Taxi Driver Online

Dear Inspector Frye

I note with some interest that you have not yet responded to my queries as below. I would urge you to do so with some urgency, at least within the timescale in which you acted to call in taxi plate 1177 for inspection.

I now request that you provide me, under freedom of information requirements as necessary, with the fullest details of how you conduct the complaints procedure you have adopted in this case.

Specifically, I would be grateful if you would outline the process of recording complaints over the last 3 years.

1. Please furnish me with a copy of the register of all the complaints made to and held by the Taxi Examination Centre, including records of identification. Where no such identification is held on record, please explain why.

2. Please advise me of the record of the results of your investigations.

3. Please advise what actions resulted from the inspection of each of the vehicles called in to the TEC.

4. Please advise what feedback you have given to the complainant on each and every occasion.

5. Please demonstrate how each step of the complaints process, either as outlined above or according to your own standing orders, complies with the European Human Rights legislation to protect the rights of individuals.

You will appreciate Inspector Frye that there is a climate within the trade which suggests that the TEC is being operated in an arbitrary and draconian way under your leadership. Without a full process, properly accounted for and in accordance with the basic tenet of Humans Rights legislation, there is the real concern that the TEC, under the auspices of this City of Edinburgh Council, controlled by the Corporate Services Department and under the poor leadership and political control demonstrated by the elected officials on the council, is an intolerable instrument of excessive and severe control over the taxi trade.

Your timeous response to these questions will serve to establish what the true nature of TEC operations is and I look forward to that response.

Yours


----- Original Message -----
From: Jim Taylor
To: Cab Inspector
Cc: Robert Millar ; Colin Keir ; Elaine Morris ; Joanna Mowat ; Kate Mackenzie ; Louise Lang ; Norma Hart ; Ricky Henderson ; Ronald Cairns ; Tim Mckay
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 1:23 PM
Subject:


Dear Inspector Frye

Data Systems in taxis – Health and Safety

I draw attention to the use of the Cordic and Auriga systems used by the main taxi companies in the City and make formal complaint that the public are being put at risk.

It is a requirement that such systems must be used in accordance with the Law concerning the use of hand held telephony and use of radios in vehicles. As you are aware it is illegal to use such devices while driving. You will also be aware it is the role of the Taxi Examination Centre, and your direct responsibility as Cab Inspector, to ensure that these devices are capable of being operated entirely within the terms of the Law.

I draw your attention to the fact that the drivers of these radio companies, using these devices, do so while driving. I understand that the use of these PDA type devices is sufficiently complex, a distraction to safe driving, and that consequentially their use represent a significant danger to the drivers and the public.

I require you to advise me, in full detail, what safety tests were conducted on these systems by you, or on your behalf, to ensure that they fully comply with the Law pertaining to their use, prior to you, and City of Edinburgh Council, sanctioning their use in Edinburgh’s taxis.

Carriage of Wheelchairs – Health and Safety

I draw your attention to the Health and Safety Laboratory’s 2005 report, “Ergonomics assessment of the movement of wheelchair users by taxi drivers” which highlights that the process of loading a wheelchair into an LTI taxi, where the individual weighs more than six and one half stones, represents a Health and Safety risk to both the driver bearing the weight and the passenger being loaded into the taxi through use of the ramp system.

Please advise me what steps you, or your predecessors, have taken to adopt the information contained in this report, and to ascertain that the process complies fully with Health and Safety legal requirements.

Please advise me what advice is given to drivers in the training modules which are designed, reviewed and presumably monitored by the Taxi Examination Centre, under your direct responsibility, in respect of the risk to those drivers and the passengers they are transporting?

I make formal complaint that you, as Cab Inspector, are putting drivers and members of the public at risk of injury through your knowledge of the inherent dangers and flaws in the process you are responsible for insisting its usage.

Knowledge of these matters makes you responsible, accountable and culpable. I advise you that your failure to act on these matters with due diligence will result in a formal complaint being made through the Police Complaints Procedure.

So a cab inspector is allowed to jst pluck any number out of tha air and emand that cab be subjected to an inspection.

Fascism or what?

And we just allow this to happen?

In Engaland council can request to inspect inspect your vehicle on up to 3 occasions during the period of its licence without ryhyme or reason. Its written into the 1976 Act. Don't know how you stand in Scotland.

Yeah, I don't dispute the right to inspect the vehicle. But this isn't a regular or even random inspection. It is a precise response to an alleged complaint from a member of the public.

Who is this member of the public? We don't know. We're not told. The cab office isn't interested.

This is not how we should be conducting our society. There has to be some reason, some accountability.

Else it truly is fascism. And the state becomes unaccountable to us.

When the car was inspected, was everything ok?

_________________
Grandad,

I think a council can inspect a vehicle whenever they see it, or request to see it.

The three tests are for usually mechanical/safety checks via a qualified tester.

_________________
IDFIMH

Not unreasonable in the interests of public safety. But we're talking about a complaints process which has no form, no statutory rules and no accountability.

We should remember that we are all subject to Euro Human Rights laws. As such, any council procedures should be conducted in line with these.

I suggest that pulling individuals up based on hearsay complaints hardly protects individual rights.

I think if a complaint is made, and that complaint is found to have been a false accusation, then the mush being accused should have some sort of redress against the complainant.

Even if it's only a smack on the nose.

_________________
IDFIMH

What about the comcab system Jim ??? OH ! I forget ! its better not to bite the hand that feeds you !!!!!!!

Anyhow, why you on your high horse when the cabs not yours ?

Are you sure you have down your homework on the wireless and telegraphy act ?
Yes you are correct with the GPRS technology (cordic and the new comcab system ) But I think you will find that the auriga PMR technology is legal !! I mean it would have to be ! its the same technology used by.... wait for it..... Lothian and Borders finest !!!!! Police,ambulance and fire !!!

If you want full details get in touch with the road traffic safety division, they'll keep you right !!

Er, because it suits me Ross. It kinda works on the principle from the Untouchables.

"One of theirs pulls a knife, you pull a gun.

They put one of yours in the hospital, you put one of theirs in the morgue."

Ross, Stu needs some help putting on his straight-jacket now that he's bought a plate. I told him you were an expert in this department. Any chance you giving him a hand

_________________
All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

Tsk Tsk Skull. The last thing poor Stu needs is to learn how to add homophobia, racism and bigotry to his impaired mental capacity.

Yeah Suss, I can't wait to see what systems and paperwork they have in place to justify this.

Did someone tell porkies Jim? Thats well out of order
At least it was'nt a brick through your window or worse.
Or maybe some thug of a driver who picks on decrepit old men and thinks he's some sort of hard man,as i said,"well out of order".