The responsibilities of a taxi driver

[Matthew_T]

3 HO's. However, he'd get the first if he comes near you again, then every time he comes near you after that he gets a subsequent one. Usually the original one is enough to scare an idiot off this kind of behaviour. He's probably just an arse who's seen your footage online. Try to avoid confrontation though, even idiots have friends.

Yes, this guy seems to have a remarkable ability to get his passengers on his side (whether they were biased to begin with). I think a call to the firm will persuade him to pack it in anyway.

 

[smokeysmoo]

I dont even know what the Rainman is so it didnt really bother me.

I didn't think you would TBH, (age considered). No iota of offence was intended, but having read the thread I can see why people got on their high horse in your defence.

All the best Matthew

 

[SportMonkey]

Yes, this guy seems to have a remarkable ability to get his passengers on his side (whether they were biased to begin with). I think a call to the firm will persuade him to pack it in anyway.

As dumb as it sounds, and you are your own man, it may be best to have your parents call in this instance. Play the youth card as it'll worry them more that they're harassing a young person

 

[Matthew_T]

As dumb as it sounds, and you are your own man, it may be best to have your parents call in this instance. Play the youth card as it'll worry them more that they're harassing a young person

I like to keep my parents out of everything that happens on the roads. They will just stop me going out. I appreciate your concern but at 19 in two days, I would like to think that I can deal with this myself.
I will give the firm a ring anyway and just express my concern that his attitude on the roads isnt appreciated.

 

[HLaB]

Okay, things have now become a lot clearer. This afternoon the taxi driver has been harrassing me (not an overstatement).

I took primary over a bridge which I have had many close passes on because I didnt take it, and the taxi came speeding behind me, and nearly rear ended me. Luckily he just swerved and braked hard.
He then followed me through a few sets of lights, and eventually pulled up along side me. To my amazement, the passenger was filming me and I heard the driver say something (couldnt tell what).
He then continued to follow me through a few more sets of lights and then pulled up alongside me on the drivers side, I heard him say "I can follow you around everywhere you know". I just ignored it and continued cycling. He continued to follow me.

I then stopped at the next set of lights in the ASL, he stopped in it besides me. He then said "I've got everything on camera now aswell", to which I replied "I cannot see what I have done wrong". He then said "You were cycling in the middle of the road", I calmly replied "Well I am allowed to". He then drove off and I headed to the local police station to see if anyone was around. I spoke to a woman and explained what had happened and what happened yesterday. She understood my concern and directed me to call 101 and if he confronted me again today, to call 999 (I got home safely).

I am now going to the police with this because the guy is going to end up running me off the road soon. I am not happy with his behaviour.

I was going to say, live and let live and enjoy your cycling in 2013 and beyond, but that is just plain weird

 

[Matthew_T]

I was going to say, live and let live and enjoy your cycling in 2013 and beyond, but that is just plain weird

Its not a great start to the year is it?

 

[SportMonkey]

I like to keep my parents out of everything that happens on the roads. They will just stop me going out. I appreciate your concern but at 19 in two days, I would like to think that I can deal with this myself.
I will give the firm a ring anyway and just express my concern that his attitude on the roads isnt appreciated.

Fair enough, my point was that a firm would not like to get a reputation for harassing children, not that you need your parents' help though. The idea is to make the biggest effect for the smallest effort. When you complain be friendly, ask them to have a quiet word, etc. as they'll take it better and are more likely to do something about your complaint (I know, it sounds stupid).

 

[Matthew_T]

Fair enough, my point was that a firm would not like to get a reputation for harassing children, not that you need your parents' help though. The idea is to make the biggest effect for the smallest effort. When you complain be friendly, ask them to have a quiet word, etc. as they'll take it better and are more likely to do something about your complaint (I know, it sounds stupid).

Me speak to the driver? Is that the best of things to do?

 

[fossyant]

Is this Roberts taxis ? Phone them.

 

[SportMonkey]

Me speak to the driver? Is that the best of things to do?

No, ask the taxi company to. Don't over embellish unless they ask, when they do ask play it down and stay calm.

Your conversation should be somewhere along the lines of:

Hello, sorry to trouble you [...] I had a bit of a weird incident with one of your drivers earlier whilst I was out cycling [...] Any chance you could have a quiet word with the driver please?

 

[Matthew_T]

Is this Roberts taxis ? Phone them.

No, Coastline. I would have sent them an email but they dont have a website. Going to ring them anyway, better to speak to someone.

 

[BentMikey]

Good luck , Matthew. I hope you can get it sorted with the minimum of fuss and stress for you.

This sounds like something potentially much more serious than the usual sort of driver misbehaviour we all see on the roads regularly.

 

[Matthew_T]

Normally 'what if's' and 'it could have been much worse' are far from what actually happened, and I normally dont see the driver again after a close pass or a confrontation. But as this is a taxi, it is more likely that I will see the guy again and he will try some cheap trick (close pass or something). Or he will try to 'teach me a lesson about riding in the middle of the road'.

Hopefully after I have spoken to the company, it will stop. If not then a harrassment order is due.

 

[Pale Rider]

'

Hopefully after I have spoken to the company, it will stop. If not then a harrassment order is due.

Up to you, but I wouldn't bother with the company but would speak to the local authority.

They will listen to you, and if they do take the matter up with the company, the company will know the local authority has the power to harm their business, so they more or less have to listen to them.

A member of the public - you - moaning on the phone can be easily brushed off.

 

[Hawk]

Up to you, but I wouldn't bother with the company but would speak to the local authority.

They will listen to you, and if they do take the matter up with the company, the company will know the local authority has the power to harm their business, so they more or less have to listen to them.

A member of the public - you - moaning on the phone can be easily brushed off.

Taxi licensing boards have a bit of a reputation for not dealing with poor driving very stringently. However, harassment is something they'll VERY carefully investigate I think