Yakubi arrived in Market Street, Wolverhampton, but when he realised Ms Nicholls had a guide dog, he told her there had been a mistake and he was there to collect someone else before driving off.
Ah,
that old chestnut.
In interview Yakubi, of Hobgate Road, Heath Town, revealed the real reason he drove off was because he was worried the dog would urinate in his car and leave hair on its interior.
Yes. Yes, I'm certain that's the real reason.
Magistrates fined Yakubi £80 and ordered him to pay costs of £400 and a victim surcharge of £30 after he pleaded guilty to the offence.
Wolverhampton council will review his private hire licence which could lead to him being taken off the road.
Only 'could'..?
The slippery road to 1984. If you do not take a blind person and their dog in your taxi or if you will not bake a cake for a gay couple then Big Brother(government agency) will come for you and punish you. Not nice acts and those who are doing the refusing are mean spirited and possibly otherwise unpleasant. However that does not give society the right to punish them in law. Strong disapproval and shunning yes. Otherwise we give to the state powers that it will happily abuse and expand until there are no civil liberties and personal freedoms left.
ReplyDeleteIf he was going to plead guilty anyway, he should have just said, "Sorry, I don't take dogs. My car, my rules".
ReplyDeleteI'll just file this one under "Don't be a cunt to blind people".
ReplyDeleteI wanted a taxi in Sheffield about a year ago. Had my dog with me. Told taxi firm No 1 (Biggest in the area) I had a dog. Unfortunately , all their drivers were alergic to dogs, Taxi No 2 - ditto. Taxi no 3 - success.
ReplyDelete"The slippery road to 1984. "
ReplyDeleteA bit of an overreaction, there!
"..he should have just said, "Sorry, I don't take dogs. My car, my rules"."
Except it's not 'his car' any more. When you apply for a license to operate a minicab, you play by the rules of that license.
"I'll just file this one under "Don't be a cunt to blind people"."
A lesson you'd think wouldn't need to be learned so often.
"Unfortunately , all their drivers were alergic to dogs,"
You should have asked to see their medical exemption certificate. By law, they must have one.
I agree with Antisthenes.
ReplyDeleteLicensed premises (Pubs, Hotels etc) can decline entry, eject or "bar" without providing a reason. My place, my selected clients.
Taxis/PH-Cabs same should be same - my vehicle, my selected clients.