial behaviour enabling us to take action against them.

“We have recently referred one teenager to the youth offending services after he was caught throwing a stone at a car and we will continue to work hard to identify anyone else involved in this behaviour.”

Other work has also been carried out to tackle the issues.


Image: Hull Daily Mail

Insp Peasgood said: “Recent work with Hull City Council has led to upgrades in lighting to aid visibility in the Hall Road and Ellerburn Avenue area, as well as improved fencing to prevent people from running into the road.

“Officers have also visited schools to talk to teenagers about the potential consequences of antisocial behaviour and the impact that it can have for those that live and work in the area.

“As well as all of the above, colleagues in our intelligence department send through a daily report to make sure that we know about all of the reported incidents in the area, enabling us to assess the wider picture and respond appropriately.

“As the nights draw in we will continue to do all we can to take appropriate action against anyone found behaving inappropriately, or committing offences across the force area.

“If you see anyone committing offences of this nature please get in touch, by calling our non-emergency 101 line or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

“If there is a crime in progress or someone is in immediate danger always call 999.”

A couple of the comments probably sum things up better than the official spiel:

Stevejumbo
It is a damming indictment of Humberside Police that shows a complete ineptitude to deal with crime in Hull. Hull is becoming a lawless city and the police seem to be standing to the side and letting this happen. As a taxi driver I have enough hazards to cope with from the disgraceful state of the roads to cyclists without lights shooting out in front of traffic and pulling wheelies. The last thing we need is people throwing missiles at our vehicles.

This is no a difficult crime to detect and deal with. These youths are so stupid and thick that they are basically in the same place at the same time every night so how difficult should it be to catch them? I have given the police this information. The problem is that the police really have no idea about how to deal with this sort of crime effectively. Driving up and down Preston Road or wherever in a white Panda Car is not going to do anything because these youths can see them coming a mile away and stop what they are doing. The only way that they can solve this is to drive up and down for an hour or 2 in unmarked police cars and preferably put some taxi stickers on the cars. I guarantee they will get hit by a missile.

Just one last word. I have been a taxi driver for 5 years now and over that period I have been hit by missiles on 5 occasions. Basically once a year and have received varying degrees of damage. Basically this is an unacceptable level and reflects the dangerous nature of our occupation. The police have a duty and obligation to keep the streets free from crime but are seemingly choosing to ignore this. The council also has an obligation to protect the public but it seems both the police and the Hull City Council are letting the public down. There are areas in Hull like Orchard Park which have become no go areas for taxis. I know many taxi drivers who refuse to pick people up in those areas and now Greatfield and Preston Road are becoming the same. I also have a right to go about my business and work free of hazards and danger yet I am being exposed to unacceptable levels of risk and being let down down the authorities that should be there to protect me.

Adrestia
We have some progress in that the police have stopped issuing idiotic statements from senior officers claiming that the problem doesn't exist - though they're still trying to play the problem down as much as possible. As 'Stevejumbo' points out, this is very far from an' isolated incident' and to describe it as such is completely ludicrous.

There still are far too many vague assurances, accompanied by references to 'working with' various agencies.

As I've said elsewhere the police need a big kick up the backside from either the home office or council officials to get them to take this seriously all they need to do is stick a 4 man snatch squad into the back of a taxi drive to place this is happening and when the rock is thrown jump out and snatch some of them

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