Sascha Pangallo on Facebook "UBER.. YEAH THEY'RE CHEAP ~ BUT CAN YOU PUT A PRICE ON YOUR LIFE?"
1'm not one to post these long novel Facebook statuses, but I really feel that this needs/should be made public - and put to the people. Yesterday afternoon, I ordered an Uber (as I do on the daily.) Little did I know on this particular afternoon I would be stepping into an Uber with a psychotic/mentally unstable driver aka "Paul".
After refusing to put my destination into his GPS he requested my directing (which I had no problem with) however I was on an important phone call and during one of the directions he snapped and screamed at me in a very aggressive manner.
He then pulled the car over continued to scream "get out of my car" multiple times whilst getting very physical, grabbing me and trying to drag me out of the car. He soon realised that there were 4 on lookers witnessing the whole thing and yelling that they were calling the police - he then panicked and ran back around to the driver side door, jumped in to his 4WD - and hit the accelerator like an absolute maniac.
My door was still open as I was frantically trying to grab my bags out of the car and before I could get away I was thrown to the ground and my leg was being run over.
I have bruises on my arm and leg and a huge burn/severe skin abrasion from where the tyre ran over me. I am currently in hospital for a suspected blood clot and possible broken leg.
For someone who has been 'pro' Uber for so long, I will never use them again. Police are currently trying to shut Uber down as they are unlicensed taxis who claim to do police checks but this cannot be confirmed as there are so many incidents like mine involving their drivers. Some states in Australia have already banned Ubering.
For those of you Ubering on the Gold Coast I will comment a screenshot of his Uber details below. Do not under any circumstances get in the car with him.
source: Taxileaks.
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A CHELMSFORD taxi boss fears the city could become "awash" with under-qualified cab drivers using sat navs if the city's knowledge test is dumbed down.
Chelmsford city councillors will today discuss proposals from private hire cab firms to relax the test that all drivers have to take to operate in the city.
The test can take three months to pass and costs around £300, with applicants asked to identify streets or landmarks in Baddow, Danbury, South Woodham Ferrers and the city centre without referring to a map, much like London's famous knowledge exam.
Ian Vernon, chairman of the Chelmsford Taxi Association that represents two-thirds of the Hackney carriage divers in the city, says the city could be flooded with under-qualified drivers if the plans are approved.
"We want to see standards maintained, not reduced," he told the Chronicle.
"The council decided to introduce the knowledge test, so it is slightly perverse to decide to cut back standards in 2015.
"The CTA is about driving up standards and improving them to make the customer's experience better, but this proposal is generated from commercial desire, on one side by private hire companies looking to get more drivers and make more money.
"The other side is the council which fears it will lose income if it doesn't make the test easier as drivers come in from other boroughs."
Currently, dual licences are issued by the authority that allow drivers to operate both pre-booked private hire cars and Hackney carriages, which are the only type of vehicle that can pick passengers up from the roadside or from ranks.
The move was put forward after the Deregulation Bill, which will allow taxi drivers to "cross borders" and operate in other boroughs.
Drivers argue that it means drivers could pass an easier test anywhere in the country, but still be licensed to operate in Chelmsford.
The proposal has been put forward by Habbicabs, Fareway and The Chauffeur Company. Umar Hussain, 24, and his brother Waqas Hussain, 26, have 12 private hire vehicles and three taxis in their Happicabs fleet, based in Chelmsford.
"We are all looking for more drivers, but it's difficult to get people through the test," said Umar. "Some councils across the UK have different standards, Chelmsford's test is harder than smaller places like Maldon and Uttlesford.
"I want to support the council, I'm from Chelmsford so I want to have Chelmsford drivers and keep everything local.
"But drivers coming in from outside areas would take money and business away from the city.
"Also, if a customer has a complaint against the driver, they would need to go to the council that issued the licence and that council is less likely to do anything about it if the driver is from another district."
There are two parts to the test, one aspect is "local knowledge" that has a pass mark of 18 out of 25 questions, as well as a "places of interest" score of six from ten questions.
