Friday Night 19 Dec. 2008, Front Street. Tynemouth.
A Hack pulls into the Taxi Rank & picks up a Fare from the queue. The female passenger is slightly the worse for wear in drink and is feeling sick. The driver of the Hack asks the lady where she is going. “Jarrow” she says and tells the driver she’s probably going to be sick. The driver warns her that if she is sick in the car she will be liable to a further charge of £80 for soiling the carriage and would she rather get some fresh air before embarking on this Journey, Bearing in mind there is no stopping in the Tyne Tunnel. (As Taxi drivers we think of things like this) The lady agrees and alights from the car. At this juncture a female North Tyneside enforcement officer, not on duty, appears from the midst of the Taxi queue, also looking like she has had one too many sherberts and starts the old “Do you know who I am?” I would have been tempted to reply “Cabwoman?” But this driver was more polite than that and acknowledged that yes he knew who she was. She then began to berate the driver for refusing a fare and furthermore made demands on him to take the lady in question to her destination, at this point I would have been further tempted to reply in phonetics (Foxtrot Oscar) again this driver was more polite than I and tried in vain to explain himself calmly relating the sequence of events. She cut him off with a wild gesture of her upraised arm, muttering incoherently and jumped into the Taxi behind (Poor Sod) Leaving the driver perplexed and somewhat worried for his badge. Another lady, who had witnessed the aforesaid episode, came forth from the queue and got into his Taxi. She asked “what was all that about?” The driver explained that she was an enforcement officer and was ticking him off for refusing a fare. She then said “well I work for North Tyneside Council aswell and the way she spoke to you was absolutely disgusting”.
We have to put up with a lot in this job and for the most part we take it all in our stride. The last people we would expect to behave in this manner would be the people who licence us. This driver acted with extreme professionalism, the same cannot be said for the enforcement officer.
He did not refuse the fare and if her judgement had not been impaired she may have realised this. Even if he had refused the fare he would have been blameless as a Taxi driver is not compelled by Law to take any Fare which ends outside of his operating area.
We constantly ask enforcement for help with various trade related issues, for the most part we are ignored or fobbed off, and we take this in our stride and continue to talk with enforcement in the hope of building a better working relationship, eventually. This episode casts doubt on any kind of close working relationship. Imagine a Taxi driver walking into Taxi Licensing after a couple of hours on the drink and berating the staff on their shortcomings, they do have a lot of shortcomings, I think he or she would be Badgeless within the week.
A slightly redeeming point for this officer is that today (Sat 20 Dec) she placed a ticket on a car illegally parked on the Wellington Street Rank (it was a Hack for all those who think this site is one sided) and then came to the Nile Street Rank and promptly gave another ticket out for Smoking in the Cab (another Hack).
I can’t help wondering what she was thinking, when she woke this morning in her no doubt Hung-over state. It’s certainly curious that she should then come to work and promptly prosecute two Hacks.
And finally does the phrase “Fit and Proper person” ring any bells? I can’t ever remember a time in all my years as a Taxi driver, when a representative of Taxi Licensing has approached a Taxi driver, Slavvery Drunk and behaved in this way. No Names Mentioned here but I would hope on reflection you are thoroughly ashamed of yourself!
{ 43 comments… read them below or add one }
It just shows them lot up in Killingworth a humans too!!!!!!!!!!
Not Stepford Office Staff!
Come on where is the Photo’s of this one?????, you slipped up this time Admin!
@admin..its nice too see mr newton and christine actually know where north shields is!!its a pity they didnt check on the wellington street rank during the week when its full of ph vehicles and the general public using it as a parking bay whilst they get their mcdonalds.any idea why they ticketed the car on the rank?as for the driver smoking in car,good on them its no hardship to get outve vehicle and have one.
@white lines, The car on wellington street Rank was ticketed because it was unattended. It was the Asian guy from central with the peugot.
what are enforcement for? they uphold anti smoking laws but can they catch a flimper,Which one of these is potentially more hazardous to the general public?
@johnno,they collect money! They’re just rent collectors.That’s what this country is now,a nation of rent collectors.
@johnno,
SMOKING IS!!!!!
Approx 5.4 million deaths a year are caused worldwide by tobacco related illness, 114,000 of those are in the UK.
