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JNugent[_5_] · October 15th 15, 04:23 PM posted to uk.transport.london

On 15/10/2015 08:41, Basil Jet wrote:
On 2015\10\11 13:58, JNugent wrote:
On 11/10/2015 12:28, wrote:
In article ,
(JNugent) wrote:

Unlicensed plying for hire (by drivers of vehicles not licensed to
ply for hire) is pretty conclusive evidence of not being a fit and
proper person within the meaning(s) of the 1976 Act. It demonstrates
contempt for the law.

But is a first offence worthy of a life sentence? Their licences were
generally suspended for a period but that penalty is already many
times more
costly to them than that imposed by the court.

If you follow the "fit and proper person" reasoning, one conviction is
already one too many. If you're not f&p, you're not f&p, after all. I'd
extend that to DUI for any taxi-driver or pirate car driver.

Unlicensed plying for hire is pretty central to the "minicab" economy
and does severe damage to the business of taxi-drivers. If this wages
snatch (for that is what it is - workers being deprived of - part of -
their earnings) for just one month were concentrated just in one hit, it
would make the front pages of every newspaper.

It ought not to be tolerated at all, as doing so sends out completely
the wrong signals to pirate car drivers and operators.

OK, I can see an argument for clemency; maybe not a whole-life penalty,
but at least a year (as DUI would incur). And the same for any operator
who suffers or permits the use of his facilities - including 2-way
radios - in an effort to disguise the offence.

So then the minicab boss phones up his brother who's the boss of the
curry house. "My daughter's husband has been stitched up by the black
cab kuffar, he can't drive my taxis for the next year." "Send him over
to me, my granddaughter's husband is no good as a waiter so I'll send
him to you". And next Friday the man who stood outside the pub shouting
"Taxi Taxi" is a waiter, and the man who was a waiter is shouting "Taxi
Taxi", and no-one loses a penny of income. And then a year and a half
later when the new taxi tout gets caught, they switch back.

At least the public are not being placed in the hands of someone who has
proven not to be a fit and proper person to be entrusted with their safety.