Alan Mitchell, co-owner of Fareway Taxis in Chelmsford, wrote to the city council to show his support for relaxing the test.
The company based in Russell Way has around 30 private hire cars and 30 Hackney carriage vehicles, but he says the company needs as many as 20 more drivers to meet rising demand.
"We would like to see different licences for Hackney carriages and private hire drivers because there is a shortage of drivers and the test is putting a lot of people off," said the 55-year-old.
"There would still be the same medicals and CRB checks, but a simpler knowledge test.
"We have the routes downloaded straight to the PDAs in the cars, so there is no danger of a driver getting lost.
"Making the test easier would help unemployed people get into work and the public as well because they would not be left waiting.
"We are all battling Uber (a smartphone app for taxi customers) who will eventually move into Chelmsford as we are a university town ."
On July 9, councillors rejected a proposal by Chelmsford Taxi Association to increase fares by around 1.5 per cent.
"We reject the idea of decreasing quality to increase volume," added Mr Vernon, who has worked in Chelmsford since 2002.
"What if there is a problem with the sat nav? What if a customer asks to go a different route or for an explanation of why they are being taken that way?
"If a driver doesn't have the knowledge of the area they won't be able to answer.
"If this proposal is approved the city will be awash with under-qualified drivers clogging up our roads."
Chelmsford City Council did not want to comment before the licensing and regulatory meeting today (September 3).
http://www.essexchronicle.co.uk/City-awash-sat-nav-taxis-test-easy/story-27722179-detail/story.html
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The Truth behind the drive to make Cabbies Take Credit Cards.
Smartphone-based taxi booking service, goCatch has entered an agreement to partner with retail, mobile, and online payments provider, Mint Payments, to capitalise on in-taxi card payments.
The partnership will begin with a Sydney-based pilot that will see a portion of goCatch's 35,000 registered drivers decked out with Mint Payments' mobile point-of-sale (mPos) terminals to "build out new revenue channels for both businesses", in an industry goCatch estimates to be worth AU$5.4 billion in Australia.
"Roughly half of all taxi jobs in Australia are hailed from the street or taxi rank, representing a big opportunity for goCatch to monetise payments for these journeys -- rolling out mobile payment terminals enables us to capture some of that revenue," goCatch CEO Ned Moorfield said.
"We believe that the combination of goCatch's bookings app and Mint's payments terminal will be far ahead of any competing offering in the market."
http://www.zdnet.com/article/mint-payments-gocatch-partner-to-target-au5-4b-taxi-industry/#ftag=RSSbaffb68
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LONDON
Whitehall was brought to a standstill this afternoon in the latest protest against "uneven" taxi regulation in the capital.
Taxi drivers and their families came out in force near Downing Street at 1pm today, with roads gridlocked and temporarily closed by police.
The protest, the second of its kind since July, was held because London’s black cab drivers believe Transport for London (TfL) are enforcing “uneven regulation” in the taxi and private hire trade.
Drivers have previously claimed they are losing earnings because of companies such as Uber which are allegedly not being subjected to the same licensing rules as black cabs.
Many supporters of the #SaveTaxi campaign held banners and waved flags along Whitehall while taxi drivers were seen lining the streets.
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/whitehall-brought-to-a-standstill-during-taxi-protest-a2927706.html
BIRMINGHAM
A taxi driver who raped a “vulnerable” woman who had been out celebrating her birthday has been jailed for 11-and-half-years.
Mohammed Shabir picked her up outside a gay club in Birmingham in the early hours of September 22 2013.
Birmingham Crown Court heard she had , had an argument with her partner and was looking to get a taxi home., the Birmingham Mail reports.
Shabir, 39, of Hutton Road, Handsworth instead took the woman, who barely spoke English, to a quiet B&B in Erdington where he subjected her to a humiliating rape ordeal.
Shabir, who was convicted of two charges of rape by a jury at the city’s crown court, was also ordered to register as a sex offender for life.