How many people per year are killed or injured by flimpers?
I am against flimping but also against smoking in public places where non smokers like myself are forced to inhale second hand toxic fumes.
@Private hire driver Ncle, If i have a tab in my car and half an hour later i take a fare is that fare going to get lung cancer off of my clothes, any more than breathing in bus fumes or parafin fumes from candles in their home or from hairspray or air fresheners or deodorants or that rotten eggy smell from catalytic converters. The fact is those 114,000 deaths you speak of are ‘respiratory deaths’ and the anti smoking brigade thinks we breath nothing in but cig smoke.Actually more people die from stress than anything else, if you want to generalise and put a blanket blame on a cause of death.Anyway why is everyone so obsessed with saving lives,we can’t outrun death.
@smoker, Hahaha, whatever.
You know best, lol.
@Private hire driver Ncle, Just for the record, the most common cause of death… is old age.. check out the death certificates if you dont believe me (it is listed as natural causes, i think).. so the message is live your life while you can and enjoy it !!!!
For all the veggie exercising keep fit tee-total non smokers out there, do you really want to live to a 100 ??? just think about it, all of your friends will be dead, you will probably be half comotose in a nursing home, pissing your pants every 5 minutes and getting spoon-fed.. wow isn’t life wonderful !!!!
well, smoker, you just stay smelly, out of breath, dirty, yellow stained and eventually suffer a terrible drawn out death. I’m ok though cos i don’t smoke. If you think the above is untrue then you are in cloud cuckoo land already. Merry Christmas!
@jamesy, Well said Jamesy.
QUESTION !!
should drivers be able to display their plates clearly in the back windows of their cars ??
In the last week we have had three plates “STOLEN” from the rear of the cars !! So i am now beginning to think having them displayed in the rear window maybe a better option, as it makes it slightly safer and slightly harder for a potential their to take ?
or if this is just kids removing for pure development they are deter by the fact they now have to smash glass to get to the plate ?
QUESTION !!
should drivers be able to display their plates clearly in the back windows of their cars ??
In the last week we have had three plates “STOLEN” from the rear of the cars !! So i am now beginning to think having them displayed in the rear window maybe a better option, as it makes it slightly safer and slightly harder for a potential thief (or kids for devilment)to take the plate from the car ?
@Ian Shanks, Oh boy. I really don’t believe what I am reading. Special rules for blueline again. No wonder NT Council despair of you all.
@jamesy,
now who said anything about specials rules ? it was simply a question to be asked of the trade and their thoughts on what has become a recent issue ie plates being stolen
so stop putting your horrible little slant on things
@Ian Shanks, horrible little slant? plates should be fixed securely to the rear of the car, as is the law. I see so many blt taxis with them stuck half vivible in the rear window, usually berwick ones. get yer own house in order before you suggest how the rest of the trade should act. Horrible little slant?
@jamesy,
yes horrible slant as you suggested i wanted special rules when i only ask what people thoughts where about having them clearly affixed to rear windows after having a number of them stolen from the rear of the cars
read my post properly
@stolen plates.. if the plates are fitted securely to vehicles they would be difficult to steal.bet the ones that were stolen were stuck on with velcro or double sided tape.use cable ties or screw them on to the bumper.its probably only a bit of horseplay by kids.
@white lines,
i hope it is horse play !! BUT THEY WERE SCREWED ON ! so someone want them taken off for a reason
you are right maybe the plates supplier are doing it for a financial gain and so are the tyre-suppliers? I lost 3 tyres within 4 weeks because of nails and glass in our taxi ranks in Newcastle.As a result less Xmas presents for my kids.
@ian shanks.. i know a hack driver with the same surname as yourself had a problem with his plate getting removed from his mondeo(he had an accent from north of the border)a lot further than berwick though!! he was detested by punters and other hacks in north shields.. if your plates were screwed on it may be that the drivers have upset the wrong people.
If you read the miscellaneous provisions act 1986/or the public carriage act 1847,or for that matter any other legislation regarding number plates,be they `hackney,PH or vehicle number plates,the law specifically says that these identification plates `will/shall be securely fitted to the outside of the vehicle in such a way as to be easily read from the rear. I have always assumed that this meant the plate could be secured with double tape,or bolts,but excluding cushions,pillows,someones coat,or and other means of jamming against the `inside` of the window…more so when the said vehicle has `tinted` glass,so dark as to require better than 20/20 vision to see it.
