TfL have a policy of revoking the taxi licence (or PHV licence) of any of their licenced taxi drivers with 6 points for mobile phone usage. I believe very few manage to keep their licences on review by the TfL licencing body. I just don’t understand why a taxi driver would risk the years of learning and loads of money it costs to become a London Licenced Taxi Driver.
As you can see here with this specific driver, he was using his phone both whilst moving and whilst stopped. You can see him try to gesture that he was only using it whilst stopped in the queue, but the footage of him holding the phone and my seeing the lit up screen as he comes past me would tend to suggest otherwise.
You can report road crime online here in London: https://www.met.police.uk/ro/report/rti/rti-a/report-a-road-traffic-incident/
In the rest of the UK you can use the NextBase Portal to find your local force submission portal:
https://nextbase.co.uk/national-dash-cam-safety-portal/
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48 Comments
Clearly these guys skipped The Knowledge on risking their jobs
Well he has quit smoking, or he has been forced to stop his vehicle from smoking. Its such a shame but this addiction will hurt someone or kill them one day, this is the safest route.
Another who’s been out for a very long time driving a taxi should know better,needs new injectors
He wasn't fully concentrating on his driving, as when he was passing you Mikey, he was veering towards and skimming the edge of the Cycle Lane.
I wonder what he was doing on his phone? Something stupid possibly, like telling his mate he had a nice fry up for his breakfast?!
Good to see the fools using their phones, fall through the trap door, after get caught by Mikey!!!
On a plus side, nice car in front of the taxi.
The people who either drive for a living or rely on car/van to make a living are likely to be on the road more than others (out of the people you report). It's even more important that they are reported since they are the biggest risk to safety.
I find it astonishing that some people still use their phone while driving in 2023.
Phone use is compulsive (by design).
Another day, another idiot.
There needs to be a change in law, an instant ban for 12 months. Tired of seeing these idiots who think they know better … Good catch Mikey 😊
That taxi is chucking out pollutants.
He chose to use the phone. Therefore, he chose to lose his job. Simples.
I'll be honest Mikey, I don't think he understood a word you said.
😬
Leave him alone he had to top his engine up with oil. And wet to tescos to buy cooking oil
Was disappointed to learn the other day that the London taxi drivers Union has been successful in getting green badges back for mobile phone drivers; and even a totter who managed to argue exceptional hardship to keep his driving license after racking up 12 points. (TfL originally revoked his badge, even though the court let him keep his driving license.)
They seem very proud of their ability to keep dangerous drivers behind the wheel of London's taxis.
It is about time the legal system got rid of the BS exceptional hardship plea completely; and that mobile phone use while driving became an instant 12 month ban for a first offence, no exceptions.
(I'd also like to see a no exceptions immediate 5 year ban for a second offence, and a no exceptions immediate lifetime ban for a third offence. Preferably with fines and incarceration profiles to match drink and drug driving legislation.)
When you told him I don't think it sunk in judging by the smile on his face but he must have know about the rules I am guessing that he would have taken some sort of exam and I cant imagen TFL issuing license with out asking questions.
I think there are rules about keeping the taxi engine in good order I seem to remember.
They’re like addicts scoring their next hit….they just cannot leave it alone….to hell with the consequences 🤷🏻♂️
Superb catch, Mikey.
I'm trying very hard to feel sorry for him. But nobody forced him to break the law.
I've been informed that it takes 4 years for a London cabby to learn their "patch"…….
It only takes 4 seconds of 🎥 to lose their Livelihood 😮.
When will they learn?
Good catch yet again, Mikey.
I'm wondering how many miles that car will go on 1 pint of oil. What a fool he was.
Excellent work yet again Mikey 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Another very expensive life choice 😮😮😮
ya do make me laugh with the blogs i think you ought to give em a small prize when you catch them out like a got ya sticker saying ouch this is gunna cost ya .
Driving while using a hand held device, vehicle emissions polluting the environment and not wearing a seat belt, was he going for double jeopardy where the points can really tot up.
Still gets me with the Jaws music! lol
Plus that smoking car! Where did it pick up that unheathy habit?
Sorry – petty silly comment, but should be licensed / licensing (if using it as a verb)! Cheers Mikey.
Awww just leave him alone. He's doing his best. It's not like anyone gets squashed in traffic. GOOD WORK. I hope he learnes his lesson and refrains from such idiotic behaviour in the future.
This is sad – he shouldn't risk his livelihood by phoning.
People have a serious issue with constantly looking at a phone. As a Cabby mine is in the cradle and i use voice to activate anything. The DPF is trying to regen itself. Its been sprayed by adblu so hey… its all cool. Its a euro 6 compliant vehicle.
Those Merc Vito taxis seem to have the worst drivers – they seem to forget how wide they are…doesn't help when they're then on the phone…limited sympathy – if you want to drive "professionally" then behave professionally…
Do you have nothing better to do
Put it in a dash mount for Gods sake, its not difficult or even better pull in.
Like Homer Simpson, I'll bet if you looked closer you would have seen the fax/deep fat fryer combo built into the dash.
Few questions here:
If a driver is stationery but texting on a dash mounted phone , is that illegal?
Do u report it to TFL if the police don’t catch on?
Have u ever had a driver try to attack u off camera?
Ha ha you lot commenting on people using mobile phones behind the wheel. You've all done it but just didn't get caught YET……. And if anyone replys they haven't used a mobile phone behind a wheel then your all liars 😂😂😂😂
Does anybody in London drive at 20 mph?
I would have thought that 6 points and a fine or worse for any previous would be enough but I am seeing more and more drivers using their phones every day. I drive around London 5 days a week and either I am noticing it more or there is a real increase. Maybe the message is not getting out there? Maybe a national campaign from the Government might make people more aware? I don't know. It is as if drivers are saying, "Pah! it won't happen to me, I am extra careful while driving." "Everyone else is doing it !" "It's a silly Law." "They'll scrap it eventually." "It's modern life, we need our phones more and more!" Perhaps an instant ban will wake these people up. Or worse they lose someone to a phone driver.
Another working mans life ruined by this clown. Vile individual.
mijn auto leeft!! hij rookt, hij wipt en hij zuipt….
🤪
maar het baasje heeft wat heropvoeding van node.
I'm guessing the Gandalf era is finished? 🙁
All that money in London and nobody can afford a car with hands free? Android Auto? Apple Carplay?
It's like TfL need to send out a reminder or something that phone use won't be tolerated.
these drivers who use their phones are dangerous, but the authorities and auditors earn from it, and we who watch youtube get some entertainment from their unlawful activity – so there is actually a positive side to all of this 🙂
Why do it? They risk losing their livelihood but more important is they risk someone else life. So clearly they balance their wish to use a phone against someone else’s life and decide their phone use is the most vital. No sympathy. My friend was knocked off her bike & hit her head on a lamp post narrowly missing 2 elderly people standing on the pavement by such a driver. They didn’t stop!
You ask why they risk their livelihood, Mikey??!! No matter how many drivers you catch using their phones, it just gets worse and worse. The phone use seems more important than keeping your licence clean. I don’t understand the logic!!! 🙄🙄🙄
Your ruining peoples livelihoods
Probably calling the fire brigade because his car was smoking 😅