ALL IN A DAY’S WORK!!
YOU HEARD THE ONE ABOUT THE GLASGOW CABBIE AT THE STATION...?
Scottish Herald writer Brian Beacom has written a new comedy all about taxi drivers, which ran at the Pavilion last month. While he was researching it he asked Glasgow cab- bies for their own
believe-it-or-not tales. One of our favourites was the driver who was sitting at Central Station waiting for a fare when someone got into his cab and asked him whether he knew the bonnie banks of Loch
Lomond?
Brilliant, thought the driver, this is going to be good fare. Yes, said the driver, he knew the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond. “Good,” said the passenger, “could you sing it on the way to Queen Street?”
BIRMINGHAM DRIVER DELIVERS SEVERED EAR TO HOSPITAL
A Birmingham bar sent a man’s severed ear to hospital in a taxi after a fight - and failed to call police.
The fate of the Havana, Panama and Cuva Bar was to be decided following the brawl, which also left the victim in danger of losing his sight in one eye.
The club sent the vic- tim to hospital in a taxi and then called anoth- er taxi to send his severed ear after him
after it had been retrieved by a member of staff.
According to the Birm- ingham Mail, the club’s licence is currently suspended and police officers have demand- ed a review of it. In a report to the com- mittee, Supt Matt Ward from West Midlands Police said: “The man was attacked by a group of seven or eight males on Sep- tember 11. He was head butted and then
repeatedly punched to the head and face. “The staff helped him to the back rooms and gave him very limited first aid. The male noticed that a female member of staff was holding an ice bucket with what looked like an ear on top of it. “She passed the ear to the victim and said it was his ear, that had been cut off during the fight.
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“The staff then said that they had called a taxi for the male because an ambu- lance would take too long. His ear was sent up later to the hospital and it has been stitched back on, but it’s 50/50 as to whether it will hold. “The premises has seriously failed to protect the public and to prevent the disor- der from taking place. At no time did they notify police of the incident.”
Councillors have the option of either sus- pending the licence for up to three months, revoking it or alterna- tively taking no action at all.
Mmmm... This must be right up there with the most unusual fares. Why, pray tell, did they not place the severed ear in the same taxi as its owner? Just ask- ing...Ed
£480 TAXI FARE FOR LUCKY YORKSHIRE CABBIE
A couple who were due to fly into Cardiff Airport were flown into Leeds instead - and needed a £480 taxi ride to get home. The Western Mail reports that Alison
Stoakes and David Parkhouse had en- joyed a week’s break in Rhodes. But when they arrived at Rhodes air- port they found they were among a group of 40 who could not be
accommodated on the plane. At the Yorkshire airport they were put in a taxi to Cardiff with Thomas Cook picking up the £480 bill.
Mmmm...Nice work if you can get it! - Ed.
BOLTON CABBIES TO HELP PROTECT STREETS
Hundreds of taxi driv- ers are set to become the eyes and ears of the police to help tack- le crime on Bolton’s streets.
Metro, the town’s biggest taxi firm, has signed up to a new police scheme, Dawn Watch, launched last month, which will see night-time and early- morning workers join officers in the fight against crime.
Officers will also be able to call on the 400
drivers to enlist their help and local knowl- edge in investigating crime.
Drivers from Metro will be given a special card with contact details for officers - but police have stressed they will have no legal powers and must not put them- selves in any danger when reporting crime. Metro company direc- tor Nicholas Astley told the Bolton News: “Taxi drivers hear all
kinds of things, so this is a great idea. They see a lot of things going on and, if they had a way of reporting crime without having to get too involved, then I’m all for it.” The taxi boss said it would be up to individ- ual drivers if they wanted to give their contact details to police. Police said that Dawn Watch could help put more offenders behind bars.
COUNCILLOR’S FRIGHT NIGHT WITH LEEDS TAXI DRIVERS
Council leader Keith Wakefield took a drive on the wild side as a guest of Leeds taxi drivers.
They had approached him about their night- time problems and asked the council to enforce the law. The leader revealed that he had joined three cab- bies on their Friday night shift so he could better understand the issues they faced. He told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “It was an eye-opener for me as I have been able to see at first hand some of the issues and problems the drivers are facing. They have a number of genuine concerns which I have promised to look into.” Cllr Wakefield, execu- tive board member for
licensing; saw, • PHVs illegally plying for business;
• Private cars parked on ranks;
• Vehicles stopping on double yellow lines, zebra crossings and even parked on pavements;
• Stretch limos cruis- ing the city centre, offering lifts to night- clubs to groups of young people.
Cabbies told the coun- cillor that they were concerned about this last type of vehicle, given their size and the lack of clarity among the public about what they were doing.
In Headingley, Cllr
Wakefield was shown a long line of PHVs waiting for customers. In the city centre, he
saw traffic chaos caused by the sheer number of vehicles - both cabs and private hire - vying for busi- ness. Cllr Wakefield said: “My biggest worry is the safety of passengers.”
Last year taxi drivers threatened city centre go-slows in protest at the lack of space in the for the 537 hack- ney carriage licences. They were also angry about being hounded by the council.
Mmmm...How many times has the NPHA suggested to council- lors that they spend an evening shift in a taxi/PHV so that they can experience first- hand the nonsense that goes on. Thank you, Cllr Wakefield! - Ed.
PHTM NOVEMBER 2010
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