Taxi Driver Online

10 Mar 2008

'Pay up or we'll kill you' - ultimatum from gang who beat taxi driver

TAXI driver Ansar Mahmood is too scared to drive after being beaten
unconscious by six men.

The 37-year old, who works for A1 Ziggy's, King Cross Street, Halifax,
picked up the six from Mixenden in his people carrier and headed towards town.

He said: "One of them refused to put their seatbelt on and as I came down
Shroggs Road a second stuck his head out of the window, refused to sit
properly in the car and started to make threats."

Mr Mahmood got to Bull Close, Halifax, at around 10pm on Saturday when
he was asked to stop.

He said: "The front passenger looked at the meter and saw the amount he
had to pay. He asked me about my takings and how much I had on me.

"He said 'give me all of your money or I will kill you' before punching me
on the side of the face."

While that was going on a second passenger started to hit him on the head
while another tried to use his coat to cover the driver's face.

He said: "I got out of the car and they attacked me."

He was punched in the face, hit with a bottle and kicked unconscious.

Around £30 was taken.

He came round and chased the men, managing to catch one of them
before police arrived.

Mr Mahmood, of Hanson Lane, Halifax, has been a taxi driver for around
six years.

He said: "I feel too scared to drive now. I keep looking behind me and just
feel really threatened.

"This is happening to us too often now and I think something seriously
needs to be done about this."


He was taken to Calderdale Royal Hospital where he was X-rayed and
received treatment for his injuries.

He described the men as white, in their early 20s and said they were
around 5ft 10in to 6ft.

Waheed Akhtar, managing director of Metro, Carlton Street, Halifax, saw
something happening and called the police.

He said: "I think the council and police need to look into this because it is
happening too often. More action defintely needs to be taken."
Detective Sergeant Ross Wadsworth said: "The people set about the driver
as he was parked in town.

"Police were in the area at the time and as the incident unfolded one
suspect was arrested.

"He was detained by the driver before police were flagged down to help."

Inquiries are ongoing and police are appealing for anyone with information
to contact Halifax CID on 01422 337085 or Crimestoppers anonymously
on 0800 555111.

Source: Halifax Evening Courier
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If these guys are found guilty I hope they get a stiff sentence. Anyone know Calderdales policy on CCTV?

Regards

JD

_________________
Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

I'm really pleased that one was caught and his sings like a bird.

As JD alludes to CCTV would have meant all of them would be caught in time.

Might not have stopped the incident in the first place, but in my experience scum don't like CCTV.

_________________
IDFIMH

Seems they have arrested all six.

http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/Si ... 3861694.jp

_________________
IDFIMH

Tue Feb 27, 2007

Cabbies pick up safety tips


TAXI drivers learned conflict resolution and survival skills at a safety seminar.

As violence towards private hire drivers soars, the course offered a chance to pick up crucial safety tips which could save lives.

Bryan Roland, of the National Private Hire Association, spelled out the dangers of the taxi trade.

"There have been 40 murders of taxi drivers in 15 years," he said. "There is violence every day and since the new licensing laws came into force it has just gone crazy.

"But there are ways to tackle the problem. One firm had over 300 incidents in December 2005 alone. They spent a fortune on cameras in the cars and this year only had six incidents. All options need to be looked at."

The Courier reported yesterday how taxi driver Wajid Shaheen was attacked by thugs and sprayed with CS gas as he worked in Halifax. It was the latest in a string of violent incidents across the district.

Calderdale Council and the Health and Safety Executive joined forces to present yesterday's seminar at Riverside House, West Vale.

Rod Russell, of Transport Training Technology, said: "It is a high risk occupation, driving a cab. It is very dangerous indeed. Drivers are on their own.

"We teach them what the triggers for violence are and what to look out for. We teach them body language so they know how to reduce risk and how to diffuse dangerous situations. We are potentially saving lives. That has got to be a positive thing."

More than a dozen drivers attended the event, which the group hopes to repeat in the future.

Councillor Graham Hall, cabinet member for corporate cervices, said it highlighted a serious issue.

He added: "This is a valuable opportunity for drivers of taxis and private hire vehicles to find out how they can be safer."

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

Mon Feb 12, 2007

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Action call as risks increase

THE 900 or so licensed taxis drivers in Calderdale have been asked to attend a meeting to learn how to stay safe.

Last month, drivers asked Calderdale Council to pay for security cameras to be installed in their cabs.

Instead, the council and the Health and Safety Executive have jointly organised a seminar to help them cope with dangerous and unruly passengers.

"New drivers in particular need to be made aware of the dangers and how to avoid putting themselves at risk," said Bryan Roland, of the National Private Hire Association.

"This is such an important issue that the Government has just appointed a group specially to look at the safety of taxi drivers."

Over the past 15 years, 40 taxi drivers have died at the hands of their passengers in the UK.

And from the beginning of this year, there have been nearly 100 press reports of attacks on taxi drivers across the country.

Mr Roland will be one of the speakers at the seminar to be held on Monday, February 26, at the Step business training centre, North Dean Business Park, Stainland Road, Halifax.

Rod Russell of Transport Training Technology Ltd will give advice on training for taxi and private hire drivers.

Graham Hall, who has cabinet responsibility for corporate services, said the event highlighted a serious issue and he hoped that as many drivers as possible would attend.

"National figures from the taxi and private hire industry will be giving the benefit of their experience in helping drivers to spot the danger signs," said Coun Hall (Con, Hipperholme and Lightcliffe).

"This is a valuable opportunity for drivers of taxis and private hire vehicles to find out how they can be safer."

There are 765 licensed private hire drivers and 151 hackney carriage drivers in Calderdale.

Steve Smithies, of the Halifax Taxi Drivers' Association, said the seminar was a good idea if it helped to educate drivers.

"There have always been attacks on drivers but if is reported more often today than it was 30 or 40 years ago," he said.

l In September, thugs carried out a vicious attack on a private hire driver before robbing him of his £50 takings and leaving him for dead at Pye Nest, Halifax.

Last month, another driver was beaten with metal bars after picking up a fare in Queensbury.

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

In the majority of cases attacks on Taxi drivers are premeditated, the exception being in the many incidents involving a disputed fare. Nearly all these attacks are carried out on saloon drivers. Sentences should be stiffer and driver security should be taken out of the hands of councillors and placed firmly in the hands of those whose lives are at risk and that means Taxi drivers.

Regards

JD

_________________
Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

Are you suggesting a taxi driver would be refused security?

CC

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

I'm not suggesting, it is already a matter of fact.

Regards

JD

_________________
Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

Are they allowed CCTV in there cabs there??????

I do not see how anyone could be refused CCTV - it is just a question of what they will accept.

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if you cannot be yourself, then who can you be.

I think some councils wont allow it because they haven't been asked, or they haven't been told of the error of their ways.

As we all know on here there is no excuse not to allow a proper CCTV system, and the tits that don't allow it need to be told they are tits of the highest order.

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IDFIMH

Well said.

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