This being the case,why should BLT be treated as any different to the other 3 million or so motorists who have no problems with their number plates.
Incidentally,1 PH car,no names mentioned,but it works or worked in the Dudley area of NT,the driver was fined by Mags,and had his case referred to licensing for assessment,for NOT displaying his `plate`in the correct manner on his vehicle…that was this last year….2008
@john dodds,
i am not suggesting Blt be treated any differently i am just concerned we have had three plates stolen in as many weeks.
while you like to regugitate the law its not always correct all be it its all we have to work to !! but if you look at the private hire trade of our GREAT capital city LONDON ! they simple have a tax disc size ID’S in the front and rear screen. well its all the same country yet we have many different standards to which the powers to be seem to use or discard to their likening.
anyway i am for as much vehicle ID as possible for the public as my cars may suggest ! but i have concerns of plates being taken easily from cars and why ?
anyway it was only a question and i get the message you all dont think its a valid issue to be concerned about
@Ian Shanks, see the post below by Stephen (FKA Central Enth.) that is why they are being stolen, nick a plate, stick it in back window (cos thats what some legit taxis/ph do) hit the streets and make a few quid. The rules and regulations seem stupid at times, but they are there for a reason. Finally, have you noticed that the rear windows of hatchbacks steam up especially when its raining, great disguise for a dodgy plate, no need to nick them anymore !!!!
@Ian Shanks, London,has its own rules and regulations which as have been proven by `deregulation`,don`t work here.
They limit plate issue via `The Knowledge`,something which we sadly seem to lack up here.
The PH (minicabs) down there are not allowed any advertising,or markings which may denote them as `taxis`,which of course they are not.
So…if by advocating allowing `license plates` to be stuck in back windows,similar to the `disc` in London,why should the council stop there,they could go all the way,as they tried to do with us `hacks` and enforce `PCO/TfL conditions of fitness` on everyone….No advertising,company or otherwise,and nothing on the vehicle that would make p/h look like `taxis`.
Incidentally Ian,I may be of the old skool opinion,but, rules and regs may be out dated (i dont dispute that) but we have to play by the rules we have….until they are changed,by reasonable persuasion,not by ignoring the rules we don`t like.
Have you ever thought,or wondered how many other `taxi` operators are having their plates `stolen or removed` by person or persons unknown. My cab stands outside my house all the time,as do many others,and my plate is put on the bumper with self tappers,never had any problems with it,if you look,the srcew heads are now a lovely shade of rust/brown,as they have been there more than 3 years,no one seems to want to nick them.
I know the plate isn`t worth much in the current climate (probably scrap plastic value) but its still there.
Could it be,that certain operators,no names,have `PISSED PEOPLE OFF` so much that this is some way of either drawind police attention to what is going on,or just taking `law enforcement` into their own hands…..something else im against.
Incidentally….2 cars ago…about 5 years in time,my plate was on a Granada,with self tappers,no tape…and was on that car for something like 7/8 years,nobody ever touched it,mind it was cracked after a slight rear end bump…but it was still there…..why did no one pinch mine…..much bigger trophy than any berwick plate would be.
Have you askes Berwick council if these `plates` have been returned to their `lost property` dept….after all,they ARE their property.
I have seen about 14-15 Cars without Plates or Council Door Decals on since Friday, these were not regular Cars, these were horrible litle Parasites that come and steal our Work at Christmas and some “Pay Weekends”, these Guys probably have Full-Time Jobs and rob us at Christmas, they are not going to be prepared to drill two Holes in the back Bumper of there family car are they???, OR put Council stickers on there Doors, probably don’t declare there earnings either!
These Cars come from many different Firms in North Tyneside!
Merry Xmas to you all!
I won’t say happy New Year, with the state of things!!!!!
