Taxis, seatbelts and the law

[Taxi Driver]

I would like to underline to a female international relations student with an American accent that while the law states that taxi passengers must wear a seatbelt, taxi drivers are exempt under the following circumstances:

"Licensed taxi drivers are exempt from wearing a seatbelt while seeking a hire, answering a call for hire or carrying passengers, [while private hire vehicles are exempt while carrying passengers]."

See the following newspaper article:

http://www.fifetoday.co.uk/fife-free-pr ... 2866404.jp

Hopefully this will demonstrate that studying IR at St Andrews doesn't imbue a student with knowledge of UK seatbelt law relating to taxi drivers (indeed, I'd be very surprised if any UK law students came across this in the course of their studies)and getting imperious, abusive and generally obnoxious about it doesn't help either.

[DrAlex]

You put a post on the sinner to tell a drunk girl she was incorrect for telling you that you ought to wear a seatbealt while driving?

Bravo, sir.

[hr]

The Sinner: Where no one ever learned "if you haven't got any thing nice to say, don't say anything at all."

[Rrrr]

Actually, this has come up (in my law course anyway) when discussing contributory negligence and cases where taxi drivers have not found to contribute to RTA injuries by failing to wear their seat-belts. I did know already - discussion on Jeremy Vine I think.

However, I think it is something you only know if you've been told and its hardly a vital piece of information, so her ignorance is excusable, though her (presumably) terrible manner is not.

[hr]

Splat!

[HarryP]

Surely it would be a little bit safer (for you) to wear a seatbelt anyway? Even though it isnt a requirment?

[Taxi Driver]

Quoting DrAlex from 22:41, 25th May 2008
You put a post on the sinner to tell a drunk girl she was incorrect for telling you that you ought to wear a seatbealt while driving?

Bravo, sir.

Well my original message was specifically addressed to the "drunk girl" in question, and the subject matter of the thread should have been obvious from the title and to that extent anyone not interested would have ingored the thread, but if my posting here has put you or any other readers out in any way then please accept my apologies DrAlex.

However, the scenario in question is not quite as you put it, as I did correct the girl when she rather aggressively suggested that I should put my seatbelt on, and normally that would have ended the matter. But on this occassion she then:

- used the f-word in an aggressive manner perhaps ten times or so;

- called me a f****** ass****;

- said she would "sue the ass off me" if we were in an accident due to me not wearing a seatbelt (I couldn't quite fathom the logic of how me not wearing a seatbelt might cause an accident);

- said that she was "a 20-year-old with a degree and a house", while I was a "50-year-old with a car" and nothing else and seemed to think that meant she was an authority on UK seatbelt law (don't know how she managed to get a degree and then be studying in St Andrews as a 20-year-old);

Therefore the "drunken girl" obviously thought the matter was of some consequence, thus to that extent I hardly think posting a message on here is an overreaction?

You never know, she might even read it!!

[Taxi Driver]

[However, I think it is something you only know if you've been told and its hardly a vital piece of information, so her ignorance is excusable

Absolutely; her ignorance is eminently excusable, but if it's hardly a vital piece of information then why her totally OTT response?

[My my my]

I think it is our failure in this town to remember basic codes of etiquette towards others. I have been witness directly to how poorly students treat others who are providing services for them, from cleaners in halls of residence, to cafes, to taxis. Being a student does not provide us with a moral right to lecture others and to be rude. Age is not an excuse either. Why is it that we insist on treating fellow humans so poorly?

Quoting Rrrr from 23:31, 25th May 2008
Actually, this has come up (in my law course anyway) when discussing contributory negligence and cases where taxi drivers have not found to contribute to RTA injuries by failing to wear their seat-belts. I did know already - discussion on Jeremy Vine I think.

However, I think it is something you only know if you've been told and its hardly a vital piece of information, so her ignorance is excusable, though her (presumably) terrible manner is not.

[hr]

Splat!

[exnihilo]

Why is it you presume to generalise to all of "us" from one or two isolated examples? The other side of the coin is that locals are often rude to students, but I would not tar them all with the same brush. So get off your moral high horse and don't lecture others about their shortcomings or presume to speak for all students.

[RandomMusings]

One of my modules this semester had an entire lecture based on whether car safety features, such as seatbelts, actually inrease the number of accidents on the road rather than decrease it. Apparently, safety features make the driver feel safer and therefore more likely to take bigger risks (according to the 'Risk Thermostat') leading to more accidents.

