Watford taxi drivers deliver safety petition (From Watford Observer)
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Watford taxi drivers deliver safety petition
3:58pm Wednesday 17th March 2010 in
Taxi drivers who say they have had enough of the physical and verbal abuse meted out by their drunken late night passengers have delivered a petition to Watford Borough Council to demand safety improvement.
The Watford Hackney Carriage Drivers Association, which last month described two shocking attacks on its members to the Watford Observer, is asking the council co-fund the installation of in-car CCTV, panic alarms, and protective glass screens.
The petition, containing more than 200 signatures, has been handed to council licensing officials, who are investigating a range of options.
Association member Adil Butt, who was savagely beaten and robbed by three men in July 2007, said action needed to be taken before someone was killed or seriously injured.
He said: “People like me do not drive taxis for fun. We do it seven days a week to earn money for our families. I do it for my two children.
“We all just want to make a living during this recession and return home safely to our families at the end of the day.”
Most incidents of violence, Mr Butt explained, were inflicted on drivers of saloon vehicles, which have none of the protection of the traditional (and more expensive) London style black cabs. It was possible, he added, to fix similar screens in the white and black family style cars favoured by most licensed drivers.
Association chairman Shafiq Ahmed, who met this afternoon with council officers this afternoon, reiterated the association’s willingness to co-fund any expenditure incurred.
Comments(6)
The Rover
says...
6:15pm Wed 17 Mar 10
Masterplan wrote:I agree. If the cab drivers want better security they should fund the extra security themselves or stop being taxi drivers. There is no other business I know of who would ask a council to fund their CCTV, & if any election candidates are reading this they should consider the views of the tax-paying public who are not taxi drivers.
This should absolutely be funded 100 percent by individual taxi drivers. If the council allowed this then individual shops could ask the council to fund CCTV. This is a slippery slope. I bet the council will cave in to appease the specific "community" which is affected by this. We may even find a few election candidates backing this as it's close to election time.
Cameron, Watford
says...
8:35am Thu 18 Mar 10
thai rog
says...
9:37am Thu 18 Mar 10
Masterplan
says...
6:23pm Thu 18 Mar 10
thai rog wrote:Being a hard working person - and understanding the importance of working for what I have - I am totally against the council funding this scheme. If you had the capacity to understand you would recognise that the council funding this sets a massive precedence for other requests. Of course these taxi drivers should not be assaulted and it is not acceptable. To improve their safety THEY themselves should invest in their security.
Anyone notice the common theme in the previous posts? Not one mention of the real threat of assault and robbery which these guys face on a daily workday basis. Just weasel words about the penny on council tax that it may cost the jerks. Thatcherism is alive and well in Watford! Now; if you guys are serious about your precious Council Tax payments there's a certain agreeable property in Oxhey housing Dotty and Blunty where about 100k of taxpayers money goes annually. All for no risk of assault, just a lot of smiling into the compliant lens of the Watford Obscurer. You bunch of deadbeats all deserve each other
mummy_1
says...
9:52pm Thu 18 Mar 10
thai rog wrote:Thai Rog
Anyone notice the common theme in the previous posts? Not one mention of the real threat of assault and robbery which these guys face on a daily workday basis. Just weasel words about the penny on council tax that it may cost the jerks. Thatcherism is alive and well in Watford! Now; if you guys are serious about your precious Council Tax payments there's a certain agreeable property in Oxhey housing Dotty and Blunty where about 100k of taxpayers money goes annually. All for no risk of assault, just a lot of smiling into the compliant lens of the Watford Obscurer. You bunch of deadbeats all deserve each other
Is the name calling necessary? Not sure I would like to meet you on a dark night either!
If you are going to repeat yourself, so will I!!
How can the council pay for CCTV for self employed taxi drivers when schools and parks are CCTV free. What about the mini cab drivers who are going to pay for them? Many buses are also CCTV free.
These mindless drunks are often hell bent on causing trouble. They are going to meet decent folk somewhere between leaving /being thrown out of their chosen venue and home.
What next, CCTV outside every
take-away.
The sooner the top of the town is returned to business, which the majority of Council taxpayers can enjoy, the better.
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Masterplan says...
5:19pm Wed 17 Mar 10