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I am shocked that the police offered ds the option of paying 10.00 or "a night in the cells"

9 replies

zippitippitoes · 22/04/2007 13:43

..ds and gf got a black cab from Imperial Wharf to Marylebone Station

this normally costs between 12.00 and 17.00

cab driver took a devious route and charged them 24.50

ds gf gave the driver 15.00 and said he was ripping them off

driver followed them into the station and called the police

4 police asked ds to leave smiths and asked him if he had a fare with this bloke

ds says yes i gave him 15.00 etc

police says oh he didn't tell us that bit

then police says well you can either pay the balance or we will put you in the cells for the night

ds suggests they re run the fare but no he has to pay up

right or wrong?

(police comment sir you are not our usual clientele)

to me evidently the cab driver thought they were tourists...his gf is Chinese with a US accent

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Carmenere · 22/04/2007 13:47

This pisses me off so badly re cab drivers. FFS what black cabs charge is daylight robbery anyhow without trying to rip people off too.
I suppose as far as the police are concerned the cab driver has the fare on his meter and it is their word against his. Really crap though.

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singingmum · 22/04/2007 13:48

Taxi driver def wrong as for police they have to do their job but this was a little OTT when they won't even keep real criminals in a cell even overnight.
My dad is a taxi driver and he knows every shortcut possible.He believes that his customers appreciate that he can get them to their destination in the quickest and best route possible.I hate taxi drivers who cheat extra fares

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Carmenere · 22/04/2007 13:50

That said I would not be in the least bit suprised to be expected to pay £24 for a black cab trip accross London at night time. Are you totally sure that it was a rip off?

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edam · 22/04/2007 13:50

Did ds get the driver's private hire number? Then I'd complain to the carriage office or whatever they are called. Taxi driver clearly an arse. Hope police didn't caution ds.

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zippitippitoes · 22/04/2007 13:51

my dp is a taxi driver too!

towards the end of this commotion a police van arrived with siren blaring "don't think we need you lot mate says the ploice"

I would have thought as they had paid a reasonable amount that it was a civil matter

couldn't believe this we can arrest you and you will spend the night in a cell or pay up

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TheBlonde · 22/04/2007 13:52

prices have just gone up but not by that much

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StraightHairedScummyMummy · 22/04/2007 13:52

That's rubbish, zips. Can ds complain about the dodgy fare to these guys? . Sounds like the poilce didn't handle things too well either.

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zippitippitoes · 22/04/2007 13:53

it was early evening

yes he has the driver number and is planning to write..whether he will I don't know as he is not good at his writing!

he has done this trip lots of times before

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zippitippitoes · 22/04/2007 19:24

ok

he did the same point a imperial wharf to b marylebone the day before and it was 13.20...taxi took the direct route

now yesterday he did the journey at 4.45pm and the driver had the meter on 2...is that right? is it really time and a half on sat afternoon?

and amazingly the police said both gf and ds would be put in a cell for the night he as an accessory!