A Berwick driver sitting on a North Tyneside Rank,at the Anson Station road Wallsend, was recently approached by a North Tyneside Licensing officer,who identified himself as such. The driver responded, ” F*@k off I’m a Berwick driver you can’t touch me “ The licensing officer remained calm in the face of this outrageous response and informed the driver that he did in fact have the right to take him to task as he was actually plying for hire by positioning his vehicle on a Hackney Carriage Rank,when in fact it was not a Hackney Carriage,in the sense that here in North Tyneside it was actually reduced to,or promoted to,depending on your stance, the status of a Private Hire Vehicle. The officer then politely asked for the Drivers’ name and address. A similar reply to the first was directed at the officer. Still remaining calm due to his excellent training the officer took down the plate number and after a few enquiries via Killingworth and subsequently Berwick it transpired that the drivers’ Badge was out of date by a period coming close to eight months. There is no more information on the fate of this driver but this incident does beg the question:
“Can Berwick Licensing carry out it’s enforcement duties satisfactorily at a distance of over 50 miles?”
Any similarity to real Human Beings is entirely coincidental.Real Human beings wouldn’t tell someone in authority to F..k off. Would they? Real Human beings wouldn’t travel 50 odd miles to licence a Taxi from another area in order to use it spuriously in a more lucrative area.Would they? A real Human being would get all badged up and do his/her job to the best of his/her ability wouldn’t they?
{ 48 comments… read them below or add one }
dont get me wrong the driver should be done, but should the licensing officer be talking about this before the driver has been taken to court? and should it be on this site? by law the press cant report details of any pending court case due to the penitential of prejudicing of any case.
@SC, Are you a Liberal democrat?
@SC, maybe you know,or think you know this driver,maybe you are this driver but no-one has been named here.You make the assumption that a Licensing officer has spoken about this,your assumption is wrong.This incident occurred on a Taxi Rank, where it would not be unusual for Bona Fide Taxis to be, if other Taxis were there they would witness any goings on and possibly they did.
It was not stated when this happened,it was not stated when or if there was a court case. It could have been an artistic characterisation put together from several different true incidents in order not to break any laws.Whatever it was it puts forward and brings once more to light the ridiculous situation and shows that Licensing laws cannot be effectively enforced from distances in excess of 50 miles. We in the Hack trade are sick of hearing how squeaky clean all Berwick drivers are,when we know different and we will take any opportunity to show this when we can. Sue me and lets open this can of worms again!
@Admin,
If you look at my response to Brian “the perfect Berwick Driver”, he thinks we just moan about them, FOUR Berwick Hacks flimping next to TWO Bobbies and a regular pick up area for Toon Hacks, that’s blatant!, nicking Bookings on Friday night outside of Chase as well??, until they were stopped by a Toon Hack!
Regards
Stephen
@Admin, I dont know this driver, but due to my others half’s job, I do know the law regarding what can be printed about a pending prosecution, and as you have stated his badge was more then 8 months out of date, then its a reasonable assumption that he will be prosecuted. If it was “an artistic characterisation put together from several different true incidents in order not to break any laws” then it devalues the creditability of this site to report an unbiased view of the state of the trade
sc,
then please tell me how if i go into anyshop and buy a newspaper, i can read of rapes, murders, burgalies, hit and runs etc etc and all will say words to the like of ‘ a 56 year old man from horseass hill will appear before mickey mouse magistrates’
now, why dont you take the mirror, dailey express or sky news to court, you could be the erin brokervich of the taxi world!
no names were mentioned …
… you listen to too much nightowls mate …
@andy warhol, As my other half works for a newspaper as a court reporter she has to be shit hot with this kind of thing, so it’s nothing to do with Night Owls.
Discussing aspects of a case which could be disputed in evidence i.e what was said between the driver and the licensing officer could prejudice any case.
Things like him being 56 and which Court he will be up infront of etc are not going to be disputed in court so this can be reported.
@SC,
Whether a Driver was due in Court yesterday or next year, if his Badge was out of date then he is going to be prosecuted, A Briardene Driver got caught with a out of date Badge and he was prosecuted, don’t worry he is OK, those nice folks at Berwick issued him with one of their nice Badges!…just after the Court case.