The court heard that the woman, who spoke very little English, had earlier been involved in an argument with her partner.
Judge Murray Creed said: “She was clearly distressed when she encountered you in your taxi outside the club she had been visiting.
“I have no doubt that in her mind she thought she was getting into a taxi and that she would be going home.”
The defendant had initially driven towards Five Ways before then changing direction and going to the B&B in Slade Road.
During the journey Shabir had quizzed the victim about her sexual orientation.
The judge continued: “I am also satisfied as far as your culpability is concerned there was significant planning.
“You phoned from your cab to the B&B and paid for a room.
“You were to say you had used it on previous occasions.
“I also believe there was an abuse of position of trust.
“She was entitled to believe she was in a vehicle that would be traceable.
“I am also satisfied there was targeting of a vulnerable victim.
“The location was remote. It was on the opposite side of the city from where she lived.”
Once in the B&B the victim was subjected to a number of hours of “degradation and humiliation,” Shabir ignoring her pleas that she did not want to have sex.
Judge Creed said Shabir had later tried to ring the woman while she was making a complaint at a police station.
Although the number had come up as withheld officers were able to trace Shabir who, shortly afterwards, changed the taxi firm he worked for.
Rob Cowley, defending, said there had been a certain degree of opportunism about the offence.
He went on: “he had been working as a taxi driver for a number of years, since 2002, without a single complaint received until this particular morning.”
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/taxi-driver-who-raped-vulnerable-6378348
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WOLVERHAMPTON
A family has suffered ‘off the scale stress’ after their pet parrot of 22 years was stolen – leaving the parrot’s girlfriend pining for his return.
Owen Harrison, from Wolverton, has been the owner of Charlie – a well known Soloman Island Eclectus Parrot who frequents the city’s pubs with him – since the bird was four months old.
But after Charlie was grabbed from a taxi in Islington on Saturday evening, where Owen was visiting a friend, Charlie’s parrot girlfriend Ruby has abandoned her fertile eggs.
But the Harrison family haven’t abandoned hope of finding him, and have set up a social media campaign to find him – and are even offering a £500 reward.
Owen, aged 40, told OneMK: “He comes out with me all the time. He’s very well known in Milton Keynes and he comes along to the pubs such as The Craufurd Arms and The Galleon with me.
“I have had him since he was four months old and he’s just got used to being out and about. He’s 22 years old and he’s not the best flyer, he’s a bit lazy.
http://www.onemk.co.uk/news/2015/9/familys-off-the-scale-stress-after-well-known-parrot-is-stolen-from-taxi-030920150064.html
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WIRRAL/LIVERPOOL
Concerns are growing for a 31-year-old who has been reported missing in Wirral.
It is believed Pierre Ynard ook a taxi from his home in Bebington and was dropped off at the Pier Head at around 8.20am yesterday.
Pierre is described as white, around 5’ 7” tall of medium build and has black hair, brown eyes and wears glasses. He is believed to be wearing the black jacket he is pictured in.
He is a French Canadian national and believed to have been living in the Bebington area for at least the past 18 months.
Police are very concerned for his welfare as this is totally out of character. Pierre, or anyone who has seen him, or knows of his whereabouts, is asked to call Merseyside Police on 0151 604 3676 or the police non-emergency line on 101 or the Missing People on 116 000.
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/missing-wirral-man-pierre-ynard-9985744
LONDON
TAXI UNION RMT is calling for action to be taken after London Mayor Boris Johnson admitted that Private Hire Vehicles (PHVs) were illegally plying for hire in the capital.
RMT London taxi driver branch secretary Lewis Norton rang into the Mayor’s regular 'AskBoris' phone in on LBC.
When asked if the Mayor acknowledged previous comments he had made that traffic congestion in the capital can be attributed to the high volume of Private Hire vehicles 'roaming streets looking for fares', he agreed.
Lewis Norton pointed out to him that this was, in fact illegal as PHVs are in effect plying for hire, which is the sole right of Licensed Taxis.
