Author Topic: Letter to Manchester City Council about Taxi Driver (probably in vain)  (Read 2957 times)

ABlipInContinuity

I've had a belly full of private hire taxi drivers lately, so after the latest one I thought I would write too the licensing authority and see what they say.

The driver concerned did do anything really bad, actually it was just quite typical of what I expect. I'm more intrigued as to how the licensing authority will react, if anything.

Quote
Dear Sirs,

I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the poor standard of driving and despicable social conduct exhibited by one of the private hire taxi drivers licensed through your authority this morning (8/12/2008).

I was cycling from my home in **** to my place of work in ******. I left my home just after 9 am.

In West Didsbury, I had turned off the B5167 Palatine Road onto the A5145 Barlow Moor Road toward Didsbury Village. I was approaching traffic queuing for traffic lights at the end of Barlow Moor Road, where the A5145 turns right onto Wilmslow Road, when this taxi first came to my attention. The driver of the vehicle overtook me not only allowing insufficient space, but unnecessarily given that there was stationary traffic ahead. The manoeuvre only served to inconvenience me because I had to react and brake sooner than I would have done otherwise.

I filtered past the queue of traffic and therefore the offending taxi driver and waited in the cycle box ready for the lights to turn green. I made the right turn onto Wilmslow Road, continuing along the A5145.

I continued my journey safely, unhindered along Wilmslow Road until I reached a set of traffic lights, where I turned right into ****. The lights were on red, so in the right-hand lane I moved into the cycle box and waited.

Whilst I was waiting at the red traffic light red for the lights to change and to safely proceed, the offending taxi driver joined me, in the cycle box, albeit in the left-hand lane poised to drive straight ahead.

It is an offence* for a driver to cross the advance stop line if the associated traffic lights are amber or red. Please see Highway Code rule 178 for more information.

As such, I commented humorously to the Taxi driver, through his open window that he had a "nice bicycle" with the obvious inference he shouldn't be ahead of the advanced stop line.

The driver retorted "What's your problem".

In an assertive and non-aggressive tone, I replied "That's your stop line" pointing to the stop line behind me which was just behind his rear wheels.

The driver became aggressive replying "Fuck you, fuck you".

The traffic lights changed and the driver drove off. Again, in a none-aggressive tone, I shouted "Thank you for your number" as the taxi gained momentum.

The driver opened his door, whilst the taxi was moving, and looked back at me to say "you fucking knob head".

This incident occurred at 9:20 am. The private hire taxi was a Silver Vauxhall Vectra with the Manchester City Council plate 8487.

The driver was Asian, of stocky build and possibly shorter than average, although his seat was lowered and reclined.

While I understand this incident to be typical and in the scheme of things trivial I find this standard of driving and social conduct unacceptable. I have, with a few notable exceptions, experienced a number of problems with taxi drivers whilst cycling in accordance with the Highway Code and National Standard for Cycle Training. It is a sad fact that some drivers are a strong deterrent to many would-be cyclists who could be out doing "their bit" in order to reduce congestion and actually bring conviviality to our streets.

If you are short of good reasons to help address this problem, then the following hyperlink gives 28 supported reasons for supporting cycling:

28 Reasons to Bike
(Hyperlink courtesy of CTC Newsnet)

I wish you every success in investigating this matter.
 
Regards

Gandalf

  • Each snowflake in an avalanche pleads not guilty
Re: Letter to Manchester City Council about Taxi Driver (probably in vain)
« Reply #1 on: 08 December, 2008, 12:11:18 pm »
Good luck with that.  When I contacted Epsom & Ewell in a similar vein I didn't even get a reply.

janm399

Re: Letter to Manchester City Council about Taxi Driver (probably in vain)
« Reply #2 on: 08 December, 2008, 12:12:07 pm »
I hope you'll get some response and that they'll actually have a word with the taxi company. It feels as if bad driving is on the increase again before Christmas :(

Re: Letter to Manchester City Council about Taxi Driver (probably in vain)
« Reply #3 on: 08 December, 2008, 07:29:29 pm »
Two phrases that force a reply as they are specific and serious complaints.....

"I feel that this vehicle was being operated in an unsafe manner and hence in breach of the licensing regulations"

"This violent and aggressive behaviour must bring into question whether this individual is a "fit and proper person" to be operating a licensed vehicle"


The other trick is to email the Council and ask for information under the FoI - you cannot ask specifically, but you can ask whether "any licensed taxi drivers were censured for swearing and / or aggressive behaviour during the week commencing 8/12/08.

Then complain about the lack of reply .......

Portsmouth City Council only ever failed to answer once - I always get a polite detailed reply now!




Re: Letter to Manchester City Council about Taxi Driver (probably in vain)
« Reply #4 on: 08 December, 2008, 07:40:59 pm »
Or.... If you are a right barsteward and dishonest.... after all you are only ststing an opinion - it may be mistaken due to your heightened emotional state.

I was worried that his voice sounded slurred, I could not say definitely whether he had been drinking, as he was being so aggressive, but the combination of aggressive behaviour, erratic driving and slurred voice does give me cause for concern!