I think that it’s good to see NT Council do their Job, they need to throw those idiots off the Anson Rank, because they think it’s their very own!.
If a Driver is not licensed then you need a “Whistle Blower”, for the interests of the Public and honest Drivers like us!
However I cannot understand how these Morons get away with it, every few months Central request a copy of our Badges and Driving License, you can’t tell me the “darkside” don’t do that??
AND SC, to answer a question you raised about one my previous comments, no I did’nt take the Police Officers number, however he did speak with one of the Drivers, he asked are you going to be long mate, the Berwick Flimper replied “I am just waiting for my Lass”, obviously I thought with his Datahead switched off, however minutes later four big burley Blokes got in his Car????, must have been all his Girlfriends!!!!, or some male or*y, OR a blatant Flimp!
Regards
Stephen
SC. If you take the trouble to read the account properly,No names were mentioned,No specific car was mentioned,No actual date given,in fact the ONLY specific fact was of location,therefore how does thet compromise the laws of `subjudicy`.
In fact,it doesnt even say that any impending prosecution is actually taking place. To infer a criminal act is/has been committed is different to actually committing it.
The fact that driving with no badge/license(1 and the same thing)usually means a prosecution for no license and thereby no insurance is does not mean the driver was actually done for that offence.
Newcastle enforcement reportedly caught 35 `pirate cars` in 1 sting last year,as far as we know didn`t lead to 1 successful prosecution,just a lot of verbal warnings which subsequently were ignored as any sensible driver would expect.
I see mr shanks and his puppets were in the toon on friday night doing a bit of enforcing.I wonder if they caught any of there cars flimping or not complying with the STRICT uniform code.!!!!!!!
@derwentside hack,
about 50% i heard! anyone know where in the Bigg Market Tyne Taxis operates?
If Mr Shanks wanted to do some enforcing,he`d be better off making sure his drivers stay in the areas they are licensed for,namely Berwick or N.Tyne.Quite apart from the fact that as the council says it has no enforcement powers over these rogue drivers,so what makes Mr Shanks any different,he has no legal powers to deal with it either.
I know at least 2 BLT drivers that laugh at him,as they think they can,and in some cases do…what they like.
@john dodds,
firstly Mr Dodds What you are saying above if we are all to stay in our own area is that Newcastle cars also should not leave their area !! for example picking up at the Hilton going to the metro center etc etc !!
secondly myself and my six managers were purely out on a observation exercise so we could all get a feel for whats going on in and around the streets of Newcastle late at night. It was not a enforcement exercise as you have put it as you are right for once we do not have the legal powers.
We did identify various problems, some of which i am surprised the hackney trade allow to go on, as the “hackney trade of old” would have turfed the offenders upside down years ago and sent them packing, now not only do they allow it in some areas (bigg market) they encourage it when a jobs comes their way that that hack may not want, and don’t say they don’t i have witnessed it !!!
thirdly i was very pleased at what i seen of my own cars other than one, as all cars were supposed to be where they were and got the fares they were supposed to. i did put one fare of ours into a car that had failed to find his original fare and they two girls had missed their booked car. we can all say that on this occasion the drivers had wind of us being out and that may well be the case. My only gripe with our drivers is failure to wear the uniformed tops, and this will be being dealt with in our forthcoming checks on drivers and cars.
oh ! and I guess that their is many more than two drivers that laugh at me ! but would they do it to my face ?
i would at some or you hackneys for allowing the nonsense that has become in certain parts of the town while you sit there and watch it ! your fight is with the council who do have the powers to legally do something SO either shut up or put up !! as waiting for someone else to do it will be along wait or is sitting in the queue waiting for the golden chalice to arrive a better option.
You seem to be saying that out of town private hire offices should not take bookings in town and should stay in their own areas …….
i see you are have a pop sir mr shanks and the berwick drivers get a life you are the puppets not blueline howay berwick lads we are staying and that that ps and blueline newcastle as well
@l90,
what are you saying ?????
