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Cambridge cabbie punched in the face
By adamg on Thu, 11/13/2008 - 11:42am
Cambridge Police report that when a cabbie wouldn't let four guys into his cab at Fifth and Bent streets around 2:55 a.m. yesterday, "they punched the driver in the face and stole his cell phone." He managed to speed away and summon police.
The location is just a block over from where two cabbies were robbed at gunpoint earlier this month.
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Comments
aren't cabbies required to take fares?
Not to minimize what the passengers did next, but aren't taxi drivers supposed to transport any paying customers who flag them down?
In Some Cases, Yes
From the Rule 403 Handbook, Section 5:
"q. Refusal to Transport Passengers: A Hackney Carriage Driver may refuse a
passenger in the event that there is a justifiable fear for the Driver’s personal safety
or the passenger is incapacitated. If the Driver maintains a Waybill, such refusal
should be entered on the Waybill. A Driver may not refuse a passenger at any time
simply because the passenger is intoxicated. When a passenger becomes noisy or
otherwise disorderly while in a Hackney Carriage and persists in such conduct after
warning, the Driver shall call 9-1-1 for assistance. When a potential passenger or
passenger appears incapacitated, the Driver shall call 9-1-1 for assistance."
Looks like it was a good
Looks like it was a good call on the cabbie's part.
Were they even looking for a ride?
Or were they banging on the cab and demanding that the driver open the door?
Can't be an easy call to make, as a cabbie or as a monday morning quarterback ...
On a Related Note
There were four guys wanting a ride, and most cars I know only have three seat belts in the back seat. Are cabbies required to limit the number of passengers to the number of seat belts? I couldn't find a section on that.
but there's a fourth passenger seat in front
and doesn't that have a seat belt too?
Good Question
I have no idea. I always assumed the plastic between the front and back seats of cabs were for the driver's safety, and the front seat wasn't considered a passenger's seat. You could be right. I can't say I ride cabs very much, and have never tried to pile in with a large group of people.
I think the cabbie is still covered under the fear for his safety clause though.
I Drove Cab For Six Months
That was back in the 70's, so things may have changed.
I used to work a 4am to 4pm shift. I drove for the ITOA, and most shifts were from 4 to 4 (either pm or am, depending upon the cabbie's preference.) Now, if a cabbie had been working since 4pm, he might have just felt like going off shift, or he may have felt the fare wouldn't allow him to get back to the garage by 4am - at which time, his cab may have been reserved for another driver - or any other number of personal factors not covered by law. Perhaps his shift ended at 3am. Who knows? Just because someone crawls into your cab, that doesn't mean you have to take them someplace, by any means.
As for the front seat riding thing, I used to let folks ride up front if need be, but I was young and fearless then. It's basically left to the cabbie's discretion, barring company policy dictating otherwise.
Suldog
http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com
The cabbie summonsed police?
The cabbie summonsed police? Interesting role reversal...
Darnit, where's my personal copy desk?
Fixed.