Taxi Driver Online

This is more of a Covid-19 overview in Wales than just about screens, but at least Cardiff Council seems a bit more proactive about working on an actual specification, although maybe this should have all been done and dusted by now, and decided nationally, not locally.

And this is a summary of a TV news item. The video can be viewed via the BBC's website


Coronavirus: Taxi drivers demand safety screens

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-52650485

Taxi drivers are urging local councils to push through greater in-car safety measures to guard against coronavirus.

With streets across the UK quiet in a bid to stem the outbreak, some taxi drivers have said they are "desperate" without business.

However, those still working have among the highest death rates involving Covid-19 of any occupation in the UK, according to official figures.

"It's a worry for every driver that's working," said taxi driver Paul O'Hara.

Mr O'Hara, secretary of Cardiff taxi co-operative Drive, said he was concerned every time a customer got in his cab.


Image: BBC

"The slightest sniffle or sneeze, it makes you jump," he said.

"There's no protection between the customer and the driver. We don't have many London-style black cabs that have the full protection, so it's a worry picking people up."

Mr O'Hara wants to install a specially designed screen in his cab, separating him from his customer.

However, drivers require permission from the city's council, which licenses taxis, to make any modification.

Cardiff council said it was following Welsh Government guidelines and was working with firms to agree a specification for screens that would not affect safety systems, such as air bags.

A spokesperson said: "A number of installations have been brought to our attention and the licensing department is working with these companies to help ensure driver and passenger safety."

"When retrospectively fitting anything into a vehicle, it is essential that it is done safely and it doesn't compromise the integrity of the structure of the vehicle."

Uber drivers and passengers in most countries - but not the UK - will have to wear face masks from next week as the ride-hailing firm toughens its coronavirus policy.

Uber, however, will fit perspex partition screens between drivers and passengers across its 4,000 vehicles next week.

According to Public Health Wales figures, more than 1,100 people in Wales have died with the virus - including taxi drivers Ghulam Abbass, from Newport, and Bob Harries, of Cardiff.

"[Bob] was a character and he'll be sorely missed by everyone in the trade," said Mr O'Hara.

"It just hammers home the fact that it's just so dangerous out here."

The health risks are even greater for drivers from ethnic minority backgrounds.

Abdul Hie, chair of the Unite union's Cardiff cab section, said the majority of drivers from the city's black, Asian and ethnic minority communities were staying home to protect themselves and their families.


Image: BBC

"There are so many unknowns. It's so important we get to the root cause of why this is happening," he said.

A Wirral company that is producing custom-made plastic screens to be fitted inside cabs said it had been inundated with requests.

"The bizarre thing for me is that we are still seeing drivers with no protection whatsoever," said Shaun Marnell, of Car'n'Cab Care.

"We've had calls from Conwy, Gwynedd, Denbighshire, Swansea and Cardiff. We've all got family at home we need to protect."

But many drivers are feeling the pressure to continue to work.

The RMT union which represents many transport workers said 80,000 taxi drivers in the UK were in danger of becoming destitute because of the lockdown.

Generally self-employed, drivers may be able to claim 80% of their earnings under UK government measures - but will not receive that money until June.

Mr O'Hara said drivers were "struggling to make ends meet and put food on the table", having lost about 80% of their work.

He added: "It's a case of needs must. But also, NHS workers, carers, support workers, they all need to get to work and feel a taxi is the safest way."

As the vast majority of taxis in Wales do not currently have protective screens, there would be significant costs involved in widespread installation.

A Welsh Government spokeswoman said: "We are in discussion with the Welsh Local Government Association and other partners about this and we intend to issue guidance to assist taxi and private hire operators."

One or two of the recent articles on here haven't caught up with the fact that it now looks like all the payments will have been made by the end of next week.

I think

And hope

Think most of the UK's BAME drivers are following suit.

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IDFIMH

So are BAME drivers actually more at risk than the likes of you or me, or are they just more at risk generally because of the type of jobs they're doing?

I think all BAME folks are at a higher risk to this virus, and it follows that they are more at risk doing our job.

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IDFIMH

Probably they are more inclined to be diabetic which increases the risk greatly.

The medics in my family say it's all down to your genes, and clearly this virus effects old dears, those with existing medical ailments, and BAME folks more than those not meeting the above criteria.

I've mentioned before on TDO that prior to lockdown a couple of BAME drivers down here got the virus, thankfully they have recovered, but boy oh boy did it spook their communities.

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IDFIMH

I would imagine what's called 'metabolic syndrome' will increase the risk greatly, and no doubt many drivers come into that category. Metabolic syndrome includes things like:

- excess abdominal fat

- diabetes;

- high blood pressure;

- cholestorol problems/high triglycerides

And a lot of these things linked anyway - eg excess weight causes diabetes, and is also inclined to raise blood pressure. And bad diet obviously linked to excess weight, which causes problems with cholestorol and triglycerides in the blood, which clogs up your arteries, increasing blood pressure, blah blah

I'm not convinced that it is because they are BAME but more likely they are in higher risk jobs such as London bus drivers, hospital porters,rail and tube workers and Security Guards

The rate of death in the countries of origin is MUCH lower than the Uk or Italy.Spain or the US which suggests to me that it more likely the lifestyle at cause than their genes

Oh and Stuart Please correct the title I know it is only one letter missing but

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Taxis Are Public Transport too

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Sturt? People who live in glass houses shouldn’t stow thrones!

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Former taxi driver

It was a deliberate misspelling

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Taxis Are Public Transport too

Join the campaign to get April fools jokes banned for 364 days a year !

Finally got round to changing that. Which I had noticed, but kept on getting distracted before changing it.

But since we're all getting a bit nitpicking, perhaps some posters could use a few more full stops and capital letters? Might make their contributions slightly easier to read

The odd comma at appropriate points might not go amiss either

No need to go back and amend everything, obviously, although many of us have lots of spare time just now. If you start now and work back, might be finished by the end of lockdown

Was about to start ranting about the use of the quote function as well, but perhaps it's better for my blood pressure if I don't

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Taxis Are Public Transport too

Join the campaign to get April fools jokes banned for 364 days a year !