Taxi Driver Online

'Time to put brakes on bullies'


CD Khalid is angry at the way he says taxi drivers are being treated after he had his licence revoked Bradford taxi bosses say Council officers are using bullying tactics against drivers, confiscating licences at will and hitting them with undeserved points and fines.

CD Khalid, president of the Bradford Hackney Carriage Owners' Association, has condemned the Council following an incident where his licence was revoked.

He says drivers are being penalised when they park up to use the lavatory and are expected to have their roof light sign on around the clock.

"In the city centre the only public lavatory facilities are at City Hall. They are not 24 hours and you have to pay to use them as well. They are not suitable for drivers as there are no parking spaces nearby.

"If a hackney carriage driver uses the facilities in an absolute emergency, enforcement officers automatically fine the driver, saying they must always be in the vehicle and issue a ticket and penalty points on the driver's personal file," he said.

"Officers force drivers to put the taxi light on 24 hours a day. If the light is not on for any reason, after a simple warning the enforcement officer suspends the vehicle licence.

"They should be providing an explanation. If the explanation does not allow them to suspend the vehicle licence, then the case should be taken forward to reimburse the driver."

Mr Khalid says drivers, who are only required to wear their badge "when standing, plying or driving the vehicle", are also being targeted when using the car for personal use.

"The enforcement officers are carrying out continual harassment of drivers who are on personal trips. On such occasions drivers have been issued with a £30 fine and three points on their file."

He told the Telegraph & Argus about an incident shortly after Christmas when his licence was confiscated while he was parked in the middle of the taxi rank at Norfolk Gardens near City Hall. A friend was in crisis and came to find Mr Khalid to ask him for help. As he was no longer plying for business, Mr Khalid turned his roof light off and waited for the other taxis in front to move off the rank.

Enforcement officers spotted him and took his badge and licence, causing other drivers to stage a two-hour strike. After police intervention his badge and licence were returned. He has now written to the Council.

Bradford Council's head of business services, David Webster, said because there was an ongoing enforcement issue with Mr Khalid they could not comment on his individual case.

He confirmed that the rules for the signs on hackney carriage vehicles under conditions and procedures stated "the roof sign must be illuminated only when the vehicle is standing or plying for hire".

"If drivers feel aggrieved about any enforcement action they do have a right of appeal," he said.

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

But he was still on the taxi rank?

CC

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

Tory Council, little Ass, drivers getting the treatment, anyone got this guys contact details wed love this one.How about you TM???????????
ORGANISE EDUCATE AGITATE

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The views expressed by this contributor do not neccesarily reflect the policys of The GMB Nationally or of the GMB London Region.

Politics again from GMB.

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stressed controller!!!

Of course who else takes the decisions YOU???????????????????

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The views expressed by this contributor do not neccesarily reflect the policys of The GMB Nationally or of the GMB London Region.

I would imagine there are LABOUR councils who are just as bad.

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stressed controller!!!

From David Cameron's web site / forum

BNP to get 23% in general election
Recent polls show that in the next general election the BNP are to get 23% of the vote, this being the case would a tory government look at the reasons why ordinary people are voting for the bnp and if so would you adopt any of their polices? (such as more nationalism and stopping jobs being lost to India and china etc) I would like to make the point that if you believe only racist's vote for the BNP then over a quarter of the population is racist and this will need to be looked at

Rambo if they are, a quite word in the LUGOLE from US tends to work.
DECISIONS ARE TAKEN BY THOSE THAT TURN UP!

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The views expressed by this contributor do not neccesarily reflect the policys of The GMB Nationally or of the GMB London Region.

Posted by: Steven on 7:26pm Mon 8 Jan 07

Taxi drivers provide an excellent service to the entire community. Everyday they go to work, and dont know whether they will be safe. The council should stop using these hard working drivers as a [bold]"piggy bank".[/bold] There are some real criminal on the streets of Bradford. It would be a good idea if the council focuses their effort on them instead.
Taxi drivers provide an excellent service to the entire community. Everyday they go to work, and dont know whether they will be safe.

The council should stop using these hard working drivers as a "piggy bank". There are some real criminal on the streets of Bradford. It would be a good idea if the council focuses their effort on them instead.

