Are Taxi drivers special?

[Danny]

Does anyone know why taxi drivers never wear seat belts. Have they had themselves exempted from the seat belt laws, or do the laws of motion not apply to them in the event of a sudden stop?

This query is prompted by the 20 minute taxi journey I had today with a driver who seem to think having warning alarm sounding continually during the journey was preferable to doing up his seat belt.

 

[Speck]

They don't wear them because they have to jump out quick and open the door for you

 

[domd1979]

There is an exemption for taxi drivers from the requirement to wear seat belts - Hackney Carriage drivers at any time, private hire when carrying a fare.

 

[Danny]

They don't wear them because they have to jump out quick and open the door for you

As opposed to chasing after flying pigs B)

 

[badkitty]

I saw the title of this thread, and thought "Yes. They are".
Then I found out it was about seat belts, rather than how special taxi drivers are, which is a shame because the ones here definately are.

I booked a taxi for my friend who's surname is Macdonald. Train arrives, friend gets out. Sees taxi waiting. Checks it's for her by giving her name and my address. Splendid. 20 minutes later, miles from my house, she is deposited at Macdonalds....B)

Thats pretty special.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Until relatively recently, lorry drivers were exempt too (and those on urban multi drop work still are, I think). In my last but one job I had a 1998 DAF tractor unit as my regular truck and there were no seatbelts fitted.

 

[tdr1nka]

Is that special as in 'special school'?B)

 

[sheva]

Until relatively recently, lorry drivers were exempt too (and those on urban multi drop work still are, I think). In my last but one job I had a 1998 DAF tractor unit as my regular truck and there were no seatbelts fitted.

No longer the case. Used to be no belt required for trips of less than 50 yards, but must now belt up for every journey. (theoretically )

 

[Cheddar George]

I booked a taxi one night, the guy who turned up looked familiar. He didn't put his belt on as we shot off at well above the speed limit, after a couple of minutes i finally figured it out .......... " didn't you teach me to drive ?" " Oh yes more than likely" he replied " i gave that game up as there wasn't any money in it" !!

 

[fossyant]

Up to them really..a Hackney has no chance against a modern car...in a crash.....sorry they are piles of old British Leyland (and if lucky...Rover) parts.... sheite !!!

 

[Smokin Joe]

Taxi drivers successfully lobbied for seatbelt exemption on the grounds that they needed to be able to exit the vehicle promptly should they come under attack from passengers, either because the fare was aggressive or intended to rob the driver.

 

[Quoth]

If you mean "special needs" then yes, bless 'em.

 

[iandg]

and they get to drive in bus lanes and miss the traffic jams, so I got from my meeting back to Edinburgh airport in time for the plane back home - which was nice

 

[Globalti]

Taxi drivers successfully lobbied for seatbelt exemption on the grounds that they needed to be able to exit the vehicle promptly should they come under attack from passengers, either because the fare was aggressive or intended to rob the driver.

Okay, but to drive all day with that bloody alarm thingy going "bing bing bing"? That shows a special kind of stupidity.

A taxi story: I used to know a London cabbie called Bob Smith. Bob told me about a colleague who picked up an American at Heathrow. When he asked the American for the destination the guy replied "Stratford". The driver duly took him right across London to Stratford E15 where he asked again where the Yank wanted to go. "The Birthplace" he replied. So the driver took him to the maternity hospital.

Turns out the American wanted to see Shakespeare's birthplace.....

 

[Smokin Joe]

Okay, but to drive all day with that bloody alarm thingy going "bing bing bing"? That shows a special kind of stupidity.

You sit on the belt with it plugged in to stop the alarm. When I was doing short hop deliveries in a van with that little feature I used to plug the passenger belt into my side.