I90, that is the most mixed up un-readable nonsense ever posted on here – well done!
so let me get this right, ian, you now spend your friday nights watching how the hacks behave (why?) and putting jobs into blueline cars, jobs that may i point out that missed there booking, AMAZING, how you know this, and put the job into a blueline car…
… what next ian? yellow jackets and clipboards outside of liquid?
and ian, i thought you were only concerned about BLT? so why the hackney exercise? gathering some sort of report?
@andy warhol,
Assumtions are the mother of all F–K ups !!!
what makes you thing i was watching the hacks ?? your brain cell ?
as far as the girls go, i checked with our office with whats known as a mobile phone (you should get one their great) that their car was on its way and found in fact it had been and gone and they had missed the booked time so i did put them into a car that the fare had not turned up ! (or been stolen)
should i have asked your first ? if so sorry !!
@andy warhol,
Andy I like your banter sometimes, but you response to Ian Shanks about him putting fares into his own Cars is a little unfair!
You wrote: …what next ian?, yellow jackets and clipboards outside of Liquid?
HAVE YOU SEEN THAT PRICK WITH A HIGH VIS “YELLOW JACKET” THAT WORKS FOR NODA??????
He pushes other peoples Bookings into Noda PH at busy spells on the weekend!, several occasions my legit customers that have booked Central from the Central have been stopped by him and been told to wait in the PH Noda que!, he has done this to harmless, honest NT BLT’s too!
Only the Council and Police should Marshall ques, not that we have any in Whitley Bay!…ques!
AND Andy I noticed your mates outside of Ameens and Athena over the weekend that you go on about, why don’t you get out and check them out, see if they have a booking?, I got out of my Car and walked past the three Flimpers at Munchies two Saturday’s ago and noticed all their Dataheads switched off…they all picked up!!!!!, can only mean one thing …FLIMPING!
Look what Admin does, he takes Photo’s for proof, why don’t you?, I am sure he would put your evidence on here!, the reason for the slight Dig at you Lads is that one of the Toon Hacks tonight (Tuesday) tried to usher a Fare into my mates Car (NT PH)as it was only going to the Copthorne!, I have never seen a North Tyneside Hack do that ever!!!!!….push a fare into a PH!
Regards
Stephen
@Stephen (FKA Central Enth.), the biggest joke is, his jacket says “Noda Security” I’d be more scared of their wife behind the desk then him
why not let us all make aliving doing the job we love
blt and hack working side by side what a great future
@G MILLER, If you ‘Love’ your job you will do everything you can to safeguard it. As a driver you are just a smaller version of any big operator and I’m sure the big operators do everything in their power to safeguard their businesses. As for a great future,the future has never looked bleaker.Berwick plated cars are allowed for the time being but they must have an up to date badge just like the rest of us. Why would any private hire driver want to work alongside another driver who was not paying his way?
@Admin,
You mentioned Berwick Cars, do you know that they Licensed (Plated) a new Car last week, the Driver had a Badge previously, but no plate, so he is out of the pre-November ruling, so the Berwick Boys could be with us for another year!!!, well under a Northumberland Flag!
Regards
Stephen
@Stephen (FKA Central Enth.), its not going to go away when they become Northumberland council, if anything it gaves them a stronger case as they will then be a neighbouring council and it will be reasonable for drivers to drive to that area to work as many Newcastle and North Tyneside drivers live different council areas to where they are licensed.
plus, didn’t Berwick say they would look into who badges were given to not plates?
@SC, Berwick are still issueing plates ive seen plate 2004 so i dont think newcastle la court case against berwick has done any good .
@derwentside hack, thats because unlike what they claimed at the time, Newcastle didn’t win
I am fairly new to the game (1 year) and from an outsider’s point
of view I have to laugh…. The taxi industry in Newcastle is an
absolute joke!!!!
The war appears to be between Newcastle Hacks and Blueline.
NEWCASTLE HACKS
You hear no end of complaints about Newcastle Hacks that have no idea where they are going, constantly long haul, clone plates. Yet Newcastle Hacks demand enforcement to do this and do that. If so why do a majority of ranks become empty as soon as the word passes around that enforcement is on. How many jobs to Bensham, Gateshead, Jesmond, Fenham, do Newcastle Hacks refuse until a long job comes along. The fact is:
HOW DO PEOPLE THAT LIVE A MILE FROM THE TOWN GET HOME!