The mayor admitted that PHVs are 'plying trade in the way you described' and has referred the matter the MPs.
RMT general secretary Mick Cash said that the exchange illustrated that the Mayor was fully aware that smartphone apps such as Uber were circumventing the law by illegally plying for hire.
“The London Mayor is simply ignoring the issue as he continues to allow the company to operate in this way,” he said.
http://www.rmt.org.uk/news/london-mayor-admits-illegal-taxi-trade-is-rife/
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NOTTINGHAM
A man who provided fake taxi plates has been sentenced to 21 months in prison after pleading guilty to six counts of fraud relating to taxi licensing.
Waseem Akhtar, 32, of Dovedale Road, Carlton, was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday August 28.
Despite never being a taxi driver for Gedling Borough Council, Mr Akhtar sold a vehicle to a third party claiming it was licensed with the council. He tampered with the license plate to change the date and produced a fake paper license in order to make a profit.
Although the plates may have appeared convincing to passers-by, an eagle-eyed member of staff from the council’s Licensing department spotted the inauthenticity and reported it immediately.
Mr Akhtar is a repeat offender of fraud; he was jailed in 2013 for six months for falsely claiming he held a taxi licence, following previous convictions for the same offence. He was also jailed for a further two months after admitting submitting false receipts for journeys he had not completed.
Since June, he has been on bail with the conditions of not sitting in the front of a private hire vehicle.
http://www.hucknalldispatch.co.uk/news/local/faked-taxi-plates-man-sent-to-prison-1-7439559
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EXETER
A taxi driver who followed his sat nav ended up driving the wrong way along a dual carriageway in the early hours of the morning.
Anthony Ryan caused a crash after he did a U turn on the A30 dual carriageway and ended up driving towards oncoming traffic.
He then did a second U turn to go to the aid of the driver he had caused to crash into the central reservation.
The 58 year old cabbie admitted careless driving on the A30 near Exeter, Devon, in May.
He told Exeter magistrates court he lost his bearings in the pitch dark after hitting major roadworks on Telegraph Hill and Splatford Split.
He said he was driving an intoxicated female passenger from Torquay to Exeter but she was unsure of where she was heading.
The self employed cabbie said:”I got confused. I had one eye on the sat nav. The lady was not sure where she was going. I was driving along and the sat nav told me to turn round.
“I did a U turn like a silly man. I did not overtake any cars coming towards me.”
He said he drove for about a quarter of a mile the wrong way down the dual carriageway before a driver braked heavily and swerved to avoid him and struck the barrier leaving him with minor wounds and whiplash.
Prosecutor Lyndsey Baker said Ryan, of Osprey Drive, Torquay, had got on to the A30 the wrong way after ‘losing his bearings’.
His tipsy passenger claimed he passed up to three vehicles going in the right direction before he made his second U turn to face the right way again – something he denied.
District Judge Stephen Nicholls said:”It was a serious matter.”
He fined him a total of £785 and put seven points on his driving licence but Ryan escaped a ban which would have ruined his business.
http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/Taxi-driver-claims-sat-nav-cause-drive-wrong-way/story-27724377-detail/story.html
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LONDON/WALES
IMOGEN Thomas has spoken of her shock at being involved in a crash while in a taxi.
The reality star and model, who is currently pregnant with her second child, said she was "shaking" after the experience last week.
She spent the night at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital while midwives and doctors monitored her baby.
She later thanked her followers via Twitter and praised the NHS.
http://www.llanellistar.co.uk/Llanelli-s-Imogen-Thomas-kept-overnight-London/story-27715673-detail/story.html
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The president of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff, has criticised ride-sharing service Uber for increasing unemployment, adding to a chorus of labour concerns about the world’s most valuable venture-backed startup.
Rousseff said local authorities must regulate the service, which has led conventional taxi drivers to stage protests and lobby lawmakers in Brazil’s three biggest cities.
São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and the capital, Brasília, have all moved to ban the mobile application, which lets users hail Uber drivers for rides. None of the bans have yet taken effect, as mayors weigh whether to approve the laws.