YOu just have to decide how far to push.... After a couple of incidents with a particular driver in Plymouth years ago, I got a little annoyed when for the second time in a week he cut me up and when challenged made an obscene gesture - So I complained that I was offended by this invitation to participate in a sexual act and considered it an inappropriate and unwelcome sexual proposition. The complaint was therefore on the grounds of "sexual misconduct".

There was a lot of back-pedalling and a formal apology before I accepted that I had misinterpreted his conduct... and he got points on his licence.

cheadle hulme

Re: Letter to Manchester City Council about Taxi Driver (probably in vain)
« Reply #5 on: 08 December, 2008, 10:50:32 pm »
I do that route, but in the evening.

Everyday, cars overtake me towards the end of Barlow Moor Road in their rush to get to the queue at the lights.

Everyday I filter past them all to scoot down Wilmslow Road towards Cheadle.

I've given up commenting when drivers abuse ASL's; it never helped me in any way.

Good luck with your complaint.

Re: Letter to Manchester City Council about Taxi Driver (probably in vain)
« Reply #6 on: 09 December, 2008, 08:18:07 am »
I think complaining to drivers about being in an ASL is both unproductive and excessively confrontational.  What's the point really?
Your Royal Charles are belong to us.

ABlipInContinuity

Re: Letter to Manchester City Council about Taxi Driver (probably in vain)
« Reply #7 on: 09 December, 2008, 09:22:05 am »
Advanced stop lines are one of the few concessions to cyclists that actually with some caveats, I think, in someway work.

They help (when well implemented) legitimise (in the mind of the motorist) cyclists taking their lane before they proceed at a junction challenging - the belief that cyclists should always be on the left.

A full length properly respected cycle box means that I can proceed on an amber light* and be clear of the junction before any traffic catches up with me.

Also, for lesser experienced cyclists they provide that vital wobble room.



*I appreciate the legalities of this

JJ

Re: Letter to Manchester City Council about Taxi Driver (probably in vain)
« Reply #8 on: 09 December, 2008, 11:42:01 pm »
This evening I had a set-to with a taxi driver in Cambridge.  Lensfield Road and Fen Causeway for those who know it.
He took exception at my positioning, I think (just left of middle of the lane).  He pulled alongside me in a fury of revving past the polar institute, all the way to the back of the traffic queued at the pelican.  Oooh 50 Yards! Then he cut in front and proceeded to weave all over the road in front of me down there and the Causeway, gesticulating and shouting that I should be on the pavement.  When he was stopped by the traffic in front he made a point of pulling out over the cetral line to prevent a safe overtake, and carried on the pantomine until the traffic cleared and he buzzed off at last.
All par for the course in this cycling city.  The only difference is that for once I kept my cool, memorised his number and reported him....."Sorry sir, no such registration exists".  Mr PC obviously regarded me as a time-waster "that wasn't really threatening behaviour was it sir".

Bah!  >:(

I feel better now though.  Thank-you for listening.

Torslanda

  • Professional Gobshite
  • Just a tart for retro kit . . .
    • John's Bikes
Re: Letter to Manchester City Council about Taxi Driver (probably in vain)
« Reply #9 on: 10 December, 2008, 09:05:53 pm »
That sounds more like intimidation and threats of physical harm to me. Do you have the PC's number?

Total waste of eight pints is what he sounds like to me.

J
VELOMANCER

Well that's the more blunt way of putting it but as usual he's dead right.

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Letter to Manchester City Council about Taxi Driver (probably in vain)
« Reply #10 on: 10 December, 2008, 09:07:17 pm »
Aren't our diligent public servants, the boys in blue, wonderful, caring, considerate human beings? :-\
Getting there...

Torslanda

  • Professional Gobshite
  • Just a tart for retro kit . . .
    • John's Bikes
Re: Letter to Manchester City Council about Taxi Driver (probably in vain)
« Reply #11 on: 10 December, 2008, 09:22:14 pm »
Aren't our diligent public servants, the boys in blue, wonderful, caring, considerate human beings? :-\

With the exception of Paul, the PC who took my statement after the 'carjack' attempt, mostly, No!

J
VELOMANCER

Well that's the more blunt way of putting it but as usual he's dead right.

Torslanda

  • Professional Gobshite
  • Just a tart for retro kit . . .
    • John's Bikes
Re: Letter to Manchester City Council about Taxi Driver (probably in vain)
« Reply #12 on: 10 December, 2008, 09:23:56 pm »
. . . and Grub, PColbeck, Fuzzy and other forum glitterati, of course.

<grovel>

J
VELOMANCER

Well that's the more blunt way of putting it but as usual he's dead right.

JJ

Re: Letter to Manchester City Council about Taxi Driver (probably in vain)
« Reply #13 on: 10 December, 2008, 09:42:14 pm »
In fairness to him, he was probably thinking "Oh no, not another prickly cyclist who won't have remembered the plate well enough for me to do anything about it.  How can I calm him down so I can go and deal with the drunk over there in the corner".  He was really very polite about it all.  The driver is bound to catch the b-in-b's eye soon anyway.  I doubt this was a one off, but I am resolved to follow the OP's line and report/complain from now on.