Taxis unfit for the road

cootuk

Quite often the police and council have purges on taxis round my area.
Usually a good percentage are immediately taken off the road for easily identifiable issues such as illegal tyres.
They get fined, sometimes the taxi license gets suspended, but why don't the HSE/VOSA also prosecute the company involved for providing an unsafe workplace and endangering members of the public?
If there were greater fines than a fixed penalty ticket, then owner/drivers might make more effort to use roadworthy vehicles.
After all, if one of our company lorries was stopped with bald tyres, our company would be held liable by insurers and hse.

forgotmyname

Because most of the drivers own their vehicles, Not company supplied? Driver is responsible to ensure the car is roadworthy whether
a company vehicle or their own.

[Deleted User]

I see it all the time in my area with taxis. Usually head lights out, brake lights out, both number plate lights out, etc.

You would think they never check their car before they start a shift.

Lum

I always remember a purge like this in Aylesbury.

The police found 47 identical driving licences.

vikingaero

Deleted_User wrote: »

You would think they never check their car before they start a shift.

Most taxi driver I see are very comprehensive in their pre-shift checks:

Radio on - check
McDonalds coffee cup in cupholder - check
Ashtray emptied into road - check
3 point turn without a seatbelt on and holding mobile phone - check

Lum

Taxi drivers are actually exempt from the seatbelt law.

mikey72

Lum wrote: »

Taxi drivers are actually exempt from the seatbelt law.

I think it should go further, mandatory they don't wear one, and their airbag is replaced by a 6" spike.

dacouch

Lum wrote: »

I always remember a purge like this in Aylesbury.

The police found 47 identical driving licences.

That reminds me of one of my favourite stories... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/7899171.stm

SCO

Lum wrote: »

Taxi drivers are actually exempt from the seatbelt law.

No one is excemp, unless for medical reasons..

SailorSam

SCO wrote: »

No one is excemp, unless for medical reasons..

Are you sure about that ?

Seat belt - Exemptions - Driving Law motoring legal advice

SCO

SailorSam wrote: »

Are you sure about that ?

Seat belt - Exemptions - Driving Law motoring legal advice

Thats what i thought however:

When you don't need to wear a seat belt

You don't need to wear a seat belt if you're:

• a driver who is reversing, or supervising a learner driver who is reversing
• in a vehicle being used for police, fire and rescue services
• a passenger in a trade vehicle and you're investigating a fault
• driving a goods vehicle on deliveries that is travelling no more than 50 metres between stops
• a licensed taxi driver who is 'plying for hire' or carrying passengers

Medical exemptions from wearing a seat belt

Your doctor may decide that you may be exempted from wearing a seat belt on medical grounds. If so, they will issue a 'Certificate of Exemption from Compulsory Seat Belt Wearing', which you must:

• keep in your vehicle
• show to the police if you're stopped

You’ll need to tell your car insurer that you're travelling without a seat belt.



Must say i am surprised taxi driver dont have to wear one but delivery driver do past 50m.