Quote | Report this postPosted by: Simon on 9:06am Tue 9 Jan 07
In my experience as a fellow driver, Taxi drivers in Bradford are a law unto themselves. I have not seen such an unprofessional service anywhere else in the country. I have seen numerous instances of Taxi's pulling up in the most inappropriate places, causing delays and safety risks to pedestrians. When will we have drivers who give due care and consideration to other road users?
In my experience as a fellow driver, Taxi drivers in Bradford are a law unto themselves. I have not seen such an unprofessional service anywhere else in the country. I have seen numerous instances of Taxi's pulling up in the most inappropriate places, causing delays and safety risks to pedestrians. When will we have drivers who give due care and consideration to other road users?

Quote | Report this postPosted by: ahmed on 9:08am Tue 9 Jan 07
I think it is deplorable to hit these drivers with fines. Having worked as a private hire driver over 3 years ago, the reason I left was due to the excessive abuse of authority that the enforcement officers hold. I was made to sit down in the enforcer’s office and listen while the officer accused me of an offence.Due to the allegation being minor I would have gotten away with a warning but being spoken to like you would to a 3 year old I left the office and never looked back. ……..Any you know what!! That was the best decision I ever made because now I work for a major bank.

I think it is deplorable to hit these drivers with fines. Having worked as a private hire driver over 3 years ago, the reason I left was due to the excessive abuse of authority that the enforcement officers hold. I was made to sit down in the enforcer’s office and listen while the officer accused me of an offence.Due to the allegation being minor I would have gotten away with a warning but being spoken to like you would to a 3 year old I left the office and never looked back. ……..Any you know what!! That was the best decision I ever made because now I work for a major bank.

Quote | Report this postPosted by: Andrew Bairsto on 10:28am Tue 9 Jan 07
I sometimes doubt the authenticity of the actual driver
I sometimes doubt the authenticity of the actual driverQuote | Report this postPosted by: ahmed on 10:44am Tue 9 Jan 07
I would advise if you have any doubts of the driver take down their badge number and plate number to verify their authenticity.

Quote | Report this postPosted by: db on 4:51pm Tue 9 Jan 07
Taxi drivers deserve everything they get. If I break the rules and get caught I expect to get punished. If a taxi driver says he didn't know he was doing wrong then he shouldn't be doing the job. Considering that these people are supposedly professional drivers, they are the ones most likely to speed and flout the traffic laws. They put the general public at risk on a daily basis. How many of us have seen a baseball bat or some other article intended for self defence down beside the driver of a taxi? A significant number of us I bet, it's an offensive weapon and if the police were alerted to this the driver would have some explaining to do. There must be some decent taxi drivers out there but I don't notice them because they obey the rules. Having said all that, they are no way near as bad as Private Hire drivers.

Taxi drivers deserve everything they get. If I break the rules and get caught I expect to get punished. If a taxi driver says he didn't know he was doing wrong then he shouldn't be doing the job. Considering that these people are supposedly professional drivers, they are the ones most likely to speed and flout the traffic laws. They put the general public at risk on a daily basis. How many of us have seen a baseball bat or some other article intended for self defence down beside the driver of a taxi? A significant number of us I bet, it's an offensive weapon and if the police were alerted to this the driver would have some explaining to do. There must be some decent taxi drivers out there but I don't notice them because they obey the rules. Having said all that, they are no way near as bad as Private Hire drivers.

Quote | Report this postPosted by: ahmed on 5:16pm Tue 9 Jan 07
I cannot believe that after the previous assaults on taxi drivers and the very latest one, we have a reader who is questioning why they would want to carry something for self defence... I tell you what!!! The taxi drivers in Keighley and Huddersfield that were killed and the ones that were assaulted in Wibsey and Queensbury didn’t have a baseball to defend themselves. they are the ones that are in coffins or in hospitals and they are the ones who have left kids without a father .I think people need to get with the news and appreciate that without the service they provide we would be at a loss .

I cannot believe that after the previous assaults on taxi drivers and the very latest one, we have a reader who is questioning why they would want to carry something for self defence... I tell you what!!! The taxi drivers in Keighley and Huddersfield that were killed and the ones that were assaulted in Wibsey and Queensbury didn’t have a baseball to defend themselves. they are the ones that are in coffins or in hospitals and they are the ones who have left kids without a father .I think people need to get with the news and appreciate that without the service they provide we would be at a loss .

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

Its simple JOIN THE GMBPDB our clout will HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DECISIONS ARE TAKEN BY THOSE THAT TURN UP EVEN IN BRADFORD!

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The views expressed by this contributor do not neccesarily reflect the policys of The GMB Nationally or of the GMB London Region.

This is a breathtaking abuse of councils power.

Perhaps support for the bnp is just an expression of disgust with government, both local and national?