In June, French president, François Hollande, said the low-cost UberPop service should be illegal, following violent protests by Parisian taxi drivers. Uber drivers in the United States won class action status on Tuesday for litigation demanding employee benefits.
“Uber is complicated because it takes jobs away from people … it leaves taxis with less work,” Rousseff said in response to a reporter’s question. “It’s not an easy issue. It depends on the rules of each city and state, because it is not a federal government decision.”
The San Francisco-based startup declined to comment.
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/sep/03/uber-increases-unemployment-and-needs-regulation-says-brazils-president
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The boxy Nissan NV200, popularly nicknamed the "Taxi of Tomorrow," officially took over Tuesday as New York City's cab of choice. The vast majority of drivers looking to replace their old vehicles are now required by law to switch to the minivan taxi, a decided departure from the more traditional sedans.
The vehicle is packed with features providing convenience and comfort, reported Gizmodo. It features USB charging stations for cell phones, a sunroof and extended leg room to make the travel experience more pleasant for riders. Drivers get more comfortable seats, GPS navigation and an intercom system as upgrades. The car also features sliding doors and rear-seat air bags for improved safety. And, in a city that often sounds like an orchestra of honks, New York's new cabs will boast a "low annoyance" horn.
It was a rocky road to this point for the Nissan NV200. A taxi group and the city government argued over whether New York was allowed to mandate a single cab, a case that the city won in June. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio had opposed the plan originally put forth by former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, but de Blasio came around and renegotiated the deal instead of canceling it.
The NV2oo runs entirely on gas, but some drivers will still be able to choose from a short list of hybrids and wheelchair-accessible vehicles instead of the Nissan model. Drivers can also opt to purchase a wheelchair-accessible NV200, but it has proven unpopular. Nissan is also developing an electric version of the NV200, but it is unclear if and when it will become part of the "Taxi of Tomorrow" plan.
Still, some 80 percent of New York City's taxi fleet could eventually be "Taxis of Tomorrow," reported the New York Times. Some drivers have already implemented the change. There are about 750 NV200s on the roads already, just a small portion of the city's approximately 13,000 cabs. More should be on the way soon. In a typical year, about 2,500 to 3,000 taxi drivers change their vehicles, the Times reported.
The switch to a new vehicle also comes at a time when ride-sharing services such as Uber and Lyft are providing competition to the city's yellow cabs.
http://www.ibtimes.com/nyc-taxi-tomorrow-nissan-nv200-phone-chargers-sunroof-arrives-new-york-city-2077949
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Taxi enforcement officers at Ribble Valley Council have joined forces with the police and Vehicle and Operator Services Agency to swoop on unroadworthy vehicles.
Twelve vehicles were targeted at inspection at sites in Clitheroe, with three drivers served with advisory notices requiring work to be carried out on their vehicles within seven days.
Council taxi enforcement officer Carl Rung, said: “Maintaining a high standard of vehicles is something we take seriously and we carry out regular checks to ensure taxis and their drivers are meeting licensing requirements. This was a joint operation, where vehicles were subject to a rigorous inspection to ensure they were compliant with licence conditions.”
He added: “The council requires the immediate withdrawal of hackney carriage or private hire vehicles constituting a risk to public safety, or work carried out to ensure the vehicles are of a high standard.”
http://www.lep.co.uk/news/local/swoop-to-check-valley-taxis-1-7437551
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GETT LONDON
They have teamed up with a rival app that allows passengers to set the price of a trip before they get in the car. Fares are normally charged on the distance of the journey and the time it takes to get to the destination.
Gett, an Israeli start-up backed by billionaire Len Blavatnik, will cut the fare by 30pc if the journey is more than six miles. The discount will be available outside of peak hours on weekdays.
The company claims to have signed up 6,000 drivers in the UK capital, out of a total of 25,000.
Uber, which operates in about 250 cities in 50 countries, has become an object of scorn from traditional taxi companies fighting for survival against the rise of the Silicon Valley challenger, founded in 2009.