BLUELINE
The company that constantly radio/tv advertises but come Friday, Saturday night cannot service their clients. Sick to death of Blueline Clients throughout the town knocking your windows in asking for a lift cause they’ve waited over 30 minutes for their Blueline taxi, If you cant supply your demand, then dont advertise to create
more demand.
Fact is:
How do you expect people to wait over 30 minutes for a taxi.
If it was your daughter, your wife, your mother, your sister, drunk, vulnerable, cold, and wet stuck in the town and a Hack wont pick them up because the fares too short or waiting around over half an hour on
a street corner cause the company doesnt have a car how would you feel.
Yet Both sides kick off at flimpers, other companies, other Licensing authorities etc.
FACT is:
If Newcastle HACKS did their job properly and fairly there would be no room for companies like BLUELINE. And if BLUELINE did their job properly and delivered a car on time as they promised there would be no room for flimping.
So How about you sort out the Duplicated and Triplicated Newcastle Hack Plates, Unqualified ring in Newcaslte Hack Drivers and Blueline
stops advertising for new business until they can look after what they’ve got. THEN maybe you can start judging everyone else.
A flimp only happens because YOU haven’t done your job. Blueline screams about their fares being hacked. Why would someone jump in a taxi they know is going to be more expensive then the one they have booked (Blueline) simple THEY CANT GET ONE. Why would someone not jump in a Black Hack and ask a random private hire, simple because they live close to the town and THEY CANT GET ONE.
So neither of you can service the public but you demand enforcement do this and do that. What is the ideal situation for you, People stuck in the town until six in the morning fighting on ranks or waiting for a lost blueline driver.
GOOD CONCEPT GUYS, NO WONDER THE PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF THE TAXI
INDUSTRY IS A JOKE!!!!!
@RealityBites, youve got a lot to learn about the trade mate, back to school and study the job before you tell us how to do it. ive been in the game for 16 years and still dont claim to know all about it unlike you do, the ink isnt dry on your license yet!
@RealityBites,
If a Customer is waiting 30 minutes, Blueline must be busy, is’nt that a good thing from a Drivers point of view?
Where do you work?
AND as you say Blueline advertise on Radio & TV, once again, good thing, at least their Drivers know where their hard earned Rent is going!
Regards
Stephen
‘Blt and proud of it’
If you read my comment I quote ‘from an outsider’s point of view’
I don’t claim to even be a part of the trade. So its got nought to
do with experience, it’s my observations (factual). Newcastle Hacks
knock back numerous short jobs and Blueline customers are left waiting
ages on a Friday/Saturday Night.
They are observations of facts not opinions of someone who s had a badge forever. I don’t claim to know anything about the taxi industry but its a fact this goes on.
So what does happen to the young lass that lives in Jesmond, cant get a Newcastle Hack and can’t get a Blueline taxi??????
And Stephen’s comment sums up the whole industry, well if they have to wait , we must be busy, and if the gaffa’s spending our bit on advertising to attract more business so the young lass has to wait forty minutes next week not thirty that’s great!!!!!
The industry doesn’t give a toss about the customer as long as everyone is at everyone elses throats, Berwick, Derwentside, Newcastle Hacks, flimping, longhauling, short changing. And all these driver’s with all these years experience have managed to supply what? A service?
Yeah I want to go back to school cause you lot have got it so right.
So you just sit there with your 16 badges with the ink dry on every one of them and let’s hope it’s not your daughter, mother, wife, left
stranded on Friday/Saturday night because she only wants to go half a mile or she rang a number she heard on the radio but they haven’t got any cars.
That’s it from me.
I’ll pop in February next year and see if anything’s changed…..
Oh thats right it’ll be Badge 17 with the ink dry on it!!!!!!
@RealityBites, Your Councils takin the piss mate,they only issue badges with numbers on to people with daft names!!!!!and change your user name too..’RealityCheck’ would be a good one!!!!