Wow, something from a lecture was actually useful in life - who'd have thought it.....

[hr]

I like paper.

[Power Metal Dom]

Quoting exnihilo from 14:17, 26th May 2008
Why is it you presume to generalise to all of "us" from one or two isolated examples? The other side of the coin is that locals are often rude to students, but I would not tar them all with the same brush. So get off your moral high horse and don't lecture others about their shortcomings or presume to speak for all students.

Well put. It's the same old town vs. gown stuff yet again. I've said it before but I'd like to reclarify that I've never had any trouble off the locals and I've never troubled any locals. I'd expect that'd be common among the majority. A few wankers causing a bit of bother doesn't condemn either side, it just makes those particlar people wankers.

In regards to the OP if a taxi driver really wants to get the final word in correcting an obnoxious drunken student then fair enough, that's their choice, but it's not really going to achieve much.

Incidentally, it's of no concern to me whether a taxi driver wears a seatbelt or not. Solong as they can get me where I need to be safely. I do wonder why there is a law exempting them though, does wearing a seatbelt inhibit taxi drivers above others?

[hr]

Like flames on fuel...upon metal I drool

[fluffy]

yeah, sounds like a hugeo overreaction on her part. i've found that people treat me very differently when i'm working in the shop from when i am about normally. like being a shop-girl makes me any less worthwhle. it's really important to see past the stereotypes of people's jobs, because it's just crap for someone to look down on you for your job!

[hr]

dev ksereis, alla eimai trella erotebmevei mazi sou..

[Tweedle-Dum]

A local once tried to sell me "pills", clearly all locals are drug addicted scum.

A student once held open a door for me, they are all courteous and chivalrous people.

[hr]

Tetragrammaton is a four letter word.

[theshadowhost]

an american girl studying IR was rude and presumptuous. it's a shame that isn't a new trait.

It sucks when students are rude, and it sucks when people think we are all like that. However the original message in this post was directed at her (not students as a whole) - this being the OP's way of contacting her so I don't see why people are having a go at the taxi driver?

[hr]

[Haunted]

Why not just pull over and ask her to leave?

[hr]

Now with 100% more corn

[exnihilo]

Quoting theshadowhost from 16:18, 26th May 2008
so I don't see why people are having a go at the taxi driver?

Who did?

[theshadowhost]

Quoting exnihilo from 16:32, 26th May 2008

Quoting theshadowhost from 16:18, 26th May 2008
so I don't see why people are having a go at the taxi driver?

Who did?

I should probably rephrase having a go as not agreeing with

[hr]

[munchingfoo]

Quoting theshadowhost from 16:18, 26th May 2008
However the original message in this post was directed at her (not students as a whole) - this being the OP's way of contacting her

More likely this is his/her place to vent anger, since he/she has already contacted and spoken to the girl in the car, given that she was, you know, in the car.



[hr]

“ When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading”

[creepy old man]

I know if I was in that situation I would probably not say much in my defense and then think of plenty of witty and effective comebacks to the insults over the course of the rest of the evening, after the girl had gotten out of my car. I've had a few experiences working in a shop at home where people have been really rude and condescending towards me, and I've always been too offended and shocked to defend myself properly. So if there was a message board for people who shop at that store, I would probably vent there just like this taxi driver - especially because the anonymity would protect me from getting fired.

[DrAlex]

Quoting Taxi Driver from 03:34, 26th May 2008
- said she would "sue the ass off me" if we were in an accident due to me not wearing a seatbelt (I couldn't quite fathom the logic of how me not wearing a seatbelt might cause an accident);

- said that she was "a 20-year-old with a degree and a house", while I was a "50-year-old with a car" and nothing else and seemed to think that meant she was an authority on UK seatbelt law (don't know how she managed to get a degree and then be studying in St Andrews as a 20-year-old);

I had assumed, not without warrant I might add, that you were merely trying to stir up a "aren't Americans stupid?" thread. Sounds to me like you are right: this girl is a shining example of the country.

[hr]

The Sinner: Where no one ever learned "if you haven't got any thing nice to say, don't say anything at all."

[Angry St Andrews Resident]

Fair play to the taxi driver taking a stance for himself against an arrogant student who hopefully will be caught and expelled from the university for harassment and verbal assault. The students are driving this town to hell.