Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to make a formal complaint about this taxi driver?

75 replies

creamola · 01/09/2011 11:16

Was just hanging out my washing on the balcony and watching the world go by (as you do) and saw a guy, late 30ish, hobble along the road with the aid of two walking sticks/supports and a dog towards a taxi.

The taxi driver refused to take him as he didnt like the look of his dog and drove off.

The dog was a cross-breed but looked like it had a bit of Staffie in it.

The guy was obviously distressed so I popped down to ask if he wanted me to call him another taxi. Guy was grateful as had no credit in phone.

New taxi came and took him without a problem.

My question is would it be unreasonable to formally complain about the first taxi driver........It was a black cab

Are dogs normally allowed in taxis?

OP posts:
ihatecbeebies · 01/09/2011 11:21

I think it is really up to the driver, if he didn't want a dog in his taxi then fair enough I don't see the problem, YABU

VelvetSnow · 01/09/2011 11:21

YAB a little U

I'd say it was at the drivers discretion.

Same idea as a taxi driver knocking back someone who was completely drunk for fear they might puke, or even worse empty their bowels in the taxi - it happens.

I reckon the taxi driver may have thought the dog might shit on his floor.

Time spent cleaning, is revenue lost unfortunately.

But good on you for calling another cab :)

worraliberty · 01/09/2011 11:21

It's totally down to the driver's discretion

YABU

SouthGoingZax · 01/09/2011 11:22

Don't see why a taxi is obliged to take someone - or their dog for that matter. Many drivers own their own cabs so why should they let a dog in to drop hairs / make it smelly?

Don't know whether black cabs are different though - perhaps they are obliged. Either way, not worth a complaint so I think YABU.

SouthGoingZax · 01/09/2011 11:22

I am so s l o w Blush

Kayano · 01/09/2011 11:27

YABU

Taxi doesn't need to take a dog IMO
Might have had a phobia
And if it looked a bit staffie I would have said no too

SiamoFottuti · 01/09/2011 11:30

Another "shall I complain about something ridiculous"? thread. Hmm

YABU. Why should they let a dog in the car if they don't want to? Especially a Staffie cross. It wasn't even you and your dog, ffs.

StrandedBear · 01/09/2011 11:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
creamola · 01/09/2011 11:38

sorry for the confusion.......I should have stated in the OP that the guy said it was him and a dog when the taxi was ordered.

The taxi driver obviously didn't like the look of the dog and the poor guy would have been stuck hobbling about unable to get where he was going unless he someone was around to phone him another taxi.

The black cabs have huge perspect partions between the driver and the customer so the dog was hardly a threat.

I think its out of order to refuse a fare for an agreed pick up based on the dogs looks especially as the customer had mobility problems

OP posts:
coppertop · 01/09/2011 11:42

I think it depends on whether the dog was classed as an assistance dog. I don't think they can refuse to take those but otherwise it's up to the driver.

worraliberty · 01/09/2011 11:44

But you don't know any of that.

For all you know, there could have been a mix up and a driver who doesn't want dogs in his car was sent by mistake.

Or the guy could have told them it was a small dog that would fit on his lap and when he saw it, he realised it wasn't.

There's a million and one reasons why he may have refused the dog.

LadyBeagleEyes · 01/09/2011 11:45

When you order a taxi you should make sure you let them know you have a dog with you.
There's plenty of drivers quite happy to take a dog.

VelvetSnow · 01/09/2011 11:46

again, I'm going to say driver discretion.

and I agree with worra.

although I'm quietly seething no one has even acknowledged my amazing post

StrandedBear · 01/09/2011 11:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

VelvetSnow · 01/09/2011 11:53

FWIW I did not shit in a taxi Grin

Gay40 · 01/09/2011 11:55

I live in West Yorkshire where many taxi drivers are Muslim and won't have a dog in the taxi.

porcamiseria · 01/09/2011 11:57

you have too much time on your hands, clearly

Original poster
creamola · 01/09/2011 11:58

worrability it was a return fare, he used the same firm yesterday

Maybe I would be unreasonable to complain but it really got my goat as the taxi driver bascially left him stranded and I felt sorry for the guy.

OP posts:
wannaBe · 01/09/2011 11:59

The only dogs taxi's (all taxi's) are legally obliged to carry are assistance dogs, unless the driver has a medical exemption which must be displayed in the front window of his cab. But you still get taxi drivers refusing to carry assistance dogs - I have had two refuse to carry me because of my guide dog in the past eight months.

Other dogs are at driver's discretion. However...

If the man made it clear he had a dog when he booked the taxi then this should have been made clear to the driver who was doing the pick-up. If the driver doing the pick-up didn't feel he wanted to carry the dog then he was within his rights to refuse if he'd not been made aware the dog was part of the fare, however he should then have radio'd back to his base for another cab who would be prepared to carry the dog, IMO. It was probably the base at fault for not passing the booking on properly.

Original poster
creamola · 01/09/2011 11:59

pocamiseria oh really ! care to explain your catty comment ??

OP posts:
TheMonster · 01/09/2011 12:01

I'd rather have a staffie in my car than a log haired dog.

ChaoticAngeloftheUnderworld · 01/09/2011 12:06

Great post Velvet Grin

Actually I can see both sides of this having had to take my dog in a taxi a few times to the vets lately. I did make sure my dog was sat on my knee and wasn't allowed to move off of it. Most of them, especially one who said he had his own dog, were happy to take her seeing as she was on my knee. I did have one who wasn't so happy but did take her and treated me to a talk on why he doesn't like dogs in his car

OP YAB a bit U as I can understand why some aren't too keen but the taxi firm should have made sure they sent someone who was happy to take the dog.

wannaBe · 01/09/2011 12:07

and fwiw I don't think op has too much time on her hands - she was just looking out for the guy.

I can tell you from personal experience that having a driver refuse to carry you is a horrible, humilliating experience, and I am someone who is perfectly capable of standing up for myself and putting a point across (which I did, on both occasions).

And even though in my case the driver was breaking the law, on the first occasion I was actually too afraid to complain formally since it happened outside my house, so the man knew where I lived, and I was (perhaps irationally) afraid of retribution. On the second occasion it happened in London, and my friend who was with me at the time wrote a strongly worded letter, and we got a formal apology from the company concerned. He was prepared to take them to court though if it had come to that.

kelly2000 · 01/09/2011 12:15

As far as I am aware only assistance animals like guide dogs have to be allowed in by the driver. If they refuse to allow a guide dog in, even if it is for religious reasons, they can be fined.

Original poster
creamola · 01/09/2011 12:27

wannabe good on you for standing up . My sister in law has a guide dog and she has been refused taxi rides (and restaurant entry at times) too.

Perhaps that was also playing on my mind in respect of the above situation??

I do think more should be done to educate people in this area but thats for another thread.

(your not my sister in law are you???? Grin)

OP posts: