Big Brother In Every Glasgow Taxi?, CCTV systems could film passengers Options

[auldbutcher]

ahm aw fer this how many times have we heard of taxi drivers being beat up ,abused etc. black hack drivers have at least some sort o protection, its the private hire wans who are in the maist danger. many moons ago i used tae use wan on ah setterday mornin where the wee butcher factory i worked in had ah 5 o'clock kick aff on ah setterday wan o the drivers was ah very attractive wumman in her mid 30s used tae think tae mahsel ye've some bottle pal ah widnae take yer job fer ah pension . yep thats ah great idea any thing that makes ah persons workin environment safer gets ah thumbs up frae me ach ye know it makes sense unlike some o mah posts

[marydee]

You're right 818818 I told my daughter always to use Glasgow's black hacks when she was in town late at night and she has practiced this 'till this day because anybody can be a private hire driver

[TeeHeeHee]

I'm right there with you Dugald (Och no' again' ) but when I read all the contra posts then I am induced to swing my bum up and sit right on the fence on this one

[818818]

You're right 818818 I told my daughter always to use Glasgow's black hacks when she was in town late at night and she has practiced this 'till this day because anybody can be a private hire driver

Thank you Marydee

The past few weeks traffic police and taxi enforcement unit have been purging all private hires in and around the city of Glasgow. The Herald reported this last week but even they have difficulty telling difference between TAXI and P/H they always say taxi even when pictures prove its P/H

The remit for private hire is drop return to base not been happening thats when the unlicensed cars move in and people get hurt and ripped off

Cameras will be put in P/H eventually

You may have your picture taken in a pub club etc when on a night out did you notice it at the time

Safety 1st is paramount

Sorry for going on but its a subject close to me WANT TO GET BACK HOME GET A HACK BACK

[Heather]

With all the Council cut backs, where is the money to come from to pay for CCTV camera's in taxi's and house's???

[818818]

With all the Council cut backs, where is the money to come from to pay for CCTV camera's in taxi's and house's???

At the taxi owners expense with a little bit of help from council

Taxi drivers and P/H pay thousands of ££££s to councils every year to cover the licence and badge

Its not coming out of council tax.

[*wee ann*]

reply to 818818

all private hire get a police check before being issued a licence also they do go through a customer care course as u r not allowed a badge without one shows how much you know (or dont know), and at least 90% have enhanced disclosure scotland and for "taxi drivers" not using satnavs thats a laugh every 2nd or 3rd taxi has one! how people have diffuclty telling the difference between a p/h and ordinary car is because they obviously dont check the back window sticker for the company name and the bright yellow licence plates at back and front of vehichle along with the side window stickers, if they look at the drivers dashboard they will also see their data head! .....and for the enforcement checking all private hires i welcome that but they should also check the "taxis" to they arent all as squeaky clean as the public would like to think !! at least with private hire everything is logged when you call a car, when you flag a hack down you have no trace unless u get drivers plate or reg no, also through experience a loan female gets 1st priority you can also request a female driver

[*Guest*]

No need for CCTV. Digital photo could to be taken on entering cab/ph car then deleted after trouble free journey.

[Ogey]

Hi folks, can I stick my tuppence worth in here? I'll lay my cards on the table, by letting you know that I'm a Glasgow Licenced Taxi Driver.

First of all, I'd like to apologise to Ashfield for his previous experiences with a few of my colleagues.(this is a regular thing I find myself doing!), unfortunately, there are a lot of greedy buggers out there, who have no concept of empathy with customers, and who are only out for themselves, and care not for the rest of the trade. These are the same people who complain that the job's finished, when they've been one of the causes of it. Sorry to read that you wont use us again, that's another customer chased away.

Secondly, the issue of CCTV in taxis, I'm all for it, however, I doubt it's effectiveness in securing a conviction. There was an incident in Glasgow City Centre recently, St. Vincent St., to be precise, in which a young man was killed by a hit-and-run driver. 3 weeks later, they still hadn't found the car which was involved. My point is, if they cant see a vehicle registration in the city centre, what chance have they got of recognising anyone in the back of a taxi? As for privacy,drivers will not have access to any of the recordings made, they will only be accessible by Police or other authorised agencies! Being a "proper" Taxi Driver, I have a degree of protection in my cab, but Private Hire Drivers dont, which is all the more reason for them NOT to pick up "There and Then" hires, as there will be no records for the Police to follow up.

Wee Ann, you're correct in what you say re. P/H, but to be able to operate a Glasgow Taxis radio, you must go through an Enhanced Disclosure Scotland check, in order to be left unsupervised with vulnerable passengers. As regards Sat-nav, I'll leave that to the amateurs, P/H.