FOI Request Thoughts

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Jezston

Jezston

Über Member
Location
London
Anyone know much about making Freedom Of Information requests?

With all the talk of shocking behaviour from London cabbies recently, and police disinterest in persuing them, I was thinking of making an FOI request for something like the following information:

1. Number of reports from cyclists about cabbie behaviour
2. Number of reports resulting in further action being taken.
3. Comparison of these figures against similar reports from cyclists about non-cabbie drivers.
 
TwickenhamCyclist

TwickenhamCyclist

Guest
Hi – did it once a few years ago – but it was with Westminster Council – pretty straight forward if I recall. Allow time for a response – you can do it online with the met! http://www.met.police.uk/information/general_info.htm

The worst that can happen is they say such information is not recorded or available. If you have no luck, ask your MP to look into it for you


 
ClichéGuevara

ClichéGuevara

Legendary Member
Location
Kingston upon the River Hull
Just had a quick search, and what came back was mainly London Black Cab drivers criticising the lack of effectiveness of the Licensing Authority in dealing with rogue cabbies, so I can't see complaints to them being an effective avenue.

http://theandersonshelter.blogspot.com/2011/02/corporation-of-london-victimisation-of.html



I've not noticed an issue up here, and my view is really only based on what I've read on-line (mainly here) but Cabbies possibly see cyclists as a threat, blocking their way and as it gets more popular, taking away custom. Just a squint at the issue from their perspective, could it be more effective to join forces with them rather than fight them?
 
upsidedown

upsidedown

Waiting for the great leap forward
Location
The middle bit
Very easy with West Mids. I emailled them with a request for how many fixed penalty notices they had issued for using mobile phones while driving since the law was introduced.
A few weeks later i received an email with this in :



The total number of fixed penalty notices issued within the West Midlands
Police (WMP) Force area for the offence of driving while using a mobile phone
since the new law was introduced on February 27, 2007.

27/02/2007 to 31/12/2007 - 5,941
01/01/2008 to 31/12/2008 - 6,780
01/01/2009 to 31/12/2009 - 7,900
01/01/2010 to 31/12/2010 - 6,655
01/01/2011 to 13/05/2011 - 2,333



I was pleasantly surprised as i thought that the number would bi in the low hundreds each year.
 
C

cycleoptic

Regular
Both cabbies and phone on one:
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM_7M2snFZ8


reaction from carriage office:

"I must explain that the Taxi & Private Hire (TPH) can only deal with offences that are contrary to the Hackney Carriage Acts and Orders. Under the circumstances you describe, we are unable to take any action against the taxi driver involved.

The TPH has no legislative power to investigate road traffic offences committed by cab drivers. I can only advise you that if you have a complaint about the driving behaviour of a cab driver you should report the matter in person to the nearest police station."

Obviously just check the cab is clean and boot laces are done up!
 
D

dawesome

Senior Member
I actually did this, I wrote to the PCO and asked what logs were kept about cyclist complaints about black cabbies, they said none.
 
subaqua

subaqua

What’s the point
Location
Leytonstone
cycleoptic said:
Both cabbies and phone on one:
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM_7M2snFZ8


reaction from carriage office:

"I must explain that the Taxi & Private Hire (TPH) can only deal with offences that are contrary to the Hackney Carriage Acts and Orders. Under the circumstances you describe, we are unable to take any action against the taxi driver involved.

The TPH has no legislative power to investigate road traffic offences committed by cab drivers. I can only advise you that if you have a complaint about the driving behaviour of a cab driver you should report the matter in person to the nearest police station."

Obviously just check the cab is clean and boot laces are done up!
Click to expand...


what you end up with is a circular chase. the PCO say you need to contact police , and the police ( City and Met) both say you need to contact the PCO. this complaint was made as a car driver too not as a cyclist. i don't think it makes a difference anyway though.

thats not to say if the alledged offence was a serious one the police wouldn't investigate, but i had a cabbie pull out without looking and knock a wing mirror off, it would have been worse but i anticipated the move and had moved out away from the parked vehicles.

i
 
Brains

Brains

Legendary Member
Location
Greenwich
I tried this a number of years ago after witnessing two london cabbies doing the most shocking bits of driving I've ever seen (and I've driven in places like Bolivia and India )
the PCO don't care, as in really don't care. They are not there to even comment on rogue cabbies, just support them in keeping them on the road whatever they have done.

it should be remembered the PCO refused to remove the licence of that chap Warboys, the multiple taxi rapist on the basis that when he was not drugging and raping his clients he was a reasonable taxi driver
 
black'n'yellow

black'n'yellow

Guest
Jezston said:
Anyone know much about making Freedom Of Information requests?

With all the talk of shocking behaviour from London cabbies recently, and police disinterest in persuing them, I was thinking of making an FOI request for something like the following information:

1. Number of reports from cyclists about cabbie behaviour
2. Number of reports resulting in further action being taken.
3. Comparison of these figures against similar reports from cyclists about non-cabbie drivers.
Click to expand...

What would you do with the info - from a journalistic point of view, it doesn't sound very interesting..?
 
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