Hello Admin not been on this great site of yours for a while but after Reading the article on Cabwomen thought I should have my penny’s worth if This is what happened on Tynemouth front st. in sight of other customers. Drunk With sherbet & power by the sound of it I would like to think she would get At least a formal warning for this lack of professionalism while off duty From work also a verbal apology for the driver in question, would also just like to add that I hope she was not still under the influence of Sherbet the next morning if driving to work as I would recommend catching
Cabwomen on camera.
over the past 4 days i have clocked up 8 yes 8 blue line (berwick plated vehicles )all with the plate stuffed into the back window and most without topsigns .then again its all money in your pocket eh mr shanks !
@fixed plate, may be it was the same car that you came across 8 times over the past 4 days?
@Polish BLT Driver, no it was 8 different vehicles from a nissan primera to a merc vito .
it appears mr. shanks has no concern that his vehicles are driving round illegally. As we ALL know that to display your plate fixed to the rear is law, I wouldnt last more than a few weeks before getting pulled up off ncle council for fitting it in my rear window.
how many newcastle hack’s or ph do you see doing this? compare this to the out of town brigade of berwick & derwentside, and you will see MOST practice putting it in the rear window.
And mr. shanks, display the plate in the rear window? i was trying to read the deatails on one of your derwentside plated vehicles a couple of weeks ago to get the details on the plate. As it was in the rear window and on a slant I could only make out half of what the plate said.
if you have nothing to hide you will display your details correctly. and i also have NEVER had a plate stolen. WHY? lost one that cracked off, but never stolen.
like i said before out of sight out of mind he (shanks)still get paid on a monday .
why havent NT licencing come on here to offer an explanation yet?
they have answered queries on here before.
@Andy Warhol, if you are asking why NT council haven’t answered for their female enformcement officers actions the answer is simple. They wont.
They hope this article will go away and be “forgotten”. They beieve they dont have to answer to the likes of us. The best you can hope for is a ‘nowt to do with us she wasnt working’ head-in-the sand answer.
NT licencing officers are operating as their own little unit almost seperate from the council. While on paper they are public servants , it is clear that in reality they answer to no-one but themselves.
You can test this for yourself by putting any complaint in to them. You wont get a reply.
What if the roles were reversed and it was us acting inappropriately in connection with our work? Would it be swept under the carpet? No it would be warning letters , taped interviews under caution , suspension of licences , legal action , committee meetings and discussions of fit and proper persons.
Double standards – and time the council got their act together. And bearing in mind the officer concerned is one of the less pompous ones , it is high time they acted as public servants not wannabe police officers on a personal power trip.
@aniac, I’ve had the same problem with other departments at North tyneside council not replying, I found sending an email to the Mayor tends to get you a reply from them via him very quickly! give it a try john.harrison@northtyneside.gov.uk
@SC,
The Council will not respond to this site in relation, to accusations about other Drivers, cases involving Drivers up to no good etc, remember they are enforcement officers and will have to be careful what they say on the WWW.!
Also, how often will they view this site?, I worked in a responsible role at a neighbouring Council, and they paid mega bucks to IT nerds to monitor what you looked at on the http://WWW., I used to have only 30 seconds on e-bay!!!.
So will they be allowed on here??
As for John Harrison, he is the bloke that thinks Whitley Bay is thriving, despite a Double page in the Chronicle this week with dozens of empty Shops and Pubs pictured??, the only person thriving in Whitley Bay is Mr Eastcoast!!!
Regards
Stephen
@Sam Harrington, LOL
Read the posts properly, the choices given by Johnno were Flimpers and Smoking.
Merry Christmas.
@Sam Harrington, Yeah, I think i’ll jus keep smoking, pop me clogs at about 78 and save meself from years of dribblin. I can live with that,and to jamesy i’m not in the least smelly, out of breath, dirty or yellow stained and if i ever look like eventually suffering a terrible drawn out death I will hop on a flight to Switzerland.
@smoker, All smokers are smelly!!!
You just don’t notice other smelly smokers because you smell exactly the same yourself.
@smoker, check out if they do a “buy one get one free” i’ll come with you and split the cost. Just to prove i am not a miserable tight git, i will donate the savings to a charity OR a piss up for the mates i leave behind.. vote now please.
0854 blah blah for a piss up
0855 blah blah for charity
merry xmas
@Private hire driver Ncle, I do Fart a lot and so do lots of other people, I can still smell it when I fart…or is that a different olfactory experience?
@smoker, Oh! Please, where did all the Taxi talk go? How did we get here?