@RealityBites, go and talk about something you actually know something about coz you sure as hell know ‘Jack S**t’ about the taxi/private hire industry, i’m quite outspoken about the trade but im sure im not the only one that thinks you talk utter tosh
@RealityBites,
as a outsider what is it you actually do ??
i am not wanting to pick argument with you but find out why you have got the perception of the trade which you have.
If i were to tell you when we first started to advertise it was not for the want of new business but solely to lift the image of our company and maybe taxis in general. As many people picture the taxi industry as a portacabin in a pub car park or what they see on coronation street.
the city center may be laden with people waiting for taxis and when it is clearly a free for all many people get into wrong cars some innocently and some not and chaos occurs.
i am happy to debate with you if you feel i can clarify anything for you that you need clarifing to dispell your views which are a little wrong.
@RealityBites, Muppet!
@RealityBites, if people ring Blue Line and get told 30 mins and are happy to wait (remeber they have the option to say “no thanks, I’ll try another company) then by providing a honest ETA (Blue Line run on time 95% of the time) then Blue Line has gave good customer service! and the fact customer are willing to wait for that service is testament to the service Blue Line provide to the public
At our company an Asian driver was sent to pick up for the airport,he picked up and eventually admitted he was lost…in Washington!
The driver was sacked (works at Central N/S now)The lady going to the airport missed her flight and has demanded compensation. Great Service eH!
@East Coast Driver,
Don’t rub salt into our wounds!, I’ve met him!!!!
Stephen
Central Driver
@East Coast Driver, Bet this driver has got a Berwick badge & not a N/T badge.And you wonder why they dont do away with the locality test good on the L/A for sticking by there guns on not doing away with locality test.If this was a airport driver he would not only have the flight tickets to pay for but any other expenses incurred ie taxi fares,hotel bills & maybe even the whole hoilday.If any thing the locality test should be made more difficult.
@YOU ONLY GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR,
Oh yes, he is a Licensed Berwick Driver!
REgards
Stephen
As from next month anyone wanting a Berwick badge will have to have been resident in the UK for five years and pass a locality test for the Berwick area!
@BL Driver, Its a bit too late closing the stable door after the horse has boulted springs to minde !!!!!!!
@derwentside hack,
Spot on there mate, the damage has been done, but it is still good news, at least we will have no more clowns masquarading as Taxi Drivers, and I hear that some other “Hill Billy” Councils are introducing a Driving test!!!, anyway lets hope for that ex Eastcoast Driver’s sake that Newcastle Airport is not in any Test on paper or the road!, and well done to Eastcoast for sacking him!, nice to see a Operator deal with these little Mugs.
Regards
Stephen
I live in berwick have never heard of this locality test and i am sec of the taxi association.
I am sick to death of these drivers being called Berwik Drivers if someone to the time to check their licences they would find that they do not come from Berwick and probaly would find the only time they have been in Berwick was to get their licence. wish u would leave the genuine drivers out of this argument it was not our fault we were the ones who tried to stop it happening.
@Goag, I can assure you mate that nobody holds any genuine Berwick Hack responsible for what is going on down here on Tyneside, By the same token North Tyneside Hacks have worked Newcastle and Newcastle Hacks are working out of offices in North Tyneside. None of this is the fault of Genuine Hack drivers who just want to do the job properly. It comes down to people who would exploit our trade for their own gain by seeking out loopholes in the law.
@Admin, That last statement you made would be good grounds for scrapping the advert at the top of your homepage. I know you need make revenue from advertising but from a moral perspective you are promoting someone who to quote your own words: “would exploit our trade for their own gain by seeking out loopholes in the law”.
@Jabber The Hut, I agree mate but that advert, if nothing else gets people here and gets them and Mr.Wilson talking,which in turn enables people to have a crack at the man himself. Nobody ever had that opportunity until his ad appeared here! You don’t have to give Mr.Wilson any money and neither do I but I will take his. I don’t know wether you know me or not Jab but I don’t do much on Morals, I’m quite passive about stuff really but I do believe in Free speech and you,wilson,shanks and anyone else who wants to can come and say there bit. The advertising doesn’t even pay for half what this site costs to run but it makes for a bit colour on the pages. Keep up the Crack Jab!