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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Taxi driver falling asleep on motorway

71 replies

Booboostwo · 26/02/2018 21:52

We are on holiday and we don't have our car. Yesterday we wanted to go see friends who live in a slightly out of the way village but the trains were awful (3 hours just to get there if all went well with changes and a bus rail replacement service) so we decided to hire a taxi for 9 hours - 1.5 hours drive there, then short drive to soft play/restaurant, then 1.5 hours back. In between the long drive there and back the driver had a long rest. We paid 500 pounds for the taxi which was a huge amount of money but it was very important for us to see our friends and this was the only way it would happen.

On the way there, at 11:30 in the morning, so not an odd hour, the taxi driver started to fall asleep at the wheel on the motorway. He was driving in the middle lane while the slow lane was empty which was a but odd and then I noticed his speed has dropped to 50 m/h. I was sitting at the back with the DCs but a couple of cars beeped at us when overtaking which attracted my attention. I saw the driver's eyes closing for milliseconds, so I woke up DH who was sitting at the front and also dozing, and he also saw the driver falling asleep. We got some cold air in the car and we talked to the driver the rest of the way. We then asked him to make sure he took a nap before the trip back (he had 5 hours free waiting for us).

When we got back DH texted the taxi firm letting them know but got an automated reply back, so this morning I suggested we should call the firm about it. DH was reluctant as he thought they would not care either way, but surely sending out a driver who was falling asleep at the wheel is a huge issue isn't it? I don't necessarily want the driver disciplined in any way, he seemed like a nice man, but they do need to review their procedures to ensure this doesn't happen again. I also think we are entitled to some money back, DH thinks not.

OP posts:
roses2 · 26/02/2018 21:54

£500 to hire a taxi for the day? Why didn't you get a hire car?

Yes I'd report him, it's very dangerous.

restingbemusedface · 26/02/2018 21:56

Yes that’s awful, but why didn’t you just rent a car or do car club? 500 for a car forbidden the day is crazy!

restingbemusedface · 26/02/2018 21:57

*For a - spellcheck error!

TheQueenOfWands · 26/02/2018 21:58

He may well have worked all night.

I've had a few colleagues who've worked night shifts and then done a day shift.

If you work for two companies you get away with it.

WinonaIsHot · 26/02/2018 21:59

Why didn't you just rent a car?!

gamerchick · 26/02/2018 22:01

I kind of need to know why on Earth you didn’t just rent a car Grin

I’m sure there’s a reason but 500 quid for a taxi is nuts.

Amanduh · 26/02/2018 22:01

I can’t see how they can ensure that anyone won’t do that. How can you ensure against human error/behaviour?

italiancortado · 26/02/2018 22:01

Fuck me could you not have just got a taxi there and called for another one to take you back when needed Shock

Crispbutty · 26/02/2018 22:01

Another one here wondering why on earth you didn’t hire a car and drive yourselves.

Surfingwhippet · 26/02/2018 22:02

Maybe they don't drive

Booboostwo · 26/02/2018 22:02

Fair enough hiring a car would have been cheaper, not sure why we didn't think of it. We're on holiday and DH didn't want to drive and I find it odd driving on the left, we live in a right hand drive country. Nonetheless we hired a registered taxi and paid more than a fair price for it, so I don't think he should have put our lives in danger.

OP posts:
SunnySkiesSleepsintheMorning · 26/02/2018 22:02

It’s not relevant as to why the OP chose to spend her money on a taxi. I don’t think you’d get any money back but he does need reporting for the sake of his passengers and other road users.

DalekDalekDalek · 26/02/2018 22:04

£500 for a taxi ride? You have more money than sense!

Booboostwo · 26/02/2018 22:05

There is only one taxi driver in the village who was not available that day so he could not have driven us back. Also there was no one to take us to the soft play/restaurant, our friend has one car and we would not all have fit in it.

I am not quite sure why it matters why we chose a taxi, did we deserve a sleeping driver because we could have driven ourselves?

OP posts:
JoeyMaynardssolidlump · 26/02/2018 22:08

Oh op they must have been so scary for you.

A driver falling asleep killed my dds teacher, maimed and disabled many children and badly injured my dd.

Can you involved the police op?

Booboostwo · 26/02/2018 22:11

I am so sorry Joey.

It was very shocking. I'd heard about drivers taking micro naps or whatever they are called but never seen it happen. He was OK once we started chatting to him and dropped the temperature in the car. He seemed like a nice man and he had three young children so I think I would rather the firm took some steps to re-examine their shifts or hours worked or figure out why this happened, than get him personally into trouble.

OP posts:
RitasEducation · 26/02/2018 22:16

There is a taxi regulator you could contact.

I would definitely report this. It is not uncommon for taxi drivers to over do it and nap at the wheel. I would be horrified if he killed a family the next time. You are very lucky definitely report him not only to the base but the regulator too.

Dontsweathesmallstuff · 26/02/2018 22:21

Did he even realise that he'd fallen asleep.?

He should not have continued to drive. Motorway driving is monotonous and once you start getting drowsy you're in trouble no matter what you do to try and shake it off.

PersonAtHome · 26/02/2018 22:23

I know someone whose son (age 21 ish) along with a lot of his friends was killed by a minibus driver falling asleep at the wheel.

It's definitely not ok.

DoJo · 26/02/2018 22:24

He seemed like a nice man and he had three young children so I think I would rather the firm took some steps to re-examine their shifts or hours worked or figure out why this happened, than get him personally into trouble.

But if he's had adequate time in between shifts to sleep (theoretically) and just hasn't, for whatever reason, or is still tired, then he is the one responsible. As the parent of two non-sleeping children, I have found myself in this position in the past and have been lucky enough that I was aware and able to take precautions to ensure that I was safe, but it really comes down to the individual ultimately.

Jassmells · 26/02/2018 22:26

What country are you in? I.e are people likely to care if you complain?

FluffyWuffy100 · 26/02/2018 22:32

I love how people focus on someone paying for a taxi rather than the serious issue of a driver falling asleep at the wheel!

Ontheboardwalk · 26/02/2018 22:33

Why didn’t you just pay for firm to take you there and back rather than 9 hours?

All taxi fares have an element of I charge you for where you are going and me getting back again. Why would you pay for the time you didn’t need the taxi?

Why would you pay for 5 hours waiting time?

Mawalls · 26/02/2018 22:35

What 'procedures' so you imagine is going to stop someone feeling sleepy on a the motorway?

What procedures does your work carry out to ensure you will not be sleepy several hours later?

just admit you are vindictive and want him fired.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 26/02/2018 22:36

That's mumsnet for you, Fluffy.
The words never amaze and cease come to mind