Wheelchair user says attitude of some city taxi drivers is 'very shocking'
A Dundee man has entered the debate over wheelchair accessible taxis with the suggestion it is not just the vehicles but the drivers who can be a problem for disabled passengers.
- By Maura Bowman
- Published in the Courier : 15.07.11
- Published online : 15.07.11 @ 10.41am
Wheelchair user David Tares (49) said he has all but given up using taxis in the city because of the cost and the number of bad experiences he has had. He says he has even been turned away by taxi drivers at ranks in the city because of his mobility problems.
Mr Tares — who believes the mix of saloon cars and wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) in Dundee's taxi fleet should reflect the proportion of disabled people in the population — said the attitude of some drivers leaves much to be desired.
The type of vehicle being driven is no guide to the level of service that will be offered, he continued.
"There's a number of taxi drivers who have wheelchair accessible taxis but don't want to take wheelchair customers," he said. "There are some good drivers, but the attitude of drivers throughout the city is very, very shocking.
"I don't want to tar every taxi driver with the same brush, because there are a few good ones, but I have had problems a number of times.
"For instance, at the taxi rank opposite the City Churches taxi drivers have actually driven away from me. One actually said to me, 'I don't want to take you'.
"The thing is, they think because you are disabled you are thick as well."
Mr Tares issued a plea for the voices of disabled people to be heard in the row over the best type of taxi for the city. He said he and one other wheelchair user recently attended an exhibition of four different types of WAV in Dundee city centre.
"Two of us are hardly representative of the disabled community as a whole," he pointed out.
Dundee Taxi Association secretary Tony Waters accepted some drivers let the trade down when it comes to dealing with disabled passengers, but added, "I think the council are trying to address the problem with the disability awareness scheme which everybody is going to have to do."
Dundee City Council is consulting on four options relating to the proportion of WAV taxis and the possible introduction of a cap on taxi numbers.
11.15am - 15.07.2011 Dundee postgrad - Dundee, Scotland Report This
Could it be that the campaign by some Taxi firms to have 100% WAVs has nothing to do with helping disabled people, and everything to do with driving non-equipped competitors out of business?
08.25pm - 15.07.2011 Stevi Wood - Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Report This
Thick taxi drivers are not limited to Dundee unfortunately. I have come across them in my own city in Canada and in New York City too. I use a 4 wheeled walker and can even put it in the boot myself but that doesn't make getting a taxi any easier.
07.22am - 16.07.2011 Taxi Truth - Dundee, Europe Report This
Postgrad, that's a funny way to characterise the introduction of a level playing field. But you're right, it's all about self-interest, and when there were no WAVs at all and the saloons enjoyed a closed market they were dismissing the disabled lobby, but now they're citing them because it suits.
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