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Taxis plagued by 'nightmare' drunks
TAXI drivers who work past midnight are putting their cars, their health and their livelihoods at risk because of drunks coming out of clubs throughout the night.
That is the message sent out by Bridlington Taxis Association chief Dave North, after a woman driving a group of youths back from Scarborough on a night was hit by a volley of abuse.
She also had food raining down on her, and a headrest narrowly missed her head after being thrown from the back of the car.
Christine Norman-Smith, who runs Village Cars in Flamborough, allowed a group of men into her taxi earlier this month and was rewarded with a food fight in the back of the car.
She said: "As a woman I find it difficult to tell people not to eat. Sometimes I can be a bit soft with passengers.
"I said to them, 'if you eat, be careful not to spill anything.' My husband said I should have been stronger."
Despite one of the lads sitting in the front trying to discourage the rowdy behaviour, the men in the back were throwing food and calling Mrs Norman-Smith degrading names.
"Near the end of the trip they started smoking, so I stopped again and asked them to throw their cigarettes out.
"One insisted on lighting up again. There was a lot of colourful language and they were calling me all sorts of names. It was very degrading."
As well as the foul language and persistent smoking, Mrs Norman-Smith could also hear food hitting different parts of the car as the yobs held a food-fight in the back.
"A headrest came across as well," she said. "If it had hit me then that would have been the end. We would have been off the road and I would not be here now.
"I am normally quite a strong person and I was able to stand up to them, but by the end of the journey I was in a state. I stopped when we entered Bridlington, and I told them to get out."
Mr North said: "Most drivers actually pull off at midnight because ,with licensing hours lengthened, it has made it easier for the police, but it is a nightmare for the taxi drivers.
"People are coming out drunk right up until 6am. If your vehicle gets messed up or damaged you cannot work and it is not worth it."
Warning about bogus taxis
THE public are being warned about bogus taxi drivers after a woman lost a bag of shopping.
Pensioner Marjorie Major had finished shopping in Marks and Spencer in Bridlington, and when she walked outside, a taxi driver approached to help her with her goods.
When she arrived home, he then offered to put all her bags inside, before driving away.
However, Mrs Major found when she returned to her home that a bag of seafood was missing, and believes that the driver kept hold of it intentionally.
She said: "I had had a hectic day with things going wrong, and I was in town a long time I did not take too much notice of the taxi when I came out, except that he was there on the doorstep and offering to help. I was maybe a bit naive getting into the cab.
"He could have got away with a lot of Christmas shopping if he does it to other people, and he could be doing it quite a bit. People will think it is a mistake and not report it, but I know it was no mistake."
Dave North, head of Bridlington Taxis Association, said that while most taxis were genuine, shoppers should be on guard in case they are approached by one of the few rogue drivers.
"I would advise any member of the public to ring County Hall and report them, but they need identification," he said.
"There is an element out there who are rip-off merchants. If people get into the taxi and think that something is amiss then it is up to them to take plate numbers and registration numbers."
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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin
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