As Uber’s popular smartphone app can turn anyone into a minicab chauffeur, those drivers can set their own prices for the journeys they make.
As a result, the company has become the target of a string of lawsuits around the world for unfair competition. However, the legal action has spread to include drivers themselves.
On Tuesday night, a US judge ruled that Uber drivers are entitled to class action status in litigation over whether they are independent contractors or employees.
Three drivers sued Uber in a federal court in San Francisco, contending they are employees and entitled to reimbursement for expenses, including petrol and vehicle maintenance. The drivers currently pay those costs themselves.
In the ruling, US District Judge Edward Chen in San Francisco said drivers could sue as a group on the question of whether they are employees or contractors, and over their demand for payment of tips that were not passed on to them. Drivers' attorneys must submit more evidence to sue as a group for reimbursement of other expenses.
Class action status means the 2013 suit could cover more than 160,000 California drivers, according to court filings, and could give plaintiffs more leverage to negotiate a settlement.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/transport/11838318/UK-cabbies-fight-back-against-Uber.html
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A Belfast taxi driver has told a jury how he thought he was going to be shot after a passenger pointed a gun at him and threatened to blow his brains out.
The Value Cabs employee, who was giving evidence at Belfast Crown Court, claimed the threat was issued by a passenger who asked whether he was “a Prod or a Taig”.
When asked about the threat and how it left him feeling, the taxi driver tearfully said: “I honestly believed he was going to shoot me.”
Currently standing trial on three charges arising out of the alleged incident in December 2012 is Lee Hosie, from Shore Road in Belfast.
The court heard the alleged offences occurred on the same night of the first rioting linked to the loyalist flag protest.
The 23-year-old denies possessing a firearm or imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, threatening to kill the taxi driver and making off without paying the £6.60 fare.
Hosie’s barrister said that while his client admitted being a passenger in the taxi, and being “rude, obnoxious and quite disgusting” to the driver, he didn’t have a gun.
The jury heard that in the aftermath of the alleged incident, the taxi driver picked Hosie out during an identification process.
Hosie initially denied being in the taxi on the night in question. However, during a later interview he admitted he was a passenger, denied having a gun and claimed the taxi driver made up the allegations about the weapon and threats following a dispute over the fare.
http://goo.gl/k7ghpG
Comment: Luckily this will not happen in Manchester, you have to be some shot, to find the brains.
London, Euston Road
A Range Rover flipped on to its side after colliding with a black cab in a busy central London road, leaving about six people injured.
Four people were in the 4x4 when it overturned at the entrance to the Euston Road underpass following the crash just before 4.30pm on Tuesday, while taxi was reportedly carrying two passengers.
Police said one of the vehicles was carrying a five-month-old baby, who fortunately was uninjured.
A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said six people were hurt but none were seriously injured.
Chris Hawkswell, from the London Ambulance Service, tweeted that four people in the overturned car were taken to a trauma centre as a precaution.
http://tinyurl.com/pv46hdh
How Hopeless are Rossendale Licensing. ?
On Friday night I reported this sighting from one of my Manchester Hack colleagues
http://acnedriver.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/rossendale-hackneys.html
Today we have recieved a copy of the reply from Rossendale Licensing.
It is to my mind unbelievable.
Dear xxxxx,
Thank you for your email regarding HCV2805. I can confirm that this plate (HCV2805) is correctly issued to the correct vehicle (WR08 HPJ).
The public register reflects information that has since been superseded. I can also confirm that Rossendale have not halted the issue of licences.
The Council has recently changed its software provider across all departments and as such, we are experiencing some technical difficulties with the public register. At this moment in time, we are unable to upload a public register whilst our new provider resolves the issues preventing us from doing so.
Please note that with the current register (taken off our old system) and our future new register (taken from the migrated new system) that there will be gaps in licence numbers as not every number represents an active licence.
In the interim, please feel free to contact licensing@rossendalebc.gov.uk with any enquiries you may have in respect of licensed vehicles.
Kind regards,
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