Dear Sir,
Some years ago, when we had a traffic warden, I was on Greenwell Road, alongside of the Leisure Centre, and saw the warden writing tickets for vehicles illegally parked along that stretch. Rightly so!
I asked the warden if he was issuing tickets to the two taxis parked on the double yellow lines at the back of the old Woolworth building.
His reply: “Oh, they are just loading”. I laughed and said no, they were waiting for spaces in the taxi rank as those already parked were too lazy to move up, but were still illegally parked. He then said “well they’ll just drive around the block and park there again” to which I said that they should get a ticket each time, and surely it wouldn’t take long for them to get the message. He then changed tack and told me he would need police assistance to move them on.
I subsequently checked with the police and DCC. The former confirmed their assistance was not required, the latter appeared to be saying it was not worthwhile pursuing the matter.
I’m writing on this subject today having witnessed, yet again, this same situation – lazy taxi drivers (2 of whom were ladies – come on girls – you’re letting the side down!) taking up 2 bays each and 2 taxis parked on the double yellows at the back of the Woolworth building.
(1) Why are taxi drivers apparently above the laws we mere mortals must adhere to? From experience I am of the opinion that there are many taxi drivers who believe they have a ‘right of passage’ on our roads, and are discourteous to other drivers and pedestrians.
(2) Why on earth do we need so many taxis in the rank anyway?
MM
(Name & address supplied)